Search found 407 matches

by Spod
Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:09 pm
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Fan Roundup #6: Scythe, Noiseblocker, Antec, Nexus, Thermalr
Replies: 84
Views: 67038

Re: Fan Roundup #6: Scythe, Noiseblocker, Antec, Nexus, Ther

Sorry, but I couldn't let this lie... you know exactly what noise level (within a decible or so) will obtain. Regardless of whether there should be a "you" before "will obtain", I have one question: what's a decible? ;) Thanks for the article! Spod (Long time lurker, long time poster, more of a lurk...
by Spod
Wed May 26, 2010 4:21 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Radeon HD 5550
Replies: 4
Views: 3863

I'm using an Asus silent 5570 in an Antec NSK-2480 HTPC with the two stock fans on low and no CPU fan on the Ninja Mini. So far I've had no heat problems, but I'll check temps and post back here. A bit late, but I've finally got round to checking some temps - it's idling at 44ºC, so nothing to wor...
by Spod
Mon May 10, 2010 6:40 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Radeon HD 5550
Replies: 4
Views: 3863

The 5450's shortcomings mainly occur when taking interlaced 1080i content (like most broadcast HD content) and upscaling it to 1080p or higher resolution. You can do the vector adaptive de-interlacing, but if you do, you can't do the other post-processing features like de-noise and edge enhancement....
by Spod
Mon Apr 26, 2010 12:09 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Passive HD 5xxx options in the UK
Replies: 18
Views: 9902

For info, the Asus 5570 is now in stock at several UK retailers.
The cheapest I spotted (with free shipping) was here: Ginger6.com
by Spod
Mon Apr 26, 2010 12:04 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Fanless VGA Cards list -- a start!
Replies: 156
Views: 436076

Asus passive Radeon HD 5570:
EAH5570 SILENT/DI/1GD2

Powercolor Go! Green passive Radeon HD 5570:
AX5570 1GBK3-NS3H

Powercolor Go! Green passive Radeon HD 5670:
AX5670 1GBD5-NS3H

And, of course, just about every Radeon HD 5450 is both low-profile and passive.
by Spod
Mon Apr 26, 2010 11:54 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: 5570 - fanless (passive) and low profile
Replies: 7
Views: 5726

Honestly, I'd be really surprised to see a 5570 that's both passive and low profile. Both passive 5570 designs I've seen so far use a very chunky full height heatsink, and even some of 5450 low profile designs use a really big cooler. I guess you could mod a fanned low profile 5570 - maybe you could...
by Spod
Tue Apr 20, 2010 2:07 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: HD5670
Replies: 11
Views: 6653

If you don't want to modify a fanned card, then your fanless options are Powercolor Go! Green or SCS models (5750, 5670 and 5570, the 2nd and 3rd of those only just announced and not widely available yet), there's an Asus Silent 5570 (but no 5670 that I've spotted), which is also hard to come by at ...
by Spod
Fri Apr 16, 2010 3:46 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Passive HD 5xxx options in the UK
Replies: 18
Views: 9902

See the post dhanson865 linked for the 5570 vs. 4670 comparison, but this is just to mention that a couple of sites list availability for the Asus passive 5570 as 21st or 27th April. Powercolor's passive 5570 and 5670 still haven't been listed in any UK web retailers AFAIK. I don't know of any other...
by Spod
Wed Apr 14, 2010 2:42 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Passive HD 5xxx options in the UK
Replies: 18
Views: 9902

YoYoTech have it for about £120 delivered, but it's out of stock. Alternatively, there are discussions here about fanless or very quiet third party coolers for the 5000 series. Mostly quite bulky, though, which might be an issue for you. There is, of course, the 5450, but I think you want somethin...
by Spod
Thu Apr 01, 2010 8:40 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Which HD5750? With/without fan?
Replies: 2
Views: 2041

First question - if you're not gaming, will none of the lesser 5000 series cards support the outputs you need? The 5450 is perfectly fine as long as you're not de-interlacing and post-processing 1080i content, and it's cool and passive, but I don't know if there is one with the outputs you require. ...
by Spod
Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:37 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Quiet Graphics Card For Around £100?
Replies: 9
Views: 6204

The 4670 typically falls between the 5570 and the 5670 in speed, uses slightly more power when idle and slightly less power under load. Some benchmarks here (note that links to one of the worst results for the 4670 - in most other games it beat the 5570). So for £64, it's doing pretty well for a 2 ...
by Spod
Wed Mar 31, 2010 10:45 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Quiet Graphics Card For Around £100?
Replies: 9
Views: 6204

Then I reckon you'll be fine with a 5670 for gaming.
by Spod
Wed Mar 31, 2010 9:19 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Quiet Graphics Card For Around £100?
Replies: 9
Views: 6204

For slightly less, Powercolor now do fanless "Go! Green" versions of the 5570 and 5670. They've shown up on Newegg for about $90 and $120 respectively, which should translate to £60 and £80, but in practice will probably be more like £75 and £95 knowing our market. They're not available in the U...
by Spod
Wed Aug 26, 2009 11:55 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Best passive Fusion / NSK2480 HTPC graphics card?
Replies: 0
Views: 2401

Best passive Fusion / NSK2480 HTPC graphics card?

Hi, Long time no post, but I've a question that I've struggled to find an answer to. I'm running Windows 7 Media Centre in an Antec NSK-2480 (same dimensions as the NSK-2400 and Fusion), using an Athlon 4850e CPU and integrated AMD 690G (Radeon X1250) graphics. I'm finding the de-interlacing isn't p...
by Spod
Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:48 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Low Power MythTV Home Server List
Replies: 16
Views: 15126

I don't know about Thorpe, but I'm still struggling to get the ATI TV output working in Linux as I'd like it. But I can still get idle numbers from mine, if you give me a few days to borrow a power meter.
by Spod
Mon Jun 09, 2008 7:20 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Low Power MythTV Home Server List
Replies: 16
Views: 15126

A quick update - I've started building it, just waiting for CPU, HDD and TV Tuner. CBC have been very helpful, delivering the case to my home so I don't have to lug it across Leeds on public transport but the other bits to work, so I don't have to wait in for them! The Biostar motherboard puts the C...
by Spod
Sat May 31, 2008 3:13 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Low Power MythTV Home Server List
Replies: 16
Views: 15126

Good catch! Not only do they have free shipping, but they're cheaper for the processor (regardless of stock), case and HDD!

All I have to do now is find the bits I need for the VGA to SCART cable.
by Spod
Sat May 31, 2008 12:19 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Low Power MythTV Home Server List
Replies: 16
Views: 15126

That's an elegant build Suzy! Keep us posted! I'm especially interested in how you get on with the tuner and the remote. I'm still hesitant to drop the spec on my build, since I'm thinking of transcoding my recordings to H.264 to save space, and I'll probably want a pain free transition to HD a coup...
by Spod
Thu May 29, 2008 11:09 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Low Power MythTV Home Server List
Replies: 16
Views: 15126

Right, well I've had a response from Biostar - they do support the 4x50e CPUs. I'll paste the email, purely for comedy value: Dear Customer, This is Customer Service of Biostar. On May 29 you asked about CPU compatibility for TA690G AM2 for AMD Athlon X2 4850+ whose reversion is G2 we have added G2 ...
by Spod
Thu May 29, 2008 2:02 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Low Power MythTV Home Server List
Replies: 16
Views: 15126

The MS remote can be had for £15-£22, but I'm still tempted to wait and see how I get on with the Hauppage remote before splashing out. You can even get a Logitech Harmony 525 universal remote for £37, but that's pushing it, and support is still fairly experimental for those, while at least the M...
by Spod
Wed May 28, 2008 9:47 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Low Power MythTV Home Server List
Replies: 16
Views: 15126

Hi! I'm planning on doing something very similar! MythBuntu + WinTV Nova-T 500 on a low power, budget-ish (£400 - £500) box. A couple of my colleagues have done this in the past few months. The TV card has its issues (both ended up getting the Microsoft MCE remote, giving up on the Hauppage bundle...
by Spod
Wed Aug 16, 2006 9:45 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: New 3800+ system please comment
Replies: 4
Views: 3636

Photoshop will gobble up any RAM you can afford to throw at it. Depending on the resolution of images being edited, and the number of undos required, 2 GB is sensible, and 4 GB can help.
by Spod
Thu Jul 27, 2006 10:08 pm
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: How reliable are SMART drive temp sensor readings?
Replies: 8
Views: 5626

In general, drives do dissipate more heat from the sides than the top or bottom. People mounting heatsinks on drives have found that mounting them on the sides results in better cooling than mounting them on the top or bottom. The difference in readings may be due to the drive's position in case air...
by Spod
Wed Jul 19, 2006 2:51 am
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Scythe "Summit" Mine Heatsink
Replies: 33
Views: 32301

Some pedantry: Page 3: "With some m n otherboards, it will be with the fan blowing towards the PSU or away from it (assuming the PSU is in the conventional location), or with the fan blowing towards or away from the back panel." Apart from the typo, it's not very clear. Perhaps it should read someth...
by Spod
Wed Jul 19, 2006 1:32 am
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: P180 Lower drivebay stuck
Replies: 10
Views: 8114

Perhaps you put it in wrong, so it's not sitting loosely in the slot, but wedged in the wrong position? Could it be at a slight angle? If you can't figure out a better method, brute force (perhaps even holding a piece of wood against it and tapping the wood with a hammer*) may be necessary. *Less li...
by Spod
Sun Jul 16, 2006 1:23 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Motherboard upgrade opportunity
Replies: 11
Views: 5731

I've read through SmilingCrow's thread - it's definitely worth a look! You could get an Asrock dual AGP / PCIe like mine - it would allow you to keep using your existing card, and is available under £50 or so. It's not the best overclocker, though. Memory voltage is "Low" or "High" (2.5V & 2.7V, I'...
by Spod
Sat Jul 15, 2006 1:20 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Motherboard upgrade opportunity
Replies: 11
Views: 5731

I meant cooler as in less hot, less power consumption, less heat released into the case, resulting in lower air temperature inside the case and other components being able to run cooler with less airflow. I've since noticed that Kustom PCs also do a micro-ATX board with integrated graphics. That's t...
by Spod
Sat Jul 15, 2006 1:15 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: GeForce 6600 vs GeForce 7300GS
Replies: 2
Views: 3023

The 7300GS is a newer generation of budget card, the 6600 is an older generation of mid-range card. The 6600 is a faster GPU, and will be running faster memory; the 7300GS will be cooler running, and if you really don't game at all, you might as well get that one. For complete non-gamers, a motherbo...
by Spod
Wed Jul 12, 2006 11:00 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Most Powerful Silent Or Quiet Graphics Card
Replies: 7
Views: 5681

Obviously, you can mount a passive cooler on anything, even an X1900XTX, but you'll need some airflow across the cooler to cool a card that hot. The fastest card that comes with passive cooling as standard (AFAIAA) is the GeForce 7900GT, with Silent cards from Asus and perhaps one or two others. Aga...
by Spod
Wed Jul 12, 2006 10:31 pm
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Motherboard upgrade opportunity
Replies: 11
Views: 5731

The A8R-MVP Crossfire has the benefit of High Definition audio, though it's based on the older Xpress 200 chipset. There's a review at Anandtech . They liked it. It'll go down to 0.8V. The A8N-SLI Premium is based on the popular nForce 4 chipset, and will run a lot cooler than the A8N32-SLI Deluxe. ...