My very first "built by my own" computer :)

ddrj · Post by **ddrj** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 7:05 pm

I wonder if this beast can even be silenced :X are you going to be removing the stock coolers on the video cards?

Kate · Post by **Kate** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 6:57 pm

All Right, a couple changes...

Changed the case to a P182, the computer is almost ready to be used, ALMOST, still waiting for a few parts!

And here the two samsung T220 monitores, that I was using my older Dell.

Will post more pictures when i get everything done, including the inside of the computer!

Want more photos? Click here!

Eyedolon · Post by **Eyedolon** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 8:01 pm

Woo another person with the T series. Now I'm not *quite* alone =)

It's cool to see the rig coming together! I wish I had that kind of equipment, in a purely nerd-lust fashion. The truth is I don't have anything that requires the equipment I have *now*, much less that stuff.

More pics! I need more envy!

Kate · Post by **Kate** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 3:23 pm

Hello Eyedolon,

Honestly I do not need this computer, I discovered that it is MUCH more than i need, but.. well...
as promissed here are more photos:

Noctua Fan

Motherboard on P182:

Cables on the other side:

Want more photos? Click here!

Eyedolon · Post by **Eyedolon** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 7:42 pm

Clean!!!

Damn, if the P182 can keep your rig cool I might go out and pick one up, my 900 is noisy =S Might go and ebay the SE with the mirror finish haha!

Much more then you need now helps it stay with your needs later. Less frequent refreshes == more money in pocket the rest of the time. My old rig lasted 2 years before its age became very apparent.

Kate · Post by **Kate** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 10:53 am

Hello Eyedolon,

The SE version is very very nice, I like the idea of having the inside painted in black, it looks a lot better, of course, after you close the computer you wont be able to see the inside anyways!

The only thing I didnt like about the SE, and the main reason why I did not buy it, is because the exterior is made of stainless steel, and it is NOT finger print/smudge proof.

My father has a siderurgy, he manufactures steel for bullet proof cars and stainless steel for general use, therefore I know that it is pretty easy to clean, just mix alcohol with vaseline (not the skin lotion!).

However I do not know if the SE is REALLY 100% steel so I was afraid buying a chassis that would always require constant cleaning, and since I wasnt 100% sure of what material th SE uses, I didnt want to try cleaning the easy way.

But the SE version is better looking than the regular version, if you want to keep cleaning it all the time!

Here are some more pictures, this is the Xingmatek HDT-S1283 cooler:

And here you can clearly see how big it is:

trandy1001 · Post by **trandy1001** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 11:58 am

Love what you've done so far, and also a bit jealous.

Cooler looks very similar to my good 'ol Ultra-120, but the heatpipes are not staggered.

Definitely looking forward to seeing what's down the line.

Are you going to use aftermarket coolers on the graphics card?

Eyedolon · Post by **Eyedolon** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 6:08 pm

Personally I'd pass on the aftermarket coolers for the 260. My two have never bothered me with their noise, and they really look good

If I had cards with a partial shroud like ATi models and 8 and lower Nv, I'd find it worthwhile, but the full-shroud design manages to look and sound good at the same time.

Just my thoughts.

Kate · Post by **Kate** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 11:05 pm

Hello Trendy1001,

Thank you! I was very impressed with the SIZE of the cooler, compared to the intel stock cooler the HDT is HUGE and heavy.

I do not know about the cooler for the cards, somehow the cards got back ordered so I still do not have it with me!

Hello Eyedolon,

Hopefully everything will be pretty much quiet even with the 260's, I have spent quite a lot of money with this computer, and honestly if this thing becomes louder than a regular HP/DELL computer I will be very sad.

I am waiting for the other parts to arrive, still waiting for memories and video card(s) they got back-ordered for some reason but its ok, I dont mind waiting!

It is not in the photo but I bought a microsoft bluetooth keyboard and mouse set, the entertainment 7000 i really liked the desing and it matches the P182 colour pretty well.

I have heard horrid things about the mouse, but as long as it works its fine, I do not need nanometric precision! LOL...

Thank you!

trandy1001 · Post by **trandy1001** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 4:45 am

Eyedolon wrote:Personally I'd pass on the aftermarket coolers for the 260. My two have never bothered me with their noise, and they really look good If I had cards with a partial shroud like ATi models and 8 and lower Nv, I'd find it worthwhile, but the full-shroud design manages to look and sound good at the same time.

Just my thoughts.

Hey that's true, I have used plenty of videocards with and a number of aftermarket coolers as well, which is why I asked.

A little thermal interface material goes a long way, I guess the stuff they put on my most recent card (9800GT) was not put on properly so the heavy duty cooler that MSI decided to use didn't work so well. Temps went down about 20-30 degrees and with an additional index card/scotch tape shroud, I managed to get 41 idle 53 load in my antec fusion case. Looks ghetto, but only when I open up the case

. Aftermarket coolers do have their place. I've seen some very dramatic improvements with a Thermalright HR-03 and a Zalman VF700 on an 8800GTS 640mb and 7900GT respectively. Although the stock cooler on the 8800GTS was admirable, the HR-03 easily kicked its butt. The VF700's improvement in temps was good too but the fan was way too loud. The greatest thing about the HR-03 was that you could choose which fan you wanted to use (or none at all with adequately ducted airflow). But yeah, now that I think of it, the stock fully shrouded double slot solution on the nvidia cards are pretty good.

Kate · Post by **Kate** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:56 am

Hello Trandy1001,

Its good to hear that! However im not sure if HR-03 will fit the 260, at least when I researched there was no indication that Thermalright HR-03 was usable with 260.

See thats what I like, I do not mind spending money, I like to see my components cooler, If we can have a cooler air inside the chassis, the better, it means less noise, and most probably longer component/computer life.

trandy1001 · Post by **trandy1001** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 5:35 am

There is a version called the HR-03 GTX designed specifically for the GTX 260 and GTX 280 cards.

Kate · Post by **Kate** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 6:53 pm

Well, nothing much passed this last days...

I discovered that my power supply had a problem, so back to zero! lol

This is the Motherboard, fully assembled, with CPU, Cooler, missing memory and Video Cards.

Here is almost the same shot but very different angles, can you find the two hidden noctuas?

And here is a closer look at the cables, ill have to do something else to hide these ugly cables from view..

Trandy1001,

Thank you I will surely look for those VGA coolers.

Want more photos? Click here!

Eyedolon · Post by **Eyedolon** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:39 pm

Not much you CAN do about those cables, to my knowledge. Besides, it's not like the P182 has any side windows to show it off.

As well, remember that with the 7 series NVs, you'll be putting the second card in the bottom PCIe slot. That should take any eyes off the cables and on to the sexy full-shroud.

EDIT: middle picture shows the top front intake fan has a grill in front of it - I'd think cutting that off with some diags or tin-snips would help, if you can. The P182 has a plastic grill and a filter that will do the deed of protecting the fan from objects, and less obstruction means more quiet and more efficient fans.

Kate · Post by **Kate** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 6:09 am

Hello Eyedolon,

I just wanted to maybe tie the cables together to make it look "less ugly"... I know its stupid, the computer will be closed and nobody will notice the wires, but... Deep down in my mind I will know that they are there.. so I just wanted to find a way to make the cables "look" better. Not sure how ill do it.

I read about removing the front intake grill, I will do it, I am just afraid to cut it, I will really have to ask some friends or my dad to help me with that, I dont even know how to start.. lol

My father is totally against the idea of cutting it off, he says, "punching holes might make the chassis structure weaker", and he also fears (just like me) an ugly cut.

As I said previously my father has a siderurgy, he has a laser cutting machine for steel, the idea we had was to cut it with that machine, and then solder some steel plates near the cut, just to make the chassis a bit stronger.

Anyways, I will do it, I just need to take a big breath and take my newly bought chassis to ICU

Eyedolon · Post by **Eyedolon** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 12:51 pm

no need to strengthen the case. That grill is not a structural component. All it's there for is to keep wandering fingers from getting stuck in the fan, and there's already two plastic components that perform that deed.

get a black plastic ziptie or three, pull those wires nearly taught from the far side of the case, and ziptie them very tightly, then cut off the tie tail. That's the best you can do.

The only reason I'd possibly see for soldering plates on the outside is if you would be using the top of the machine for storage for all of the textbooks you'll ever need for your degree. One semester wouldn't cut it. I'm certain your father works with designs which have to pass a certain muster of load resistance and capacity - such concerns are virtually nil with cases. Hell, my Antec 900 has no front piece at all - simply 9 5.25" openings and a 1" top and bottom bar.

Ugly cuts are actually the name of the game. Most of the folks around here tend to use rubber/plastic U-channel moldings to "pretty up" the cut. Full disclosure though, my 900 still has its back grill, mainly out of lazy.

This guy got the cut perfectly:
viewtopic.php?t=51531

I looked for some U-Channeled cuts, but couldn't find any easily.

Monkeh16 · Post by **Monkeh16** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 2:15 pm

Eyedolon wrote:This guy got the cut perfectly:
viewtopic.php?t=51531

Actually, the case comes like that: http://silverstonetek.com/images/produc ... B-Back.jpg

Kate · Post by **Kate** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 9:43 pm

Eyedolon,

Hi! Thats a bit better, I will see if I can get some help to get that done..

BUT... the link you sent me.. its not the same chassis.. I have an Antec P182, not the Temjim whatever one :p

Monkeh16,

Thank you for your input!

However that is the not the Antec P182!

Monkeh16 · Post by **Monkeh16** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 4:02 am

Kate wrote:Eyedolon,

Hi! Thats a bit better, I will see if I can get some help to get that done..

BUT... the link you sent me.. its not the same chassis.. I have an Antec P182, not the Temjim whatever one :p

Monkeh16,

Thank you for your input! However that is the not the Antec P182!

I know. I was simply pointing out that the 'perfect cuts' are stock, not a modification made by the poster.

alleycat · Post by **alleycat** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 6:25 am

Kate wrote:he says, "punching holes might make the chassis structure weaker"

Kate, I can assure your father that this will not make the chassis weaker. I consider it a very worthwhile modification.

I have cut more than just fan holes, and the case remained completely solid. I have used tin snips with very good results. A laser cutter should be even better.

Rebellious · Post by **Rebellious** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 8:40 am

You're 6'3" 125 lbs? You gotta spend some money on food too ; )

Monkeh16 · Post by **Monkeh16** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 9:14 am

alleycat wrote:
Kate wrote:he says, "punching holes might make the chassis structure weaker"
Kate, I can assure your father that this will not make the chassis weaker.

Of course it makes it weaker. Just not weak enough to make any difference.

Kate · Post by **Kate** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 10:20 am

Monkeh16,

Oh ok! I see.. Well i do want to cut it, im just afraid of doing it!

THanks!

Alleycat,

Yup! if i have to do I would do laser cut too. you know.. should be a lot better

Thank you for yout input!

Rebelious,

I 5"2 almost 5"3 .

alleycat · Post by **alleycat** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 7:30 pm

Monkeh16 wrote:Of course it makes it weaker. Just not weak enough to make any difference.

Monkeh16 · Post by **Monkeh16** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 6:30 am

alleycat wrote:
Monkeh16 wrote:Of course it makes it weaker. Just not weak enough to make any difference.

There is a difference between not structurally weakening a case, and not significantly structurally weakening a case.

alleycat · Post by **alleycat** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 2:43 am

Oh dear...

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 6:31 am

Its just question where you puncture holes. Some places are more critical than others. For example, P182 is study case with solid structure. Puncturing few hole there won't affect it that much as some cheaper 20$ cases.

Its same principle with cases as houses. Knocking down a wall may just knock down a wall. But if you knock down supportive wall you kncok down entire building. Luckily things are not quite that drastic in computer cases.

Knocking a fann grills etc is not bad. But if you compromise supportive beams or things like that, then its bad.

Eyedolon · Post by **Eyedolon** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 3:17 pm

I do believe that's exactly what I said some 6 or 7 posts ago =) A fan grille is not a structural component in any way, thus it can be removed without a concern.

I'm excited to see this beast up and running. Maybe I'll dump my 900 and move into a 182 if it works. Of course, I could also dump my seagates and get some SSDs, but Intel's still expensive and the jury's still out on OCZ vertex.

Kate · Post by **Kate** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 7:41 pm

Alleycat,

I am really afraid of cutting it tho... and plus I would have to take it all apart!!

Monkeh16,

You are right!

thejamppa,

Exactly, however.. if this was a $20 chassis I would drill holes, put some xmass light, paint it pink, and remove the door!! LOL

Problem is, this chassis is the 1st (and hopefully the last) chassis I'll ever buy, and it is pretty expensive for a "box", it is not as "cute" as some other chassis iÂ´ve seen, but since I wanted silence, I decided to go for it, and I payed premium! So... cutting a 120mm hole is a big step, and just to think of all the mess and re-assemblying everything gives me pain! LOL

Eyedolon,

I want to see this thing running too! A couple more days and it will be ready, I will be posting CPU temps too lets see how it works!

Wednesday will be the final day of this assembly.

ntavlas · Post by **ntavlas** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 9:57 pm

I just wanted to maybe tie the cables together to make it look "less ugly"... I know its stupid, the computer will be closed and nobody will notice the wires, but... Deep down in my mind I will know that they are there.. so I just wanted to find a way to make the cables "look" better. Not sure how ill do it.

Obsessive cable management is not a taboo over here :d

I'd wait until I had all the parts so I could see the whole picture. You don`t want to spend hours tidying up the cables only for the vga power connector to ruin your clean result.

It`s coming along nicely so far.

By the way, I would not only cut the fan grilles but also paint that door, but I`ll let you concentrate on finishing the build

.