BTX hardware availability, for media pc...

[DrMekon]

Looking to build a dedicated media centre... and to keep size down (stopping it from looking like a PC), and improve cooling, was looking into BTX...

However, I cant seem to find any boards about... apart from a single Intel one!! Are there any AMD BTX boards around???

I quite like this case:

http://www.thermaltake.com/product/Chassis/desktop/bach_SX/bach_SX_vc9321sns.asp

However, I notice that the expansion slots seem to be low profile, or half height... which poses an obvious problem... Ive not seen the likes of sound cards, tv cards etc with a low profile design...

My aim was to build a pc that primarily had a decent sound card, tv/video capture card, and maybe wifi... not too bothered about graphics, on board would probably do... but the BTX format seem to inhibit choice...

Any advice???

The only obvious alternative, which would make things a lot easier would be to go for the standard ATX design...

 

[utherpendragon]

You could always look into microATX solutions. Much smaller than ATX whilst still retaining full upgradability.

 

[Yewen]

BTX for the general consumer is outdated and surpassed.

Go for a mini ITX or mATX system, you can get some serious grunt in a really small space now.

ATX is cheaper, faster, cooler and quieter than a comparable BTX system, no idea why anyone would even look into taking that route.

 

[CurlyWhirly]

BTX for the general consumer is outdated and surpassed.

AFAIK BTX never really took off did it

Apparently, the redesign of the board layout was done in order to improve airflow through the system so I can't understand why it never caught on with system builders?

 

[semi-pro waster]

AFAIK BTX never really took off did it

Apparently, the redesign of the board layout was done in order to improve airflow through the system so I can't understand why it never caught on with system builders?

Yep, BTX was designed in the most efficient way rather than ATX which followed on from the AT standard and has gone through a whole load of revisions itself. The thing about BTX is that while it was supposed to be for maximum efficiency the motherboards I saw all had things like the SATA ports in stupid places like right next to the PCI-E slots or something equally useless for real use.

I think BTX didn't really take off because there is a certain amount of inertia that has to be overcome in bringing a new product to market, if you are talking about having to change cases and all the rest then there needs to be a good reason for doing so. ATX as a design has too big a market share and the flaws can be worked around sufficiently easily to make it a very large effort without most of the major companies being behind it - which they weren't, only really Intel seemed vaguely keen and even they appear to have given it up as a bit of a dead loss.

 

[CurlyWhirly]

I think BTX didn't really take off because there is a certain amount of inertia that has to be overcome in bringing a new product to market, if you are talking about having to change cases and all the rest then there needs to be a good reason for doing so. ATX as a design has too big a market share and the flaws can be worked around sufficiently easily to make it a very large effort without most of the major companies being behind it - which they weren't, only really Intel seemed vaguely keen and even they appear to have given it up as a bit of a dead loss.

Thanks for the explanation as I did often wonder and it was only when I saw the comment that it was outdated and surpassed that I thought about asking why