Case: Am I too picky?

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dicenskr

n00b
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
6
Hey,
I'm looking for a case that fits my needs, so far in my searching it seems as though my perfect case doesn't exist. :(

I want one 5.25" space, one 3.5" space, space for a 5.25" LCD screen (or case with it already), and one space for a card reader (or case with it already). Any suggestions?
Mobo is micro-ATX, 9.6" x 8.2"


This is the best I could come up with on NewEgg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163063
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811204035

And I kinda like that the Silverstone case comes with a remote...but I'm sure I could get that remote packaged w/an LCD screen if I didn't get that case.

Thanks in advance!
 
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Eh? Micro ATX is 9.6 x 9.6.

The Antec P180 Mini is a good choice.
 
i actually was hoping for a horizonal case (vs vertical) because I have plenty of space if it's horizontal, but no space if its vertical, but thanks for the suggestion!
 
I like the look of this one and the hard drive removable trays with handles. It's a bit more expensive than the one you linked but it's probably what I'm gonna order later.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811235023&Tpk=HD503

Edit--
You can put a card reader instead of using the removable front 3.5 inch hard drive tray and use the remaining internal slots of hard drives instead. Hmmm but then you'd lose one of the 5.25 bay... It's still a worthy case to consider. I mean there's no real need for 2 DVD/Blue-ray drives. =)
 
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that is a bit more pricey than i was considering.
i'm on google.com/products looking for the GlacialTech Altair and absolutely nothing is showing up.... :(

http://www.glacialtech.com/news/2008_HTPC-A381.htm

i guess it's not in the US, which would be odd since the power supply usually isn't included in cases so there should be no compatibility issues....or maybe it's just lost....
 
My precious.............I don't have one of these yet but I want to. If I get one it will easily be the most expensive part of my htpc lol. It is a bit more than what you were originally looking at spending but you have to admit it does everything you asked for sans remote but it does have built in IR.

http://www.origenae.com/en/htpc_s14v.htm
 
Hey Dicenskr, I just purchased the nMEDIAPC case you referenced and it should be here on Monday. I will update this thread with a basic review when I get it. I liked the fact that the nMEDIAPC was cheap, had the front card reader, along with usb, and could store four drives internally. I have done a bit of research on it and it seems like it has a few issues. The front panel supposedly is built cheaply and can have issues breaking off or not closing. Also, since it is a htpc case, it is a bit tighter than your normal case but hopefully you realize that.

Even with the issues however, I still went with it. The cost with the front card reader and the 4 drives sold me. No remote though but I already have one.

Anyway, I will post a review mid next week.
 
Cyant said:
I like the look of this one and the hard drive removable trays with handles. It's a bit more expensive than the one you linked but it's probably what I'm gonna order later.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811235023&Tpk=HD503

Edit--
You can put a card reader instead of using the removable front 3.5 inch hard drive tray and use the remaining internal slots of hard drives instead. Hmmm but then you'd lose one of the 5.25 bay... It's still a worthy case to consider. I mean there's no real need for 2 DVD/Blue-ray drives. =)
Click to expand...

I have this case and what I can tell you guys about it is that I wish I had saved the money and gone with the 501. The screen isn't very useful and the remote isn't that great. Also, I had to move the removable bay where the optical is supposed to go since the opening wasn't large enough for the drawer on my BD drive. So, just make sure your drawer is the standard size and doesn't span the entire face of the drive.

41338_full.jpg
 
Just FYI,

There's a great deal on amazon right now for this case. Review can be found everywhere if you google it.

http://www.amazon.com/Silverstone-F...4?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1263828807&sr=8-4

I jumped on it right away... was planning a build in a couple of months and couldn't pass this up... not sure if this has everything you need... only one external 5 1/4 drive bay but it's perfect for my application. The deal is only for the silver one so depending on how picky you are or what you need this may or may not be for you.

Still a sweet deal on a $200 plus case with VFD/IR/Remote
 
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wow. that case is extremely bad ass. i think thats the same screen in my antec fusion case, its really hard to read from any sort of distance.

PolygonGTC said:
I have this case and what I can tell you guys about it is that I wish I had saved the money and gone with the 501. The screen isn't very useful and the remote isn't that great. Also, I had to move the removable bay where the optical is supposed to go since the opening wasn't large enough for the drawer on my BD drive. So, just make sure your drawer is the standard size and doesn't span the entire face of the drive.

41338_full.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Veedo said:
wow. that case is extremely bad ass. i think thats the same screen in my antec fusion case, its really hard to read from any sort of distance.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me. I've seen it in another HTPC case as well. I'm not a huge fan of it though as that is the only useful thing I can get it to display. I mainly got it because I wanted the IR receiver built in. Now I wish I had just gotten the 501 and a Gyration set. I don't have any problems reading it from where I sit, but that's only about five feet away. However, the viewing angle sucks.
 
PolygonGTC said:
Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me. I've seen it in another HTPC case as well. I'm not a huge fan of it though as that is the only useful thing I can get it to display. I mainly got it because I wanted the IR receiver built in. Now I wish I had just gotten the 501 and a Gyration set. I don't have any problems reading it from where I sit, but that's only about five feet away. However, the viewing angle sucks.
Click to expand...

well, if you ever decide to sell that bad boy, let me know :D
 
ok, so I'm 75% comfortable with this case:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163077
A little on the expensive side, so I might end up with:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163063&Tpk=LC20B-M ATX silverstone

The only real advantage I see with the GD01 multimedia is the newer LCD screen. It's nice to have 2 5.25" bays, for a couple very practical reasons....hmmmm I might just go with the GD01 multimedia. :)

I'm a little hesitant against the nMedia cases because my research brought up many many issues with getting an IR receiver comfortably inside the cases I was looking at (either the 5000 or 2000).

Oddity: The Silverstone LC20B-M doesn't show up on NewEgg when you search for cases that have a remote with it. They should fix that...
 
PolygonGTC said:
Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me. I've seen it in another HTPC case as well. I'm not a huge fan of it though as that is the only useful thing I can get it to display. I mainly got it because I wanted the IR receiver built in. Now I wish I had just gotten the 501 and a Gyration set. I don't have any problems reading it from where I sit, but that's only about five feet away. However, the viewing angle sucks.
Click to expand...

I wonder if theres a way to to just plug in the IR receiver and not have the screen going at the same time, in my fusion case its all in one single plug.
 
Veedo said:
well, if you ever decide to sell that bad boy, let me know :D
Click to expand...

Hehehe, I might actually think about it.

Trimlock said:
I wonder if theres a way to to just plug in the IR receiver and not have the screen going at the same time, in my fusion case its all in one single plug.
Click to expand...

The screen is powered by an ATX connector between the PSU and the MOBO. I would assume it would work but you're better off getting the 501 if you don't want the screen and getting the Gyration air mouse that uses R/F. The price difference is huge and they're the same case minus the screen and I/R and that's a lot to pay for the I/R.
 
I was looking and after reading everything-- i realized -- i didnt want the screen up front after all.. The case i decided to get was the lian li....http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112228

Though after all of that.. I ended up getting a antec soneta and stashing the unit behind the tv stand lol.. I wanted silence..

You can also lay the p183 on its side and it would work great and really run quiet.. Just a option...
 
The OrigenAE cases look incredible, I've been pining for one for quite some time. Ultra pricey though.
 
onyxbfly said:
I saw that case before, unfortunately that case is $749 before options. It is a slick case, and having one will deff set you apart from the HTPC crowd lol.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but it's still a sight less than an Origen AE. What really appeals to me is using the case as a giant heat sink for the CPU and video card.
 
PolygonGTC said:
Yeah, but it's still a sight less than an Origen AE. What really appeals to me is using the case as a giant heat sink for the CPU and video card.
Click to expand...


Sight or Slight....not nit picking just trying to understand what you intended. At $749 it is almost twice the cost of the OriginAE S-14. I love the technology involved with the design of the case. Turning the case into a giant heat sink is truly revolutionary. Although I hate the slot load drive.
 
The thing I like about the HeatSync, is it's depth. I have a full size ATX motherboard, and I can't seem to find a short depth case that will fit in the same shelf system as the rest of my components. I don't want to pay $750 for it either. I don't want to take over this thread, but does anyone know of a full size ATX case for HTPC use that has a short depth? I would like it to be 14 inches or less.
 
PolygonGTC said:
A good alternative to the Origen AE is A-Tech Fabs HeatSync 7000.
Click to expand...
THAT is one incredible case! Dang!
FengPangzi said:
Has anyone seen this Chieftec HE-01SL case in person? It fits a full size atx mobo, which is always a nice thing.
Click to expand...
PCDesmond said:
but does anyone know of a full size ATX case for HTPC use that has a short depth? I would like it to be 14 inches or less.
Click to expand...

This is the case that I am currently building up. ThermalTake DH202

Here are several other HTPC cases offered by ThermalTake (all of which fit full ATX):
DH101 also available refurb
Mozart SX also available refurb
Mozart IP also available refurb
Mozart VC also available refurb
Bach also available refurb

and many, many more...
 
I finally received my nMedia 5000b case and I know you were looking at it for a potential htpc for you. Here you go!

4 out of 5 stars for me. Well constructed except for the front lower panel that covers up the usb and card reader. That, in fact, barely works at all. The hinges don't work very well at all. I may have to try to fix that. Otherwise, aesthetically it looks very good. Internally, I love the layout of the hard drives. Many cases stack hard drives but these are side by side along the top. You really have to follow the directions for installation though since it is a tighter case. Strange though. Even though it is a htpc case, it really is the size of a mid-size case. Anyway, it did come with a slight scratch on the left hand side of it. In fact, when I first pulled out the case, I noticed imperfections all over the front side. I contacted tech and they got back to me within 12 hours. They asked if I removed the protective sticker from the front... *sigh* no... It did remove most of the imperfections (all but one.)

So, I really like the case. It is very large for a htpc but it looks really nice. Will go very well in my entertainment center. Just remember to measure the space for it. Price and quality (minus the front panel) are excellent and I would buy another!!!

Good luck to your build!
 
PCDesmond said:
The thing I like about the HeatSync, is it's depth. I have a full size ATX motherboard, and I can't seem to find a short depth case that will fit in the same shelf system as the rest of my components. I don't want to pay $750 for it either. I don't want to take over this thread, but does anyone know of a full size ATX case for HTPC use that has a short depth? I would like it to be 14 inches or less.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's pretty big, but that's not the issue to me. I'm not to keen on the price tag and I was going to be forced to buy as I don't care for most of the HTPC cases out there. They just look cheap and some are pretty ugly. I decided on the Zalman HD503 and I kind of wish I had gone with the 501. Had it not been for those I would have bought the HeatSink 7000.

onyxbfly said:
Sight or Slight....not nit picking just trying to understand what you intended. At $749 it is almost twice the cost of the OriginAE S-14. I love the technology involved with the design of the case. Turning the case into a giant heat sink is truly revolutionary. Although I hate the slot load drive.
Click to expand...

Sight. The last Origen AE case I looked at that I wanted was about $1,300 and they went all the way up to $3,000. Also, if I'm not mistaken you can go with slot or tray load on the optical drive.
 
PCDesmond said:
The thing I like about the HeatSync, is it's depth. I have a full size ATX motherboard, and I can't seem to find a short depth case that will fit in the same shelf system as the rest of my components. I don't want to pay $750 for it either. I don't want to take over this thread, but does anyone know of a full size ATX case for HTPC use that has a short depth? I would like it to be 14 inches or less.
Click to expand...

We seem to have the same issue. Albeit I can manage 16 inches as opposed to your 14. As far as I know and I have been doing a lot of research is the only cases that come full size atx with a depth of 16" or less come from OriginAE and ATech.



@ Zaxour I have the Antec Nsk2480 and unfortunately it is 16.30" in depth. It is about.5 " to long. Plus now that I got it home I can honestly say that I am not impressed nor do I want it any more lol. If I'm going to cut the back of my entertainment stand to fit a case, I might asl well love the case............
 
PolygonGTC said:
Yeah, it's pretty big, but that's not the issue to me. I'm not to keen on the price tag and I was going to be forced to buy as I don't care for most of the HTPC cases out there. They just look cheap and some are pretty ugly. I decided on the Zalman HD503 and I kind of wish I had gone with the 501. Had it not been for those I would have bought the HeatSink 7000.



Sight. The last Origen AE case I looked at that I wanted was about $1,300 and they went all the way up to $3,000. Also, if I'm not mistaken you can go with slot or tray load on the optical drive.
Click to expand...

Yeah Origin AE can get pricey real quick.....That being said the model I am interested in is $400. I like theier $1200 case as well. But the $400 case will do the job just as well sans 12" touch screen.

I like the Zalman that you mentioned as well. But alas it is to long as well.

The heatsink 7000 is a slot load only case. Another turn off for me. Slot load blu ray drives are 2x the price of a regular 5.25 drive. I love the innovation. I like the look. I just cant do the price and then to add a $200 drive to it..........

AAARRRGGGG the sound Charlie Brown makes when Lucy moves the ball.......
 
been really trying to find a nice case finally decided on this one.

htpc003.jpg


Since its only 10" deep its perfect for using it both in the house or putting it in the RV when we travel.

Just debating with self I3/H55 ITX or use the E8400/ Zotac 9300 ITX. Wish they would hurry up and release the H55 ITX want to see how this puppy runs.
 
Vorg said:
been really trying to find a nice case finally decided on this one.

htpc003.jpg


Since its only 10" deep its perfect for using it both in the house or putting it in the RV when we travel.

Just debating with self I3/H55 ITX or use the E8400/ Zotac 9300 ITX. Wish they would hurry up and release the H55 ITX want to see how this puppy runs.
Click to expand...

I love that case. Where did you find it?
 
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