[mythtv-users] Cases for a PVR box... recommendations.

[Robert Johnston]

On 11/08/05, R. Geoffrey Newbury <newbury at mandamus.org> wrote:
> On 11 Aug 2005 07:11:22 -0700, Jim Reith wrote:
> 
> >> > My question is, of those specialized cases out there, what are people's
> >> > favorites - which ones have proven to be more stable.
> 
> I'm just putting together a box using the Silverstone LC11M as my case.
> This box is intended to replace the 2 VCR's next to the TV so I wanted a
> smallish and neat case.
> This case is good looking 'restrained' and well made.

I've got MythTV box in the base LC11 case, and the case is virtually
silent (I can't hear it unless I put my head right next to it).

> I am using a Via Epia SP13000 motherboard and there is a 'gotcha' involved
> there.
> The case has 3 horizontal PCI slots in the back and will take full length
> PCI cards BUT the included PCI riser card expects that the first slot will
> be an AGP slot, and the PCI riser card will fit into the second slot of
> the motherboard. Of course a mini-itx board has no second slot! and no AGP
> slot. The answer is that you will need a PCI extension ( $8.00 at Logic
> Supply in Waterbury Vermont: great service from them BTW!), to go between
> a PCI riser card in a mini-ITX board PCI slot and your cards, so that then
> your cards will line up with the back of the case. Second gotcha is that
> there does not appear to be a 3 slot PCI riser card made anywhere...so you
> will be limited to using 2 PCI cards. The third slot is limited to AGP use
> only (and then only if you have a board with an AGP slot.). Since I am
> intending to use the on board video of the EPIA MB, 2 slots are sufficient
> for my Hauppauge PVR500 and a pcHDTV card.

I'm using an ASRock mATX board, which has 1xAGP and 3xPCI (Only 2 of
which can be used in this case). It is more than adequate to run 1xAGP
NVidia 5200 and 2xPVR250's, along with 2x250Gb WD HDD's, and the whole
system is silent. The most annoying part of the whole case is the
ULTRA-BRIGHT-OMGMYEYES Blue LED's on the front. :)
-- 
Robert "Anaerin" Johnston