Aerocool Zerodba. S12 challenger?

peterson · Post by **peterson** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 1:28 am

Review here

Will Seasonic have some competition?
Would be nice to hear SPCR's verdict

JazzJackRabbit · Post by **JazzJackRabbit** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 10:02 am

lol I love the PR on this one:
"0 dBa technology
'extreme silent'"

There are so many things that is wrong with this statement that I don't even know where to begin. Well first I didn't know 0 dBa was a technology, then how can it be 0 dBa if it has a fan? Then how can they use extreme and silent in the same sentence? Either it's silent or it's not, it can't be any more silent if it already is. And then if it's 0 dBa why did they put silent there in the first place? 0 dBa and silent is redundunt because they mean the same thing. Maybe they meant quiet? But how can it be quiet if it's zero dBa? And 'extreme silent'? Was this written by a middle-school grad? Someone needs to learn to use a spell checker...

spolitta · Post by **spolitta** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 10:29 am

The fan wont start up until its needed.

JazzJackRabbit wrote:lol I love the PR on this one:
"0 dBa technology
'extreme silent'"

There are so many things that is wrong with this statement that I don't even know where to begin. Well first I didn't know 0 dBa was a technology, then how can it be 0 dBa if it has a fan? Then how can they use extreme and silent in the same sentence? Either it's silent or it's not, it can't be any more silent if it already is. And then if it's 0 dBa why did they put silent there in the first place? 0 dBa and silent is redundunt because they mean the same thing. Maybe they meant quiet? But how can it be quiet if it's zero dBa? And 'extreme silent'? Was this written by a middle-school grad? Someone needs to learn to use a spell checker...

justblair · Post by **justblair** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 10:51 am

I like the look of that...

I'm getting very interested in modding pc's, and if you were doing a bling case (not that I plan to) the shiny finish and quiet operation would be excellent. I like the thermostat swich thingy, lots of control there.

The detachable are also a feature that I would apreciate. I'm building a modded pc right now (passive) and would love my silverstone psu even more if it had this feature... Would have left me more options on the design if I didn't have cables to hide.

Didn't see the reviewer measure efficiency... But if you have a low power system then that psu should remain passive.. Bonza

jaganath · Post by **jaganath** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 11:14 am

lol I love the PR on this one:
"0 dBa technology
'extreme silent'"
There are so many things that is wrong with this statement that I don't even know where to begin. Well first I didn't know 0 dBa was a technology, then how can it be 0 dBa if it has a fan? Then how can they use extreme and silent in the same sentence? Either it's silent or it's not, it can't be any more silent if it already is. And then if it's 0 dBa why did they put silent there in the first place? 0 dBa and silent is redundunt because they mean the same thing. Maybe they meant quiet? But how can it be quiet if it's zero dBa? And 'extreme silent'? Was this written by a middle-school grad? Someone needs to learn to use a spell checker...

A ) You need to analyse things less. There are really more important things in life than complaining about the marketing blurb on a PSU.

B ) They didn't state that 0dBA was a technology, it is implied that the technology produces 0dBA under certain conditions.

C ) It can be 0dBA and have a fan because the fan doesn't spin 100% the time.

D ) 0dBA and silent do not mean the same thing. Silent means the absence of noise, whereas 0dBA means the noise is below the threshold for detection by human ears. There is a difference.

E ) 0dBA is pretty quiet.

F ) Most power supply manufacturers are based in either Taiwan or China; ergo the level of English is never going to be Shakespearean in quality. You can either accept this, and rely on places like SPCR to give you the lowdown on these products, or bitch endlessly on forums about it. The choice is yours.

qviri · Post by **qviri** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 11:24 am

I gotta say I love this graph:

Hmm, let's make two ATX2.0 PSUs, and give the "bigger" one the same rating for 12 V as the "smaller" one! Yeah! Bigger is better

I'm nitpicky. Deal with it.

dukla2000 · Post by **dukla2000** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 11:49 am

I'm with JazzJackRabbit on this one - another apparent triumph of marketing over engineering! Fortunately it isn't available in Europe/the UK so I really am not bothered what the fan controller actually does (or even if there is one - not clear from either the review or their website), the effciency or any other meaningful specs.

justblair · Post by **justblair** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 12:23 pm

I can be a bit thick in power supplies, I kinda learn stuff as I need it...

But isn't there a 20A limit on the 12v rail as part of Intels spec for ATX. I may have read it wrong and am prepared to be educated.

http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewtopic.php?t=23916

Version 2.0 of Intel's ATX12V Power Supply Design Guide began recommending dual 12V lines for PSUs that can deliver more than 18A at 12V. Why? To abide by safety requirements of UL and EM 60950, which stipulates not more than 240VA on any wires or exposed traces. Intel's PSU Guide calls for a current limiter that keeps current to under 20A on each of the 12V rails: 12V x 20A = 240VA.

Now please tell me if I am wrong, but is it the case that this PSU labells the 12 v lines as 12v1 and 12v2. If that is the case is it safe to assume that it is following the Intel benchmark and also safety requirements.

Educate me!!! My head buzzes like a bad coil when I start thinking about power lines. I also have an alteriour motive for a project that I am working on... Its essential (if I am wrong)that my understanding is challenged before I blow the most expensive PSU I have ever owned!!!

Qviri...If your wrong or unsure please own up as my current project depends in this and I am really not feeling to confident... even if you pm me, it would be sincerely appreciated.[/url]

qviri · Post by **qviri** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 12:37 pm

I don't really get what your question is? Yes, this PSU has two 12 V rails, just like pretty much every PSU designed in the last year or more. According to MikeC, the division into the two rails is largely virtual and -- as you have noticed -- is intended so that no rail exceeds 240 VA.

Also, note that the cumulative load on the two 12 V rails is 360 watts. This is "just" 30 A, not 37 A or 38 A as the individual rail ratings could have you believe.

"just" because 30 A is plenty for most of the computers out there.

I was merely poking fun at the fact that the 620 watt version -- seemingly 25% bigger than the 500 watt one -- only increased one of the 12 V rails by 1 A, and the cumulative load on the 12 V (360 watts, 30 amperes) did not change at all. Given that most components in a modern computer draw power from the 12 V rails, this 25% increase essentially means nothing, a fact which I found ironic.

rpsgc · Post by **rpsgc** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 12:43 pm

• 13.5 cm Ultra Silent Fan

13,5 cm ?

They shrank their 14cm fans I must guess.

justblair · Post by **justblair** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 1:17 pm

Thanks Qviri...

Ok I confused you with my ignorance. And confused myself...

I get your point now, and my project goes ahead.

Well I'll pm u with what I'm up to if thats ok... You can put my mind at rest perhaps?

ONLY YOU GOTTA KEEP A SECRET...

BillyBuerger · Post by **BillyBuerger** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 2:26 pm

Unless they are using an extremely effcient circuit like fanless PSUs use, I doubt that whatever level you have the knob turned to, the fan will kick in eventually and will need to continue to run. There's a reason that most PSUs have a fan and that's because they produce more heat than can be disipated without direct airflow. So I think the fact that the fan doesn't turn on until a certain temp is probably useless. The more important question is how much noise does it produce while it is running? Or if the fan will ramp up, than turn off, then ramp up, than turn off. Which would probably be worse than if it stayed at a default low level.

This review is like most other reviews of PSUs out there in that it really doesn't tell you anything important other than the rails are within tolerance.

Reachable · Post by **Reachable** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 6:01 pm

Well, peterson, we should thank you for bringing this product to our attention.

As usual, when a new unit is mentioned, there are those who think (and perhaps want) that it will fail, and there are those who look to it with hopeful expectations.

It's only when Vancouver or the rare party elsewhere who is able to test it with enough science and SPCR understanding has spoken, that we will know; or at least until some trustworthy forum members have actually gotten one and used it.

Looks interesting, though.

peterson · Post by **peterson** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 3:00 am

Another review here.
Perhaps not tested by SPCR standards, but still

Haven't read it myself yet. Is it something for SPCR?

wim · Post by **wim** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 3:19 am

jaganath wrote:
0 dBa and silent is redundunt because they mean the same thing.
D ) 0dBA and silent do not mean the same thing. Silent means the absence of noise, whereas 0dBA means the noise is below the threshold for detection by human ears. There is a difference.

to nitpick on a nitpicker, 0 dBA means the noise energy level is at the threshold of hearing. -1 dBA, say, would mean the noise level is below threshold of hearing..

however i am going to have to agree with the OP that 0dBA and 'silent' mean, for all practical purposes, the same thing (unless you have more sensitive hearing than the average human)

davidstone28 · Post by **davidstone28** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 1:21 am

http://www.cluboc.net/reviews/power/aer ... /index.htm

Ackelind · Post by **Ackelind** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 1:51 am

From the review:
"The norm for most power supplies and cases today are 12cm, which most of the time would spin about 2000rpm. This is indeed quiet. But Zerodba’s fan spinning at 800rpm, making for an even lower sound intensity."

2000RPM? Most power supplies with 120mm fans don't even spin that fast at maximum. And that being "indeed quiet"? No way josé! Not even close!

BillyBuerger · Post by **BillyBuerger** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 9:37 am

Found another review:

AeroCool Zerodba Review @ NeoSeeker

They actually do a noise analysis. Again, nothing like SPCR does. It was only slightly louder than their ambient noise level of 30.5. No real information on their testing conditions. Idle/Load/what PSU fan means? It was much better than the ThermalTake and Antec PSUs they compared it with. So it does sound promising from a noise level perspective. But not 0dB.

FollowTheMusic · Post by **FollowTheMusic** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 9:39 am

wim wrote:
jaganath wrote:
0 dBa and silent is redundunt because they mean the same thing.
D ) 0dBA and silent do not mean the same thing. Silent means the absence of noise, whereas 0dBA means the noise is below the threshold for detection by human ears. There is a difference.
to nitpick on a nitpicker, 0 dBA means the noise energy level is at the threshold of hearing. -1 dBA, say, would mean the noise level is below threshold of hearing..

Oh, snap!!!