What's a decent, nice, cheap mini tower? (under15" high)

[bluemax]

I just realized my TV stand has a perfect-sized drawer for a tower.

I'm on a budget, but my HTPC can go in a tower rather than a more-expensive and PITA low-profile format, now that I have a cupboard to hide it in! (I'll make sure it has ventilation.)


So... what's a (micro?) ATX tower UNDER 15"? Prefer tower to keep otical drive flat rather than vertical....
My needs are light - it won't need mega-cooling... it'll be for playing DVD and DivX. Quiet is more important than cool, provided it's not an oven!

ATX or mATX OK, so long as it winds up being under 15" in height!

 

[Cheetah8799]

InWin has a matx tower with 1 5.25" external bay. Kind of a fancy-pants design, but whatever. I don't know how tall it is.

I have a CodeGen mATX tower case, the usual style. 3 x 5.25" bays, etc. etc. Not the best airflow, so you may need to mod it a little. Newegg says it is 14.5" tall.
link

Newegg has a number of CodeGen cases for under $40 after shipping. link to cases

 

[bluemax]

ATX or mATX.... so long as it's only 15" or shorter.....

 

[Cheetah8799]

The CodeGen I use will take MicroATX mobos only. Newegg also says it in the description most of the time. Usually you can just count the number of slots for expansion (pci/agp) cards and if it is 4 then it is for microATX only, if 6 or 7 then it will hold a full ATX mobo.

 

[bluemax]

Problem is, most places don't tell you how big a case is....
Sugegstions for other sub-15" cases more than welcome! Especially something with a nice 120mm fan or some kind of decent quiet cooling!

 

[GtPrOjEcTX]

sticking it in a drawer? its going to get hot in there!

 

[Zepper]

The Ahanix Plasma is cool looking, but like most other Ahanixen, pretty chintzy on construction quality and amenities... Linkworld A312-C22 - I know nothing about this one other than that a few of the box pushers in Computer Shopper seem to use their mid-tower cases but it's 15.25". Codegen CAT-3308-CA . And AOpen, Antec, InWin, and Enlight all make some nice compact cases.
.bh.

 

[bluemax]

It's going in a cabinet (yes I'll ventilate the rear!) with a door. Really, aesthetics isn't a big deal since we can hide it so easily!
Functionality (cooling and quietness) as well as budget are the most important things now.

Mind you, for the same price as the butt-ugly In-Win V500 and V700 models I can get, I could go for a mATX desktop/tower that doesn't look too bad. Mysterious no-name brand though. [sigh]

 

[GtPrOjEcTX]

Keepen der mittens inder pokkets und vatchen der blinkenlights!

What language is that?

 

[bluemax]

Originally posted by: GtPrOjEcTX

Keepen der mittens inder pokkets und vatchen der blinkenlights!

What language is that?

There's a hilarious sign I read years ago, written in english but obviously with the "german" feel to it. I can't remember all of it, just what's in the tagline.

Let me guess, you're going to say how terrible the german was? I know that. Yeesh.

Cases - we're talking about CASES here!

 

[GtPrOjEcTX]

Originally posted by: bluemax

Originally posted by: GtPrOjEcTX

Keepen der mittens inder pokkets und vatchen der blinkenlights!

What language is that?

There's a hilarious sign I read years ago, written in english but obviously with the "german" feel to it. I can't remember all of it, just what's in the tagline.

Let me guess, you're going to say how terrible the german was? I know that. Yeesh.

Cases - we're talking about CASES here!

Nah, I don't speak German. Just was interested and was trying to to translate it but my Dutch and German translaters did nothing for me.

What's it supposed to say?

 

[bluemax]

Keep your mittens (hands) in your pockets and watch the blinking lights.


Now you got a case for me?

 

[Zepper]

Here it is in all its wonderfulness:

ACHTUNG! ALLES LOOKENSPEEPERS!
Das computermachine ist nicht fuer gefingerpoken und mittengrabben. Ist easy schnappen der springenwerk, blowenfusen und poppencorken mit spitzensparken.
. Ist nicht fuer gewerken bei das dumpkopfen.
. Das rubbernecken sichtseeren keepen das cotten-pickenen hans in das pockets muss; relaxen und watchen das blinkenlichten.

.bh.

Do a google search on- spitzensparken -and you'll find several variants. Even one for Palm Pilots...

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Thanks Zepper, my display needed cleaning anyway.

Can't help you bluemax but I can give you a link to spruce up your site..Text..No German, Swedish is as close as it gets. The Blue Max was a WW1 German military metal, was it not?
Zepper? Is that short for Zeppelin? You guys should get along

Wish I could offer a case but mid-tower is all I look at for now.

 

[Zepper]

No, Zepper is not for or related to Zeppelin, Led or otherwise. But with an Aunt Gertrude who married a Laumeister, there might be some kraut in the woodpile somewhere...
.bh.