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Fanless HDTV HTPC System

T

ToeJam13

Senior member
All,

I've been looking around at building a 100% fanless HTPC with HDTV output. I've come close, but there are a few snags that I need suggestions with. Here are the requirements for this system:

[*]100% Fanless
[*]Component HDTV (1080i) video output
[*]Dolby Digital 5.1 audio output
[*]Case design blends with stereo components

Video:
Currently I am considering either a Leadtek WinFast 6600 or 6600GT video card. Both cards ship with a Component video output adapter and include Nvidia's video processor. I would replace the stock HSF with a large heatsink or heatsink/heatpipe combo. I would attempt to go with the non-GT model unless it is unable to handle 30fps 1080i video.

I would not go with an ATI solution due to issues my existing Radeon 8500 has with my Toshiba HDTV.

Mainboard/CPU combinations:
[*]ALI1541 + AMD K6/500 - An inexpensive solution that would easily work without active cooling. Audio would need to be added. I also worry that even with the VPU in the 6600, the system would be unable to display 1080 WMV without skipping.

[*]nForce2 + AMD XP-M/2200+ (130nm, 35W thermal) - A moderately priced solution that might fit the requirements. My largest worry is that it still outputs too much heat. There are also reports of system BIOSes not properly recognizing the mobile parts. There are also questions about BIOS support for PowerNow and CoolNQuiet power management systems.

[*]mini-ITX + VIA C3/1200 - Great idea, but without an AGP or PCIe slot the system is unable to handle a 3rd party video card. As such, no HDTV output. Also, onboard audio does not support Dolby Digital.

[*]i855 + Intel Pentium-M/1700 (90nm, 21W thermal) - Ouch! This sucker is very expensive. It also lacks HD audio, so a 3rd party solution would be needed. These boards easily support the power features of the M series CPU, so this would be a completely seemless solution.

Cases:
I haven't found any HTPC cases that come without power supplies. As such, I am unable to purchase a fanless supply. I've looked at a few of those external power blocks with the DC12->ATX20 converters, but they are only rated for 120W. Most likely not enough, even if I used a 2.5" HDD and slimline laptop DVD-ROM.

[*]Silverstone Tek's LC02 - Supports ATX, uATX and mITX boards and has a very sleek look. However, its not completely fanless - a single fan is included with the 220W power supply.

Sound:
Since I would most likely be using a large heatpipe sandwich solution with the video card, the use of a slot riser card would be limited to just the AGP slot. As such, I would need to use an external audio solution. Creative's SB Live! 24 External connects via USB and provides 5.1 audio. However, I can't verify if its output is PCM or Dolby Digital.


Anyone have suggestions or ideas?

 
# i855 + Intel Pentium-M/1700 (90nm, 21W thermal) - Ouch! This sucker is very expensive. It also lacks HD audio, so a 3rd party solution would be needed. These boards easily support the power features of the M series CPU, so this would be a completely seemless solution.
Click to expand...

This may be your only option, as HDTV video output (I assume you'll want to upconvert your DVDs and analog TV using DScaler) is quite processor intensive.
 
Originally posted by: ToeJam13

Mainboard/CPU combinations:

[*]nForce2 + AMD XP-M/2200+ (130nm, 35W thermal) - A moderately priced solution that might fit the requirements. My largest worry is that it still outputs too much heat. There are also reports of system BIOSes not properly recognizing the mobile parts. There are also questions about BIOS support for PowerNow and CoolNQuiet power management systems.

Sound:
Since I would most likely be using a large heatpipe sandwich solution with the video card, the use of a slot riser card would be limited to just the AGP slot. As such, I would need to use an external audio solution. Creative's SB Live! 24 External connects via USB and provides 5.1 audio. However, I can't verify if its output is PCM or Dolby Digital.


Anyone have suggestions or ideas?
Click to expand...

One suggestion (may not be perfect) but how about the ABIT NF7-S Rev 2.0 motherboard and perhaps a mobile barton.

The NF7-S Rev 2.0 has Soundstorm onboard and Optical Out. Whether the sound quality is good enough for HTPC is not an area which Id like to put my money down and say Yay or Nay. Since its onboard, its going to save you some cash. It also supports Mobile Bartons (probably mobile thoroughbred cores too) but you will need to manually set speeds which Id guess you are comfortable with.

Someone will be able to elaborate on Soundstorms sound output via Optical Out in greater detail or a simple search should uncover a massive thread arguing about it.
 
I actually own an ABit AN7, which is basically the same board, with an XP/3200. It is a possible option with the Silverstone LC02, but many HTPC cases want a smaller ATX format. It would also be more difficult to power a full-size ATX board with an external power block. My largest issue is with the heat output of the XP-M versus the Pentium-M. I'm also unsure how well ABit's BIOS support for mobile processors is.
 
I would get a couple very quiet 80mm fans to cool the HDD(s). It would be pretty dumb in my mind to do 100% fanless, especially when there are more then enough fans out there that are even quieter then most HDD's and will prevent them from a quick death. So the rig can still be quiet, and even completely noiseless. Just dont sacrifice your hardware for it
 
to Toejam13:

What kind of space constraints are you looking at for your setup?

A full ATX case like the Silverstone LC03 requires a space about 17 inches wide and 19 inches deep. If the space you are going to put that HTPC into can take a full ATX case, you can probably put together a fanless setup a lot easier than using a slimline case.

The most straightforward way to go fanless with the LC02 IMHO would be to go water cooling... One needs to mod the PSU to be watercooled as well and that can be VERY tricky (electrical hazards, plus that PSU will be difficult to replace if it fries).
 
Celeron-M is probably good.

By the way. 120W is plenty. 20W for the processor, 5W for the laptop harddrive, 20W for the RAM, maybe 20W for a video sollution. Your'e still within spec.
 
Why fanless, though? Even some high end home theater components have fans in them, you just don't notice.

During the important times when you're going to be using them as a home theater, if you have any audio at all, you'll drown out the noise of most ~20DB fans. I can barley hear my (2) 20DB fans over my own t yping.
 
Why fanless, though? Even some high end home theater components have fans in them, you just don't notice.
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The primary reason is due to the dust in my home destorying fans. Nearly every 9-12 months I have to go through and replace fans in all three of my PCs. I've purchased one of those Dyson vacuum cleaners and I go over the place every weekend. Still, the dust comes and the bearings fail.

The secondary reason is because I always hear them. My ears are drawn to them. Drives me nuts. Even the 140mm fan in my Coolmax 350W-PSU was audiable when I was playing music with lots of quiet passages in them.

If the space you are going to put that HTPC into can take a full ATX case, you can probably put together a fanless setup a lot easier than using a slimline case.
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Yes, but I already have a mid-tower next to my TV and it looks tacky. I would like it to blend with my receiver, DVD player and HD tuner.

most straightforward way to go fanless with the LC02 IMHO would be to go water cooling
Click to expand...

The noise from the pump would be equal to a low noise fan. The only benifit would be that I could use hotter processors and get away with the same noise floor. In this case, I want dead quiet. The last dead quiet machine I owned was an Amiga 500. I would like that again.


On another front...
I have also been looking into HD receivers with Firewire output for time shifting applications. With a VGA heatpipe solution, it would be very difficult to install a PVR card into a slimsline case riser card's second slot. So now Firewire is becoming a requirement as well. Alas, few HD DBS receivers offer Firewire output. There is a mod over at 16:9 Time Company that offers a Firewire mod for my receiver, but its an ungodly 500 clams and only outputs HD MPEG2 streams. DirecTV low resolution MPEG2 streams aren't carried. However, those new Motorola 6200 and 6400 HD cable boxes have Firewire, and the FCC is mandating that the cable companies enable those ports, too.
 
Originally posted by: ToeJam13
If the space you are going to put that HTPC into can take a full ATX case, you can probably put together a fanless setup a lot easier than using a slimline case.
Click to expand...

Yes, but I already have a mid-tower next to my TV and it looks tacky. I would like it to blend with my receiver, DVD player and HD tuner.
Click to expand...

The Silverstone LC03 I referred to earlier is not a tower. It's a horizontal-sitting HTPC case (the big brother of that LC02 you are thinking of using). It's considerably bigger than the LC02 though (needs a 17" x 19" footprint), but still has the A/V rack component styling.

With the LC03, it would be easier to go fanless because it will take a fanless ATX PSU.

There is also an LC03 version that comes with a VFD if you really want to have that component look.

HTH.
 
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