[vdr] Re: cpu cooling

["Rene Bartsch" <vdr@bartschnet.de>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Sven Karlsson" <svenka@it.kth.se>
To: <vdr@linuxtv.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2002 4:22 PM
Subject: [vdr] Re: cpu cooling


> Hi all,
>
> Earlier this year I did build an almost fanless machine. I suggest you
have
> a look at the Via C3 processor. It is slow but I can watch DVDs and
Divx:es
> on my 933MHz C3 without problems on it. I do not have any DVB card in that
> machine though.
>
> Here are some specs:
>
> * Via C3 933 MHz
> * Via 694 based motherboard (AFAIK only Via does chipsets that work
properly
> with the C3)
> * one 40GB Seagate Barracuda IV in a SilentDrive enclosure
> * 256 MByte standard PC133 sdram
> * standard fanless off-the-mill geforce2 MX. You can probably use a MX440
> too. The geforce has good support for TV-out and that's why I use it.
> * standard creative soundcard
> * Nec 5700B DVD player
>
> Now for the fun part, i.e., the cooling:
>
> The CPU has one Zalman CNPS6000-Cu (there are neven newer models
available)
> without fan which is supposed to be "hanging in the air" above the
heatsink.
> I do not use that fan, only the heatsink. I use artic silver III as
thermal
> paste.
>
> The case is a standard chieftec one that is rebranded as a thermaltake
case.
> It is quite good a roomy with lots of space.
>
> The case is ventilated (next to the CPU) with a single Papst 8412 which is
> powered by 5V (it is normally at 12V) and this thus both slower and less
> noisy.
>
> The PSU is a special low noise one from Q Technology. I think SilentPC in
> Netherlands have these. The fan in that one has been replaced by a Papst
> 8412. The voltage on that fan very rarely goes above 7-8V!

Regulated fans seem to be louder as the ear registers the changing of RPM
much more than a slightly noisier fan running on constant RPM.

>
> There are fans that are even more silent than the papst but I haven't
tried
> them.
>
> If anyone know of any good completely fanless ATX PSU I'm more than
> interested!

One the one hand you could use a VERAX fan in the PSU or take a passive one.
One or to editions ago there was a list of silent and passive PSUs and
silent fans int the c't.
But a passive PSU costs at least 130 Euro ...

The only thing that is even remotely noisy on my box is the PSU
> fan. The entire box is much less noisy than my Philips VCR and par with my
> old Technics CD player (more than 11 years old now).
>
> The key to all this is really the C3. It only need 9W of power which makes
> it very easy to implement a good cooling system. I think the most power
> hungry part (and thermally hot) by far in my box is the geforce card.
>
> The CPU goes up to 49 degrees C and stays there no matter what so I think
I
> even could remove the case fan but I cannot really hear it oven the PSU
fan.
> This will change I hope if I could get a passive PSU.
>
> I hope this helps. The CPU isn't very fast but as I said: it is fast
enough
> for realtime divx over the geforce so I'm happy with it!
>
> I'd gladly answer any further questions you might have...
>
> Best regards
>  Sven
>
>
>