OrigenAE X10 HTPC Case
Cooling & Accessories
Published: 11th June 2006 | Source: Specialtech | Price: |
One of the most prominent issues with HTPC cases is heat. Removing the heat caused by modern day components especially when crammed into a small space can be quite challenge. In addition to this many HTPC users demand that their HTPC systems be quiet - after all, you don't hear many noisy DVD players!
OrigenAE have attempted to solve this issue by including 2x60mm 3-pin fans to extract the hot air out of the back of the case. These fans are manufactured by JAA Technology, and rather than being your average ball/brush style fan, are in fact "Nano Ceramic". Unfortunately I was unable to find any information on these fans, but I must say that they operate very quietly.
Also included is a 80mm 4-pin fan situated in the power supply duct along the left side of the case. I would imagine that this has been included, not only to remove hot air from components such as the motherboard, but also to help the flow of hot air from the power supply exit the case.
Also included is a 80mm 4-pin fan situated in the power supply duct along the left side of the case. I would imagine that this has been included, not only to remove hot air from components such as the motherboard, but also to help the flow of hot air from the power supply exit the case.
Also included on the bottom case are two vents. The larger of the two (on the left) allows for a fresh supply of air to be sucked in by the power supply. The smaller vents on the right are directly below the hard disk cage and should aid in keeping your hard disks cool during heavy usage.
The X10 comes with almost everything needed to get you started. As expected with any case, you received the necessary screws and motherboard mounts. Also included is a 24-pin to 24-pin ATX lead, which is required in order to power the VFD display.
In order for your installed CD/DVD drive not to stick out like a sore thumb, OrigenAE have included a brushed aluminium DVD face plate which can be affixed to the front of your drive using the included sticky pad. While we are on the subject of CD's it is worth noting that OrigenAE do not provide a driver disk in with the case (for installing VFD and remote control), however, all software is available on their website.
The most exciting part of the accessories package by far is the remote control. Styled in a way that will easily fit in with the rest of the controllers in your household, the controller has buttons for every task that you'd normally use your DVD/TV controller for, plus more. It would have been nice to see the controller in some kind of brushed aluminium casing, but i'd imagine that the manufacture costs of such a unit would be quite high.
In order for your installed CD/DVD drive not to stick out like a sore thumb, OrigenAE have included a brushed aluminium DVD face plate which can be affixed to the front of your drive using the included sticky pad. While we are on the subject of CD's it is worth noting that OrigenAE do not provide a driver disk in with the case (for installing VFD and remote control), however, all software is available on their website.
The most exciting part of the accessories package by far is the remote control. Styled in a way that will easily fit in with the rest of the controllers in your household, the controller has buttons for every task that you'd normally use your DVD/TV controller for, plus more. It would have been nice to see the controller in some kind of brushed aluminium casing, but i'd imagine that the manufacture costs of such a unit would be quite high.
Most Recent Comments
Nice review m8, nice case too. That LCD is pimp 
Nick
Nick
its a vfd not lcd
nice reveiw jim,that case looks nice
nice reveiw jim,that case looks nice
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by raging-savage
its a vfd not lcd
nice reveiw jim,that case looks nice |
I like the outside pics for the summer 
Very nice case
Very nice case
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by name='XMS'
Well there might be something even better drool over soon....imagine that case with a 7" LCD touch screen inside
|
touch screen is the shiznit
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by raging-savage
ooo you mean like that lush one ocuk has?
touch screen is the shiznit |
OMG!!! That case is gorgeous, but is definitely on the dear side of town. Great review though, as usual XMS 
OCUK... Pah.... now I wonder where they could be getting them from
http://specialtech.co.uk/spshop/file...ront-front.jpg
Who else but Specialtech
Wait till we release the 12" version case we have planned
http://specialtech.co.uk/spshop/file...ront-front.jpg
Who else but Specialtech
Wait till we release the 12" version case we have planned
i dont like the dvd drive on that :/
case is otherwise...so nice tho
how much do they go for?
case is otherwise...so nice tho
how much do they go for?
You really are a lazy sod Dave lol...GBP210 
Just ordered myself a X10
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by name='Bradmax57'
Just ordered myself a X10
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by name='XMS'
Nice mate. From ST?
|
That'll make a spanking HTPC
Im hoping so, just gonna stick with the onboard 6150 for now, but have a 7900gs I could possibly stick in if needed, but im going for silence to begin with
good luck with the build
stick around
u find us from google?
stick around
u find us from google?
IIRC he was part of the original ST forums and came along with them when they made the move to here
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by name='WC Annihilus'
IIRC he was part of the original ST forums and came along with them when they made the move to here
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by name='Bradmax57'
aye thats right
|
Hope you're gonna have some good pics of that thing
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by name='Kempez™'
Welcome!
Hope you're gonna have some good pics of that thing |
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by name='Bradmax57'
I hope to
|
hehe
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by name='XMS'
Nice mate. From ST?
|
mines arrived today and after a little bit of bother think im getting there, main gripe was fitting the bezel to the dvd writer, had to get the dremel out :P, i noticed like in the review the fans are actually set up to suck air into the case rather than out? ive swapped mine but not sure if thats the way there meant to be?
in its place
Ill get some better pics when me bro returns my camera
Ill get some better pics when me bro returns my camera
Sleek looking setup! Is that a Samsung set u have there?
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by name='FragTek'
Sleek looking setup! Is that a Samsung set u have there?
|
Very nice mate. Gotta love how it just blends in with the rest of the setup
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by name='Kempez'
Very nice mate. Gotta love how it just blends in with the rest of the setup
|
im debating on spraying the sky+ box to match toowhat os/software you running?
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by name='nathan'
what os/software you running?
|
i'm pretty stuck on what tuner to get, have a nebula but i think it's damaged. Motherboard comes tomorrow, yah! i have mce2005 and vista ultimate. think 2005 will be going on here. Just been reading up on my movies (add-on for mce 2005). looks pretty good.
Sorry to be negative, but I found that a pretty poor review, all things considered. No temperatures measured under load; two 60mm exhaust fans and not many vents, how is it going to cope with, for instance, an 8800GS using the passive Thermalright HR-01 and a solid Athlon x64 X2? I notice there's no venting above the PCI-E slot. No decibel measurements, either. And no pics whatsoever of the insides with hardware being installed (you're very lucky even to pick up on how the unusual PSU configuration works); no mention of possible issues around the PSU (so many modern PSUs are deeper than the ATX specified 140mm, including the one I want to use, which is 150m deep; can this case cope? I'm still none the wiser...).
And it's the only review of the X10 on the web. Shame the rather more thorough HEXUS.net or silentpcreview haven't got hold of one.
And it's the only review of the X10 on the web. Shame the rather more thorough HEXUS.net or silentpcreview haven't got hold of one.
Nice case man !!! buttttttt (aint there always one especially with women with a 'GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR' or a nice 'Personality') my current media center is a Dual Xeon box with 5 drives clocking in @ 1.5tb ... i dont think it will all fit!
maybe if i didnt hamMer 2 net connections and have more money than storage .. mayb (oh and id put linuxMCE on it)
maybe if i didnt hamMer 2 net connections and have more money than storage .. mayb (oh and id put linuxMCE on it)
And it's the only review of the X10 on the web. Shame the rather more thorough HEXUS.net or silentpcreview haven't got hold of one.
Hexus... who cant even compare a touch screen case o a touch screen case and then in another origen review, slated the case because he lost the screws lol Seriously tho would u compare a fiesta to a ferrari because they both do the same thing?
Each to their own and that the great things about forums and feedback. With a HTPC case would people realistically be putting high end graphics cards in a box that is primarliy going to sit there and watch tv on? That being said there is a fair point about venting, however with vents comes noise so its always the eternal trade off.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by name='Mahoney'
Sorry to be negative, but I found that a pretty poor review, all things considered. No temperatures measured under load; two 60mm exhaust fans and not many vents, how is it going to cope with, for instance, an 8800GS using the passive Thermalright HR-01 and a solid Athlon x64 X2? I notice there's no venting above the PCI-E slot. No decibel measurements, either. And no pics whatsoever of the insides with hardware being installed (you're very lucky even to pick up on how the unusual PSU configuration works); no mention of possible issues around the PSU (so many modern PSUs are deeper than the ATX specified 140mm, including the one I want to use, which is 150m deep; can this case cope? I'm still none the wiser...).
And it's the only review of the X10 on the web. Shame the rather more thorough HEXUS.net or silentpcreview haven't got hold of one. |
Ive actually now sold mine on 
as i never used it, but I will say the fans were not that quiet, however, i replaced the 80mm tunnel one with a 3pin fan as it was a molex one, and I put the 2 60mm fans on a 7v connector, after that it was almost silent, my x2 3800+ idled around 30C using the stock heatsink (but that was with c&c enabled) its a very good case, only slight prob is the single hdd capacity (although it would be poss to fit one where i had my card reader). I might have a pic or 2 with my bits installed ill have a look and post again if I do.Quote:
|
Originally Posted by name='Mahoney'
Sorry to be negative, but I found that a pretty poor review, all things considered. No temperatures measured under load; two 60mm exhaust fans and not many vents, how is it going to cope with, for instance, an 8800GS using the passive Thermalright HR-01 and a solid Athlon x64 X2?
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by name='Mahoney'
I notice there's no venting above the PCI-E slot. No decibel measurements, either. And no pics whatsoever of the insides with hardware being installed (you're very lucky even to pick up on how the unusual PSU configuration works); no mention of possible issues around the PSU (so many modern PSUs are deeper than the ATX specified 140mm, including the one I want to use, which is 150m deep; can this case cope? I'm still none the wiser...).
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by name='Mahoney'
And it's the only review of the X10 on the web. Shame the rather more thorough HEXUS.net or silentpcreview haven't got hold of one.
|
Apologies you thought the review wasn't complete but it was as thorough as we could do at the time and I have seen a lot worse.
I'll get onto Origin AE for you and see what we can do about rectifying the issues you have
CSS Valid
Maybe you should stop looking, and start reading our review here.