Gone dedicatin'.

[Sheep]

I tried the bottled Stella, as I enjoy a nice Stella on draught at a pub or restaurant... it just didn't cut it for me for some reason.

The bottled version tasted completely different. I only bought it the once.

Funny story about Stella,

A long time ago a few friends we're over, and I was cleaning my work boots when they arrived. I had to fill the sink with hot water (big sink, foot and a half deep or so) so I left it running. What I didn't know is that the sink didn't have an overflow passage, so I ended up flooding a good chunk of the basement. Nothing was damaged, but our carpet in my entrance way was ruined (wouldn't stop stinking). They helped me clean it up and dry everything (thankfully it was stinking hot out and most of the hard floors dried quick) and I rewarded then with some beers. The beer was Stella, and it had been sitting below the cold air vent in the fridge, and had a coating of ice on the outside, but wasn't frozen inside. It was like the beer knew we needed it afterwords, and made itself more epic.

SheepStar

 

[Sheep]

Little update.

Since I bought this rig I've been "window" shopping NCIX's website. Few things I'd like to change are my CPU heatsink, and the fan controller (need another one for my old rig, might as well buy a nicer one for the main rig and retire this one. But, in the mean time I had some extra fans laying around so I installed one. The Case has 2 80mm fans at the back, and there is 2 extra slots for additional fans. 1 slot is right by the CPU, on the right side, and one is in the HDD cage (cooling for HDD and air supply for Gcard). I ddecided to just mount the one by the CPU, becasue it was far easier to get to, and far more useful, as the HDD cage is complete blocked off with wires (air wouldn't go anywhere). At first I over thought the heck out of the installation, thinking I needed to remove the mesh grill and screw through the outside in. Turns out Silverstone supplied 4 screws that go through the back and screw into the case. Since the Mobo was in the way, I only used 2. After that I hooked it up to the fan controller and it was done.

Tomorrow I'm going to pick up my new heatsink and a Noctua fan to go with it. Reason being, it's on sale. Won't be installed until I get a new PSU to get rid of the wires.

Pictures of the fan on low, and high.

This is the Heatsink.

SheepStar

 

[Sheep]

Heatsink, Fan, and Stability testing!

On Monday as promised I picked up the Thermalright AXP-140 heat sink and a Noctua NF-P12 fan. I want to overclock my Intel, and I want it to be quiet. The Thermalright AXP-140 has the largest fin surface area of all the low profile heat sinks, and the Noctua fan is the quietest with the most CFM and Static Pressure. It's a glorious combination, but even on sale it was $90 after tax.

I haven't installed either of them yet, but it looks like I should have enough clearance (removed stock heat sink and "test fit". Worst case scenario, I remove my 80mm intake fan by the CPU, and put the 2 exhaust fans on the outside of the case).

After getting these components and playing around with them, I realized I didn't even know what my CPU and GPU are currently running at. The CPU is in a really good situation ATM, with an intake fan centimeters from it, and 2 exhaust fans perpendicular to the intake, it has lots of airflow. Running Folding@home with 100% CPU load it hit 40*C (33*C idle) with all 3 fans on low. With them on maximum, it dropped to about 38-39(30*C Iidle). Not much of a difference, but still good temps for 100% load. If the CPU was overclocked, this would surely rise, probably above 50*C, which is when the CPU starts to loose longevity.

The GPU on the other hand did not do so well. It looked like it had a capable stock cooler, with 3 heatpipes and a solid 80mm fan, but running a stability test in Furmark showed it peaking at 109*C, with visual artifacts appearing on the screen. Rival turner confirmed the temps, and in hindsight, I really should have bought a GPU cooler first. Either way, I'll be replacing that cooler as well when I do the install. Right now the Thermalright T-RAD2 and Xigmatek Battle Axe VGA Cooler are the top 2 choices. Leaning towards the Xigmatek due to HDT (Heatpipe Direct Touch) design, and price. The Thermalright is 10 more, and doesn't include fans. It also doesn't have HDT.

Anywho, I'm rambling. Here are pictures of the Heat sink and Fan.

Note, the heatsink was wrapped in a plastic bag, but I removed it to show what it really looks like.

Typical Thermalright base. Flat, but still has the microscopic grooves.

Thermalright > Diet Coke.

I don't know about you, but I really dig these colours.

Notches on the fan blades at different spots reduce noise.

Screws, rubber pins, 4-3 pin connector, and the LNA (Low Noise Adapter 1100RPM, 16.9dB) and ULNA (Ultra Low Noise Adapter 900RPM, 12.6dB).

SheepStar

 

[Ito]

I think the fan looks kinda ugly....but that heat sink looks plain sexy

 

[Sheep]

That's the common reaction to the Noctua fans. Fact of the matter is, they are the best on the market.

SheepStar

 

[Adam]

"Coke Diete". Just about everything sounds better in French.

Makes me wish that I was around it more. I took over five years of it in school. Couldn't talk my way out of a bathroom (and if you have to, you're in trouble already)...but I can still understand some of it.

 

[Sheep]

"Coke Diete". Just about everything sounds better in French.

Makes me wish that I was around it more. I took over five years of it in school. Couldn't talk my way out of a bathroom (and if you have to, you're in trouble already)...but I can still understand some of it.

Jem Apples Brian.

SheepStar

 

[Sheep]

New coffee/keyboard table.

I've been struggling with a keyboard and mouse in my current setup. Can't game with a keyboard in you lap, and a mouse on a couch. My brother, being the savy woodworker, said we should design a table that is functional for gaming/computer use, and also act as a coffee table. We ended up having a higher then normal cable, with a pullout keyboard tray. This way, you can have the keyboard and mouse up close, and just push the tray in when you want to move around or get up. Currently, it doesn't have anything to protect the veneer, so I can't put drinks on it, but it will be clear, I like this color.

Pictures:

SheepStar

 

[Shock]

GPU's should never be hitting those temps with stock cooling. You're not running it in your oven are you?

Also, how in the heck do you screw through the fins on the heatsink!?

 

[Sheep]

GPU's should never be hitting those temps with stock cooling. You're not running it in your oven are you?

Also, how in the heck do you screw through the fins on the heatsink!?

It other cases it would be lower, but because this case has no front airflow, it gets stinking hot.

You don't. Those are studs, which you screw nuts onto from the back of the mobo. I have pictures of this in there, but I'm going to see a movie shortly. I'll upload them tonight.

SheepStar

 

[Shock]

You don't. Those are studs, which you screw nuts onto from the back of the mobo. I have pictures of this in there, but I'm going to see a movie shortly. I'll upload them tonight.

SheepStar

Ahhhh that makes much more sense.

 

[Sheep]

Here are the photo's of the Heatsink installed in the case.

Not a lot of room between the fins and the fans, great for cooling efficiency.

Also enough room (just) for the intake, which is necessary in this case (no airflow).

Unfortunately, it covers 2 DIM slots (RAM).

Final view, fairly neat wires considering the extreme lack of space.

Dave, these are the rear connectors on the case.

With the fans on low (all 4) the system idles at 31*C, and loads at 40*C. Same as before, but when I overclock, these temps won't rise nearly as much as they would with the stock cooler.

SheepStar

 

[Shock]

Excellent pics

 

[Sheep]

Update!

I've been running the HTPC setup now for a few months (with the new rig) and its been great. Having a computer on a TV for lots of people to gather around really makes for a fun time. Problem is, I hate gaming on a couch. Even with my keyboard table, the seating position just isn't geared for aggression or accuracy. I haven't played a single game online with my friends since I setup a HTPC in here (over a year). The only obvious solution is to switch my 2 computers. My old rig with a reformat and some ram is more then up to the task of watching videos and playing movies on the TV. It's also older hardware, and won't be stressed, which will make it cooler running. My new gear is just too hot and too cramped in this case, and I don't want to cut holes all over the place to keep it cool. That's why I bought a new case for my gaming components, and my old components will go in the Silverstone.

Enter the Antec 900! Picked it up off a friend for 50 bucks, come with 3 120mms fans, and 1 200mm top exhaust fan pre-installed. I have one more 120mm blue LED fan I'm running in my HTPC case to blow on the graphics card that I will put in the window, and it's all done.

Pictures.

SheepStar

 

[rmk]

Nice pics ... you have your photography shite together.

When HT PC's can store and play BR disks with the uncompressed audio via HDMI, I'm in!

 

[Adam]

Nice pics ... you have your photography shite together.

Agreed!

Did the $50 also include the two drives? That's a good buy and a nice looking case.

 

[Sheep]

Agreed!

Did the $50 also include the two drives? That's a good buy and a nice looking case.

Yep. The LG DVD drive doesn't work apparently, but I have drives in my other computers already.

SheepStar

 

[Sheep]

Nice pics ... you have your photography shite together.

When HT PC's can store and play BR disks with the uncompressed audio via HDMI, I'm in!

Ah sankyou. They have Blu Ray drives, and I think a way to store them and play, but I'm not sure about the uncompressed audio output. There is HDMI connectors now that pass audio and video.

If will for sure in the future.

SheepStar

 

[rmk]

Ah sankyou. They have Blu Ray drives, and I think a way to store them and play, but I'm not sure about the uncompressed audio output. There is HDMI connectors now that pass audio and video.

If will for sure in the future.

SheepStar

Yup, just requires some patience ... know where I can get me some of that?

 

[Ito]

Mt roommate has that exact case... we like to call it the hurricane or the jet turbine cause the fans are f**king loud. That and it attracts dust like no other. I can't speak for how the insides are laid out, but my roommate seemed to like and the looks are totally personal preference (not my cup of tea), but all I am saying is expect to have a noisy (unless you keep the fans on low, which my roommate didn't) and dusty computer XD