Horizontal ("rackmount look"), black, HTPC case?

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
3
76
It is time. I own about 300 CDs; all have been ripped to MP3.

I have a 300-disc changer; currently, it's empty as I moved a few months ago and have not yet found the time to load it up and rename all the slots.

And I've no desire to, either. :eek:

So, I want to build a HTPC...strictly for the MP3s. I have a nice DVD collection and actually don't mind loading a DVD into the player to watch. Besides...I aint' spending the next YEAR ripping my DVD collection. ;)

All my HT gear is standard black, 19" wide components. Looking for a case that'll blend in.

Suggestions would be great; suggestions w/pics would rock.

Thanks.
 

Zepper

Elite Member
May 1, 2001
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Why not just get a rack-mount case and mod it to suit? You can usually pick one up for not too much $$$. The geeks usually has a few. If you want to spend big $$$, then Silverstone has some nice boxes or the Ahanix D-vine series.
. I would also suggest re-ripping to another standard (I hate to recommend WMA, but it is superior to MP-3 and Ogg) if you care about sound quality. Even Ogg is better than MP-3. Yeah, I know it's a PITA... See the article on audio CoDecs (Yeah, I know again - but even they sometimes get things right.).
.bh.

:moon:
 

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
3
76
Interesting idea, Zepper; I hadn't thought about using a regular rackmount case. I took a look at the Antec Sonata and didn't like it. The idea of a power supply exhausting directly into a case with quiet, low-speed fans doesn't thrill me, especially since I already know the case itself is going to be shoehorned into a rack of equipment with limited airflow to begin with.

I will have to read up on the format-thing. This is the first time I'm hearing that .wma is superior to anything! I know that more and more "music devices" these days are being made to be .wma compatible, but AFAIK, .mp3 is still the standard.

BTW, I have 38.2GB of mp3s; 75% at 256KB/s CBR and 25% at 320KB/s CBR...that would take a LONG time to reformat!! Wait...are you talking about RERIPPING them off the CD to begin with? :shocked:

That's a year-long project and I killed a DVD-R drive doing it!

/faints
 

RalfHutter

Diamond Member
Dec 29, 2000
3,202
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Silverstone LC-04B

A plus is that it's only about 12" deep which lets it fit into rack systems way easier that the typically much deeper "HTPC" cases that have been derived from towers that have just been flipped onto their sides.
 

Zepper

Elite Member
May 1, 2001
18,998
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Yes, unfortunately I'm talking about re-ripping from the CD. You see, MP-3 is a lossy compression (as they all are - except perhaps WMA in "lossless" mode, which yields only a 2:1 compression at best) so format conversion wouldn't improve the quality...
. But then, you are encoding at a much higher bit rate than they used in any of their tests. I suppose running a few spectrum analyses (original vs compressed) of several different genres in your collection would tell the tale. Even a really critical listen with high quality headphones might nail it down.

. How much compression did you average using those bit rates?
.bh.
 

Cheetah8799

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2001
4,508
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AOpen H340D. Low profile case, but since you only are doing MP3 playback you should be fine with an older Socket 370 Pentium 3 based microATX board and cpu.
 

Zepper

Elite Member
May 1, 2001
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Unfortunately the AOpen 340 series requires Low-Pro add-on cards - I really like their new 420 but it is designed more to be used in the tower position. I am also going to recommend you look at compact microATX cases too as your application doesn't seem to rquire a full ATX mobo, e.g. the Athenatech A100 series, the Ahanix 100 series, some of the Chenbros, etc. These are usually 15" wide or less, around 5-5.5" high, and up to 17"+ deep. Directron has some particularly smooth looking ones, SF-101BK/S aka TT-101BK/S. They (along with many of the others) would look pretty good in a home theater rack.
. I really like the Silverstone mini Berserker (SST-38LED) as well, but it too is mainly designed to stand up - though I'm sure it would work fine horizontally. Just a matter of how the aesthetics appeal to you and how you feel about proprietary parts (the PSU is found only in this case AFAIK - but is excellently designed for modern systems that rely heavily on the 12V rail).
. Happy hunting.

.bh.

Almost :beer: time!
 

Dman877

Platinum Member
Jan 15, 2004
2,707
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What's your budget for this case? Someone recnelty posted a thread about a build and the case they picked was a sweet looking black A/V component-style case but it cost like 200$.

Linky
 

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
3
76
Hi everyone,

Sorry for not getting back sooner, but AT is blocked at work. :roll:

That Ahanix case is snazzy looking, but it's right at the limit of what I wanted to spend...$200. I realize that it comes with a "nice" PS, but I prefer name-brand PS's in my rigs; especially one that's going to run 24/7. I really don't need the LCD display either, though it IS way cool! You would need software to run that display too...

I was thinking more along the lines of a standard, black, 3U server case which can fit (AFAIK, correct me if I'm mistaken!) standard AGP/PCI cards. Everything in my HT rack is black, so it wouldn't look out of place.

I plan on going S-Video out of the videocard to my HT receiver AND having a small...like a 6" LCD monitor...something I can "see" sitting on top of entertainment center with a wireless mouse/kb. This way to play tunes, I don't have to turn the TV on to see what I'm doing. :)

Believe it or not,


something like this, but a 3U size would be perfect. It's only $78! No PS though.

It needs to be quiet though.

This is just the initial planning stage and I appreciate all the advice. :)
 

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
3
76
Originally posted by: RalfHutter
Silverstone LC-04B

A plus is that it's only about 12" deep which lets it fit into rack systems way easier that the typically much deeper "HTPC" cases that have been derived from towers that have just been flipped onto their sides.

At first glance, I fell in love with it. :heart: But then I read the review. :brokenheart: *sigh* Just like a woman! ;)

Visually, the case is perfect. It fits a standard ATX board. But the PS issues (non standard connectors and too short wires) really turned me off. Plus, this PS looks proprietary; what if it dies next year? How do I get a replacement that'll fit in there? Also, the thing runs really hot; ventilation issues are obvious.

Too bad. :(
 

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
3
76
Hmm...after reading some reviews and doing some more poking around, that Silverstone is looking better and better...it's EXPENSIVE though.
 

Zepper

Elite Member
May 1, 2001
18,998
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Silverstone PSUs are made by Enhance - IMO a 'Top 10' maker. Unfortunately, it seems to be only the 4U cases that you can get cheap (I found quite a few under $100.) - you're right, the 3U are quite pricey but are just the right size for normal height add-on cards (~5.25"). Maybe find a used one. For Sale/Trade section?
.bh.
 

Gravity

Diamond Member
Mar 21, 2003
5,685
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Originally posted by: RalfHutter
Silverstone LC-04B

A plus is that it's only about 12" deep which lets it fit into rack systems way easier that the typically much deeper "HTPC" cases that have been derived from towers that have just been flipped onto their sides.

I orderd one of those cases yesterday. I'll let you know how it works. I'm putting that big ol' hunk of metal that TT made to cool the cpu. I read that it's one degree warmer than water cooling so it should be very intersting.
 

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
3
76
Originally posted by: Gravity
Originally posted by: RalfHutter
Silverstone LC-04B

A plus is that it's only about 12" deep which lets it fit into rack systems way easier that the typically much deeper "HTPC" cases that have been derived from towers that have just been flipped onto their sides.

I orderd one of those cases yesterday. I'll let you know how it works. I'm putting that big ol' hunk of metal that TT made to cool the cpu. I read that it's one degree warmer than water cooling so it should be very intersting.

Cool. Do you have the rest of the stuff to build it as soon as it comes in (or as soon as you've got the time?)

Please post your end result...if you remember, please PM me with the linky to the thread so I can check it out. I'm not exactly an "early adoptor" and like to watch others make the expensive mistakes. ;) Thanks, man.
 

zinkpig

Senior member
May 13, 2001
670
0
0
heres a whole bunch of reviews for htpc style cases.

this what i have at the moment. Its really neat esp at the price(i think i paid $42 shipped). I replaced the 2- 60 mm fans in the back with panaflos and added a L1a in the front as well. Its running quiet but i wished i had spent more money and gone with one of the aluminum jobs instead.

when I upgrade these are my top choices:
1 proprietary psu :(
2
3 proprietary psu :(

theres a couple of antecs as well but they supposedly have heat issues . Theres also a whole bunch more but I needed full size pci slots ( to run my pvr 250, 350) and a decent size power supply.
 

Cerb

Elite Member
Aug 26, 2000
17,484
33
86
On format quality...MP3s from LAME 3.96.1 using --alt-preset extreme, goodness.
For lossless, FLAC is a good way to go--it has a future, multiplatform support, and no DRM. Monkey (APE) can offer similar compression to WMA.

I'm suprised I haven't seen the Coolermaster Cavalier mentioned yet for a case.
The Antec Overture might do well, too (3U rack case converted to desktop use). It is large, though.
 

tyanni

Senior member
Sep 11, 2001
608
0
76
The Cavalier is pretty nice. I'm considering it for my next build. I like the analog gauge, its pretty cool.