Need Help with HTPC Airflow

[SSTwinrova]

Last year (summer-ish) I built a HTPC to connect to our HDTV. I thought I had planned enough about making sure to keep it cool enough (no big heat producing components in the system), but apparently I was mistaken. Here are some pics of the current setup:

http://www.FreeImageHut.com/view.php?file=3377-qkb88i3g.jpg

http://www.FreeImageHut.com/view.php?file=3378-48nuchu7.jpg

As you can see, the computer is inside a glass door beneath the TV, but I removed the dividing shelf that allows for two components to be stored there. The problem is, with the glass door closed, the temperature gets up past 60 in there when the computer is on for any significant length of time. The solution thus far has been to have the glass door open whenever the computer is on (keeping the temps down in the 40 range) since removing the door entirely isn't an option (Parent-AF and all...).

Inside the space are two holes in the back that are designed for feeding cables:

http://www.FreeImageHut.com/view.php?file=3379-54v8worq.jpg

http://www.FreeImageHut.com/view.php?file=3380-tuf4bl6z.jpg

My thought is that these have to be somehow utilized to increase the airflow and keep the temps down with the door closed. Cutting additional holes is also not an option (PAF again), but slightly expanding the size of one of the holes is possible. The best idea I've been able to come up with would be to maybe get like a USB powered "case fan" and mount it up against one of the holes, feeding all of the cables through the other. All of the fans I've been able to find like this have LEDs and such.

So, does anyone have a suggestion or idea on what I can do?

 

[uninja]

I've been attempting to think of a decent solution for this also. My receiver gets hot enough and haven't even added the HTPC yet. Mine has two holes in the back for routing cables, thought about routing most through the bottom one and having a usb-powered exhaust fan near the top one.

 

[CrimandEvil]

The case pulls air in from the front and then exhausts out the back so the glass is cutting off intake air and the back is sort of bouncing it back to the front since there isn't any room to let it out of the air out.

Since you can't remove the glass doors I'd suggest modding the stand by cutting out some of the back to make more room for cables and air exhaust. At least then heat will be able to escape out the back.

I'd also consider cutting out a little of the side of the stand in order to get some air into the the thing (cover the hole with modders mesh or something).

 

[uninja]

The case pulls air in from the front and then exhausts out the back so the glass is cutting off intake air and the back is sort of bouncing it back to the front since there isn't any room to let it out of the air out.

Since you can't remove the glass doors I'd suggest modding the stand by cutting out some of the back to make more room for cables and air exhaust. At least then heat will be able to escape out the back.

I'd also consider cutting out a little of the side of the stand in order to get some air into the the thing (cover the hole with modders mesh or something).

This got me to thinking about cutting/drilling small hole(s) into the bottom underneath the components and covering it with mesh. It would improve airflow and wouldn't be visible. Maybe improvise a filter to minimize dust intake.

My TV stand is similiar but it's raised off the ground a few inches. I can't tell if the OP's stand is solid underneath the enclosure or not.

 

[CrimandEvil]

This got me to thinking about cutting/drilling small hole(s) into the bottom underneath the components and covering it with mesh. It would improve airflow and wouldn't be visible. Maybe improvise a filter to minimize dust intake.

My TV stand is similiar but it's raised off the ground a few inches. I can't tell if the OP's stand is solid underneath the enclosure or not.

Well, in the OP's case I don't think that would make much of an improvement since his draws air in directly from the front. Maybe if he cut the holes in the back of the case and turned all the fans inside around (so that they blow from back to front) then it might help but if he had a case that drew air in from the bottom (like Antec's Fusion/NSK2480) then that would be perfect for his setup.

 

[SSTwinrova]

My case is the Zalman HD160. You can see some pictures of it in this review: http://www.dvhardware.net/review79_zalmanhd160.html -- I think the best shot of the airflow in this case can be seen in the rightmost image of the second row of 3. (http://www.dvhardware.net/reviews/zalmanhd160/6.jpg)

The front of the case is at the top of the picture; the airflow is primarily in from underneath the HD cage and then out through the back, but there's also another vent at the back on the side (opposite from the PSU). The PSU has it's own vent that its fan sits up against, and then there's a vent in the top of the case that can be opened/closed as desired (seen at the top right of the picture).

I don't think the base is solid, but all that's underneath there is carpet and there's no other way for air to get in or out. I'd also prefer to keep modding the actual stand to as little as possible because it's extremely likely that they stand will outlive the HTPC being in it (hence my thought of the fan mounted up against one of the cable holes).

 

[Diablo2K]

Reversing airflow ain't going to help. Its clear that he is just sucking in the exhaust. He has to find a way to introduce cool fresh air. If you go cutting holes think about where that air will come from. If it is going to come from the back of the entertainment center then its useless.

Why would anyone that knows anything about electronics would design an entertainment center with a door on the front is beyond me. its the absolute worse thing you can do.

You have to break up the airflow so that it doesn't just cycle its way back into the case, you need at least 2 ways for air to get in/out, one so that the heated air can get out, and 2 so that you can get fresh air in. By opening the front door you have enough of a space for both to happen, but its not optimal. I dont know what you could really do sense cutting holes in the back aint going to work unless you can find a way to get fresh air into the front.