# Ultra Slim HTPC Build (Mac Mini Alternative)



## Ben the OCer

*Updates*
*12/2:* The 120mm is installed and I have pictures of it on post #85 and temperature testing on post #87. I had to remove the 50mm fan since the motherboard refuses to slow down non-PWM fans unless it's plugged into the single 3-pin fan header. Overall the temperatures are generally lower than before even without the 50mm exhaust fan that I used with the 80mm CPU fan. Final touches to the build that I'm planning to buy soon include a higher watt AC adapter and PowerDVD 11 or some other Blu-Ray player software

*11/23:* I got the slot load Blu-Ray drive installed. I had a slight snag that I had to figure out, the drive when ejecting a disc would literally shoot it out. I fixed that by inserting some soft foam on the plastic cover to slow the disc down enough so it wouldn't shoot out. It's working really great. I haven't tested a Blu-Ray movie since I don't have the software to play one yet, but DVDs play great. There are some pictures of the Blu-Ray drive on post #73.

*11/20:* I received and installed the Silverstone NT07-AM2 cooler. I've run into some problems with heat and power consumption. For a plethora of pictures and more info on the heat/power problem see post #66. Temperature testing done on post #70 and #72.

*11/16:* Slot load Blu-Ray drive for $44.95 shipped and slimline SATA adapter cable for $3.49 shipped have been ordered.

*11/14:* I finally decided to order the SilverStone NT07-AM2 cooler. While I was at it I ordered a Habey EMC-600B case for my E-350 server, I got both from Directron.

*11/12:* The A8-3850 arrived today. I got right to work undervolting and underclocking it and am still stability testing. My preliminary settings are 1.6GHz 0.875v. With these settings the system idles at 25W and loads at 44W (CPU load via OCCT). The wattage readings were taken with a P3 P4400 monitor. With OCCT and Furmark running at the same time it was pulling about 75W which is the worst case scenario and not real world. When playing a 1080P Youtube video it was pulling a very low 34W. I am currently using the heatpipe stock cooler from my 1055T with the top of the Habey case off. Unfortunately this cooler won't work long term since the case having no airflow makes passive cooling not viable and the retention clamp sticks up too much anyway. So I don't have final temperature readings to report just yet, not until I buy and receive a slimline cooler.
*
11/6:* I snagged an A8-3850 off eBay for $99.95 shipped. I was originally going to get an A6-3500 since it has a lower 65W TDP versus 100W for the A8-3850, but I thought if I could get a good deal on a A8-3850 the extra core, 80 shaders, and greater multiplier flexibility would be nice to have. I'll probably clock it down to 2GHz and do some major undervolting (using a full ATX PSU and case of course, then transfer it into the Habey). I hit a snag with the power supply. The internal circuitry is 120W PSU but the AC adapter can only provide 60W. So this is going to be tough but I think it's still doable. I guess I'll find out once I get the APU and undervolt it. I received the motherboard Friday so all I need is the APU (ordered) and a low-profile cooler (still deciding).
*
11/3:* I love Newegg, the case arrived already and it is gorgeous. I took some pictures for you guys to enjoy: link.
*
11/1:* I've ordered the Habey EMC-800S case and Asrock FM1 ITX Mobo.

*Background*
I am building a new HTPC. I have always liked the look of the Mac Mini but didn't like its price or that the new version has no optical drive (let alone no Blu-Ray). Plus to get decent graphics you have to get the $800 one with the HD6630. I can have nice graphics with Llano and a close to Mac Mini look and slim profile with the Habey EMC-800S aluminum ITX case. So here is my build and I what parts I've bought and have on hand:
*
Ordered Parts*

CPU: A8-3850 2.9GHz 100W Quad Llano: $99.95 shipped (Ordered 11/6)
Underclock/Undervolt: 1.6GHz 0.875v

Cooler: SilverStone NT07-AM2 (36.5mm height): $17.99 (Ordered 11/14)
Mobo: ASRock A75M-ITX FM1 Mini ITX: $75.64 shipped after code SPOOKY (Ordered 10/31)
Case: Habey EMC-800S Aluminum ITX + 60W/120W PSU: $71.19 shipped after code NEWCUSTMER10 (Ordered 11/1)
Habey EMC-800S Dimensions: 8.0" x 9.0" x 3.0" (W x D x H)
Apple Mac Mini Dimensions: 7.7" x 7.7" x 1.4" (W x D x H)

Optical Drive: Hitachi CA10N Slot Load Blu-Ray Drive: $44.95 shipped (ordered 11/16)
Adapter Cable: Slimline SATA Power to 4-pin Molex Power with Integrated SATA Cable: $3.49 shipped via HDE (ordered 11/16)
Fans (Ordered 11/20):
Scythe Slim 120mm Fan: $9.74 + shipping after code BTEJJJF22
Evercool 50mm Fan: $3.74 + shipping after code BTEJJJF22

*On Hand Parts*

RAM: G.SKILL Eco 4GB DDR3-1600 Kit
HDD: Corsair Nova 32GB SSD
Wi-Fi: Edimax 802.11b/g/n Nano USB Adapter
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Remote: Lenovo Multimedia Remote with Keyboard (N5901)
*Select System Pictures (see Updates at the top of the thread for links to more)*


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## Samurai Batgirl

I think it looks good, but I'm still sort of a newbie...and I'm not very confident about what knowledge I have.

Free bump to good home.


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## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai Batgirl;15513815*
> I think it looks good, but I'm still sort of a newbie...and I'm not very confident about what knowledge I have.
> 
> Free bump to good home.


I appreciate your input none the less. I found out what the inside of these cases look like here (see one of those pictures below). This is different version than I chose, it's slimmer with no room for an optical drive at only 2.25" tall. Obviously since this is an HTPC I want room to add an optical drive and it's still only 3" tall. They also come in two colors Silver (natural aluminum) and Black. The aluminum is 3mm thick and it's meant to be a server chassis so it's very heavy duty.









I went with Llano since it's a great HTPC chip. Plus the case has no room for a video card so Llano gives me the best performing graphics possible. The A6-3500 is lower power and cheaper than the quad Llano chips. With only a 120W PSU I need to keep the power low. I will probably also try to undervolt the CPU to lower the power consumption even more.


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## iCrap

Sorry, but that case is ugly as hell.
Specs are decent, look @ my HTPC (in my sig). Maybe look at something like that?


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## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iCrap;15514276*
> Sorry, but that case is ugly as hell.
> Specs are decent, look @ my HTPC (in my sig). Maybe look at something like that?


I think this case is awesome and that's the whole point of this project, to make a Mac Mini like HTPC computer on the cheap. Your HTPC is major overkill for what I need. Basically I just need something to watch movies and TV shows on (DVD/Blu-Ray/online). I have a slight fascination with really small computers and I love the unibody aluminum Mac look. That's probably why I like the Mac Mini and these Habey slim cases.


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## coachmark2

i3-2100

OR

Pentium G850

Trust me on this one. The integrated graphics on my G620 kick BUTT! So, you're stepping up to a G850, which is even more powerful that....

Or just go for it and get the i3.


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## Abenlog

I like it! I made an HTPC as well and also went the AMD route but I built in an Antec NSK2480 as I wanted it to match my AV sets. Also managed to fit quite the powerful graphics card in there for 3D gaming on the big TV


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## iCrap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ben the OCer;15514399*
> I think this case is awesome and that's the whole point of this project, to make a Mac Mini like HTPC computer on the cheap. Your HTPC is major overkill for what I need. Basically I just need something to watch movies and TV shows on (DVD/Blu-Ray/online). I have a slight fascination with really small computers and I love the unibody aluminum Mac look. That's probably why I like the Mac Mini.


Are you getting the black one? i just saw that and it looks much nicer.

And my HTPC is overkill for what i need. It just plays netflix.








I have no idea why i put a 2500k in it.


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## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *coachmark2;15514432*
> i3-2100
> 
> OR
> 
> Pentium G850
> 
> Trust me on this one. The integrated graphics on my G620 kick BUTT! So, you're stepping up to a G850, which is even more powerful that....
> 
> Or just go for it and get the i3.


Thanks for the input. I actually have thought about going G620 and an Asus ITX Mobo. It would be a little cheaper than the Llano build. The reason I'm thinking of going with Llano is because my needs are pretty modest CPU wise and graphics performance is more important to me (given the space constraints of the Habey case). Almost anything non-Atom or Bobcat would be fine for my uses in the CPU department.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iCrap;15514467*
> Are you getting the black one? i just saw that and it looks much nicer.
> 
> And my HTPC is overkill for what i need. It just plays netflix.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have no idea why i put a 2500k in it.


I'm really undecided at this point. The reason I'm thinking silver is because I want it to look like a Mac Mini. The black one does look very nice though so I'm not sure:


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## Samurai Batgirl

It's out of stock and a bit expensive for what it is, but you could get this to save room.

Some other options for cases, as well.

(Sorry I'm so terrible at help tonight. My brain died I think







)


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## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai Batgirl;15514573*
> It's out of stock and a bit expensive for what it is, but you could get this to save room.
> 
> Some other options for cases, as well.
> 
> (Sorry I'm so terrible at help tonight. My brain died I think
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


Thanks for the suggestions, Silverstone does make some nice cases. I actually like the LC12 and it's close to the look I want but it's a little big. It's still a definite a possibility. For the optical drive I'll probably get a slot load, that is if I can find one and it's not super overpriced. I'm not a fan at all of those slide out laptop optical drives.


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## Craiga35

I'm very interested in seeing how the external PSU holds up to a Llano build. If it can handle it I may look into that case, because I love that case.


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## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Craiga35;15515047*
> I'm very interested in seeing how the external PSU holds up to a Llano build. If it can handle it I may look into that case, because I love that case.


I know it does look like a really cool case. Kind of like a Mac Mini you can actually work in and upgrade easier. With my build it will probably be pretty tight with the power but it should work, I'm hoping. A quad 100W Llano + ITX Mobo takes close to 120W on load (see below) so hopefully the 65W A6-3500 pulls a lot less power. I just need enough left over for the SSD and Blu-Ray drive. I might have to pickup a kill-a-watt meter and do some testing with a desktop PSU before I install it in the Habey case. Either way I'll probably do some undervolting but I'm hoping it won't be a necessity to get within the limits of the PSU. This might be a real interesting project. Hopefully no exploding goes on.

















Source

Another interesting product from Habey is the EPC-6567 which is a 7.87"x8.86"x1.77" case similar to these but smaller plus it comes with a Brazos E-350 board and 4GB of SO-DIMM RAM (two slots). You just have to add a hard drive, OS, and Wi-Fi (it has two Mini-PCIE slots available). For it's size it's not a bad price at $249.99 + shipping. That would be a fun system to play with. I might consider it but I would prefer a more powerful system.


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## BrokenSpring_12

I have just built a mini itx media centre, and i can fully recommend the asus f1a75-i delux motherboard. See Here
The media remote with qwery keyboard is a great addition.
Iv'e not had time to fully test it yet but my amd a8 is running at a cool 26 in a mini case.


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## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BrokenSpring_12;15517415*
> I have just built a mini itx media centre, and i can fully recommend the asus f1a75-i delux motherboard. See Here
> The media remote with qwery keyboard is a great addition.
> Iv'e not had time to fully test it yet but my amd a8 is running at a cool 26 in a mini case.


Thanks, I saw that board and it does look very nice. That remote is cool, it's a remote on one side and a keyboard on another. Thanks for the recommendation. The only thing I don't like about it are the goofy antennas for the Wi-Fi, maybe it gets better reception that way but then you have to find a place to put them. Out of curiosity what case did you go with?


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## critical46

Cool build


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## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *critical46;15520263*
> Cool build


Thanks, I think so too. I'm excited about it.







As long as nothing explodes I'll be good. I bought a Kill-A-Watt meter from Amazon last night so I should be good.


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## JedixJarf

Well, nice build. I def wouldn't call it a mac mini killer though.


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## BrokenSpring_12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ben the OCer;15520133*
> Thanks, I saw that board and it does look very nice. That remote is cool, it's a remote on one side and a keyboard on another. Thanks for the recommendation. The only thing I don't like about are the goofy antennas for the Wi-Fi, maybe it gets better reception that way but then you have to find a place to put them. Out of curiosity what case did you go with?


I went with the Lian-Li Q25 Linky Here

The case is great with space for 5+ 3.5" drives and a few 2.5" too. It is a tight fit though so choosing a small atx psu is essential.

EDIT: Also i was after Array R2 case but could not find it in stock anywhere in the U.K. Same deal as the q25 6 x 3.5" hdd.


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## jprovido

my htpc(on my sig) is basically a mid tower case beside the tv and yead it's ugly as *&(#. can you guys recommend me a small case that can fit a regular PSU and a gtx 470? I don't mind using a stock cooler for my 955 BE


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## raiderxx

Very nice case! I've been looking for a small ITX case to use as HTPC #2 in the bedroom. I won't be needing an HDD at all (xbmc live) and the wife and I are still debating whether or not we want a dvd drive for the netflix dvds. All it really needs is wifi. So the smaller the better! Please take lots of pics while building it, as I'd love to see more of the inside. Subbed.


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## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JedixJarf;15520416*
> Well, nice build. I def wouldn't call it a mac mini killer though.


It is what it is. The Mac Mini is a super small computer that has very few rivals. This system will be twice the height but take close to the same footprint. It will be a lot more upgradable, cheaper, and obviously more customizable. I think I got a case that's as close to the unibody aluminum look as I can get.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BrokenSpring_12;15520490*
> I went with the Lian-Li Q25 Linky Here
> 
> The case is great with space for 5+ 3.5" drives and a few 2.5" too. It is a tight fit though so choosing a small atx psu is essential.
> 
> EDIT: Also i was after Array R2 case but could not find it in stock anywhere in the U.K. Same deal as the q25 6 x 3.5" hdd.


That looks like a very spacious but yet still somewhat compact case. Lian-Li makes pretty awesome cases.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raiderxx;15520705*
> Very nice case! I've been looking for a small ITX case to use as HTPC #2 in the bedroom. I won't be needing an HDD at all (xbmc live) and the wife and I are still debating whether or not we want a dvd drive for the netflix dvds. All it really needs is wifi. So the smaller the better! Please take lots of pics while building it, as I'd love to see more of the inside. Subbed.


When I get everything I'll be sure to take lots of pictures and post in this thread, as many people seem to be interested in this case. Habey does have one picture of the inside for the black version but I wish they had more: link. I'm not sure when I'll order the components. I'm hoping soon but I'm pretty busy with school this week.


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## joshd

Nice build. Not sure it would be a MAC mini killer, though?

And are you going to add another SSD or HD? 30GB is like nothing now a days...


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## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *joshd;15521045*
> Nice build. Not sure it would be a MAC mini killer, though?
> 
> And are you going to add another SSD or HD? 30GB is like nothing now a days...


All I need is the OS and not much else so the 32GB SSD is fine. I have a 1TB F3 with ripped movies on it but it probably won't fit in the small case. I'll probably just connect to it through the network or not use it at all since I rarely watch my ripped movies. It's a work in progress.








I'm excited to get working on it, hopefully it goes smooth.


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## Foolsmasher

I've been dying to do a build in one of these babies:










They're pricey but would certainly look at home under your Plasma.

Origen


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## DuckieHo

Heat might be an issue.... I have a AMD E-350 in a slim HTPC with a 60mm and 80mm fan... it already gets hot.


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## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Foolsmasher;15521452*
> I've been dying to do a build in one of these babies:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They're pricey but would certainly look at home under your Plasma.
> 
> Origen


That is nice but pricey like you said. One store has it for $324.







TechPowerUp did a review of that case. That's the nice thing about the Habey case, it's very affordable. Plus the Habey is a decent amount more compact (Origen: 9.45"x9.92"x4.17" vs Habey: 8"x9"x3").

*Edit:*
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DuckieHo;15521515*
> Heat might be an issue.... I have a AMD E-350 in a slim HTPC with a 60mm and 80mm fan... it already gets hot.


Yes, that is true Duckie. Do you have a passively cooled E-350? I'm hoping to cut down on heat by undervolting but it has basically no cooling so it might be a problem. I think there is space to add 50mm fans but those won't be pushing much air. It does have a decent amount of venting holes so hopefully the hot air will expel itself with just the power of the CPU fan but that might be wishful thinking. It will be an interesting experiment of a project.


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## hick

I have been looking at the case for a LONG time. Hint- drill a hole in your rear I/O shield and move the power jack to the back from the side.


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## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hick;15522493*
> I have been looking at the case for a LONG time. Hint- drill a hole in your rear I/O shield and move the power jack to the back from the side.


The slimmer 2.25" one without the optical drive slot is the one with the power on the side. The 3" that I'm getting has the power on the back.


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## noahmateen1234

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ben the OCer;15522599*
> The slimmer 2.25" one without the optical drive slot is the one with the power on the side. The 3" that I'm getting has the power on the back.


I'm thinking of building the exact same system as you, except with the black case. I just gotta wait till I get some more cash. I'll be following your build though.

Couple questions, how do you plan on fitting in an HDD? Also what makes you pick that mobo? I've always had Asus and Gigabyte boards so I'm just curious.


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## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *noahmateen1234;15522836*
> I'm thinking of building the exact same system as you, except with the black case. I just gotta wait till I get some more cash. I'll be following your build though.
> 
> Couple questions, how do you plan on fitting in an HDD? Also what makes you pick that mobo? I've always had Asus and Gigabyte boards so I'm just curious.


Well it's supposed to be able to fit a 2.5" hard drive and I'm using a 2.5" SSD. Truth be told, I won't see how it works in practice until I get it. Basically I think the hard drive fits underneath the slim optical drive cage. Well there's nothing special about my board choice. There are currently only two FM1 Llano ITX boards and it's the cheaper one by about $50. There is also an Asus one that is more feature rich (it has Wi-Fi, a remote/keyboard combo, and other little differences). Asrock is owned by Asus and is basically their value brand.


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## Ben the OCer

I have some updates, I just ordered the case and motherboard. I didn't buy the CPU since the SuperBiiz coupon can only be used once. I'll probably order the CPU from Newegg instead soon. I was wondering if you guys could give me input about a cooler. Some possibilities I'm thinking of are the Scythe Kozuti, Gelid Slim Silence AM2, and Silverstone NT07-AM2. The Scythe looks the most promising for cooling ability but it's 40mm tall so it might not fit. The Gelid is the shortest at 28mm and the Silverstone is 36.5m. I'll probably wait to look at the case and do some measurements before I buy the cooler. Just thought I'd see if you guys have had any experience with any of them? Thanks for your interest and input so far guys.


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## Doomas

I would recommend this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185129
Cooling more then sufficient, slim, but very hard to install.


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## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Doomas;15528790*
> I would recommend this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185129
> Cooling more then sufficient, slim, but very hard to install.


Unfortunately there is only 38.1mm of clearance for a cooler. That cooler is 58mm tall. Thanks for the suggestions none the less.


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## Ben the OCer

When I get the case I'm planning to take lots of picture but I found a large amount of picture of the 800S posted by a member of AVS Forums for those interested in the case:
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=09de388f0d87326a&sc=photos&id=9DE388F0D87326A%212569&sff=1#cid=09DE388F0D87326A&id=9DE388F0D87326A%212570&sc=photos


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## daveojr77

that looks nice, I want to see more pic of that guy's version. It will be a nice build and I may consolidate my q6600 and do something like this later on down the road.


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## Shadowclock

For your needs the e-350 would have been plenty sufficient enough. Much lower power and it can be passively cooled.

The case is very sexy and I could have fit everything from my HTPC inside it.

I went with a Asus deluxe zacate board powered by an nMediaPC 60w power supply and i hit 22w max on load and 4w on idle (just retested today). If you wanted low power that is your money maker. Does everything I need it to.

THIS is a solid choice. Even an open box one for $64.

THIS one comes with wifi and bluetooth. More expensive but saves you the cost of the addons and it is completely passive. It's the one I have.


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## raiderxx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Foolsmasher;15521452*
> I've been dying to do a build in one of these babies:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They're pricey but would certainly look at home under your Plasma.
> 
> Origen


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## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shadowclock;15544450*
> For your needs the e-350 would have been plenty sufficient enough. Much lower power and it can be passively cooled.
> 
> The case is very sexy and I could have fit everything from my HTPC inside it.
> 
> I went with a Asus deluxe zacate board powered by an nMediaPC 60w power supply and i hit 22w max on load and 4w on idle (just retested today). If you wanted low power that is your money maker. Does everything I need it to.
> 
> THIS is a solid choice. Even an open box one for $64.
> 
> THIS one comes with wifi and bluetooth. More expensive but saves you the cost of the addons and it is completely passive. It's the one I have.


You might be right but I just don't like how underpowered Atom and E-350 systems are. I had a Atom N280 netbook and that thing was painfully slow. I know AMD's E-350 is a bit better than Atom and a lot better in the GPU department, plus Atom comes in dual-core form now. I just wanted to try something a bit different that would be an upgrade from my current E2140 HTPC and I like how powerful Llano's GPU is. I appreciate you pointing this stuff out to me none the less. That OB Asrock E-350 board for $64 is a steal.

*Edit:* That Open Box Asrock E-350 deal was too good to pass up so I bought it. Only $53.99 after the NEWCUSTOMER10 coupon. Maybe I'll build a 24/7 file/print server. Plus if this Llano build blows up in my face that's my backup plan for the HTPC. I really appreciate your input even though you caused me to spend money.


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## Shadowclock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ben the OCer;15545192*
> You might be right but I just don't like how underpowered Atom and E-350 systems are. I had a Atom N280 netbook and that thing was painfully slow. I know AMD's E-350 is a bit better than Atom and a lot better in the GPU department, plus Atom comes in dual-core form now. I just wanted to try something a bit different that would be an upgrade from my current E2140 HTPC and I like how powerful Llano's GPU is. I appreciate you pointing this stuff out to me none the less. That OB Asrock E-350 board for $64 is a steal.
> 
> *Edit:* That Open Box Asrock E-350 deal was too good to pass up so I bought it. Only $53.99 after the NEWCUSTOMER10 coupon. Maybe I'll build a 24/7 file/print server. Plus if this Llano build blows up in my face that's my backup plan for the HTPC. I really appreciate your input even though you caused me to spend money.


Bahaha, sorry mate. If you're not doing any light gaming and using an SSD for your OS then you aren't doing anything I am not doing right now and everything runs silky smooth.

Best of luck on your build, very interested to see how it turns out.


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## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shadowclock;15547234*
> Bahaha, sorry mate. If you're not doing any light gaming and using an SSD for your OS then you aren't doing anything I am not doing right now and everything runs silky smooth.
> 
> Best of luck on your build, very interested to see how it turns out.


I totally get it and I really can't say anything about E-350 since I've never owned or used one. I'm just trying to make the most powerful system I can in the 3" tall box. An excess of power is fine and just means the HTPC will last longer. Not even Sandy Bridge can match the graphics power of Llano. Thanks again for the help. I'm interested to see how the build turns out too.


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## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ben the OCer;15547531*
> I totally get it and I really can't say anything about E-350 since I've never owned or used one. I'm just trying to make the most powerful system I can in the 3" tall box. An excess of power is fine and just means the HTPC will last longer. Not even Sandy Bridge can match the graphics power of Llano. Thanks again for the help. I'm interested to see how the build turns out too.


You made the right choice. Zacate is hardly enough. It will struggle with things like flash. Seen countless threads at avs.


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## hick

SSD makes MediaPortal, XBMC, or MediaBrowser load covers alot faster. If i wasn't a cheap-o I would have them in all my htpc's.

Edit- I dumped my e-350 off on my sister when her PC broke...it was just wasting space.


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## Ben the OCer

I just got the case a couple minutes ago. I have a school assignment due tonight so I won't be able to post lots of pictures right now (I'll try and take a ton tomorrow). I did take a few to wet your appetite and boy does it look beautiful in person.

It looks right at home next to my MacBook Air:









Next to my sig rig it looks really tiny:


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## Ben the OCer

OK, I finished my school assignment. Let the drooling commence:

Here's some shots comparing it to my old HTPC case, a Rosewill RS-MI-01.

















If you prefer to use a cheaper tray loading slimline drive you can do that very easily, the white cover snaps right out.


















































It has a 4-pin molex, P4 auxiliary, floppy, SATA, and 24-pin ATX motherboard power connector.

































I forgot to take a picture of the external power supply but it just looks a lot like a laptop power brick so nothing really to see. The only other accessories it comes with are screws and four clear rubber feet. No manual to speak of but technically on Newegg's site it's an OEM product.


----------



## Ben the OCer

I was able to snag an A8-3850 off eBay for $99.95 shipped. The decision to go with the A8-3850 was based on the fact I'm undervolting the APU anyway so why not start off with an APU with better specs. I can always disable features (like cores) if I need to lower TDP more but it's nice to know they are there if I need them. If you ask are you crazy trying to get a 100W APU down below 60W (limit of the AC adapter even though the internal circuitry is good for 120W) maybe I am.


----------



## BBEG

That case has me making some neat plans in my head...

Awesome build and good luck. I'm definitely keeping an eye on this one.


----------



## hick

Hurry up! We need some temp readings!


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BBEG*
> 
> That case has me making some neat plans in my head...
> Awesome build and good luck. I'm definitely keeping an eye on this one.


Thank you, I'm glad you like my build. I've been really happy with the positive response this build has received.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hick*
> 
> Hurry up! We need some temp readings!


LOL, I'm going as fast as I can.







I'm hoping the A8-3850 will arrive tomorrow so I can finally get this system up and running. The only other delay might be the cooler. I'm going to see if my heatpipe 1055T stock cooler with the fan removed will work but we will see. I might also have to get some small fans to move a little air if it runs too hot.


----------



## BBEG

The 3800, rated for 65W, should be out or coming out very soon.

Continuing my previous comment, here are my current thoughts on the case itself:

Start with either a EMC-600S or 800S.
Add a 25mm-tall acrylic 'riser' to elevate the case roof to fit a top fan; use 4.5 - 5mm thick acrylic with the inner-edge recessed down into the case to secure it in place, and leave tabs that line up with the existing screw tabs to screw the top on through the acrylic and into the aluminum body.
Paint the case Apple White or use stock black.
Use a single blue LED inside for soft light through frosted acrylic riser.
Cut round hole in the case top nearer the rear to mount a 90 or 120mm fan to. Bias the fan hole toward the back to clear as much of the DVDRW drive from its airflow path.
Add horizontal rear mounting support for a slim GPU (low profile GT 430, GT 440, or 5570) w/ riser cable. If existing DVI & VGA holes in the 800S' rear case wall do not work, cut an oval slot that will fit the card's connectors appropriately. If using the 600S, cut slot mount through the acrylic.
If using 600S, cut slot in case front for slot-loading DVDRW and mount 2x SSDs directly below the drive. If using 800S, mount 2x SSDs above slot-loading DVDRW between the drive and the case roof.
Is there any reason that you can see why this would not work? It's a lot to cram into a small space, but it would make a lovely little HTPC that can do some light gaming too. If the Llano's successor is as good as it's being touted, I might be able to do away with a discrete GPU altogether.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BBEG*
> 
> The 3800, rated for 65W, should be out or coming out very soon.
> Continuing my previous comment, here are my current thoughts on the case itself:
> 
> Start with either a EMC-600S or 800S.
> Add a 25mm-tall acrylic 'riser' to elevate the case roof to fit a top fan; use 4.5 - 5mm thick acrylic with the inner-edge recessed down into the case to secure it in place, and leave tabs that line up with the existing screw tabs to screw the top on through the acrylic and into the aluminum body.
> Paint the case Apple White or use stock black.
> Use a single blue LED inside for soft light through frosted acrylic riser.
> Cut round hole in the case top nearer the rear to mount a 90 or 120mm fan to. Bias the fan hole toward the back to clear as much of the DVDRW drive from its airflow path.
> Add horizontal rear mounting support for a slim GPU (low profile GT 430, GT 440, or 5570) w/ riser cable. If existing DVI & VGA holes in the 800S' rear case wall do not work, cut an oval slot that will fit the card's connectors appropriately. If using the 600S, cut slot mount through the acrylic.
> If using 600S, cut slot in case front for slot-loading DVDRW and mount 2x SSDs directly below the drive. If using 800S, mount 2x SSDs above slot-loading DVDRW between the drive and the case roof.
> Is there any reason that you can see why this would not work? It's a lot to cram into a small space, but it would make a lovely little HTPC that can do some light gaming too. If the Llano's successor is as good as it's being touted, I might be able to do away with a discrete GPU altogether.


Interesting mod ideas, pretty cool. You might not have to add a blue LED. The internal PSU has a really bright blue LED to show that it's getting power (it's on all the time).


----------



## reezin14

Your build concept is stylish & interesting.







I really want to see what the temps look like once it's complete.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *reezin14*
> 
> Your build concept is stylish & interesting.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I really want to see what the temps look like once it's complete.


Thanks for your support. I'm undervolting and underclocking the A8-3850 right now and testing it. To get the power consumption low enough I clocked it at 1.6GHz 0.875v. With these settings the system idles at 25W and at full CPU load (via OCCT) it pulls about 44W (the wattage readings were taken with a P3 P4400 monitor). With OCCT and Furmark running at the same time it was pulling about 75W which is the worst case scenario and not real world. When playing a 1080P Youtube video it was pulling a very low 34W. I am currently using the heatpipe stock cooler from my 1055T with the top of the Habey case off. Unfortunately this cooler won't work long term since the case having no airflow makes passive cooling not viable and the retention clamp sticks up too much anyway. So what I'm saying is that I don't have final temperature readings to report just yet.


----------



## reezin14

Thanks for the info Ben I'm looking to build something similar(A6-3650) for my sister,although in a slightly bigger case.Keep the progress coming.


----------



## Ben the OCer

I just ordered the SilverStone NT07-AM2 cooler from Directron. Here is a screen shot of my OCCT run at 1.6GHz 0.875v over 10 hours stable:


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ben the OCer*
> 
> I just ordered the SilverStone NT07-AM2 cooler from Directron. Here is a screen shot of my OCCT run at 1.6GHz 0.875v over 10 hours stable:


Are the mounting holes the same for AM2 and FM1. Good job AMD if its true.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Are the mounting holes the same for AM2 and FM1. Good job AMD if its true.


Yes, AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, and FM1 all use the same basic mounting. Even my 754 board has the same mounting.


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ben the OCer*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Are the mounting holes the same for AM2 and FM1. Good job AMD if its true.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, and FM1 all use the same basic mounting. Even my 754 board has the same mounting.
Click to expand...

Thats cool.


----------



## Ben the OCer

I ordered a few more parts, a Blu-Ray drive and adapter cable (to convert the slimline SATA power connector):

Hitachi CA10N Slot Load Blu-Ray Drive: $44.95 shipped
Slimline SATA Power to 4-pin Molex Power with integrated SATA Cable: $3.49 shipped from HDE


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ben the OCer*
> 
> I ordered a few more parts, a Blu-Ray drive and adapter cable (to convert the slimline SATA power connector):
> 
> Hitachi CA10N Slot Load Blu-Ray Drive: $44.95 shipped
> Slimline SATA Power to 4-pin Molex Power with integrated SATA Cable: $3.49 shipped from HDE


Thats a great deal on that BD drive.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Thats a great deal on that BD drive.


Yep, I think so too. It's the cheapest slot load Blu-Ray drive I could find. I'm hoping it's a decent drive and good enough for the occasional DVD or Blu-Ray movie. The cooler is supposed to arrive Friday so I will hopefully have a good update sometime after that with new pictures.







Right now it's a bit of a Frankenstein with the top off and the drive cage and SSD on the side of it.


----------



## raiderxx

Have you used the wireless USB dongle yet? Have you tried to stream any media with it yet? I'd like to get it for my build, and I am planning on streaming bluray rips from my server. How do you think it would hold up?


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raiderxx*
> 
> Have you used the wireless USB dongle yet? Have you tried to stream any media with it yet? I'd like to get it for my build, and I am planning on streaming bluray rips from my server. How do you think it would hold up?


Blu ray over wifi is very hit and miss and wired is always recommended. Some say it works for them.


----------



## raiderxx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Blu ray over wifi is very hit and miss and wired is always recommended. Some say it works for them.


Understood. I have an HTPC in our living room and we watch uncompressed Avatar and other movies on bluray perfectly fine. I just don't know if USB is just as good as PCI or worse.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raiderxx*
> 
> Have you used the wireless USB dongle yet? Have you tried to stream any media with it yet? I'd like to get it for my build, and I am planning on streaming bluray rips from my server. How do you think it would hold up?


I don't currently have a server up to stream ripped movies so I have not tried that. The Edimax USB Wi-Fi adapter works great for online TV show streaming and HD Youtube videos. If the system is far away from the wireless router or access point just don't expect great reception since it's limited by it's size and cheapness. My HTPC is in the same room as my router so it's not a problem for me.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Sorry that it's taken so long to give you guys an update. I've run into a few problems that I am trying to work out which is the main reason for the delay. First off let's take a look at some picture of what I've been doing the last couple days







:

Here's the A8-3850 APU.









The biggest negative of this board is the lack of Dual-Link DVI or DisplayPort. Given the price and my needs as an HTPC this is mostly irrelevant to me but worth noting.

















Here's the Silverstone NT07-AM2 cooler installed on the motherboard. It uses spring loaded screws and a backplate to mount, so the AMD bracket mount had to be removed.

































Motherboard installed in the case.

































One of the issues I had is that with the SSD installed on the bottom of the optical drive bracket the Silverstone cooler was actually a little too tall, at least enough so I could not screw down the optical drive bracket. I later got around this but initially I just put the SSD in front of the power button and above the internal PSU.

























With all of the components I have so far installed the system weighs about 5lbs.









The shots below are the newest ones which I just took today. One of the issues I am having is with heat. Even with the CPU underclocked and undervolted there is no getting around the fact that the case is just an enclosed box with no cooling (intake or exhaust). The only fan in the system right now is on the CPU cooler which gets its air from inside the case so it has little ability to lower system temperatures. I tried to make a few modifications to try to save space and increase cooling efficiency. I angled the the CPU fan a little and moved it closer to the side vent. So far this seems to give me much better CPU temperatures that are in the low 40s idle and high 50s load celsius (this is according to SpeedFan, before the idle temperature would just keep increasing till it was in the high 50s). I also removed the SSD from it's enclosure, giving me enough room to zip tie it to the bottom of the drive bracket.

































Another issue is that the power consumption when both the CPU and GPU are at full load the power consumption exceeds what the 60W power adapter can provide (with OCCT and FurMark running it pulls about 75-80W, this was found out using a 250W PSU from my previous HTPC). Gaming pushes the power adapter pretty close its limits but might work if I can get the cooling problem fixed. This isn't something I can really do much about unless I buy a new power adapter or internal PSU, which I don't want to do. It should mostly be a non-issue since real world use does not come close to the power consumption of OCCT plus FurMark or even FurMark alone (70-75W). Regarding the cooling problem, as stated before I might have it partially fixed but I purchased a few fans anyway to explore all the possibilities. I ordered a Scythe slim 120mm fan to replace the 80mm on the Silverstone cooler. I also ordered two Evercool 60mm fans and a 50mm fan to test.


----------



## lightsout

Yah that really is a tight area. But why even run furmark? Just to get some max temps? Do you have the blu ray drive yet? I'm sure that won't help. Imo your temps are fine for such a small case. I'd be ok with high 50's for load. The gpu in my htpc was at 71c yesterday while watching a movie with madvr.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Yah that really is a tight area. But why even run furmark? Just to get some max temps? Do you have the blu ray drive yet? I'm sure that won't help. Imo your temps are fine for such a small case. I'd be ok with high 50's for load. The gpu in my htpc was at 71c yesterday while watching a movie with madvr.


Actually FurMark was more to see how high I could get the power consumption to simulate a worst case never happen scenario. I don't have the Blu-Ray drive yet but it's supposed to come tomorrow. Hopefully the Blu-Ray drive won't hamper cooling performance and I don't think it will, at least not much. The drive cage already blocks the fan as much as it's going to be blocked, the Blu-Ray drive isn't going to change that. I guess I'll see for sure once I get it.


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ben the OCer*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Yah that really is a tight area. But why even run furmark? Just to get some max temps? Do you have the blu ray drive yet? I'm sure that won't help. Imo your temps are fine for such a small case. I'd be ok with high 50's for load. The gpu in my htpc was at 71c yesterday while watching a movie with madvr.
> 
> 
> 
> Actually FurMark was more to see how high I could get the power consumption to simulate a worst case never happen scenario. I don't have the Blu-Ray yet but it's supposed to come tomorrow. Hopefully the Blu-Ray drive won't hamper cooling performance and I don't think it will, at least not much. The optical drive bracket already blocks the fan as much as it's going to be blocked, the Blu-Ray drive isn't going to change that. I guess I'll see for sure once I get it.
Click to expand...

Yah I guess your right there. I want to do a mini itx build one day. It will be my next htpc for sure.


----------



## Ben the OCer

I did some temperature testing with my modded CPU fan position.

*Fan Placement (Modded)*
Note: This is only to show were the fan was placed. The temperature testing was done with the drive cage and case cover on, as it would be in a real world scenario.









*Stabilized Idle Temperatures (Modded Fan Placement)*
_Test: Sitting at the desktop for an hour or two._
System: 45C
CPU: 42C
GPU: 15C
Ambient: 64F or ~18C


*CPU Load Temperatures (Modded Fan Placement)*
_Test: 1 hour of OCCT._
System: 57C
CPU: 66C
GPU: 44C
Ambient: 64F or ~18C


So you can see at load the system gets pretty toasty. Besides the idle GPU temps, these are within reason given the space constraints of the case but I'll see if I can do better with the new fans. The GPU temperatures must be off by quite a bit since at idle SpeedFan is reporting lower than ambient.


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ben the OCer*
> 
> I did some temperature testing with my modded CPU fan position.
> 
> *Stabilized idle temperatures, sitting at the desktop for an hour or two:*
> System: 45C
> CPU: 42C
> GPU: 15C
> Ambient: 64F or ~18C
> 
> 
> *CPU load temperatures, 1 hour of OCCT:*
> System: 57C
> CPU: 66C
> GPU: 44C
> Ambient: 64F or ~18C
> 
> 
> So you can see at load the system gets pretty toasty. Besides the idle GPU temps, these are within reason given the space constraints of the case but I'll see if I can do better with the new fans. The GPU temperatures must be off by quite a bit since at idle SpeedFan is reporting lower than ambient.


Yah who knows what the gpu really is. Amd always seem to be wacky with temps. I would think under normal conditions they will be much better. I think adding some extra fans will help though. I'm waiting to see the improvement you get.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Yah who knows what the gpu really is. Amd always seem to be wacky with temps. I would think under normal conditions they will be much better. I think adding some extra fans will help though. I'm waiting to see the improvement you get.


I just did some more temp testing. I didn't know how much lower the temps were with the mod, wow, the data speaks for itself.

*Fan Placement (Stock)*
Note: This is only to show were the fan was placed. The temperature testing was done with the drive cage and case cover on, as it would be in a real world scenario.









*Stabilized Idle Temperatures (Stock Fan Placement)*
_Test: Sitting at the desktop for an hour or two._
System: 50C (vs 45C or 5C lower)
CPU: 48C (vs 42C or 6C lower)
GPU: 22C (vs 15C or 7C lower)
Ambient: 64F or ~18C


*CPU Load Temperatures (Stock Fan Placement)*
_Test: 1 hour of OCCT._
System: 69C (vs 57C or 12C lower)
CPU: 81C (vs 66C or 15C lower)
GPU: 59C (vs 44C or 15C lower)
Ambient: 64F or ~18C


At idle the modded fan position lowers temps by 5-7C and 12-15C at load, pretty impressive and not bad for moving the fan over a few inches with a slight angle.


----------



## Ben the OCer

I got the Blu-Ray drive and installed it. So far I really like it. The only problem I had was the drive would shoot the disc right out of the drive, but I fixed that by adding a soft piece of foam to the cover. I have a few Blu-Ray movies I can use to test it but don't yet have the software to play it. So I tested with some DVDs.

The CA10N Blu-Ray drive was manufactured in June 2010, which isn't bad considering I paid only $44.95.









The drive did not come with a faceplate, which is fine since the Habey case includes a slot load drive cover.









Laptop optical drives use a regular size SATA data connector but have a smaller power connector. That's why I needed to buy a special cable for it.

















The bottom of the drive actually has a clear cover so you can see the internal circuitry.









Here you can see my modded drive cover, so the drive wouldn't shoot the discs out.

















The drive is very small so it doesn't stick out at all and is actually recessed in the drive cage a little.









Inception DVD to test out the drive (it's a Blu-Ray and DVD combo pack).


----------



## Craiga35

Any plans for some gaming benches? I am curious as to how the games will run with the underclocked and undervolted CPU.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Craiga35*
> 
> Any plans for some gaming benches? I am curious as to how the games will run with the underclocked and undervolted CPU.


Any specific games you want me to try? I tried Crysis and it ran pretty smooth on medium (I think the res was 1920x1080). The reason I didn't test many games is because gaming pushes the limits of the 60W power adapter, plus the 32GB SSD has limited space.


----------



## Craiga35

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ben the OCer*
> 
> Any specific games you want me to try? I tried Crysis and it ran pretty smooth on medium (I think the res was 1920x1080). The reason I didn't test many games is because gaming pushes the limits of the 60W power adapter, plus the 32GB SSD has limited space.


No, that gives me a good enough idea of what you're getting out of it. You think there's any chance you could find a replacement, higher wattage, power brick for it, or is it some proprietary connector? I don't understand why they didn't just include a ~100W power supply, seeing as how the internals can take up to 120W, that would make that little case even more attractive, if you could keep it cool.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Craiga35*
> 
> No, that gives me a good enough idea of what you're getting out of it. You think there's any chance you could find a replacement, higher wattage, power brick for it, or is it some proprietary connector? I don't understand why they didn't just include a ~100W power supply, seeing as how the internals can take up to 120W, that would make that little case even more attractive, if you could keep it cool.


I agree, it would have made more sense for Habey to include a 120W power adapter, to better match with the internal PSU circuitry. Somebody on another forum used an HP Envy 17 power adapter and PicoPSU, so it's probably possible. The power connector seems pretty standard shaped but I wouldn't want to buy a new power adapter unless I knew it would work. I might have to look into that.


----------



## Craiga35

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ben the OCer*
> 
> I agree, it would have made more sense for Habey to include a 120W power adapter, to better match with the internal PSU circuitry. Somebody on another forum used an HP Envy 17 power adapter and PicoPSU, so it's probably possible. The power connector seems pretty standard shaped but I wouldn't want to buy a new power adapter unless I knew it would work. I might have to look into that.


The Habey one is 12v at 5A and is 60W. If you can find one that is 12v and 5a, with a higher wattage, there's always the possibility of splicing the connector from the 60W adapter onto the higher wattage one, it should work and be fairly straightforward. The trouble would be finding a 12v 5a adapter that is ~120w.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Craiga35*
> 
> The Habey one is 12v at 5A and is 60W. If you can find one that is 12v and 5a, with a higher wattage, there's always the possibility of splicing the connector from the 60W adapter onto the higher wattage one, it should work and be fairly straightforward. The trouble would be finding a 12v 5a adapter that is ~120w.


Interesting idea about splicing the old connector to a new higher watt adapter but I don't think I'd be comfortable doing that. Unless I'm mistaken doesn't Volts x Amps = Watts. That's why the power adapter provides 60W. It's impossible for a different adapter with the same 12 volt and 5 amp rating to have more watts (12 x 5 is always going to equal 60). I'm no expert on power supplies but that's my understanding of it. For example, the HP Envy 17 power adapter I was talking about has a rating of 18.5V and 6.5A which comes out to 120.25W.


----------



## hick

Yes, Watts = Volts x Amps (or any combination...) MOST, 12v plugs are the same size but not all (some dicks make their stuff more proprietary).


----------



## Mates Rates

You may be interested in these two items.

http://www.aliexpress.com/product-gs/288380099-Laptop-Adapter-For-LCD-power-12V-12-5A-5-5-2-5-wholesalers.html

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/330562529700?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mates Rates*
> 
> You may be interested in these two items.
> http://www.aliexpress.com/product-gs/288380099-Laptop-Adapter-For-LCD-power-12V-12-5A-5-5-2-5-wholesalers.html
> http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/330562529700?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649


Thanks, those look interesting. I did a rough measurement and the power connector on the case itself (not the power adapter) has about a 10mm outer diameter and 5mm inner diameter.


----------



## Mates Rates

Yea. You would have to replace the original power connecter attached to your case with the one linked below.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/330562529700?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

5.5mm / 2.5mm are pretty much the standard size for dc barrel sockets.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mates Rates*
> 
> Yea. You would have to replace the original power connecter attached to your case with the one linked below.
> http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/330562529700?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
> 5.5mm / 2.5mm are pretty much the standard size for dc barrel sockets.


Actually I think I measured wrong, I'm not exactly sure where they measure on the connector. It might actually be that size if they are talking about the inner wall for the outer measurement and the metal pron for the inner measurement. I'll have to research that later sometime.

I haven't received the Scythe 120mm fan yet but did receive the 50mm and 60mm fans. The 60mm fans were too loud for my liking but the 50mm fan was actually pretty quiet. The 50mm fan as an exhaust lowed CPU temps about 2C idle and 4C load. Nothing huge but not bad, with the addition of the big Scythe fan maybe I'll see some bigger changes.

Edit: I just Googled the power adapter model (WT1205000). It looks like it is does indeed have the 5.5mm*2.5mm size. I may try a cheap 120W or 150W adapter just for the fun of it. I'll probably try to buy it from a US store though so I get it faster.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. I've been really busy with school. I installed the Scythe 120mm fan and here are some pictures of that:


































My setup needs a bit of work but for now a stool works as my projector stand.


----------



## lightsout

Sweet AV rack!!!!!







Is that a VCR!!!


----------



## Ben the OCer

*Fan Placement (120mm fan only)*
Note: This is only to show were the fan was placed. The temperature testing was done with the drive cage and case cover on, as it would be in a real world scenario.









*CPU Load Temperatures (120mm fan only)*
_Test: 1.5 hours of OCCT._
System: 55C
CPU: 59C
GPU: 36C
Ambient: 64F or ~18C


Compared to the stock 80mm fan position these temperatures are lower by 14C (System), 22C (CPU), and 23C (GPU) respectively.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Sweet AV rack!!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is that a VCR!!!


Thanks, it does the job. Maybe when I find something cheap enough to replace it I will. Your eyes do not deceive you, that is indeed a VCR.







I'm actually using it more as a paper weight than for its video tape playing functionality. It props up the projector to the perfect height and allows me to shove the projector back farther on the stool making the perfect picture size to fit my 70" screen.


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ben the OCer*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Sweet AV rack!!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is that a VCR!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, it does the job. Maybe when I find something cheap enough to replace it I will. Your eyes do not deceive you, that is indeed a VCR.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm actually using it more as a paper weight than for its video tape playing functionality. It props up the projector to the perfect height and allows me to shove the projector back father on the stool making the perfect picture size to fit my 70" screen.
Click to expand...

Thats cool man, I live in a one bedroom apt. with 6 pc's and network cables all ran behind the couches. The wife loves it







I know how it is.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Thats cool man, I live in a one bedroom apt. with 6 pc's and network cables all ran behind the couches. The wife loves it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I know how it is.


Wow, that's quite impressive. Too much of a speed freak to go wireless I see.







In my parents house my sig rig is in my room and the wireless router is in the living room. So instead of having a 50ft cable across half the house I went wireless for my sig rig.


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ben the OCer*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Thats cool man, I live in a one bedroom apt. with 6 pc's and network cables all ran behind the couches. The wife loves it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I know how it is.
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, that's quite impressive. Too much of a speed freak to go wireless I see.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In my parents house my sig rig is in my room and the wireless router is in the living room. So instead of having a 50ft cable across half the house I went wireless for my sig rig.
Click to expand...

WellI have a media server that streams HD to a couple htpc's. Plus an HDhomerun cablecard tuner so I need wired for that. Plus I just hate wifi for anything thats not mobile.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> WellI have a media server that streams HD to a couple htpc's. Plus an HDhomerun cablecard tuner so I need wired for that. Plus I just hate wifi for anything thats not mobile.


I thought you probably had a good reason, I was just having some fun with you.







Plus with a one bedroom apartment it makes senses to go wired, as long as wires are running along the wall and not across the middle of the floor. I only went wireless out of necessity for my sig. My HTPC is wireless for convenience and I have some spare Edimax nano USB Wi-Fi adapters.


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ben the OCer*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> WellI have a media server that streams HD to a couple htpc's. Plus an HDhomerun cablecard tuner so I need wired for that. Plus I just hate wifi for anything thats not mobile.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I thought you probably had a good reason, I was just having some fun with you.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Plus with a one bedroom apartment it makes senses to go wired, as long as wires are running along the wall and not across the middle of the floor. I only went wireless out of necessity for my sig. My HTPC is wireless for convenience and I have some spare Edimax nano USB Wi-Fi adapters.
Click to expand...

No worries I didn't take it the wrong way. Yah they are against the wall and under the carpet going to the bedroom.

So hows the htpc working out for you? I really like the slot drive. Makes it look more pro. Can't say I use discs all that much. If I do its just to rip. I have two htpc's right now. But when we finally get a bigger place I want to build one of these tiny itx htpc's. Llano is a great choice since you can't fit a discrete card in there. I like to use Madvr so my rigs both have gpus. But I think llano is enough.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> No worries I didn't take it the wrong way. Yah they are against the wall and under the carpet going to the bedroom.
> So hows the htpc working out for you? I really like the slot drive. Makes it look more pro. Can't say I use discs all that much. If I do its just to rip. I have two htpc's right now. But when we finally get a bigger place I want to build one of these tiny itx htpc's. Llano is a great choice since you can't fit a discrete card in there. I like to use Madvr so my rigs both have gpus. But I think llano is enough.


Yep it's all good, you tease me about my old paper weight VCR and I tease you about your awesome wired network. With the Internet it can be kind of difficult to tease or joke since there is no verbal communication to express that.

The HTPC is working really great. It is a really beautiful system and sometimes I just stare at it.







I haven't had a ton of time to do real world testing and sadly I haven't even played a full movie with it yet. I've been pretty busy with school and have finals coming up. With the 120mm fan slightly undervolted in the BIOS the system is nearly silent. I too like the slot load drive. I have never liked tray loading slim drives, they are a pain to use and seem like they would break easily. The system is nearly perfect. I'm planning to buyer a more powerful AC adapter so maybe I won't have to underclock as much. With member Mates Rates help I discovered the power connector has a fairly standard 5.5*2.5mm size, all I have to do is figure which one to go with that isn't total garbage. Then of course buy Blu-Ray player software so I can use that functionality of the optical drive. PowerDVD 11 seems to be the best software for that but I haven't decided if I'm going with it just yet. Have a good one and I really appreciate your interest and support of my thread, it really makes the time I put into rewarding and worth it.


----------



## lightsout

No worries man. Have a look at makemkv. Its free and can rip blu rays. Not as cool as popping in a disc like a blu ray player but it also doesn't cost 100 bucks. Plus you can get rid of all the warnings and trailers and junk. Have a good one.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> No worries man. Have a look at makemkv. Its free and can rip blu rays. Not as cool as popping in a disc like a blu ray player but it also doesn't cost 100 bucks. Plus you can get rid of all the warnings and trailers and junk. Have a good one.


Thanks I'll look into that. How much space does a ripped MKV Blu-Ray movie usually take? I don't yet have my file server up so I don't have the means to store large Blu-Ray rips but that's probably what I will do eventually. I only have two Blu-Ray movies at the moment, Inception and Tangled.


----------



## Ben the OCer

I'm thinking of getting this higher watt power adapter as a replacement:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/120W-AC-charger-power-adapter-Gateway-Solo-7000-7100-7200-7300-Black-/310345363883?pt=Laptop_Adapters_Chargers&hash=item48420671ab

The end connector is the right size (5.5*2.5mm) and the calculated rating is 130W (19.5V*6.7A) and it's advertised as 120W. If you guys have any idea if this will or won't be compatible please let me know. The old power adapter is model WT1205000 with a rating of 60W (12V*5A). Have a blessed weekend.


----------



## hick

Not to sure here but my assumption is that the internal power supply in the case will only handle the 60watts or will fry if it tries to use the 120. Again this is just guessing.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hick*
> 
> Not to sure here but my assumption is that the internal power supply in the case will only handle the 60watts or will fry if it tries to use the 120. Again this is just guessing.


The internal PSU is actually good for 120W so that shouldn't be a problem: link. I'm just concerned that the different voltage of that power adapter would be an issue. My gut says it wouldn't work but I'm not knowledgeable enough in this area to know for sure. There is a power adapter with an output of 12V and 12.5A: link. I created a thread with this question and one guy responded that the different voltage wouldn't work but I could have the same voltage and a higher amperage rating.


----------



## Mates Rates

Yo man,

What input voltage does your PSU support?

If it only supports 12v then you're only limited to 12v output power adapters. So if you're after a 120w power adapter for instance, you will need to find one thats output is rated at 12v~10a.

If it supports a range of voltages, say 12-25v, you can use any power adapter rated between 12v and 25v.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mates Rates*
> 
> Yo man,
> What input voltage does your PSU support?
> If it only supports 12v then you're only limited to 12v output power adapters. So if you're after a 120w power adapter for instance, you will need to find one thats output is rated at 12v~10a.
> If it supports a range of voltages, say 12-25v, you can use any power adapter rated between 12v and 25v.


Thanks, that is very helpful and pretty much answers my question. You directed me in the right direction for the answer. The specs on Newegg state the following for the internal PSU:

Input Voltage Range: 11.2VDC - 14.8VDC
Input Current Range: 12.0A Max @11.2VDC

So as long as I stay within those perimeters for the output rating of the power adapter I think I should be fine.


----------



## joffy81

hi ben,
congrats on your success!

Would any of you guys mind in sharing some knowledge to help me with my project as I'm not getting anywhere with it

thanks!

http://www.overclock.net/t/1212594/second-attempt-with-the-itek-kiwi#post_16416742


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *joffy81*
> 
> hi ben,
> congrats on your success!
> Would any of you guys mind in sharing some knowledge to help me with my project as I'm not getting anywhere with it
> thanks!
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1212594/second-attempt-with-the-itek-kiwi#post_16416742


I'd be happy to help in any way I can. I posted some of my ideas in your thread.


----------



## warensemble

Congrats on your success! I will be doing something with this case as well.

First of all, which AC Adapter did you go with?

Second, for whoever can answer this, the specs say 12A max. If I were to use an adapter rated at 12.5a, does that mean that current level is being "pushed" into the components possibly damaging them, or does that mean the power board will only use 12a still. basically if I were to get something like the 150w adapter posted earlier (12v x 12.5a) would that damage the power board rated at 12A max.

Thanks!


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *warensemble*
> 
> Congrats on your success! I will be doing something with this case as well.
> First of all, which AC Adapter did you go with?
> Second, for whoever can answer this, the specs say 12A max. If I were to use an adapter rated at 12.5a, does that mean that current level is being "pushed" into the components possibly damaging them, or does that mean the power board will only use 12a still. basically if I were to get something like the 150w adapter posted earlier (12v x 12.5a) would that damage the power board rated at 12A max.
> Thanks!


Cool, what components are you planning to put in the build? I actually have been too busy to buy a new AC adapter, so I can't help you there. The specifications state a max of 12A so I would not exceed that. I really couldn't tell you what would happen if you tried it. I would just stick within spec to be safe. If you get a 12A AC adapter just make sure it's not more than 11.2V, as stated by the specs. I wish I could help more.


----------



## warensemble

Same case, probably same cpu cooler, not sure about the fan or case cooling yet. I have an e6550 C2D lying around that I plan to use. Prob this mobo: http://www.amazon.com/Intel-Mini-ITX-Graphics-1333MHz-Desktop/dp/B001BN17XY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1332652506&sr=8-3.
It seems amperage ratings don't matter too much as the components will use what they need so long as the adapter provides the minimum to power them. This kind of makes sense since you have higher and lower wattage PSUs and as long as you provide a minimum amperage for all your components with the PSU, it works. Voltages I guess stay the same between PSUs and amperage ratings cause the power ratings to change between models. Also it seems to be recommended to get something with a higher amperage rating (for the necessary voltage) as it extends the life of the component.

Anyways, I found a couple of sites that sell miniITX adapters as well as picoITX PSUs up to 160 watts so one can just order an adapter, or both a new picoITX PSU (these things are tiny and uncased) and matching adapter for a bit more power.

http://www.mini-box.com/
http://www.mini-itx.com/


----------



## gomiflo

Ben the OCer, thank you for posting this thread. I have been trying to figure out how to fit a A8-3870K (which was given to me so I want to use it and I can't return it) into an Antec ISK110 VESA case. (90W adapter, but I hear the PSU is actually 80W).

It has been discouraging so far until I saw your post and saw the wattage your machine draws after the underclock and undervolt. The build I am planning is:

Case: Antec ISK110 VESA
Mobo: Asus F1A75-I Deluxe Mini ITX
RAM: Samsung Low voltage low profile
Storage: Some SSD (undecided)

After reading through your thread it looks like this is possible with the stock ISK110 PSU if I do some liberal underclocking and undervolting.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gomiflo*
> 
> Ben the OCer, thank you for posting this thread. I have been trying to figure out how to fit a A8-3870K (which was given to me so I want to use it and I can't return it) into an Antec ISK110 VESA case. (90W adapter, but I hear the PSU is actually 80W).
> It has been discouraging so far until I saw your post and saw the wattage your machine draws after the underclock and undervolt. The build I am planning is:
> Case: Antec ISK110 VESA
> Mobo: Asus F1A75-I Deluxe Mini ITX
> RAM: Samsung Low voltage low profile
> Storage: Some SSD (undecided)
> After reading through your thread it looks like this is possible with the stock ISK110 PSU if I do some liberal underclocking and undervolting.


You're welcome, I'm glad this thread was helpful to you. That sounds like a very cool build. I really like the Antec ISK110 as it has the big mesh side to allow for fresh air to get to all the components. As stated in the OP, with my A8-3850 at 1.6GHz 0.875v it pulls 75W with OCCT and Furmark running. I think I played Battlefield Bad Company 2 and it was pushing around 80W max. So gaming could still push the PSU hard. You'll have to do some testing and I'd recommend getting a kilowatt meter if you don't have one (like the P3 P4400 I use). When doing the underclocking and undervolting make sure to plug in a higher watt PSU temporilly so you can stability test. Let me know how it goes and don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.


----------



## gomiflo

I wont' be doing any gaming on this build (I just completed an Ivy Bridge i5 mITX in a Silverstone SG06 for my main machine after running an Athlon XP for the last 10 years--seriously! Compile times for little phone apps I was writing were taking way too long so I finally upgraded







) I am hoping to use the 3870K with ISK110 as an HTPC for now and then eventually turn it into a 2-bay 2.5" NAS in the future. To be honest, I hardly watch TV these days, but I can't have a A8-3870K sitting around doing nothing! So I'm hoping to do a tiny, low-cost build, and attach it to the back of my TV.

This will be my first time playing around with clock speeds and voltages. It's really amazing to see how low you were able to get those voltages. I was not looking forward to trying to fasten a high watt PicoPSU in the case (not to mention the cost of a picopsu + adapter is more than the cost of this case!)

How did you do the underclock/undervolt and make it stick? Is it in the BIOS? Or did you use something like K10Stat?

Thanks again for your help.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gomiflo*
> 
> I wont' be doing any gaming on this build (I just completed an Ivy Bridge i5 mITX in a Silverstone SG06 for my main machine after running an Athlon XP for the last 10 years--seriously! Compile times for little phone apps I was writing were taking way too long so I finally upgraded
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) I am hoping to use the 3870K with ISK110 as an HTPC for now and then eventually turn it into a 2-bay 2.5" NAS in the future. To be honest, I hardly watch TV these days, but I can't have a A8-3870K sitting around doing nothing! So I'm hoping to do a tiny, low-cost build, and attach it to the back of my TV.
> This will be my first time playing around with clock speeds and voltages. It's really amazing to see how low you were able to get those voltages. I was not looking forward to trying to fasten a high watt PicoPSU in the case (not to mention the cost of a picopsu + adapter is more than the cost of this case!)
> How did you do the underclock/undervolt and make it stick? Is it in the BIOS? Or did you use something like K10Stat?
> Thanks again for your help.


Yep same here, not doing any gaming with my HTPC. For normal HTPC duties my Llano chip sips power and should be well below the 80W of your PSU (after the underclock and undervolt of course). I changed settings in the BIOS as that's the most permanent solution. Otherwise the system might pull too much power when booting. I did some trial and error to find the right clock speed and voltage that was stable and came to a CPU multiplier of 16 (the lowest my motherboard would allow) and voltage to 0.875v in the BIOS. I stress tested with OCCT for 11 hours to confirm full stability. If you need help in the BIOS feel free to post or message me on here.


----------



## gomiflo

To follow up, here's what I ended up with:
Case: Antec ISK 110 with 80W power supply (80W board + 90W adapter)
CPU: A8-3870K
Mem: 1.35V Samsung 2x 4GB
Mobo: Asus F1A75-I Deluxe
SSD: Kingston SSDNow V200 64GB
CPU Cooler: Scythe Kozuti

With default settings, it would draw 30W idle and 132W at CPU Load using OCCT. This was hooked up to a 300W power supply from my Silverstone SG06 (80+ bronze rating).
FutureMark Combined test drew 123W
FutureMark Scores:
P1179
Graphics: 1069
Physics: 3472
Combined: 971

I finally settled on a 2GHz clock speed (down from 3GHz stock) and a -0.36250v offset (so 1.05 v, down from default 1.4125v). Again using the 300W PSU from the SG06, I get:
29W idle, 66W OCCT
FutureMark Combined: 73W
OCCT at the same time as any of the FutureMark Graphics Tests: 90W
Futuremark Scores:
P1185
Graphics: 1086
Physics: 2934
Combined: 979

I was happy with that (90W is high, but I won't be running the machine that hard), so I hooked it up to the PSU in the ISK110. Antec claims this is minimum 92% efficient (better than the 80+ bronze in the SG06). I saw power usage drop about 5W on average:
23W idle, 61W OCCT
FutureMark Combined: 61W
OCCT at the same time as any Futuremark Graphics Test: 86W
FutureMark Scores:
P1186
Graphics: 1086
Physics: 2918
Combined: 991

I'm pretty happy with that. I could probably push to a higher clock but I will use it as is for a while before judging whether I need more power.

I hope that's helpful for someone! Glad I could do this and make use of the A8-3870K that I was given instead of trying to sell it and buy something else. I was unable to find a buyer who would pay more than the cost of a 65W A6 even though my A8 was still sealed in original packaging.

Many thanks to Ben the OCer for inspiration and help!


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gomiflo*
> 
> To follow up, here's what I ended up with:
> Case: Antec ISK 110 with 80W power supply (80W board + 90W adapter)
> CPU: A8-3870K
> Mem: 1.35V Samsung 2x 4GB
> Mobo: Asus F1A75-I Deluxe
> SSD: Kingston SSDNow V200 64GB
> CPU Cooler: Scythe Kozuti
> 
> With default settings, it would draw 30W idle and 132W at CPU Load using OCCT. This was hooked up to a 300W power supply from my Silverstone SG06 (80+ bronze rating).
> FutureMark Combined test drew 123W
> FutureMark Scores:
> P1179
> Graphics: 1069
> Physics: 3472
> Combined: 971
> 
> I finally settled on a 2GHz clock speed (down from 3GHz stock) and a -0.36250v offset (so 1.05 v, down from default 1.4125v). Again using the 300W PSU from the SG06, I get:
> 29W idle, 66W OCCT
> FutureMark Combined: 73W
> OCCT at the same time as any of the FutureMark Graphics Tests: 90W
> Futuremark Scores:
> P1185
> Graphics: 1086
> Physics: 2934
> Combined: 979
> 
> I was happy with that (90W is high, but I won't be running the machine that hard), so I hooked it up to the PSU in the ISK110. Antec claims this is minimum 92% efficient (better than the 80+ bronze in the SG06). I saw power usage drop about 5W on average:
> 23W idle, 61W OCCT
> FutureMark Combined: 61W
> OCCT at the same time as any Futuremark Graphics Test: 86W
> FutureMark Scores:
> P1186
> Graphics: 1086
> Physics: 2918
> Combined: 991
> 
> I'm pretty happy with that. I could probably push to a higher clock but I will use it as is for a while before judging whether I need more power.
> 
> I hope that's helpful for someone! Glad I could do this and make use of the A8-3870K that I was given instead of trying to sell it and buy something else. I was unable to find a buyer who would pay more than the cost of a 65W A6 even though my A8 was still sealed in original packaging.
> 
> Many thanks to Ben the OCer for inspiration and help!


Thanks for posting your result. It's interesting to compare them to mine. I'm glad it worked out and my PM reply was helpful. It's looks like you got some really nice results and performance is still very good at 2GHz. My case has really poor cooling so the next thing I'd be interested in seeing are your temperatures. I'd image they are pretty good given your nice cooler and case with big vent.


----------



## gomiflo

I finally got my build mounted to the back of my TV and to get temps for you, I watched a TV show over the web (Flash video) for an hour or so and then ran OCCT and FutureMark simultaneously. Immediately after FutureMark finished, I saw the CPU temps at 54 degrees C. It dropped to 42C in a minute or so, and then gradually dropped back down to 32C.

One thing to keep in mind is that the Kingston SSDNow V200 runs hot. It is easily the hottest component in my build, idling in the low 40C's. After my test, the SSD Was at 58C. With the machine now hanging off the back of my TV, the TV produces a bit of heat too and the SSD (underside of the motherboard in the ISK110 is sandwiched between the motherboard and the TV. I'm betting that if I'd used something like the Samsung 830, that would have run much cooler overall, but I wanted a 7mm drive that didn't cost too much and the V200, while hot, isn't melting.

So the highs I saw were:
CPU 54C, SSD 58C

2-3 mins after stopping the test:
CPU 42, SSD 56

Idle for another 20 mins:
CPU 32, SSD 50

Overall, I'm happy with this. The Scythe Kozuti and big vent over it seem to do a great job and it is very quiet even at load (effectively silent now that it is behind the TV and in the living room). The SSD isn't so impressive, but it was cheap and 7mm thick.

How does this compare with the temps you are getting?


----------



## marrob

Hi, I saw you made a sistem like mine, the problem for me is that i bought a A8 3870k proc that needs 100w tdp cooling so i can't use the SST-NT07-AM2 36.5 mm high which have 65w for design.
I'm watching for Evercool hpl 815 45mm high or Scythe Kozuti CPU Cooler 40mm high, my question is: the actual amd standard heatlink 50mm high touch teh dvd slot before mounting the ssd under , what's the max dimension i can dispose ?

B.R.

Roberto


----------



## marrob

Hello

I saw the other Thread .... i'm fu....d







under 38 there's just gelid silence plus ... but don't seems so strong

how do you istall 120mm fan the case is 80m high !!


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *marrob*
> 
> Hi, I saw you made a sistem like mine, the problem for me is that i bought a A8 3870k proc that needs 100w tdp cooling so i can't use the SST-NT07-AM2 36.5 mm high which have 65w for design.
> I'm watching for Evercool hpl 815 45mm high or Scythe Kozuti CPU Cooler 40mm high, my question is: the actual amd standard heatlink 50mm high touch teh dvd slot before mounting the ssd under , what's the max dimension i can dispose ?
> 
> B.R.
> 
> Roberto


You have to undervolt the processor if you want it to work with that cooler. As you said it's made for a 65W CPU. I lowered the CPU from a stock of 2.9GHz to 1.6GHz 0.875v.

The NT07-AM2 cooler actually touched the SSD initially so I removed the metal casing from the SSD so it was just the PCB. Then it had enough room. So 36.5mm is actually slightly too tall, unless you put the SSD somewhere else like above the PSU internals or if you don't use an optical drive at all. The SSD I used was 9.5mm thick with the casing so try to get a 7mm SSD or HDD if you can. Then I moved to a Scythe 120mm fan that is only 12mm thick which helped compared to the 80mm stock fan that is 16mm thick. I haven't done exact measurements for how much space there is for a cooler but remember as well that the fan won't do a good job if it's kissed up against the optical drive cage (it needs a little room to pull in air).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *marrob*
> 
> Hello
> 
> I saw the other Thread .... i'm fu....d
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> under 38 there's just gelid silence plus ... but don't seems so strong
> 
> how do you istall 120mm fan the case is 80m high !!


Sorry your having problems but I'll do my best to help. What other thread are you referring to?

The Silverstone NT07-AM2 cooler is actually only 20.5mm tall without the fan (the stock fan is 16mm thick). The Gelid Silence Plus (Intel or AMD version) is 28mm thick. The thing is that the fan is recessed in the heatsink so replacing the stock fan won't be as easy with the Gelid cooler as it is with the Silverstone NT07-AM2 cooler. So if you want one of the shortest coolers possible go with the Gelid, and if you want more flexibility with fan upgrades try the Silverstone.

I didn't stand the fan up right silly.







To be exact the Habey EMC-800 case is 3" or 76.2mm tall. I laid it flat on the heatsink. So technically it is the CPU fan that is working as a case fan (as it was the only fan I had in the case). Here is a picture:


----------



## marrob

ok I see, that's my 2nd option







now I ordered a gelid A-plus and two 60mm fan, i want to try to create an unique flow left to right using the side openings, one using original position and another near PCI-E socket. The MB is 2 cpu fan and 1 case fan capable


----------



## AMv8(1day)

I'm building a friends HTPC right now with the EMC-800. I've got the NT07-AM2 in there right now with a 9.5mm 2.5" SSD, but I'm trying to fit a 2 TB 3.5" (26.4mm) in there so I've got the Gelid on it's way.
I've also been looking at the possibility of dropping in a single platter, 20mm, 3.5", but at the moment they tap out at 1TB and I could get a 9.5mm 2.5" for the same price.
Really trying to get the proper SSD OS drive/HDD storage drive combo in this case. Also, I thought it worth mentioning for anyone else looking at these builds, if you're looking at the Habey/Wesena cases but want a couple more options, check out the rebranded models with extra USB ports. *MiniCase*
May even pickup the USB baffle for my friends EMC-800. Anything to replace that hideous slot load plastic piece.


----------



## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AMv8(1day)*
> 
> I'm building a friends HTPC right now with the EMC-800. I've got the NT07-AM2 in there right now with a 9.5mm 2.5" SSD, but I'm trying to fit a 2 TB 3.5" (26.4mm) in there so I've got the Gelid on it's way.
> I've also been looking at the possibility of dropping in a single platter, 20mm, 3.5", but at the moment they tap out at 1TB and I could get a 9.5mm 2.5" for the same price.
> Really trying to get the proper SSD OS drive/HDD storage drive combo in this case. Also, I thought it worth mentioning for anyone else looking at these builds, if you're looking at the Habey/Wesena cases but want a couple more options, check out the rebranded models with extra USB ports. *MiniCase*
> May even pickup the USB baffle for my friends EMC-800. Anything to replace that hideous slot load plastic piece.


Sounds like a cool HTPC project. Did you go with Trinity FM2 or Llano FM1 parts? I no longer have this HTPC together which this thread is about. I have since used the case for my file/printer server with a Brazos E-350 board. I left out the optical drive and was able to fit a Samsung F4 2TB 3.5" in it. It's definitely tough trying to fit a 3.5" HDD and optical drive in the EMC-800. Best of luck with your project. Making super small PCs with limited cooling and power constraints definitely isn't easy, but it's crazy fun.


----------



## AMv8(1day)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ben the OCer*
> 
> Sounds like a cool HTPC project. Did you go with Trinity FM2 or Llano FM1 parts? I no longer have this HTPC together which this thread is about. I have since used the case for my file/printer server with a Brazos E-350 board. I left out the optical drive and was able to fit a Samsung F4 2TB 3.5" in it. It's definitely tough trying to fit a 3.5" HDD and optical drive in the EMC-800. Best of luck with your project. Making super small PCs with limited cooling and power constraints definitely isn't easy, but it's crazy fun.


Agreed, I've been building with mATX and mini-ITX boards for about 3 years now and love the aesthetic and efficient design.
To answer your question, yeah, I'm using an A8-5500 quad core in his build, and an A10 5800K in my own mATX build. I've been able to really bring the power consumption down, even without any access to the clocks with the 5500. Unfortunately, I am using the ASRock FM2A85X-ITX. It's a decent board with tons of functionality, but it has overheating issues and has above average power consumption. So even with an extensive amount of undervolting the CPU, the Northbridge, and the RAM, I'm still idling around 22W. ASRock released a BIOS update last week, but I've had the machine off the network in a box the last few days. Once I pull it back out and get it up tonight, I'll update the BIOS and check for other driver updates. Then I'll go back to tweaking the voltage settings, see if I can't get it a little lower before I mount the Gelid Silence.
Speaking of which, I got it last night! Once I am satisfied I can't get the voltage any lower and keep reliability, I'll pull the NT07 for the Gelid and we'll see if the 3.5" will fit. I anticipate maybe having to remove the hard drive hanger plate to gain a couple more mm's. Hopefully not, as like I said, this is a friends build and I don't want to leave him with a taped together machine if I can help it.

Another thought was picking up a pair of the new 1TB 2.5" Seagate SSHDs and run them in RAID 0, but then I would be increasing noise, complexity with RAID, power consumption, and losing speed... Not ideal.


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## AMv8(1day)

Also thinking about building a Proxy Caching Server with an EMC-600. Haven't decided yet how I want to handle the storage situation though. I'm thinking a 32nm Atom processor, dual NIC mini-ITX, 1.25/1.35v stick of RAM, mSATA SSD for the OS, and either a 1TB Seagate SSHD, or a 120GB Kingston HyperX 3k SSD for the storage. Haven't decided yet whether the storage or raw access speed will be more useful.


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## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AMv8(1day)*
> 
> Agreed, I've been building with mATX and mini-ITX boards for about 3 years now and love the aesthetic and efficient design.
> To answer your question, yeah, I'm using an A8-5500 quad core in his build, and an A10 5800K in my own mATX build. I've been able to really bring the power consumption down, even without any access to the clocks with the 5500. Unfortunately, I am using the ASRock FM2A85X-ITX. It's a decent board with tons of functionality, but it has overheating issues and has above average power consumption. So even with an extensive amount of undervolting the CPU, the Northbridge, and the RAM, I'm still idling around 22W. ASRock released a BIOS update last week, but I've had the machine off the network in a box the last few days. Once I pull it back out and get it up tonight, I'll update the BIOS and check for other driver updates. Then I'll go back to tweaking the voltage settings, see if I can't get it a little lower before I mount the Gelid Silence.
> Speaking of which, I got it last night! Once I am satisfied I can't get the voltage any lower and keep reliability, I'll pull the NT07 for the Gelid and we'll see if the 3.5" will fit. I anticipate maybe having to remove the hard drive hanger plate to gain a couple more mm's. Hopefully not, as like I said, this is a friends build and I don't want to leave him with a taped together machine if I can help it.
> 
> Another thought was picking up a pair of the new 1TB 2.5" Seagate SSHDs and run them in RAID 0, but then I would be increasing noise, complexity with RAID, power consumption, and losing speed... Not ideal.


It's just so fun to build something powerful that is so small. My first experience with the Mini ITX form factor was an HTPC I built with a Pentium E2140, Zotac nForce 630i-ITX LGA775 mobo, and Rosewill RS-MI-01 ITX case.

Recently I've just come upon Intel's Thin Mini ITX form factor and love the possibilities it creates. I haven't yet built anything with it but the cool thing is that it make's custom built all-in-one systems a reality (to an extent as you are at the mercy of the companies making monitor cases). Now all-in-one systems are not super popular on OCN because of their limited upgrade-ability and previously not being very customizable. These barebones monitor cases somewhat change that but they are still limited by cooling, space, and are a bit on the expensive side. One particular monitor case the Loop LP-2150 is really slick looking and kind of reminds me of an iMac. The downside of the LP-2150 is that it uses a TN panel but it does have 21.5" 1920x1080 display. Maybe when I can find a reason to build one (hasn't stopped me in the past







) and there is a nice looking monitor case with an IPS panel then I might give it a try. I'd also like to see an AMD based Thin Mini ITX board since the space constraints rarely allow discrete graphics cards (at least if Intel doesn't put large licensing expenses on their internal connectors which they might).

I haven't yet worked with a Trinity based APU but from what I read they are very efficient, low power, and have impressive graphics. Best of luck with the motherboard troubles and hard drive space difficulties.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AMv8(1day)*
> 
> Also thinking about building a Proxy Caching Server with an EMC-600. Haven't decided yet how I want to handle the storage situation though. I'm thinking a 32nm Atom processor, dual NIC mini-ITX, 1.25/1.35v stick of RAM, mSATA SSD for the OS, and either a 1TB Seagate SSHD, or a 120GB Kingston HyperX 3k SSD for the storage. Haven't decided yet whether the storage or raw access speed will be more useful.


I've worked with the EMC-600 as well, and the black one I got was very slick looking. For a long time I used the EMC-600B for my server and the EMC-800S for my HTPC. Then I built a bigger HTPC, so I used the EMC-800S for my server (I had a 3.5" HDD so I didn't have to leave the top off as I did with the EMC-600), and the used the EMC-600B to build an HTPC streaming box for my brother.


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## Droogie

I really like these little Habey cases, but they're limited to a 60w adapter. Is there any way to get it to support a bit more power?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## AMv8(1day)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Droogie*
> 
> I really like these little Habey cases, but they're limited to a 60w adapter. Is there any way to get it to support a bit more power?


I've currently got *THIS* hugely powerful (192W adapter/160-200W peak PSU), yet tiny sucker in my friends box right now without any issues.
Waiting on *This* 90W Pico-PSU with an 80W AC-DC adaptor like *this* one right now, sent to the wrong address though, so now I have to drive up to MD from DC to pick it up.
The 120W pico-PSU inside isn't the most space saving or coolest running, never mind the pathetically small power window that the inappropriately matched 60W AC-DC adapter leaves you. So pulling it out in favor of a smaller, cooler, more efficient, higher spec'd, PSU/AC-DC adapter combo for me, and most others I would imagine, is a must. You would think they would at least provide a 90W adapter option!


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## Droogie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AMv8(1day)*
> 
> I've currently got *THIS* hugely powerful (192W adapter/160-200W peak PSU), yet tiny sucker in my friends box right now without any issues.
> Waiting on *This* 90W Pico-PSU with an 80W AC-DC adaptor like *this* one right now, sent to the wrong address though, so now I have to drive up to MD from DC to pick it up.
> The 120W pico-PSU inside isn't the most space saving or coolest running, never mind the pathetically small power window that the inappropriately matched 60W AC-DC adapter leaves you. So pulling it out in favor of a smaller, cooler, more efficient, higher spec'd, PSU/AC-DC adapter combo for me, and most others I would imagine, is a must. You would think they would at least provide a 90W adapter option!


How hard is it to put a better psu in there? I'm looking for something tiny to plop an i3 2100 and 120 gig ssd in.


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## Ben the OCer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Droogie*
> 
> I really like these little Habey cases, but they're limited to a 60w adapter. Is there any way to get it to support a bit more power?
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


You have two options, get a larger power adapter that is within spec of the internal 120W PSU or completely upgrade to a larger watt Pico PSU. The trouble with getting a bigger power adapter is that it's not easy to find one with the right specs. I mentioned what kind of power adapter you need in the post below (also keep in mind you need the same size end connector into the case, I forget what size it is off hand):
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ben the OCer*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mates Rates*
> 
> Yo man,
> What input voltage does your PSU support?
> If it only supports 12v then you're only limited to 12v output power adapters. So if you're after a 120w power adapter for instance, you will need to find one thats output is rated at 12v~10a.
> If it supports a range of voltages, say 12-25v, you can use any power adapter rated between 12v and 25v.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, that is very helpful and pretty much answers my question. You directed me in the right direction for the answer. The specs on Newegg state the following for the internal PSU:
> 
> Input Voltage Range: 11.2VDC - 14.8VDC
> Input Current Range: 12.0A Max @11.2VDC
> 
> So as long as I stay within those perimeters for the output rating of the power adapter I think I should be fine.
Click to expand...

So the better options would probably be to buy a Pico PSU and compatible power adapter with the watts you want. I won't make a specific recommendation because I don't have personal experience with Pico PSUs.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Droogie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *AMv8(1day)*
> 
> I've currently got *THIS* hugely powerful (192W adapter/160-200W peak PSU), yet tiny sucker in my friends box right now without any issues.
> Waiting on *This* 90W Pico-PSU with an 80W AC-DC adaptor like *this* one right now, sent to the wrong address though, so now I have to drive up to MD from DC to pick it up.
> The 120W pico-PSU inside isn't the most space saving or coolest running, never mind the pathetically small power window that the inappropriately matched 60W AC-DC adapter leaves you. So pulling it out in favor of a smaller, cooler, more efficient, higher spec'd, PSU/AC-DC adapter combo for me, and most others I would imagine, is a must. You would think they would at least provide a 90W adapter option!
> 
> 
> 
> How hard is it to put a better psu in there? I'm looking for something tiny to plop an i3 2100 and 120 gig ssd in.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't think it would be hard at all. Remove the stock internal PSU to give you more space. Unscrew the power adapter input port and install the new one attached to the Pico PSU. Attach all the necessary power cables to your components, plug-in the new power adapter that goes with the Pico PSU, and you should be good to go.


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## AMv8(1day)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ben the OCer*
> 
> I wouldn't think it would be hard at all. Remove the stock internal PSU to give you more space. Unscrew the power adapter input port and install the new one attached to the Pico PSU. Attach all the necessary power cables to your components, plug-in the new power adapter that goes with the Pico PSU, and you should be good to go.


It takes about 4 minutes and a screw driver. Super simple.


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