Hi,
I'd like to build myself a silent pc on which I'd like to install a multimedia center software like myth tv.
As it should be installed in my living room, it should be very silent and also small. Therefore, I was thinking about taking a mini-pc.
As I am a total newbie when it comes to build a quiet pc (mine is very noisy), could you give me some advice about this and even tell me if whether or not I should take a mini pc, for this. If yes, are the ones produced by Shuttle the best ones ?

I know there's not much room to add additional cards in it (i'll need a tv card) so I don't know if this is the right choice.

Also, could any guru out there, tell me about the basics of making a silent pc ? What are the components (cpu, ...) you focus on, what to care about...in other words the basic tricks that everybody with a little bit of experience in silent pc's know...

I guess someone already asked such questions, so if it's the case, could you please point me to the similar threads...

Thanks !

tahiti_bob --

Welcome to SPCR!

Those are pretty broad questions. Just about anything you read at SPCR will help you get to your goal, but some things will get you there a little faster. I recommend the following:

1) Read the Sticky: FAQ for Newbies: Please read this first!! in the Newcomers Forum. Do not spend a lot of time here in the forums -- you'll get lost in the trees; you need to see the forest first -- go to the main site...

2) Read or at least scan all the articles in the Recommended Section, not so much the tables of component listings but the text that precedes it. These articles contain info on principles, issues and techniques fundamental to silent computing. Without an understanding of these basics, you'll always be working piecemeal. In the smallest nutshell, to achieve quiet computing, you need intelligent thermal management with minimal airflow in a low-resonance, low-vibration case. The less heat you have to deal with the easier & cheaper it will be. It's less about sound-proofing and more about not letting the noise begin.

3) The SFF reviews in the Complete/SFF Systems section will give you more specifics on what to look for in a small case.

4) The basics of this DIY SFF project still have relevance today: PC in a Breadbox

5) Finally, be really clear about what you need -- how many PCI ports, how powerful a VGA card, etc. If you are seeking something fairly ambitious, then an AV component style horizontal case that can take a full ATX board (rather than a SFF barebones) may be best -- something like the Silverstone ST01 reviewed here in the cases section.

6) Come back to this thread to post new questions, thoughts & issues as they come up. We're very helpful.

It is very possible, but it'll take some work. I have a Shuttle XPC that is quiet by my wife's standards (though it's still loud by my own).

However, if I were to do it all over again, I would probably purchase an Aopen XC Cube or a Hush ATX PC (sadly, the latter has been out of stock for a while now).

As for what components to buy, what to focus on, etc, this whole site is dedicated to that. Drop by the Newbie or System Advice forums, read the stickies, read the recommended section

PS: Dammit, MikeC beat me to it with better info....

Well, thank you for the information. It was exactly what I needed : where to start
I'll have a look at all this stuff and come back later with some questions.

It mainly depends on what kind of performances you do expect from your new system, and what you will use it for...

-For DivX/MP3 playing, and all kind of stuff that do not need a lot of horsepower, the Via Mini-ITX is probably the best platform... The motherboards and power supply units are designed to be fanless (or need very little modification...) and IMHO, they are the most suitable kind of computer for a HTPC, or a desktop computer...
check this: http://www.mini-itx.com

-If you will also use your computer for gaming, you will need more horsepower (the best Via CPU is like a Celeron 600...), so you will need to buy a barebone... Without any doubt, the most silent of all is the Shuttle Zen XPC 62K (reviewed at SPCR), followed by all the Epox barebones...
These are easier to keep silent than the Shuttle ones, because they only run on two 60mm fans (running at 2500 rpm) for the CPU/Chipset heatsink, and one 80mm fan for the PSU. They come in 3 "flavours" (330/320/300) and each flavor has Athon XP or Pentium 4 versions...
They also come with a very handy remote control, and can even play MP3 without having to run Windows/Linux...