New toys

[Mercutio]

So you're saying that I might as well go with one of these if all I want is desk appeal?

Good lord Buck, not while I'm buying a house (my mortgage was approved today)...

Oh man is that beautiful. I will have one.

 

[NRG = mc²]

How bad is it? Prevent it from being a living room PC? A home theater PC?

Oh, its quieter than most, definately quieter than my old 350W Enermax. But then again, anything is. Its perhaps a hair quieter than regular dual fan Enermaxes. Its not loud, its not quiet either.

Remember though that as a silent parts reseller, I get to test out a lot of stuff and I really am obsessive with noise levels. For me, almost anything as stock is noisy and requires modding. Only exception is the SilenX 14dB PSU which is truly very quiet, inaudible at any practical distance. No guarantees as to how long those last though :-?

All my fans are 92mm or 120mm and I have an externally mounted (i.e. on the ground with extended cables) FSP/SPI PSU with 120mm fan (FSP300-60PN) running at a fixes 5v

So perhaps for others, the Sonata PSU isn't that loud. Probably useable for an HTPC, but not for me.

For HTPC I would reccomend ECS's aluminium S-buddie case if you don't mind using uATX boards and modding the PSU (it will probably be loud). Alternatively, www.quietpc.com does some component-sized, very elegant wouldn't-believe-its-a-pc alu cases in silver, gold, black, but they don't come cheap.

And if I wanted a front fan I'd sure want it to pull the cooler air over my hard drives, correct?

Its not neccessary since in this case the only thing it does is suck the air over the drives and then blow it. With so many obstructions on the inlet side, I'd be surprised if you got anything coming out of the fan except noise. What this case needs is a minimum size hole of 10x5cm cut out of the front "floor" of the case, and the case to be lifted off the ground by a few cms. The front bezel design just doesnt cooperate with the 30+ CFM that the 120mm fan moves at 5v. And thats without the front filter mounted.

So you're saying that I might as well go with one of these if all I want is desk appeal?

I'd rather have the Cheiftec Dragon series in a funky colour but hey, if you like wood....

 

[NRG = mc²]

Its perhaps a hair quieter than regular dual fan Enermaxes. Its not loud, its not quiet either

I meant dual fan Antecs

 

[Buck]

So you're saying that I might as well go with one of these if all I want is desk appeal?

Good lord Buck, not while I'm buying a house (my mortgage was approved today)...

Oh man is that beautiful. I will have one.

I do my best. I'm in the same boat as you Merc, but eventually I will have one too.

 

[SteveC]

(my mortgage was approved today)...

Congrats! Is broadband available there?

Bartender, a round on me.

 

[Pradeep]

Congrats Merc, you home-owner you. Well after the closing anyway.

Those wood veneer kits look fantastic, and they are using my current case to model it on, that must be a message telling me to buy.... except mine is the white Antec case.

 

[Buck]

Those are nice cases. I think it was Howell that linked to them in another thread somewhere, and I've had my eye on them ever since.

 

[Mercutio]

I'm not completely sure if DSL is available there, but apparently it's available nearby (It's hard to find out if DSL is actually available without a phone number to plug in to the search-thingy). I'd really rather get wireless service and dump landlines completely, but that may not be an option.

Basically, my brother and I are going halfsies on a duplex. He's buying one side for rental property and I'm buying the other.

I'm not particularly happy about moving or home ownership. I don't feel ready yet.

 

[Bartender]

Bartender, a round on me.

Coming right up.

 

[Will Rickards WT]

When you see the mortgage bill you definitely won't feel ready yet!
But it is kind of good not to have a landlord anymore.

 

[Buck]

It should be kinda good when the tax return comes.

 

[Will Rickards WT]

It should be kinda good when the tax return comes.

I am hopeful about that (haven't got the first of those as a homeowner yet).

 

[Handruin]

Congrats Merc! I hope you have a good experience moving into the new place.

 

[Howell]

Basically, my brother and I are going halfsies on a duplex.

heh. Speaking of which, I started looking for a duplex to buy last week. I want a decent place to live with more space than I have now and a place to rent attached to help me with the mortgage. Unless I find something that really knocks my socks off in the next week or so I've found the place I'd like to buy.

And they have extended my work contract indefinately(sp?) so no worries about the money.

 

[Mercutio]

That's really great. I - we, were worried about all that.

 

[The JoJo]

Congrats Howell!!!!
Congrats Merc!!!!

I'm happy for you both.

Now it's deffinitely time for a round of drinks!

BARTENDER!

 

[Jake the Dog]

congrats to both of you!

 

[Fushigi]

Indeed, Howell, congrats on the job situation and pending home purchase. (Since when should we be congratulating people on staying employed? Society is getting wierd)

And to you to, Mercutio, for your pending mortgage ownership. So, do the new digs have a room suitable for HT?

 

[Mercutio]

Sort of. The living room has a cathedral ceiling. That's unfortunate for acoustic reasons. I guess I could do something with one of the bedrooms.

I'm gonna have to give up some computers, too (before anyone goes crazy, I'll probably sell them locally).

Movers are expensive. My initial moving quote, without including electronics or computer equipment, was 750 ft^3. For packing, moving and delivery the only quote I have so far is $700 - $800.

 

[Bartender]

BARTENDER!

Yes, yes. Don't get so excited. The drinks are on their way. I need a new bar back, Tea is out in the field with Tannin too much.

 

[The JoJo]

Thank you Bartender, please join us! Cheers everyone!

(Yeah, yeah, I'm heading for the bar, keep your panties on willya....hick....)

 

[The JoJo]

Movers are expensive. My initial moving quote, without including electronics or computer equipment, was 750 ft^3. For packing, moving and delivery the only quote I have so far is $700 - $800.

Auch...Sounds pretty hefty. :?:
(Here in Finland that would be half or more of a months salary for the normal person working in IT. We have a very narrow salary ballpark. Pretty much all I know have a salary between 2-4K euros/month. )

 

[Bartender]

Thank you Bartender, please join us! Cheers everyone!

Sorry JoJo, no drinking on the job for me.

 

[Pradeep]

I used to work behind the bar of a private club I belong to. Great fun, especially on big weekend events. Of course after a few you tend to hit the wrong keys on the cash register and you are escorted to the other side of the bar where the revelry can continue! And then a nice sleep on the floor till the next morning (no drinking and driving for me). Bar hours are 6am to 12 midnight.

 

[Howell]

Movers are expensive. My initial moving quote, without including electronics or computer equipment, was 750 ft^3. For packing, moving and delivery the only quote I have so far is $700 - $800.

Auch...Sounds pretty hefty. :?:
(Here in Finland that would be half or more of a months salary for the normal person working in IT. We have a very narrow salary ballpark. Pretty much all I know have a salary between 2-4K euros/month. )

Using your numbers and not knowing where in FI you live:
http://www.homefair.com/homefair/se...tore&fromSalary=48000&fromCity=320&toCity=676
and then
http://www.homefair.com/homefair/se...0&fromCity=1714000&toCity=4714000&ownrent=own

24K $Helsinki ~= 25,079 $Chi ~= 12,228 $Cha
48K $Helsinki ~= 50,158 $Chi ~= 23,404 $Cha

What is kinda sad is that US federal or state income taxes do not take into account the area's standard of living. So although the numbers above are equivelent with regards to disposable income, more gross income means more taxes.

 

[Jake the Dog]

that's an interesting link Howell. apparently Melbourne (Oz) and Chicago are within a factor 1.006 of each other.

 

[Howell]

24K $Helsinki ~= 25,079 $Chi ~= 12,228 $Cha .

IIRC, the poverty line in the US is around $14K.

 

[Mercutio]

And at federal minimum wage @ 40 hours a week, 50 weeks a year, at American's salary is $12,500. Which says a lot about this country, I think.

 

[Jake the Dog]

the minimum wage here in Oz is AU$431.40 for a standard 38-hour week. times that by 52 weeks (inc 4 weeks leave) and our minimum yearly wage is is AU$22,432.80 or US$14,557.80 in todays dollars. pretty sad as well

it's hard to make an overall comparison because the cost of living would be drastically differnt in some places, and similar in others.


I do know that my company counterparts in Irvine (Ca) make the same $ amount in California as I do here in Oz. we're cheap employment down here...

 

[The JoJo]

You did notice the IT part I was referring to?

The situation does change if you take into account what the "common" man earns.

 

[blakerwry]

Mine came with Alkaline AA, but I replaced them with NiMH batteries. Batteries seem like they might last 1 week on a full charge (Energizer/Sanyo 1850s).

I take that back, it's been 4 days that I've used the PC and my battery meter is still on green (atleast 3/4ths) for both mouse and keyboard. Considering that the battery meter started off below full (i can only assume becasue of the lower voltage of NiMH) that seems pretty good.

Of course, I don't know if the battery meter is optimized for Alkaline or NiMH. The two have different characteristics as they run down, Alkaline's fading more gradually and NiMH fading slowly until the end where they just up and die.

Batteries still good(displayed as green, atleast 2/3rds of the way full) after 2 weeks of use.

 

[CougTek]

• Athlon XP 1800+ Thoroughbred AXDA1800DLT3C
  Thermalright SK-7 & Panaflo H1A 39cfm / Arctic Silver Ceramic
  GigaByte GA-7N400 Pro
  1x 256MB PC3200 Corsair XMS
  Western Digital WD400JB

I hope to hit 2300MHz with each Athlon XP,...

So far, I've only been able to hit 2.2GHz with a small voltage bump of 1.625V to the CPU with one of them. The other system doesn't even power up (not even the fans are spinning, zip, nil, rip, caput). I must have plugged the power switch wire one pin off or some stupidity like this. I haven't had the time to work on it very much this week.

 

[CougTek]

I must have plugged the power switch wire one pin off or some stupidity like this.

I must also be a soothsayer. I did plug the P_SW connector one pin off. That's the problem when you're too talented : life's boring, you already know the outcome. ;-)

Now let's see how far I can oc this one. Hope he'll fare better than its twin brother. Clocker, my poor friend, as far as FAH goes, you're cooked.

 

[CougTek]

I reached 11x 200MHz FSB on the second system, at 1.6V on the CPU, but wasn't able to get up to 11.5x 200MHz FSB (which would have given me a CPU @ 2.3GHz). I remember having read that Athlon XP, no matter if they are based on the T-bred or Barton core, can usually climb higher in the CPU frequency ladder when the FSB is low and the multiplier is greater.

So I lowered the FSB to 166MHz and tried to boot at 14x (2.333GHz CPU). At 1.65V, made it up to Windows but crashed during the first benchmark I tried. Upped the Vcore to 1.7V (the max I'm whiling to go - my processor was designed to work at 1.525V) and so far so good. I realize that my system might be overall a little less performant at 14x166MHz than at 11x200MHz, but it is still plenty fast for the applications I use (heck, my old Athlon XP 1500+ was), but the F@h client will run faster with the higher-clocked CPU, so I'll let it at 14x166MHz.

I'll try the same trick with my other system to see if I can hit 2.333GHz too on this one. I doubt it though, since I had to raise the Vcore more just to get 11x 200MHz on my first computer (let's call this one, the Lian-Li, since it sits inside a PC-10)

 

[The JoJo]

I just replaced my Antec 400W PS with a HEC 450W PS. And now I bumped up the CPU multiplier from 13->14, and am running prime95 torture test. So far so good, but will see in a few hours how it goes.

First impression, though, is that the cpu is much more stable.
I had replaced the Antec original fan with a Papst 19db 26cfm fan.
I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO THIS HEC PS SO FAR. DID I MENTION IT IS VERY LOUD COMPARED TO THE ANTEC? IT IS!

I ALREADY HAVE THE SCREWDRIVER AT HAND. JUST GETTING THE WIRE CUTTERS. AFTER THAT I'LL FETCH ANOTHER PAPST 19DB FAN. DID I MENTION THIS THING IS LOUD? NO. I MENTIONED THIS THING IS VERY LOUD, DIDN'T I?

YUP.

Power vs noise. Damm...

 

[NRG = mc²]

The Papst 8412 series is rather rubbish (personal opinion). Papst are not all that they are said to be for sizes below 92mm. The 8412 creates little static pressure so its airflow in practice sucks. They also vibrate quite a bit.

I would really recommend using a Panaflo L1A rated at 21dB, 24CFM, the fluid bearing is nice and silent - and remains that way, both the 8412 and the L1A sound the same to me, but the Panaflo moves more air when mounted in an enclosure.

 

[The JoJo]

NRG, you are quite right. Unfortunately, there are no retailers for Panaflo fans here in Finland. The anger about Papst fans is increasing though.

 

[NRG = mc²]

Here you go, she has very cheap Panaflo and will ship worldwide, very reliable and fast

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/dorothy.bradbury/panaflo.htm

 

[The JoJo]

You gotta me kidding me, at www.muropaketti.com, some people have started to get stuff from dorothy.

Do you think it would really be worht it to get some panaflo fans?

 

[blakerwry]

i've had good luck with an M model 80MM panflo... got it from a 386 case fan/PSU... been using it ever since up till a few months ago...

as good as some nideks I have from some old 486 PSUs