Search found 34 matches

by Ramses
Fri Jul 08, 2011 12:39 am
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Fractal Define R3 USB 3.0 upgrade kit
Replies: 31
Views: 28159

Fractal Define R3 USB 3.0 upgrade kit

Yes! Looks like Fractal Design is readying a USB 3.0 upgrade kit for the Define R3 ...and new batches of the case will feature USB 3.0 front port(s). One step closer to silent case perfection! :) Very nice of them to do so instead of just telling their customers to go buy the next version. Sources: ...
by Ramses
Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:47 am
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Quiet cases round-up at Tom's Hardware
Replies: 1
Views: 2409

Quiet cases round-up at Tom's Hardware

Nice article at Tom's Hardware comparing six quiet-oriented cases. Similar conclusions that we share here, but I'm glad that quiet computing is getting more and more mainstream! Antec Sonata IV Bitfenix Colossus Fractal Design Define XL Lian Li PC-B25S NZXT H2 Classic SilverStone Raven RV02-E http:...
by Ramses
Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:37 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Round-up of passive cards from Computex 2011 @ Anandtech
Replies: 0
Views: 1780

Round-up of passive cards from Computex 2011 @ Anandtech

Source: http://www.anandtech.com/show/4429/computex-2011-silent-and-single-slot-gpus Some highlights: Zotac 520 ZONE Edition http://images.anandtech.com/doci/4429/Zotac%20430%20PCI_575px.jpg Sparkle GTS 450 http://images.anandtech.com/doci/4429/Sparkle%20450_575px.jpg (and or course) PowerColor HD 6...
by Ramses
Tue Sep 14, 2010 9:44 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: GTS 450 launched, various versions available, fanless too
Replies: 23
Views: 10161

Pointless card is pointless. 8-10% performance difference compared to GTS250, 30% price difference. Unless you want a fanless folding @ home dedicated card. 8k+ PPD looks good for the GTS 450 vs 6-7k for a fanned 250. Source: http://www.overclock.net/overclock-net-folding-home-team/818673-gts-450-f...
by Ramses
Sun Sep 12, 2010 7:23 am
Forum: General Gallery
Topic: My DIY NAS build
Replies: 8
Views: 8914

Looks good and still spacious enough inside! How is the noise level from 5 HDDs + fan? Any noticeable harmonic vibration?
by Ramses
Fri Sep 10, 2010 10:31 am
Forum: Notebook Systems
Topic: Conductive material to put under laptop?
Replies: 6
Views: 7221

dunno if it will be enough, but thermaltake makes a fanless notebook cooler that is a pad that has some wierd salt substance that turns to liquid when heated ( so as for the liquid to flow around the pad and make the heat distribution more even) I had one of those for a few months under a circa 200...
by Ramses
Thu Sep 09, 2010 12:36 pm
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Modern Phrases That Confuse Me
Replies: 92
Views: 61009

@MikeC: I repeatedly choked on my coffee while reading that Washington Post list! :lol: In no particular order: "In this day and age": Yay! This must be the dawning of the Age of Aquarius! The ancients were right: the prophecy came true! :D "Think outside the box": Really, you're expecting someone t...
by Ramses
Thu Aug 12, 2010 10:09 am
Forum: CPU Cooling
Topic: Thermalright HR-02 !!!
Replies: 52
Views: 46483

Here's a very basic review at Overclockers Club with nice numbers on an overclocked i7, but the reviewer clearly runs his gear too much on open-air testbeds and totally missed the point on one clear feature of the HR-02... :roll: A unique thing about the HR-02 is that the base is not centered under...
by Ramses
Sat Jan 09, 2010 11:31 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Silent UPS
Replies: 74
Views: 101920

I've had a APC Back-UPS RS 1500VA with LCD since last year and it always generates a low, subtle hum. It vibrates a bit near the read of the warm unit when I put my hand on it. The fan only comes on during power outages and self-tests. But now the USB connection gets lost intermittently for a few se...
by Ramses
Sat Jan 09, 2010 11:14 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Best Heatsink / Fan Solution For Powercolor AX5770?
Replies: 5
Views: 6246

Ramses, how noisy are we talking? Hey trueg, Sorry to hear bout the noise issue on the longer pcb model. I would try stopping the fan for a few seconds with my finger, see if all the noise is fan-related or if there's a coil whine somewhere that adds to it. At 40%, my PowerColor 5770 was loud enoug...
by Ramses
Thu Jan 07, 2010 3:04 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: GIGABYTE 9800GT Silent Cell - anybody using this card?
Replies: 26
Views: 16963

Newegg has both the 9600 and the 9800 as requiring a 450 psu. But you were getting away with your Nexus value 430? Recommended wattage is always overkill. :) I played some Left 4 Dead with it (and a 45W CPU) and if I recall my APC Back-UPS's LCD was reporting below 300W usage with monitor, networki...
by Ramses
Thu Jan 07, 2010 12:51 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: GIGABYTE 9800GT Silent Cell - anybody using this card?
Replies: 26
Views: 16963

Lower-spec chip, but identical cooler: I've used the Gigabyte 9600GT Silent Cell [GV-N96TSL-1GI] for about a week. It was a warranty replacement for a fanless 8600GT. Not a top performer but still good for casual gaming with medium settings at 1920x1200. I was running it in a SPCR-level computer (Ne...
by Ramses
Thu Jan 07, 2010 12:21 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Powercolor GO! Green HD5750 (passive)
Replies: 88
Views: 69942

I'm guessing they removed the need for the 6-pin PCIe power connector?
by Ramses
Thu Jan 07, 2010 12:17 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Best Heatsink / Fan Solution For Powercolor AX5770?
Replies: 5
Views: 6246

I also bought this and have been running it for a few days. The default cooler is an Arctic Cooling L2 Pro with customized plastic fan shroud. At stock 40% speed the fan is annoying in my very quiet environment. Using Catalyst Control Center to lower it to 30% makes it more bearable while gaming. I'...
by Ramses
Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:33 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: HD 5750 cards
Replies: 39
Views: 26660

trueg wrote:Powercolor also lists the Play! HD5770 which also uses an OEM Accelero L2 Pro, but no one seems to sell it. =(
http://www.powercolor.com/Global/produc ... uctID=6686
Newegg has it now! :) http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.as ... 6814131326
by Ramses
Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:28 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Accelero L2 + Radeon 5770: can't make it fit
Replies: 7
Views: 8181

Ah, sucks when you've purchased everything and only afterward realize things won't fit very well. Tough predicament. :( The L2 kit is aimed at being universal and able to cool faster-running chips: seeing as this Powercolor 5770 with stock L2 Pro cooler doesn't have any ramsinks I can only assume yo...
by Ramses
Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:47 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: HD 5750 cards
Replies: 39
Views: 26660

Nice indeed! I was a bit late to the boat though, other SPCRers had covered those models in this parallel thread . Oh well, more info the merrier! I'd love such manufacturers to send those quiet video cards for review here. If the units fare well I imagine (hope) that showcasing a "SPCR-approved" lo...
by Ramses
Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:17 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: HD 5750 cards
Replies: 39
Views: 26660

Unless I'm mistaken, the HIS 5750 (H575FN1GD) uses an Arctic Cooling L2 Pro . If so, this new Diamond 5750 (5750PE51G) and the PowerColor 5750 both seem to employ the same cooler but sport 2 DVI outputs instead of 1. I was seconds away from pulling the trigger on that HIS Radeon when I read that Pow...
by Ramses
Tue Oct 20, 2009 1:49 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: 45W Athlon II may arrive in early September
Replies: 15
Views: 15212

Tom's has just posted a detailed review of the Athlon II X3 435, with hints to the 45W X4 605e (see pages 3 and 12). Hopefully similar comparative performance can be extrapolated for the slower-clocked 45W processors; I'm now quite tempted to go for an Athlon II X4 605e! http://www.tomshardware.com/...
by Ramses
Tue Jun 30, 2009 12:30 am
Forum: General Gallery
Topic: Old Intel D201GLY humidor build and future projects
Replies: 8
Views: 9414

Nice idea sea2stars. I really like such unobtrusive yet stylish builds, good job! :D
by Ramses
Wed May 27, 2009 12:34 am
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: Need a 3.5" external harddrive enclosure
Replies: 3
Views: 2674

I am using a Vantex NexStar 3 with a WD Green Power 1TB inside. All connections included: eSata, Firewire 400/800 and USB 2.0, all cables provided. Plus it's fanless, only cooled with its metal body (except the ends which are made of plastic). Works well and looks good ...except for fingerprints! :)...
by Ramses
Thu Feb 26, 2009 3:38 am
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: Which is more silent? WD green power or notebook hard drives
Replies: 23
Views: 9881

I'm curious, can an ipod 1.8" hard drive be used in a desktop? Sure! You'll need an adapter (or 2 in series, depending on what you plug your HDD in to). DealExtreme has some here . Make sure you know which connector your 1.8" drive uses, either 50-pin (older iPod, Sony VAIO) or ZIF (ribbon) and pos...
by Ramses
Wed Feb 25, 2009 11:44 pm
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: WD Scorpio Black vs. Scorpio Blue vs. Caviar Green Power
Replies: 9
Views: 23139

WD Scorpio Black vs. Scorpio Blue vs. Caviar Green Power

Howdy! It's been a while since I've posted here, but I felt I could contribute my experience with 3 somewhat popular Western Digital hard drives. :) Story: I was running a Dell Inspiron 1501 notebook with a stock Hitachi 5400rpm hard drive. It was almost inaudible and not much vibration could be fel...
by Ramses
Mon Nov 21, 2005 2:55 am
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: Bad experience with Seagate 7200.8 300GB ATA
Replies: 5
Views: 3794

Thanks for the cheer up Bobthebuilder. :) I'll talk with the vendor and see what we will be able to agree upon, either an exchange or a competitive upgrade. The clunking issue seems related to 300GB and 400GB models only, not the 250 line (lucky you!). I've read (distilled, really) that in the early...
by Ramses
Sat Nov 19, 2005 7:47 am
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: Bad experience with Seagate 7200.8 300GB ATA
Replies: 5
Views: 3794

Bad experience with Seagate 7200.8 300GB ATA

I really should not have bought this drive with eyes closed. I received it yesterday, an October 2005 ST3300831A version made in China with a beautiful number written on it: 300Gb. Alright, finally an indecent amount of backup space for my Speeze "Metal Gear Box Substance" aluminum Sata/USB enclosur...
by Ramses
Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:42 am
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: Silence when watching DVD movie
Replies: 14
Views: 8501

I can vouch for the Benq DD DW1620 drive. I have it and at normal DVD playing speed the drive is very quiet. It will make a obvious "wooshing" noise when you fast forward. atomidude's advice is solid: mounted ISO files are very convenient, slightly faster to seek through (no dvd spinning delays) and...
by Ramses
Wed Sep 01, 2004 1:35 am
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: Linksys NSLU2 for a cheap and quiet NAS
Replies: 3
Views: 2946

Linksys NSLU2 for a cheap and quiet NAS

I've just bumped onto this seldom talked about NAS option: the Linksys NSLU2 Network Storage Link for USB 2.0 Disk Drives (reviewed here ). Some very good points in my eyes: Silent. The drives you add will make the noise. Connects up to 2 external USB 2.0 drives/enclosures, any capacity Linux based ...
by Ramses
Fri Nov 14, 2003 11:54 pm
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: Need help 2 silence P2
Replies: 17
Views: 7371

I've always been a little put off by the free-moving aspect of resting a drive at the bottom of a case, but your idea of using velcro or some other soft attachements is very good. Thanks al bundy, I'll give it a try! :) Temps *may* become an issue, but I'll keep a close eye/hand on warmth. And if it...
by Ramses
Fri Nov 14, 2003 2:01 am
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: Need help 2 silence P2
Replies: 17
Views: 7371

The SilentDrive works well, but it does has minors flaws. I have a system that is resembles yours closely, quietly doing routine web work. It's a P2-400 with a 5v 80mm L1A and a permanently 5v L1A inside a 235W PSU. The only source of noise is the hard-drive, which is a whining Quantum EX 12.7 runni...
by Ramses
Sun Aug 17, 2003 4:09 pm
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Reflectix as soundproofing material?
Replies: 6
Views: 10146

I now see how it could work a sound barrier/reflector instead of sound absorber. Since this stuff is not very thick (8mm), I was looking at perhaps layering it with other cheap proven solutions like cork sheets (4mm and 5mm) and roofer's tape (1mm). On an SLK3700 I could actually use multiple layers...