Is there an external temp display/fan controller that can...

[gamefreakgcb]

I ask this because I remember seeing such a device a while ago (I know it will be much more expensive than regular temp displays) Has anyone here ever owned of these things?

 

[Bluefront]

Check out the VL Systems products. I'm using the LIS2 controller/display. These things cost about $100, but work great with the latest software. No external sensors, they can use the boards own sensors, or a HD sensor, or a combination of sensors, to control four fans.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

Yeah thats the one I saw, is it reliable? build quality, features? accuracy in reading temps and controlling fans.

 

[CP5670]

You can also get a G15 keyboard and use a program called MBM2G15 to output MBM readings to the keyboard LCD. I use this and it works very well.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

would rather get something that goes in to one of the 5.25" bays.

 

[Bluefront]

IMHO....The LIS2 is super-high quality, good-looking, sturdy. The latest software relies on Speedfan to detect sensors. You can set the fan speed manually, or automatically based on CPU usage, or the board sensors. The fan speed is controlable from 0%-100%. You can set operational ranges for the speed based on temps. Each of the four channels is separately adjustable. Once setup, you can sit back and watch it do it's thing.

Some people have PWM fan noise. Others report software glitches. VL Systems is slow to implement bug fixes....and they don't translate English very well. My LIS2 is working fine for me.....

 

[gamefreakgcb]

Well I was gonna go for the display alone since I would rather have manual control over the fans via a rheobus panel.

 

[scrawnypaleguy]

Also Matrix Orbital does that too.

 

[virtualrain]

Originally posted by: Bluefront
IMHO....The LIS2 is super-high quality, good-looking, sturdy. The latest software relies on Speedfan to detect sensors. You can set the fan speed manually, or automatically based on CPU usage, or the board sensors. The fan speed is controlable from 0%-100%. You can set operational ranges for the speed based on temps. Each of the four channels is separately adjustable. Once setup, you can sit back and watch it do it's thing.

Some people have PWM fan noise. Others report software glitches. VL Systems is slow to implement bug fixes....and they don't translate English very well. My LIS2 is working fine for me.....

The LIS2 sounds like a wicked piece of gear... Must have one! If only it could monitor water temp in a water cooled system, then I'd be in heaven!

 

[Bluefront]

Anybody looking for precision fan control, as well as water pump control, should look into M-Cubed products. The BigNG is their latest super fan controller......replacing the T-Balancer. I use the miniNG (only controls two fans). These things have an advantage over the LIS2 in that they can work with analog voltage, which is quieter than PWM.

The LIS2 does look neater though.....

 

[Aries64]

Originally posted by: gamefreakgcb
I ask this because I remember seeing such a device a while ago (I know it will be much more expensive than regular temp displays) Has anyone here ever owned of these things?

Another vote for the VL Systems L.I.S.2. I have the L.I.S.2 Premium VFD (Vacuum Florescent Display), which is the higher-end version of the LIS2 Blue Eye (LCD) unit. The difference (besides the higher cost) is the VFD unit is brighter, making is easier to read - even in a brightly lit room. The VFD model is also easy to read from an acute angle as well, which isn't always the case with LCDs' and plasma displays.

I just re-installed my VFD Premium after having it sit in it's box for several months when I went PCI-E. The newest version of the LIS2 software for the MMCC (Multimedia Control Center) works with the L.I.S.2 Series and supports SpeedFan, so now I can monitor my temps like before using the Premium. (The old software used MBM5 which worked with my old [MSI] K8N Neo2 PE, but the A8R32-MVP obviously isn't supported and I haven't seen any custom MBM5 profiles so no more MBM5 for me).

Anyway, the VL System products are great, but support isn't. To be fair, I think that there is a bit of a language barrier involved here. Also, most VL Systems displays are availble in Silver and Black here in the States. Other colors are manufactured, but I'm not sure if anyone in the U.S. carries them.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

Thanks a lot guys, I am leaning towards the LIS2 and am cuttently on hunt for a good case before I I go after the LIS2.

 

[Aries64]

Originally posted by: gamefreakgcb
Thanks a lot guys, I am leaning towards the LIS2 and am cuttently on hunt for a good case before I I go after the LIS2.

You should consider the V1200 Plus II. Or in Black. Lian Li build-quality (the best), roomy inside, so lots of room to work in routing cables, ext. Will accomodate extended PSUs' like the PC Power & Cooling Turbo-Cool 850SSI and PC Power & Cooling Turbo-Cool 1KW CrossFire (if you are going SLI or think you might ever do so you should look at these PSUs'). Great interior layout with PSU, HDs', and the Main Compartment segregated for heat containment/exhaust. Beautiful to look at too.

If you are absolutely, positively "sure" that you will never go SLI (or CrossFire if you change the mobo and videocard choice) or need the space for an extended PSU format the V1000 Plus II has the same design and features with a depth (front to back) that is 100mm SHORTER. Again, available in Black.

Lian Li also sells the V1000 Plus II Side Panel with Window. Again, available in Black as well as the V2000 Plus II with Side Window (overlapping the side-exhaust vent ). Of course, available in Black.

Depending upon the color of your case, to aid ventilation and cooling even more you can add one or two Silver Mesh Bay Cover or Black Mesh Bay Cover. These are genuine Lian Li, so they are well-made and fit perfectly - I have two installed in my V1000 Plus II and they look sweet!

 

[virtualrain]

Originally posted by: Bluefront
Anybody looking for precision fan control, as well as water pump control, should look into M-Cubed products. The BigNG is their latest super fan controller......replacing the T-Balancer. I use the miniNG (only controls two fans). These things have an advantage over the LIS2 in that they can work with analog voltage, which is quieter than PWM.

The LIS2 does look neater though.....

Wow... that M-Cubed thing is amazing. Unfortunately it's pretty pricey if you add up all the extras you need to manage a water cooling system. For just fan control, it's on par with the LIS2 but doesn't have the fancy front panel but the software support is outstanding.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

those cases are a little above my limit, for now I have a Sonata II which I want to replace with TT Swing or SViking.

 

[Aries64]

Originally posted by: gamefreakgcb
Yeah thats the one I saw, is it reliable? build quality, features? accuracy in reading temps and controlling fans.

Reliability: Excellent. Have not had any problems whatsoever with this unit. I originally installed my L.I.S.2 Premium VFD when I was running an (MSI) K8N Neo2 Platinum Edition (AGP) board. The original software for the L.I.S.2 "Indicator" (as that model is still called) used MBM5 (Motherboard Monitoring 5) to monitor the temps and fan speeds. Since the MBM5 program hasn't been supported in more than two (2) years, motherboard support using any current mobo is out unless you write you own "profile" to work with your (current mobo).

Luckily, the software for the L.I.S.2 MMCC (Multimedia Control Center) unit works perfectly with the L.I.S.2 Indicator model, and uses SpeedFan to monitor (and control if you enable it) temps and fan speeds. That is what I am using now (if you look at my sig at the bottom of my post you will see that I am running an (Asus) A8R32-MVP board) now, which obviously isn't supported in MBM5. You can download the MMCC software off of the VL Systems web site.

Build quality: Excellent. As good as it gets (like Lian Li!)

Features: Lots. You probably looked at the links so I won't go into those.

Accuracy: For reading temps, controlling fans, and voltages: IMHO Excellent. It reads the temps, fans speeds, voltages, and other info directly from SpeedFan. If you like SpeedFan (I do)I think you will like the L.I.S.2 units that use it. So this is why I feel it is very good in the accuracy department. I am using SpeedFan v4.28.

Hope this helps.

 

[virtualrain]

Originally posted by: Aries64

Originally posted by: gamefreakgcb

Luckily, the software for the L.I.S.2 MMCC (Multimedia Control Center) unit works perfectly with the L.I.S.2 Indicator model, and uses SpeedFan to monitor (and control if you enable it) temps and fan speeds.

Please clarify, if you hook up a couple of analog temperature sensors to the LIS2 hardware, can you read those temperatures in SpeedFan?

Similarly, if you connect fans to the LIS2, you can read and control RPM in SpeedFan?

If so, this might be the cheapest way to monitor a liquid cooling system by either using a supplied analog temperature sensor in the flow somewhere (i.e. the tank) or you could get one of those inline temp monitoring tees I've seen on Frozencpu and hook it up to the LIS2. It would be much cheaper than the M-cubed solution which requires their main module, an analog expansion module, and a water kit for about 250 Euro. I also wonder if the flow meter sensor's I've seen provide a signal fundamentally the same as a fan RPM monitor so you could use a flow meter sensor with the LIS2 on one of the fan headers to monitor flow. For $100 and a couple of sensors, it's worth trying.

 

[Bluefront]

The LIS2 has no sensors of it's own. It uses the board's sensors. You attach the fans directly to the LIS2.......Speedfan can still read the board sensors, but can no longer control the fan speed. The LIS2 takes over controlling any fans attached to it.

 

[virtualrain]

Crap. Is there anything like the LIS2 that has inputs for temp. sensors?

 

[Aries64]

Originally posted by: virtualrain

Originally posted by: Aries64

Originally posted by: gamefreakgcb

Luckily, the software for the L.I.S.2 MMCC (Multimedia Control Center) unit works perfectly with the L.I.S.2 Indicator model, and uses SpeedFan to monitor (and control if you enable it) temps and fan speeds.

Please clarify, if you hook up a couple of analog temperature sensors to the LIS2 hardware, can you read those temperatures in SpeedFan?

Similarly, if you connect fans to the LIS2, you can read and control RPM in SpeedFan?

If so, this might be the cheapest way to monitor a liquid cooling system by either using a supplied analog temperature sensor in the flow somewhere (i.e. the tank) or you could get one of those inline temp monitoring tees I've seen on Frozencpu and hook it up to the LIS2. It would be much cheaper than the M-cubed solution which requires their main module, an analog expansion module, and a water kit for about 250 Euro. I also wonder if the flow meter sensor's I've seen provide a signal fundamentally the same as a fan RPM monitor so you could use a flow meter sensor with the LIS2 on one of the fan headers to monitor flow. For $100 and a couple of sensors, it's worth trying.

Actually, what Bluefront said is pretty much it, except that I think what he/she said could be taken out of context. It is true that the L.I.S.2 has no sensors of it's own - it uses the mobo board's sensors for the temp, fan speed, and voltage readings. And you do attach the fans directly to the L.I.S.2, but Bluefront said that doing so results in SpeedFan no longer controlling the fans. AFAIK, Speedfan reads the board sensors, and adjusts the fan speed(s) based on temps you set within the SpeedFan program. Thats was the way it worked with the old software that had MBM5 support instead of SpeedFan.

There are three (3) "steps" that when reached change the fan speed - called SPEED01, SPEED02, and SPEED03, which the user can set. So SpeedFan still controls the fans, but the fans are hooked-up and powered by the L.I.S.2's fan headers instead of being hooked-up to the mobo headers and being powered by them. If yo want to be able to monitor the fan speeds while running the fans off of the L.I.S.2 headers, you'll need to use pass-through cables that allow you to connect the 3-pin wire from the fan to the mobo header and the headers on the L.I.S.2 simutaneously. Its' basically a long "Y" cable with 3-pin connectors. I actually preferred MBM5, becuase you could control fan speeds based on temperature, percentage of fan speed, or percentage of CPU used.

 

[Bluefront]

Well I'll have to say that the computer my LIS2 is in, has no Speedfan support for fan speeds.....Speedfan can read the temps only. That's why I bought the LIS2 unit.

And I have never heard of Speedfan being able to control a fan attached to an LIS2. The LIS2 has a USB connection to the MB. There is no documentation I know about that talks about this ability. Plus....why would you want Speedfan to over-ride the LIS2 control of the fan speeds? The LIS2 unit can totally control your fan speeds by itself....

 

[gamefreakgcb]

I found that the SpeedFan fan control is very buggy, it clashed with my Bios setting no matter what I tried, so I will soon be getting the LIS2 once I am back from my trip.

 

[Aries64]

Originally posted by: gamefreakgcb
I found that the SpeedFan fan control is very buggy, it clashed with my Bios setting no matter what I tried, so I will soon be getting the LIS2 once I am back from my trip.

Yeah greakgreakgcb - that sounds like the best course of action if SpeedFan crashes your PC. The L.I.S.2 will control your fans via hardware, which works great. Its' weird - I used to have problems with earlier version of SpeedFan (at least thats what the source of locks ups seemed to be). Knock-on-wood SpeedFan 4.28 seems fine on my current system.

The L.I.S.2 unit is very very built and looks great. Like I said, though - support sucks and the manual isn't that informative. Some people don't realize everything that the L.I.S.2 units can do because the manual doesn't explain how to configure the software very well.