Passively cooled cheapo mini-itx build?

craptakular · 12 Aug 2009 at 14:37

Hi,

Looking to build a cheap passively cooled minit-itx box.

What will I use it for?

Firstly I will use it as a type writer for uni.

I may have to use it as a media player in the future, thats if/when my PS3 dies again!

I was looking at the nvidia ion board but that is like £140 :eek:

but it will server well as a HTPC by all accounts and is totally passive.

My dad currently has the Zotac board for his HTPc, but even with a fan replacement, it still whines a little. So don't really want one of them!

betaspin · 12 Aug 2009 at 15:29

These people do some very nice passively cooled mini ITX cases, but the prices are a bit too high.

Illusion · 14 Aug 2009 at 17:36

I've been looking at doing this myself lately. I am wanting a small / quiet and cheap to run server to stream things to my PS3 mainly and do file server duties etc for the home network. My only worry at the moment is if I start watching more HD stuff that the PS3 can't play natively a tiny Atom based ITX machine is more than likely not going to be up the the task of transcoding it on the fly...

craptakular · 15 Aug 2009 at 09:24

yeh I also have a PS3 and it doesn't support certain formats. I also use mediatomb like you but have never bothered to configure transcoding. Maybe I should take the time next week. (I read your post in the linux forum) My server is a skt 754 3400+ AMD with 512mb ram and 2TB HDD. I also don't think it will be up to much for transcoding.

My idea is to build an intel ion system, build my own case out of plastic as I simple cannot find a case thats cheap and is totally silent. My idea is to have one 140mm 500rpm fan cooling the ion board, this should be pretty much inaudabile even with my ear right up against the fan!

I had my first ps3 die last month, the good people at sony replaced it even though it was 5 months out of warranty! My replacement unit sometimes ranks upto 100% fan speed when I'm watching a streamed AVI. I don't expect my ps3 to last into 2010 and I certainly am not buying another one! I will buy a standalone blu-ray player and have the ion for my digital streaming needs/ type writer.

Illusion do you have old hardware lying around to build a server like I did? That way you can then use the ION to play the media and use the 9400M to do the accelleration? Thus you server will not need to transcode and you can wipe out mediatomb.

Thats my plan anyway!

PS: If you don't have old hardware lying around you could always look out for a cheapo skt 939 / intel Pentium cpu. mainboard and ram. These type of hardware are on the OCUK Members Market sub forum usually comes up once a week! you could make a really cheap server out of that!

Illusion · 16 Aug 2009 at 12:30

I have my old desktop PC doing server duties at the moment, the problem is it is a P4 Prescott running at 3.5ghz (1gb ram / a few hdds ), it runs pretty hot and is noisy as hell as it has several fans. The main reason for wanting a mini itx box is that the amount of power they use means I could leave it on 24 / 7 without having to think about the electricity bill.

Are you meaning use an ION based server as a HTPC plugged directly into the TV or as a streaming server for MediaTomb? I much prefer using the PS3 to output things as I can use the Blu Ray remote to control everything, however a HTPC would solve any worries about displaying HD content...

If I can get transcoding done through the 9400M on the ION board then I would buy one instantly, until I am sure this will work I am a bit hesitant.

craptakular · 16 Aug 2009 at 18:41

Well I still live with my parents who pay the electric bill

my skt 754 AMD is noise and hot but i dont care as its in the spare room.

I also have the ps3 as my blu-ray and HD/divx streamer, I use mediatomb to stream to it from my debian server in the spare room.

I'm suggesting an ion based system as a HTPC directly plugged into your TV, and keep your existing server. The ION from all the reviews I have read can stream all forms of 1080p blu-ray, mkv, etc etc without any problems.

The only thing is the ps3 is a great blu-ray player. I am researching how HTPC do HD audio and stuff. I may still keep my ps3 purely for blu-ray and dvd.

I just get a little frustrated that my ps3 can't handle mkv as I wanna start watching more mkv "trailers"

.

Google for nvidia ION reviews m8 and make your own mind up. You gotta be happy with it

I was looking at the ION because its fanless, really power effiecent. You have to be really careful which mini-itx case you buy as you dont wanna hear whiney 40mm fans etc. I maay still build my own case out of perpex with one 140mm @6DB providing the cooling. Much like this:

http://www.splitreaction.com/lexan-mini-itx-pc/

PS: you won't need to transcod with the ion as it can offload work to the GPU.

vidda · 16 Aug 2009 at 21:10

Oxy said:
I was looking at the ION because its fanless, really power effiecent. You have to be really careful which mini-itx case you buy as you dont wanna hear whiney 40mm fans etc. I maay still build my own case out of perpex with one 140mm @6db providing the cooling. Much like this:

Nothing really wrong with the revo... price is quite good too!

Whip XBMC live onto it and job done!