This is my short-list so far; except where mentioned price to the left is *roughly* the best price in Oz, in AUD.
It's not exactly a short-list, & there may be ones for which I haven't adhered to my own criteria, so let me know if you notice!
And I won't be surprised if I've missed a few "gems" from the sites I've visited, so if you think I've missed one please tell me.
Except were mentioned, the prices include postage for items that aren't purchasable from local shops...
Not available in Oz; total cost for best retailer + postage/mfs YTBD
$N.A. $xxx
http://ahanix.com/products/mce/mce_701.php (best US price hard to say, not listed on google product search, advice?)
$N.A. $249
http://www.thermaltake.com/product_info ... ov=n&ovid=
$N.A. $481
http://www.thermaltake.com/product_info ... ov=n&ovid=
*****************************************
$245 $xxx
http://www.lian-li.com.tw/v2/en/product ... s_index=64
$249 $xxx
http://www.lian-li.com.tw/v2/en/product ... s_index=64
$329 $xxx
http://www.zalman.com/ENG/product/Produ ... sp?Idx=281 (in Oz avail in black only?)
$345 $xxx
http://www.lian-li.com.tw/v2/en/product ... s_index=64
$375 $xxx
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/ ... m&area=usa
$377 $xxx
http://www.origenae.co.kr/en/htpc_x11.htm
$391 $362
http://www.moneual.eu/China/Goods/Goods ... &detail=01
$413 $xxx
http://www.zalman.co.kr/ENG/product/Pro ... sp?Idx=191
$456 $xxx
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/ ... 2&area=usa
$563 $xxx
http://www.origenae.co.kr/en/htpc_s16v.htm
$582 $533
http://www.moneual.com/index.php?option ... Itemid=157 basic shipping from Korea, w/decent shipping = $631AUD.
$582 $533
http://www.moneual.com/index.php?option ... Itemid=168
Many will be knocked-out for having characteristics that I don't need/like versus the others.
It's possible (but unlikely) that items from the next list are migrated to this list, it depends on your feedback!
______________________________________________________________________________
Meets or w/tweaks can accommodate
all requirements, but looks like crap or has useless feature/s
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$??? $xxx LC03V ___________________(black or silver & no reader)
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/ ... v&area=usa
$135 $xxx LC20B or ...S _____________(black or silver & no reader or display)
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/ ... 0&area=usa
$135 $xxx LC13B-E & ...S-E __________(black or silver & no reader or display)
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/ ... E&area=usa
$138 $xxx GD01B-R & ...S-R _________(black or silver & no display)
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/ ... 1&area=usa
$196 $xxx LC20B-M or ...S-M _________(black or silver & no reader)
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/ ... 0&area=usa
$211 $xxx GD03 ___________________(black only & no reader or display)
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/ ... 3&area=usa
$246 $xxx GD01B-MXR & ...S-MXR ____(black or silver)
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/ ... 1&area=usa
$274 $xxx DH-101 _________________(black only & no reader; nowhere for it unless use the sole 5.25", & only 3x int. 3.5")
http://www.thermaltake.com/product_info ... H101&ovid=
$293 $xxx Mozart VC4001SNS ________(silver only & no reader)
http://www.thermaltake.com/product_info ... zart&ovid=
$301 $xxx Mozart IP VF3001SNS & ...BNS (black or silver but only black common? no reader)
http://www.thermaltake.com/product_info ... t+IP&ovid=
$315 $xxx Bach VB8001SNS & ...BNS __(black or silver & no reader)
http://www.thermaltake.com/product_over ... C_00000188
N.A. $310 DH202 VJ80011N2Z _______(not in Oz? price inc. $80 post, meets needs cept only 3x int. 3.5" & 1x 5.25, don't like aesthetics)
http://www.thermaltake.com/product_info ... parent_cp=
$539 $xxx DH-102 _________________(same as the DH101 cept 7" touch-screen LCD)
http://www.thermaltake.com/product_info ... ov=n&ovid=
N.A. N.A. DH202 VJ80051N2Z ________(not in Oz? non-existent on froogle, same as VJ80011N2Z cept 7" touch-screen)
http://www.thermaltake.com/product_info ... H202&ovid=
After I've narrowed-down all this, I'll go out and see if there's AVR's/AMP's that can be used instead.
I'm not too keen on that approach though, unless I can see there's minimal modding involved...
Lists below this line have no chance of making the short-list.....
=============================================================
___________________________________________________________________________
Meets or w/tweaks can accommodate
all requirements, but too far over $550 AUD ($505.7 USD)
***************************************************************************
$??? $xxx
http://www.zalman.com/ENG/product/Produ ... sp?Idx=192 HD160XT
$715 $xxx
http://www.origenae.co.kr/en/htpc_x15e.htm
$720 $xxx
http://www.zalman.com/ENG/product/Produ ... sp?Idx=193 HD160XT Plus
$??? $xxx
http://www.atechfabrication.com/product ... c_7000.htm
______________________________________________________________________________
Doesn't meet
all requirements & can't be easily tweaked to comply, or other reason where stipulated
******************************************************************************
$N.A. $187 (no post)
http://ahanix.com/products/mce/mce_601.php
$189. $N.A.
http://www.zalman.co.kr/ENG/product/Pro ... sp?Idx=369
$269. $N.A.
http://www.zalman.co.kr/ENG/product/Pro ... sp?Idx=370
$N.A. $N.A.
http://www.silentpcreview.com/Antec_Fusion_Remote_Max
$N.A. $N.A.
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/ ... 7&area=usa
$N.A. $N.A.
http://www.luxa2.com/product_specification.aspx?s=4
$N.A. $N.A.
http://www.luxa2.com/product_specification.aspx?s=5 (same except 7" touch-screen)
Can't find any of these in the retail channel in Oz or overseas...
Approached them directly & they seemed cool with me buying direct from Taiwan or China.
But they're taking forever to give me cost of postage, it seems they've decided not to.
YTBD
http://www.alutek.com.tw/alu-816.htm
YTBD
http://www.alutek.com.tw/alu-7620.htm
YTBD
http://www.alutek.com.tw/alu-7610.htm
YTBD
http://www.alutek.com.tw/alu-7520.htm
YTBD
http://www.alutek.com.tw/alu-7510.htm
YTBD
http://www.alutek.com.tw/alu-650.htm
YTBD
http://www.alutek.com.tw/alu-767.htm
Emailed several times to ask if I can buy direct as they don't seem be in local channel.
Some of the other case OEM's have said I can do this, but nMedia won't respond.
N.A. $xxx
http://www.nmediapc.com/htpc2000.htm
N.A. $xxx
http://www.nmediapc.com/htpc6000.htm
These two look tacky & weren't on my primary short-list anyway.
N.A. $xxx
http://www.nmediapc.com/htpc8000.htm
N.A. $xxx
http://www.nmediapc.com/htpc3000.htm
Alas, supposedly they haven't even started a production run on these yet!
N.A. N.A.
http://www.chieftec.com/hifi1.html
N.A. N.A.
http://www.chieftec.com/hm-01.html