Actually what I found most depressing was the fact that in some states the amount of money spent on incarceration has begun to exceed the amount spent on higher education http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 04_pf.html

If you're interested in more on ATI graphics cards and drivers under linux, check out Phoronix.com. It's a linux site and they've had reviews of both recently.

Zinj

Didn't see this posted, so for those who want another take, check out StorageReview's review ( Link http://www.storagereview.com/1000.sr). They compare the 1TB WD CaviarWD10EACS , Seagate Barracuda ES.2, and Hitachi 7K1000. The review also provides data on the 750GB Seagate and Caviar and 150GB Rapt...

The mini-box.com website has a nice description of what uses the various rails. It's in their power supply section; simply click the "Power FAQ" near the top of the page. As for how much the 12v line can handle (PicoPSU-120, 12v fixed input model), the rated capacity is 7 amps, 10 amps peak. That's ...

The -120, -90 indicate the maximum power the unit is rated for in watts. Total power draw of the components should be less than this, paying attention to distribution (3.3v, 5v, and 12v). How much power is actually provided depends on your brick. A PicoPSU-120 connected to a 90W power brick will sti...

I have to say I'm really interested in the standard. If space and aesthetics are no issue than larger motherboards and cases are obviously better, but I like the idea of small and sleek. IMO the two expansion, two memory slot format makes DTX/mini-DTX very attractive, especially with a decent set of...

There are at least two other 80+ power supplies in the same form factor and power range. One is the Enhance ENP 3927b-g. The other is the Seasonic SS-250SU. All of these would seem to be great for a small, lower-power PC. Much smaller than standard power supplies; better power distribution, connecto...

Any reason not to try one of the smaller SFX Seasonics? The 300SFD is 125*100*76.5 mm and 80+. 2xSATA connectors, 24 pin, and 4pin aux.; Reviewed here at SPCR. You'd just need an adapter plate, which I think SeaSonic might sell/include, though I'm not sure. There's also an SFE series that are longer...

Thanks for the clarification. Mostly thinking about others doing something similar w/o realizing the possible problems.

Just two cents, but if memory serves some PSU heatsinks carry current. I'm assuming this isn't one of them, but would want to double check before placing them somewhere exposed.

Z.

Check out the 120x38mm Delta fans at Sidewinder Computers. Up to 220cfm (Model TFB1212GHE). Mind you the thing draws more power than some video cards (30 watts) and is most definitely not quiet (65db). Can't imagine what you would need all that air for, but your ears.

Z

There are several newer mini-ITX boards with PCIe x16. Most of them are labeled as Industrial Mini-ITX, SBC (Single Board Computer), or Embedded PC boards. Specs vary, but here some examples Total Control Solutions TCS-001-01557 -- Mini-ITX PCIe x16 P4 Advantech AIMB-253L -- Mini-ITX PCIe x16, PCI C...

This may be over the top, but you could check out the T-balancer by MCubed (http://www.t-balancer.com/english/bng.htm). Fans, pumps, flow meters, and more.

Just a quick comment on MTBF. C'DaleRider said, "So, you have an average life span.......MTBF. This, of course, means that half the products produced will fail in less time than stated and half will fail in a time longer than stated." and Jessekopelman responded, "What C'DaleRider is talking about i...

Since you're in Europe, you might try mCubed's ef28 external PSU. They use it for their HFX units and its rated at 200w continuous and 289w "combined" (I assume they mean peak). Here's the link for their product page and you can google the model to find European resellers. Not cheap, but surely less...

Early in the Mornin'

Negro Prison Blues & Songs from the Lomax collection. Recorded live in the Louisiana and Mississippi state prisons in the late 40's. Sung a capella, its powerful stuff.

Z

Don't know. I'd assume signal quality is fine to the maximum length of the cable, but maybe someone else can say for sure. You might also try e-mailing a rep at OM and asking. Be sure to post what you find.

Z

You're looking for a bus extender. Here's one possible link

http://www.orbitmicro.com/product_lines ... nders.html

Lengths up to 15" in x1,4,8, or x16.

Z

Doesn't that really hit it on the head? As long as you're within the manufacturer's tolerances, you're generally o.k.. Whether you're 5 degrees cooler than the suggested maximum or 15 doesn't have much effect. The message I was taking home is that as long as you're in the manufacturer's spec's, no n...

DailyTech posted a summary of a Carnegie Mellon study of MTBF for hard drives a few weeks back which is relevant (http://www.dailytech.com/Article.aspx?newsid=6404). Mentioned that age is generally the most important issue in hard drive failure and that, "drive operating temperatures had little to n...

Damn, hit submit to fast. If the airflow is reversed, i.e. in through the rear case fan and then out through the front fan and PSU, then the duct will help but the same rule applies. If the front fan is very effective, there will be little pressure forcing air from the case through the PSU. The CPU ...

Sorry, I got a bit confused. Are you planning on air moving in through the front bezel, then through the psu and the fan above it (with the psu having its own duct) and then out through the back fan? If so, my concern isn't that the front fan is going to push hot case air back into the PSU, since I ...

Iv'e got a 300w Zen in an SFF X-Qpack. 2 HDD's, NIC, passive 7600gs, Soundblaster !Live sound card (old, but very linux friendly), Lite-on DVD, and an Athlon 3200. As cramped as it is, the case is cooled by a single 120mm S-Flex (the 1200 rpm variety), tuned down a bit with a fan-mate and blowing ai...

I was definitely thinking in terms of putting the open frame in a custom enclosure, not leaving it out where you could shock yourself. Is there any reason why you couldn't do something like this, using the 12v feed to directly power 4 pin and 6 pin connectors for cpu/video card and a pico-psu or sim...

Telkoor EFO306-112. This is pretty new and no clue about availability, but they claim 29 amps (350W) on a single 12v rail, 83% efficiency at 110ac, and only 181x98x36mm in size.


http://www.telkoor.com/SpecProd.asp?info_id=4373

Any reason not to consider an open-frame power supply? Companies like Telkoor, XP power, and some others make single output supplies in 3x5 inch 1u form factors that come close to or exceed 25 amps. Just a thought.

Zinj

I've got a Zen crammed in an SFF X-Qpack. Cooling comes from a 120mm Scythe S-Flex (1200rpm variety) mounted for positive pressure, a Zalman 7000 AlCu modified with a Papst fan. Video is a 7600GS passive GPU card, plus two Samsung HDD's mounted in the std position. Temps in normal usage seldom go ov...

Just a quick question. Is there any reason you couldn't use any of a number of mATX mini-tower cases for your server and simply use a 5.25 to 3.5 converters to mount the extra drives? Many of them have 2 external 5.25 and 1 or 2 external 3.5 slots in addition to the internal 3.5s. You probably would...

In addition to your local junkyard heater cores and such, you can try a variety of auto parts stores on line. Summit Racing (www.summitracing.com) has an online store. Just go to their heating and cooling department and either check out "heater cores" or "oil coolers". The last has a section on gene...

I'm not an engineer or a physicist, but after reading some of the material on thermodynamics at the Engineering Toolbox (www.engineeringtoolbox.com), I think you'll run into a problem. Copper has very high conductance, which is to say it passes heat through itself quite well. About 400 w/Mk as someo...