Mini ITX Owners Club and Discussion

[sammy_b0i]

Originally Posted by Statts

Original revision whichever that was. Doubt the bios update will fix it as the CPU temp sensor is in the CPU. Didn't have any probs with 3 different CPUs in that board.

D'oh. Was just a thought. It sucks not knowing how hot it is, how effective the HSF is, or the TIM. Blah. Not sure whether i should RMA or not. Would require a whole reversal of the build.

[XoNikzDeVil]

I'll chuck a picture on how to find PCB soon for you sammi (later)

Nah hehe Q9550 is for gaming mini ITX going to make a torrent box with other stuff hehe

Sorry I haven't been on for awhile as of school

Oh and where are the pictures guys!

[XoNikzDeVil]

Ok so I'm going to build my new rig VERY soon just waiting on the RAM now then I'm going to buy another Zotac 9300 ITX wifi as I have an E8400 and 2gb of RAM and some hdds lying about

I think I'll love it as a media PC/torrent/backup PC or just for when mates come around and game!

Oh also I'm buy a VAPOR-X for my other mini ITX (4890 of course!)

[XoNikzDeVil]

UPDATE

Got 9300ITX Wifi and SG05 today going to get RAM tomorrow and then I'm going to build

[sammy_b0i]

Mkay. Contacted intel and after 45mins on the phone convincing the dude that I'm not mentally deficient and understand how a processor works, they are agreeing to RMA.

In the mean time, bought an e8300 and will sell the new e8500 when its back from RMA. Not too fussed on stock speeds. Cache ftw.

Edit: D'oh! Not getting the replacement any more. Just got a big bill
But in the meantime, here is the box on my desk.


Click to view full size!

[XoNikzDeVil]

Haha have you got any more pictures? also yes that sounds like a guy from asia that can't talk english telling you what you know for 5 hours while your phone bill skys!

[XoNikzDeVil]

Well welcome back my friends hehe

I'v recently brought some mATX gear for a backup PC and media box (WITH A H50 )

and I've got my Q9550 mini ITX system running awesomely I'll post all pictures in a few days

[Myne_h]

I gots me a zotac 9300 recently.
Trying to get ESXi to recognise the SATA controller.
Quite a pain. It wont recognise in any of the 4 modes.

[Chewman_BG]

oohhh soo glad i found this thread.

building an ITX machine in late feb/early march
(yeah i know it's a fair bit away)
but it will be for my MAME cabinet, and for LANs when needed

will have a budget of around $900

already have:
- slim DVD Drive,
- HDD
- GPU (3870/4870 - may upgrade to 5770 later)
and if nesscesary
- PSU (Gigabye ODIN 800W)

so thinking
+ Silverstone SG06 - $130
+ DFI MI P55-T36 ITX Mobo - $160
+ Corsair DDR3 4GB kit (2x2GB) - $100
+ i7 860 2.8Ghz Quad - $335
+ Scythe Big Shuriken CPU Cooler - $70
Total : $ 795

how does that look?

EDIT: if prices happen to drop before then, I'll consider getting a H50 over the Scythe.

[Myne_h]

I think 800w is massive overkill mate

I'm running a Zotac 9300 with a Celeron E3300 4gb, 1x hdd (at this stage) on a 60w picoitx psu.

I have already tried voltmodding the mobo by changing the VID connections on the socket. It doesnt like .7v nor .9v.
Pretty sure the mobo cannot supply that stably because on .7v it wont post if the HDD is connected, and .9v it wont boot to windows without a BSOD.
This is at a mere 2ghz.
Stock 1.1v -0.10v (1v) works fine though at the full 2.5ghz.

The case I got (Morex 350) I have decided is definitely too small.
What I'd like to have is a completely passive HTPC/server with 2 spinning 'green' hdds and an SSD. I believe the pico will cope with this.

The problem is cooling and size. They seem mutually exclusive.

Ideally, I'd like heatpipes that connect to a large amplifier type heatsink that sits on the side/top of the case.

Alternately, I'm thinking how I'd do something water based using convection.
Total heat output for the cpu and chipset isnt that much. It ran warm but not hot with an old pentium3 heatsink resting on the cpu with a 8m deep 50mm fan blowing on it. The chipset was cooled enough by the air flowing from the sides of that.

The idea obviously is to spread the 40w out to as much surface area as possible.

Does anyone have any experience making heatpipes? Are there off-the-shelf solutuions that arent rediculously expensive? Can they be bought and bent to shape?

[cruro02]

What I'd like to have is a completely passive HTPC/server with 2 spinning 'green' hdds and an SSD. I believe the pico will cope with this.

The problem is cooling and size. They seem mutually exclusive.

I'm on the same quest - the only way I can see so far to get close is either the Zotac ION M/b (or equivalent - Inno3d, PoV, etc) and/or a HFX type case (http://www.mcubed)...

Not 100% convinced the ION has the grunt to drive an HTPC with dual DVB-T tuner..

And as to the HFX case - they don't have a local disty and they are bloody expensive..

oh well - back to google and let the quest continue....

[Chewman_BG]

Originally Posted by Myne_h

I think 800w is massive overkill mate

the 800W is a backup, the SG06 comes with a 300W that I can use.

[Myne_h]

Originally Posted by cruro02

I'm on the same quest - the only way I can see so far to get close is either the Zotac ION M/b (or equivalent - Inno3d, PoV, etc) and/or a HFX type case (http://www.mcubed)...

Not 100% convinced the ION has the grunt to drive an HTPC with dual DVB-T tuner..

And as to the HFX case - they don't have a local disty and they are bloody expensive..

oh well - back to google and let the quest continue....

That's partially why I chose the Celeron E3300. I also wanted VT.
The E3300 is essentially a Core2 duo with less cache. Less cache means less transistors, which means less heat.
What has crossed my mind is making a vertical case, with the board more or less mounted TO the heatskink with large cylindrical heatpipes, rather than the usual board mounted to a base, and then the cooling attached to that.

Along the same lines, I've considered the same aluminium heatsink ~(250x250), with a water chamber alloy welded onto it. Probably ~1" of water there. Then, water blocks aligned for convection. The CPU and chipset would have seperate water in/out. The top of the radiator would have a simple screw plug for filling. Since the overall heat should not be that high, I would hope that the water would convect enough to not cause issues.

Considering the Model T Ford managed fine with convection based cooling, I shouldnt think 35w would be an issue.

I'd be happy with temps under 60*C.

[IMG]
Click to view full size![/IMG]

Just an example, but the concept is there. Fins obviously wouldnt be aligned that way
red = mobo
black rectangles = hdd

[thegumbyman]

Originally Posted by Chewman_BG

- PSU (Gigabye ODIN 800W)

so thinking
+ Silverstone SG06 - $130

I notice that case only seems to support a SFX form PSU - is the supplied 300w unit enough for an i7 860 with a 5XXX series video card?

[Chewman_BG]

^ yeah i know, but I'll mod the case if I have to...
like this.
but I've calculated and without overclocking (doubt I'd need any more than 2.8) and with a 3870 It would use =<250W. so it's pushing the border but it SHOULD theoretically be fine with the 300. If that doesn't work, I'll grab a 5770 since they use less energy than a 3870, and if all else fails, I'll mod the case, or attempt to find another PSU.
aside from the power restrictions, everything else seem OK?