Favourite HTPC case?

U

unpossible

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May 28, 2007
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I have an old c2d e6400 system that I want to put into a htpc build.

If only intel 775 boards came with decent integrated chips, so I will probaby get a ati 4350 or equivalent for blu-ray. But yeah, I'm not really sure what htpc case to go with, can you guys recommend a decent one?

thanks in advance
 
Uh, you can get an NV 9000 series board you know....

Anyways, Antec's NSK2480 is one of the best budget cases out there and is a favorite for HTPC use.
 
I have a few I would suggest:

Zalman: HD501.

Zalman: HD503.

A-Tech: HeatSync 7000.

I love the A-Tech case, but it costs around $700 with a Blu-Ray drive. I think for what you get with that case it's worth it. The two Zalman cases should be less expensive. I don't know for sure since I haven't seen anyone selling them yet. I'm very picky about cases and I think most HTPC cases, at least the ones you can find on Newegg look like crap.

Blue Fox said:
OrigenAE if your budget allows for it.
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And if you can find someone selling them here in the U.S. I know of one but they are price gouging. However, I do love their cases.
 
The Zalman HD501 looks nice, although it would have been nicer if all four drives were hotswap rather than just the front accessible drive and the fan grills were more open (they look like they'd cause a fair bit of noise due to air restriction). Provantage has it listed for $145+sh
 
Pringals said:
It would be nice to know what your budget is. Some of these cases go for way more then the component you will put in it.

Over at newegg, the Silverstone LC13B-E has a very nice price right now at $80 after MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163117

The other one I like over at newegg is the nMEDIAPC HTPC 6000B for about $90.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811204037

Those are the two I'm personally considering right now for my future build.
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I have the NMedia HTPC 6000B myself and it's indeed a gorgeous case. Pain in the ass to put a full size board in though, but at the end it's very nice. I had a hard time getting the Blu-ray drive button to line up with the case button, so I just made a shortcut key to the an eject command on my remote and keyboard.
 
I'm definitely a function over form guy. I don't like things to be ugly, but given the choice between two things that are functionally equivalent (for my needs), I'll generally take the cheaper, less pretty one. And from my searching, the M350 is much cheaper than the LC19.

The cases are really serving two different functions though. The M350 is a mini-ITX case, which is supposed to be pretty much invisible. The LC19 is a micro-ATX case which is supposed to be pretty and visible, and can take a slim DVD/Blu-Ray player. I run everything off my server (it even hosts the TV card) so the clients should be as small and quiet as possible.

BTW if you don't want to look at it at all, the M350 can be mounted on the back of your TV using the VESA mount holes if you haven't wall-mounted it. That's about as sleek as I can think of ...

http://www.mini-box.com.au/images/m350mountedlg.jpg

BTW, how are you modding the LC19? Are you trying to fit something in that does't fit?
 
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CrimandEvil said:
Not my cup of tea, it doesn't really look all that sleek if you know what I mean. But, like I said, not my cup of tea.

My next case is going to be a modded LC19... if I can find the time to finish it that is. Sucks cause it's about 80% done. I'll be leaving an NSK2400, I left a Fusion for that one.
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I'd agree that I don't care for that case either. It might be functional, but it's ugly. I'll gladly pay more for both.
 
magao said:
BTW, how are you modding the LC19? Are you trying to fit something in that does't fit?
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Yeah, a 1U PSU (from a KPC, 100w PSU with the noisy fan removed) and a 5.25 Blu ray drive. :D

I really don't like that If I want to use the case I'm going to have to pay more then $150 for a notebook Blu Ray drive. That's totally dumb to me. The case came out at a weird time, right before mITX started really making an impact in the HTPC market which is why it was made to support mATX even though the case didn't really have the space to really support that form factor (it's a PITA to work an mATX board into that case which is why it sat unused in my room)

I lost the power brick for it a while back so I want a better, more intergrated solution for the powersupply so I'm working a 1U into it. :)

Part of my dislike for the M350 is that it doesn't support a drive as an option unless you go external, I don't like too many external things hanging around a PC when it could have been placed into the system. I still use a drive (netflix and DVDs that I haven't ripped to my server) so I like having a drive in the system handy. While I don't have one of these cases I do really like what I've seen of them (Wiretap and few others I know have one).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811154084
 
Yep - I hate cases that require slim optical drives - either provide room for a full-size drive, or don't bother with one at all. My main HTPC is in an Antec MicroFusion Remote 350 (also designated as an M350 strangely enough ...), and has a Blu-Ray in it. From that I rip to my server, then transcode to h.264 in a Matroska container (quad-core, can transcode in realtime), making it available to other machines. It helps that I've cabled my house up with Cat-6 everywhere.

I'm currently using a laptop for my secondary HTPC (it's got coax digital out) - the next HTPC will be replacing that.

BTW, have you considered getting a PicoPSU rather than trying to fit a 1U in there? Although you'd still have to deal with the optical drive of course.
 
magao said:
BTW, have you considered getting a PicoPSU rather than trying to fit a 1U in there? Although you'd still have to deal with the optical drive of course.
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Yeah but I would have to deal with a power brick and I consider that a hassle. The LC19 already comes with a powersupply but I don't want to deal with the whole brick thing, using a 1U PSU means I can easily swap it out if I need too and everything is internal to the case.
 
I bought this case for my current HTPC and like it:

bp655_001.jpg

http://www.in-win.us/products_pccase_series.php?cat_id=1&series_id=47

It works great for my needs (full size drive, single HD) and was cheap. The 80mm side fan is a bit too noisy though (i.e. not 100% silent) so I may replace that. Otherwise, no complaints for $50 w/ power supply.
 
Thermaltake dh101 is nice for me. Alot of people dont like it, but im in love with it.
 
4x4not said:
I bought this case for my current HTPC and like it:

http://www.in-win.us/products_pccase_series.php?cat_id=1&series_id=47

It works great for my needs (full size drive, single HD) and was cheap. The 80mm side fan is a bit too noisy though (i.e. not 100% silent) so I may replace that. Otherwise, no complaints for $50 w/ power supply.
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Haha, In-Win is still in business? I had a couple of their cases. I liked them, but they had crap power supplies. I hope they're using better ones these days.

sdotcarter said:
Thermaltake dh101 is nice for me. Alot of people dont like it, but im in love with it.
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Are you kidding me? That case looks great compared to pretty much all of the cases on Newegg. That display looks like the same one that Zalman is using in the HD 503.
 
PolygonGTC said:
Are you kidding me? That case looks great compared to pretty much all of the cases on Newegg. That display looks like the same one that Zalman is using in the HD 503.
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The 60mm rear fans are the main complaint with the Thermaltake.
I have a Zalman HD160-Plus, and have been very happy with it
 
JohnDC said:
The 60mm rear fans are the main complaint with the Thermaltake.
I have a Zalman HD160-Plus, and have been very happy with it
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Ah, yeah, 60mm fans don't cut it. Especially in an HTPC. I'm looking at buying the HD 503 here. I was going to get the HD 501 but it doesn't come with an IR sensor and I don't want an external one.
 
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