Ahanix posted their new D.vine 7 on their website last week, and it may interest some.
Pictures of Silverstone's next releases, the LC11 and LC10, have been floating around for a while (almost 2 months), and have garnered some enthusiasm. Some more pics can be seen here. However, I kind of suspect that these may be subject to change given that 1) SS took them off their webpage a long time ago and 2) the pictures of the inside of the LC11 that I recently saw just don't seem to be consistent with the outside shots (i.e. drive cage placements). Some criticisms that I would level against these models (meaning your entitled to disagree from my personal tastes...this time) are that:
- I don't like the exposed 4 USB ports on either model. I would have much prefered that they placed them and the firewire and audio ports all together... on the front...behind a door.
- I wish Silverstone would end their obsession with 60mm fans in their full size ATX cases. I do, however, commend them for using 80mm fans in the pint sized LC11
- the LC11 could really do with a VFD in the top left, and the logo shifted to bottom right for balance (that is, after they hide all the external ports behind a door at the bottom left)....now that would look shveeeet.
- I don't really like the look of the LC10 - dude, what's with the square buttons? Personally, I think the LC10 is a step backwards (or maybe sideways) given the earlier LC03V design.
I'm hoping that Arisetec (also formerly known as Kanam, also known as Accent), will deliver a winner. Of the current crop of htpc cases, I think I'm warmest towards their HT-400. I'm also fond of the similar styling found on both of Ahanix's D.vine 6 SQ and D.vine 5. Yet all of the above cases have their share of problems. For example, the HT-400 has some internal design inefficiencies and other faults, some of which are nicely summarized in the conclusion to this review. These particular Ahanixs are $$ and mATX only. If your interested, a few insights on them can be garnered here for the D.vine 6 SQ and here for the D.vine 5. Given the various shortcomings and the dollars-to-stupidity ratio (or is that stupidity:dollars ?), I kind of think that the most worthwhile current canidate is the Silverstone LC03V, as reviewed here and here (minus the VFD...the only difference the V designation adds), as well as the earlier views seen here (once again sans VFD).
There are a few other "big" players too; Antec, Coolermaster, some others and perhaps even more enterantstoo. In regards to Antec, they've become exceptionally good at producing vapourware, and those htpc products that they actually have brought to market have proven to be are grossly underventilated (I, of course, don't know this firsthand, but that's what the grapevine will tell ya). Coolermaster, despite being one of the first ones in on the htpc game, have yet to really get beyond first base. All their designs seem to be repackaged same old same old. Plus, they've also had several no show cases (pardon the pun) of their own; which is fast what their their latest (and may I add, uninspiring) is turning out to be.
Anyways, as space is always at a premium and heating is always a concern in htpc cases, I'll tell ya'll one thing I would love to see implemented by someone:
Take one centrally located hole in the floor, add one cup of ducting (illustrative purposes only, as ours would sweep a complete 90 degrees...Home Depot is probably crawling with such things), stir in one (gasp!) horizontally oriented drive cage, add some more ducting between the rear of the drive cage and the side of the chasis, top it off with a touch of silent 80mm type cooling, and then let it vent while using. There, I hope you enjoyed my fancy-smancy recipe. Hope all the links work.
Pictures of Silverstone's next releases, the LC11 and LC10, have been floating around for a while (almost 2 months), and have garnered some enthusiasm. Some more pics can be seen here. However, I kind of suspect that these may be subject to change given that 1) SS took them off their webpage a long time ago and 2) the pictures of the inside of the LC11 that I recently saw just don't seem to be consistent with the outside shots (i.e. drive cage placements). Some criticisms that I would level against these models (meaning your entitled to disagree from my personal tastes...this time) are that:
- I don't like the exposed 4 USB ports on either model. I would have much prefered that they placed them and the firewire and audio ports all together... on the front...behind a door.
- I wish Silverstone would end their obsession with 60mm fans in their full size ATX cases. I do, however, commend them for using 80mm fans in the pint sized LC11
- the LC11 could really do with a VFD in the top left, and the logo shifted to bottom right for balance (that is, after they hide all the external ports behind a door at the bottom left)....now that would look shveeeet.
- I don't really like the look of the LC10 - dude, what's with the square buttons? Personally, I think the LC10 is a step backwards (or maybe sideways) given the earlier LC03V design.
I'm hoping that Arisetec (also formerly known as Kanam, also known as Accent), will deliver a winner. Of the current crop of htpc cases, I think I'm warmest towards their HT-400. I'm also fond of the similar styling found on both of Ahanix's D.vine 6 SQ and D.vine 5. Yet all of the above cases have their share of problems. For example, the HT-400 has some internal design inefficiencies and other faults, some of which are nicely summarized in the conclusion to this review. These particular Ahanixs are $$ and mATX only. If your interested, a few insights on them can be garnered here for the D.vine 6 SQ and here for the D.vine 5. Given the various shortcomings and the dollars-to-stupidity ratio (or is that stupidity:dollars ?), I kind of think that the most worthwhile current canidate is the Silverstone LC03V, as reviewed here and here (minus the VFD...the only difference the V designation adds), as well as the earlier views seen here (once again sans VFD).
There are a few other "big" players too; Antec, Coolermaster, some others and perhaps even more enterantstoo. In regards to Antec, they've become exceptionally good at producing vapourware, and those htpc products that they actually have brought to market have proven to be are grossly underventilated (I, of course, don't know this firsthand, but that's what the grapevine will tell ya). Coolermaster, despite being one of the first ones in on the htpc game, have yet to really get beyond first base. All their designs seem to be repackaged same old same old. Plus, they've also had several no show cases (pardon the pun) of their own; which is fast what their their latest (and may I add, uninspiring) is turning out to be.
Anyways, as space is always at a premium and heating is always a concern in htpc cases, I'll tell ya'll one thing I would love to see implemented by someone:
Take one centrally located hole in the floor, add one cup of ducting (illustrative purposes only, as ours would sweep a complete 90 degrees...Home Depot is probably crawling with such things), stir in one (gasp!) horizontally oriented drive cage, add some more ducting between the rear of the drive cage and the side of the chasis, top it off with a touch of silent 80mm type cooling, and then let it vent while using. There, I hope you enjoyed my fancy-smancy recipe. Hope all the links work.
