Antec Fusion - here, now!
Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Devonavar
-
- Posts: 216
- Joined: Mon May 24, 2004 10:42 pm
- Location: Canada
Antec Fusion - here, now!
This case has reached a few retail channels in Australia and presumably other places.
Has anyone tried it yet?!?
www.auspcmarket.com.au
Has anyone tried it yet?!?
www.auspcmarket.com.au
http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=15738
We'll get it on the nav/category pages soon.
We'll get it on the nav/category pages soon.
In stock in the UK at Overclockers - £130.37. I was hoping it would come in at around £100, bit optimistic I suppose...
So it's approx £75 more (that's and extra 136%) than the NSK2400! I know the iMON (assuming that's what's inside) isn't cheap as I have one (and it's not as good as I'd hoped). For me it says buy the cheaper one, as it doesn't have the big knob (what can it do? Volume? I have a big volume knob and remote control on my reciever/hi-fi, so I don't need it), messing up the styling. Why they couldn't hide the USB and firewire, and not have any analogue audio ports on the front... Urrgghh!
Am I right in thinking the Fusion is the NSK2400 with a different front, and added functionality and a 430W PSU instead of that excelent 380W in the NSK2400.
As CoolGav has pointed out, the cost difference is MASSIVE.
The PSU can only account for £5, how much for the extra stuff on the front and remote £20 MAX is my guess.
If I am right that means that Antec are making a cool £50 more on the Fusion than the NSK2400.
Andy
As CoolGav has pointed out, the cost difference is MASSIVE.
The PSU can only account for £5, how much for the extra stuff on the front and remote £20 MAX is my guess.
If I am right that means that Antec are making a cool £50 more on the Fusion than the NSK2400.
Andy
Based on what's on the antec site:
so you still have to buy a receiver... so it looks like nsk + imon is still the way to go...Antec wrote:Aluminum plate front bezel with Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD) and Volume Control to work with media center applications. Includes space for user-mounted IR Receiver
VFDs tend to go for £50+, as far as I can see. Plus the Aluminium front, plus the CD door, plus the volume control - I can see how it reaches the price it's at. Compared to some of the HTPC cases around it's cheap, and the only reason I'm not going with it is that the NSK1300 meets my needs for half the price and I'm on a strict budget.
I'm not as bothered by the lack of IR receiver. Most people get a reciever and remote with their TV tuner card anyway. Imon's are more of a niche product.
Pricing isn't unreasonable if you break it down: (sorry, but I have to do it in US prices)
NSK2400: $85
+ 5.25" bay VFD: $60 (for one without IR or remote)
+ price difference in PSU's: $10
Total: $155
The Fusion sells for about $180, so that's $25 extra for the aluminum front and minor functional upgrades. That's not too bad. They're pricing it against aluminum-fronted like the Silverstone's and Ahanix's, against whom its actually pretty cheap.
Pricing isn't unreasonable if you break it down: (sorry, but I have to do it in US prices)
NSK2400: $85
+ 5.25" bay VFD: $60 (for one without IR or remote)
+ price difference in PSU's: $10
Total: $155
The Fusion sells for about $180, so that's $25 extra for the aluminum front and minor functional upgrades. That's not too bad. They're pricing it against aluminum-fronted like the Silverstone's and Ahanix's, against whom its actually pretty cheap.
I have had this case for about 2 weeks now and I really like it. The VFD is a customised imon with out the IR receiver.
The volume knob does not seem to work in MCE (havn't invistigated why) but I use a remote for volume changes any way. For me it is the best HTPC case that I have seen and I'm really happy with it.
Cheers
The volume knob does not seem to work in MCE (havn't invistigated why) but I use a remote for volume changes any way. For me it is the best HTPC case that I have seen and I'm really happy with it.
Cheers
-
- Posts: 216
- Joined: Mon May 24, 2004 10:42 pm
- Location: Canada
2 simple questions (ideally with a little detail), as I have never owned a HTPC or looked into them, but may be interested in the future, and I would like to know so that I know.
Q, 1: What is an "imon", how does it work, what does it do, are there alternatives that are better, are there alternatives that are cheaper.
Q, 2: What is an "VFD", how does it work, what does it do, are there alternatives that are better, are there alternatives that are cheaper.
Regards Andy
Q, 1: What is an "imon", how does it work, what does it do, are there alternatives that are better, are there alternatives that are cheaper.
Q, 2: What is an "VFD", how does it work, what does it do, are there alternatives that are better, are there alternatives that are cheaper.
Regards Andy
iMon is an infrared remote control system like that on your VCR or Televisioon receiver only for a media center computer.andyb wrote: Q, 1: What is an "imon", how does it work, what does it do, are there alternatives that are better, are there alternatives that are cheaper.
VFD stands for "vacuum flourescent display" These are usually very pleasant shade of light blue (cyan). They can be used to display various information on a system. For a media PC, things like track number playing, song title, play time, etc. For the more "geek" inclined, they can display temperatures, cpu loads, memory usage etc.Q, 2: What is an "VFD", how does it work, what does it do, are there alternatives that are better, are there alternatives that are cheaper.
Apparently Antec used Soundgraph to make their VFD. Check out this website:
[url]http://www.soundgraph.com/Eng_/main.aspx[/url]
Select "Products" and "IMON" to get details. I figure the Fusion has one of the OEM VFDs in it.
FYI, you can also use LCD Smartie, an open-source program, to control the display on most VFDs.
[url]http://lcdsmartie.sourceforge.net/[/url]
[url]http://www.soundgraph.com/Eng_/main.aspx[/url]
Select "Products" and "IMON" to get details. I figure the Fusion has one of the OEM VFDs in it.
FYI, you can also use LCD Smartie, an open-source program, to control the display on most VFDs.
[url]http://lcdsmartie.sourceforge.net/[/url]