HTPC Case Suggestions?

T

The1stCAV

[H]ard|Gawd
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Feb 27, 2008
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My current HTPC build is in an Antec P180B case - obviously not an HTPC case, but it is what I had to build in at the time. I have a BACH case that the EVGA Classified E760 motherboard would not fit in, so I was left with the Antec case as my last resort until I found something that would fit the motherboard.

When I upgraded "Frank", his "old" parts were sent to the HTPC build. I had to convert all the parts back to Air Cooled as opposed to the water blocks I have for all the GTX 285's, the Classified Motherboard, etc because I was missing a CPU block, the radiators, and a pump. I am now considering an HTPC case that I can install all this in with water cooling in mind. I will be purchasing an external radiator, pump, and CPU blocks so I can make this happen.

Here is basically the gear I need to shove into a HTPC case:

6 HDD's = 10TB SATA II Hard Drives
EVGA Classified E760 Motherboard water blocked
4x GTX 285's water blocked (3 SLI, 1 PhysX)
1x Core i7 975Extreme Water blocked
6GB (3x2GB) Mushkin Redline
Blu Ray Optical Drive
DVD/CD ROM R/W Optical

The only thing air cooled will be the HDD's and the RAM, everything else I will or already do own the water blocks for. Here is a picture of the current build:

htpc2011123.jpg


What I plan on doing is building an external cooling solution here:

horizonunit2.jpg


I figure I could mount the reservoir, pump, and radiators on the backside of the cabinet, run my tubing in/out of the HTPC, so the HTPC will not need to also incorporate the water cooling system as I will do this external.

This cabinet is a Standout Designs Horizon N702 with the back extenders as well as the cooling options installed. I believe with the air flow capabilities of this cabinet combined with the water cooling mounted external for the hotter components, the HTPC case I get will need to fit in this unit and be mainly concerned with air cooling the RAM and HDD's.

11235_1315435247333_1274259934_950511_6374147_n.jpg


So with all this in mind - any suggestions on a good HTPC case that I would be able to put all this gear in, be able to run tubing in/out of, etc? I would really like if it came with some kind of control panel or display panel that works on the front of the case and that if anything software related can operate with W7 Ultimate 64
 
AFAIK, most HTPC cases aren't built with water-cooling in mind.
 
There's not many HTPC cases with space for 6 HDD's. The Silverstone CW03-MT is one of them and has a 7" touchscreen, but I'm not certain if the GTX285's will fit behind the HDD's. There's also no tube holes for an external radiator, so you would have to make them yourself.

Also I assume you will use single PCI brackets on at least one of the GTX280's and don't actually need 8 expansion slots? (I don't think there is an HTPC case with 8 slots).

Good luck finding an epic HTPC case that fits all that.
 
Silverstone LC10B-E, LC17-B, or LC20B-M. No promises on video cards.
nMedia HTPC 6000S ?
Cooler Master 360 on its side, probably too small.
Or use an NZXT Phantom and call it art?
 
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I just want to know, what kind of "Home Theater" needs THAT kind of power? If you really don't need them, I can take two of those 285's off of your hands, for free! :D
 
Your home theater is better then most peoples best computer lol i want one
 
umm... i think you have a sort of (massively) overpowered htpc rig

why??? Too much hassle too much noise too much bother to fit it into a entertainment center setting.


I'm for my part thinking about it like using a aircraft carrier battle group to stop a drug smugglers speed boat....you could but since it would cost millions of dollars why not just let the little Coast Guard patrol boat handle it?


it is your time and your money so suite yourself, but I'd sell the old parts (i realize you have them from upgrading your main rig) and get some more mellow more htpc appropriate / specific low power / heat gear and aim for low noise over raging 3 way sli personally.

meh.
 
I concur with a few of the others here in that just about any HTPC case is not built with 3-Way SLI in mind! A single GTX560/580 or AMD 6950/6970 would be more than enough, if you wanted to sell and get some new features in a card anyhow. That kind of a setup, including watercooling, may require a custom solution as a Classified E-ATX board is just not what HTPC chassis are designed for. As others have suggested, you could probably sell a lot of that and pick up a full featured mATX board, some of which can even support CrossFire or SLI should you find you really need to go that route. mITX may not give you the flexibility you wish to have all the HDDs plus a large discrete graphics card. ATX itself could always work if you get a HTPC chassis with it in mind, if you don't mind the size. Especially if you are sure you want to go liquid cooling, then perhaps a mATX board in an ATX chassis will give you the room necessary for all your HDDs and GPU, with space to spare for the liquid components. If you don't mind putting the liquid mostly external, then a mATX enclosure - maybe one of the larger "Cubes" will also work.

You may want to look into any of the full-ATX LianLi and Silverstone offerings. There are many that can at least handle a full length graphics card and quite a few HDDs. There are also a couple of companies that exclusively create high end ($500+ LCD included...) HTPC chassis, but I'm blanking on the names.
 
im guessing this isnt really an htpc, but rather his main rig that happens to serve as an htpc as well...it just has to be....lol
 
Keep an eye out on Newegg for Fractal Designs brand cases. Newegg has just started carrying them, and they are very nice cases usually around 109 bucks I believe. They as sleek as some Lian-Li and Silverstone cases, but are generally made from steel instead of aluminum, negating a bit of the cost.
 
OP - they just don't make the cases you want. Even with your cool air cooling cabinent I doubt its going to cool as well as a good case like an FT02B or a water cooled Corsair 700d. Those cases can handle your setup. No HTPC cases will..

You can downsize your setup (TVs can only do 1080P so you don't need the 3 way IMHO) and then use a GD05/6 (Silverstone) or C50B (Lian Li) as thsoe are the premiere cooling cases (HTPC) but those are for air but you still won't have enough space for HDs.
 
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