HD & DVD for SN41G2V2

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muffinimal
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2004 5:48 am

HD & DVD for SN41G2V2

Post by muffinimal » Thu Aug 19, 2004 6:30 am

Hi,

I am trying to get together a new system and I think I will go for the Shuttle SN41G2V2. That was the result after quite a search and having digged through quite some reviews. This review however made me rethink this:
Nieko wrote:The SilentX250 isn't really noisy, it just isn't silent. It is less noisy than an unmoddified 200w Shuttle/Achme PSU, but more noisy than the same 200w unit modded with an ADDA 0412MS-G70 fan.
The shuttle still seems to have a problem with the aluminium casing and there is no room to suspend the HD. Suspending the HD however is something I consider to be too much fuss. So, how quiet is "not really noisy"? I want to use the computer ON a desktop in my living room. I want to be able to watch a DVD on it without hearing it. Is the SN41G2V2 still the right choice for me? I would also like a cute, spiffy computer. I don't game that much, so I don't need to go for mega-perfomance.

If u guys still think the SN41G2V2 is an option, then here are my real questions: what HD and what DVDRW drives should I get?

The HD:
- I don't want to suspend it if it were avoidable
- 250GB would be most preferable
- the SN41G2V2 has an ATA-133 interface

The DVD-RW:
- I want to be able to downclock it, so that it'll read at 2x or 4x at all times so that the noise will be reduced.
- Since it is the only disc-drive in the computer it should also be silent when reading/writing regular CD's.

Some more info about the system:
- Shuttle SN41G2V2
- no additional VGA (yet)
- CPU: unkown, AMD Athlon XP (any suggestions welcome)
- memory: unkown (any suggestions welcome)
- HD: please suggest
- DVDRW: please suggest

Did I miss something? Thanks in advance!

sthayashi
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Posts: 3214
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 10:06 am
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Post by sthayashi » Thu Aug 19, 2004 6:46 am

In a word, don't bother.

For a DVD drive, I would recommend the Plextor, based on direct experience. It's certainly one drive that everyone agrees is relatively quiet, though no one has done tests to find out if it's THE absolute quietest.

But I'm telling you to not bother because you want a big drive in a machine that will never be silent at the distance you want (which is less than 1m, since it will be on top of your desk rather htan underneath it).

Right now, in my SN41G2, the loudest component is the hard drive, and that's because it's hard mounted. After that, it's the power supply. It sits about 2-3 meters away from operating position because it acts as an HTPC. Ironically, it's only audible when nothing is happening since it's supposed to play media.

The fan grill needs to be cut out, and the fan replaced. Depending on your processor, an L1A isn't going to cut it. One advantage that you have that I don't, is that the SN41G2V2 is theoretically undervoltable (I don't know for sure, but I know that the overclockers rejoiced at the voltage control). The Northbridge fan is loud and quite audible, so that needs to be taken care of as well (Shuttle provides means to slow it down, but it still may not be acceptable to you).

So if you're looking for a quiet system to keep on your desk, I wouldn't recommend this machine unless you're prepared to do some work.

PS - The drive I have in this machine is a Samsung 80GB hard drive. If I can hear this drive hardmounted from 2-3 meters away, then you're not going to find a silent drive that's acceptable at any distance w/o suspending it. Plus, at 250GB, your only option is the Hitachi 7k/250, which is by no means the quietest drive recommended on SPCR. But it IS the biggest.

Lwood
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 12:17 pm
Location: Maryland, USA

Post by Lwood » Thu Aug 19, 2004 7:18 am

This may not be the advice you're looking for, but what about a laptop (2.5 inch) hard drive. It'll be silent and produce less heat, and can be decoupled. Then you could get an external drive for large storage.

muffinimal
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2004 5:48 am

Post by muffinimal » Thu Aug 19, 2004 8:29 am

The thought had crossed my mind, but I really don't want an external drive.

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