Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by Traveler

BD/DVD/CD ripping rig

Traveler — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 09:58:23 +0800

With Netflix, Amazon Prime and all the other streaming services available, I have moved on from BD/DVD/CD since 2018. But I still have my old collection and there's a lot of content there. I once built a rig back in 2014-2015 to rip my collection to my NAS but due to a couple issues, I have lost what I had previously ripped, and my ripping machine died (motherboard/CPU died, can't remember which).

So now that I am working from home all the time, I want to build a new rig to rip my entire collection. Again.

I can re-use some the parts from my old rig:
4x BD drives
CoolerMaster CM590 casing
PSU

and I have a few 3.5" HDDs (1-6TB) and 1-2 2.5" SATA SSDs from old rigs available.

So I am looking for recommendations on motherboard, CPU and GPU for this rig. Key questions in bold below.

I would need:

Min of 4 SATA ports on the mobo for the 4 BD drives. If there are additional SATA ports that's fine too as I can throw in recycled HDD/SSDs.
Min of 2 M.2 NVME slots (PCIe 4.0?) for the OS and the main working drives to temporarily store ripped data and in case I want to convert content between formats. I am looking at 2TB and 4TB SSDs. If speed makes a big difference, I would consider the 2TB Samsung 980 Pro and the 4TB Sabrent Rocket (both PCIe 4.0 drives). If speed is not an issue then I could look at the 2TB WD Blue SN550, 2TB Samsung 970 Evo, 4TB Sabrent Q (all PCIe 3.0 iirc) to keep costs down.

Long term storage will be on my Synology NAS - I have several, and my largest array is 48TB (4x 16TB Seagate Ironwolf in RAID5) and I still have space to add more drives. So storage capacity is not an issue. I estimate I have around 1000-1200 CDs, >1000 DVDs and 200-300 BDs. Those box sets do add up.

Should I go AMD or Intel for the ripping rig?
Motherboard? I have been looking at Asus mobos, almost all the desktops I have built in the last 10-15 years have been Asus, with a couple exceptions. And there's quite a few there. Since the last desktop I built was in 2015, I'm a little out of date with the latest models.

GPU - really pricey these days but I know some software does make use of the GPU so I would appreciate recommendations as well (balance between budget vs performance, given that this rig is not for gaming).

I think software-wise I will still be using MakeMKV, DVD Decrypter, Handbrake, Wondershare Filmora (for my GoPro trip videos), and others. For the music CDs, I prefer to rip to FLAC but may also do an MP3 version.

I may have issues with region codes, but that's probably a discussion for another thread.

Appreciate any advice you may have. Thank you

Which 4K monitor should I get?

Traveler — Sun, 28 Dec 2014 11:42:26 +0800

Currently building a new main rig for a mix of work (mostly Excel, Powerpoint, Word), gaming, ripping, video/photo editing, etc.

Am looking at a 4K monitor for this. Single monitor preferred due to desk space limitations.
CPU: i7-4790K
GPU: 2x Asus GTX970 in SLI

I've been very satisfied with Dell monitors in the past (have more than 5 in the past), so I was looking at their website and saw these 2:

27" Dell UltraSharp 27 Ultra HD 5K Monitor – UP2715K - The world’s first 5K monitor.
Max res: 5120x2880 @60Hz; 3840x2160 @60Hz. IPS. Integrated speakers. USB3
Dell UP2715K

34" Dell UltraSharp 34 Curved Monitor – U3415W - Curved panoramic 21:9 high-performance monitor with WQHD resolution of 3440x1440 and an ultra-thin bezel.
Max res: 3440x1440 @60 Hz. IPS. Integrated speakers. USB3
Dell U3415W

Most other stats (contrast, speed, etc) are similar between the two.

Have anyone used curved monitors and what is your experience with them? The UP2715K has higher res, and is sized better for my desk. But the recent curved TV/monitor thing is making me wonder how's it like to use one.

Any comments, advice? Thanks in advance.

Automated Ripping of CD, DVD, BD

Traveler — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:02:05 +0800

Does anyone here have any experience in dealing with automated auto-loading rippers such as the Ripstation?

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

I am looking at this as a possible option, since I am looking to re-rip my entire music collection (>1000 CDs) into FLAC and MP3, my entire movie and TV shows collection (>2000-3000 DVDs, around 10 BDs and rising) into ISO, BD-ISO, and any other useful format. What I lack most is the time to do this manually. I have the storage space for lossless archiving (FLAC & ISOs) plus storage for other useful formats (for playback on iPod, iPhone, iPad; streaming to players located around the home; etc.).

An automated auto-loading ripping machine would allow fast and unattended ripping, so I could start it up before going to work (or going to bed), and come back to a completed task with 100 discs done.

Anyone have any experience of these machines or know of a cheaper one? At USD2k + shipping + tax, it's not cheap, but neither is building a dedicated ripping PC with multiple optical drives and large HDDs, not to mention the time involved in manually ripping some 4000 discs.

Romania & the Transfagarasan Road

Traveler — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 11:36:12 +0800

Has anyone here been to Romania, driven a car there, or been to the Transfagarasan Road?

Am planning a few days in Romania this summer, and after watching Jeremy Clarkson and co driving up that road.... I've been inspired to try it.

My proposed itinerary:

Day 1
- arrive 0630am in Bucharest via overnight train from Sofia (Bulgaria)
- spend day sightseeing and hanging out in Bucharest
- night in Bucharest

Day 2
- rent a car (airport) and drive to Pitesti, onto the Transfagarasan road, to Fagaras, and finally to Brasov.
- night in Brasov

Day 3
- visit Bran (the so-called Dracula's castle) and other nearby sights
- night in Brasov

Day 4
- return to Bucharest airport (estimate 3-4 hours drive)
- fly off in the afternoon.

We have planned for a 5th day (4th night) in Romania, so we have the option of staying for an extra night in Bucharest or Brasov, depending on whats there to see.

Anyone have any suggestions on what to see/do in Bucharest, on the Transfagarasan Road, where to rent a good car (or two), etc.? I have the Lonely Planet guide for Romania, but wanted to know of anyone's personal experiences.

Thanks.

High-end rig (video encoding, gaming, etc)

Traveler — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 14:53:15 +0800

I'm building a high-end rig as a replacement for my main rig (upgrading specs). I would appreciate any comments or suggestions
I'm thinking of the following specs (prices are estimated based on LYP prices):

Usage: Audio/video ripping and encoding (H264, FLAC, MP3, etc) - this will be a major activity on this rig; gaming (Star Craft 2, DDO, other similar games requiring high-res graphics), financial modelling (Excel), normal usage (surfing, etc.).

CPU: i7 950 @RM910 [alternative: Phenom II X6 1090T BE @RM898; or should I just stick to the i7?] - replaces a Q9550
Cooler: Corsair H70 [alternate: TR Venomous-X or -X-RT] - H70 is not as bulky, similar performance as Ven-X, but apparently is noisy with fans at max - I don't mind changing the fans or running a fan controller
Mobo: Gigabyte X58A-UD3R [alternate: Asus Sabertooth X58A] both @RM800 - prefer the Gigabyte as it has 10 SATA ports which I will be using up. Question: Does the Gigabyte let you boot the OS from the SATA6G port?

RAM: 2x6GB kits = 12GB - looking at Corsair or Kingstons - budget RM1k
GPU: 2x HD5970 or 2x GTX480 (I like ATI's Eyefinity feature) - recommendations? I am worried about heat, as I don't plan on a WC solution - replaces a GTX275
Monitors: 3x Dell U2311H (23" 1920x1080; RM699 each) or 2x Dell U2410 (24" 1920x1200; RM1699 each) - I would have preferred a 3x 24" monitor setup but I think my desk space is not enough. Even a 3x 23" setup may be too tight. My server and backup NAS rigs are running on a shared 3 monitor setup (2x U2311H + 1x 24" Acer "forgot model #") and I just love it. - replaces a 24" Dell 2407WFP (1920x1200)

Casing: CM HAF-X @RM589 - replaces a CM590 which would be too small given that I want to do extensive neat cable routing
- 4 external drive bays: BD-R drive, DVD-RW drive, Fan Controller/card reader/LCD display (to be identified), Light Controller (Frozen CPU)
- 2 SATA Dock drive bays: 2 HDDs
- 5 internal HDD bays: 4 HDDs + 2 SSDs
PSU: Corsair HX1000 (already have)
Mods: Nothing major, just UV lights (from current rig), LED lights (FrozenCPU stuff), and neat cable routing. Probably will get som MDPC-type sleeving (will pay someone to sleeve the stuff as I don't have the time to do it).

SSD: 2x 120GB SSD - still looking at alternatives. I had liked the Corsair Force 120GBs but after reading about the problems on the Corsair forums, am considering others like the Kingston SSD Now or the OCZ Vertex 2.
HDD: 4x 1.5TB Seagate - already have from current rig, so will just transfer over; may add another 2 HDDs (2TB WD Greens or Samsungs) for additional "removable" storage by utilising the HAF-X SATA Dock drive bays
ODD: 1x BD-R Pioneer (already have) + 1x DVD-RW Samsung (already have)

OS: Win 7 HP 64-bit or Win 7 Ultimate 64-bit (haven't decided if I need the extra features of Ultimate)
Sound card: Creative X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Pro (PCIe x1) @RM499
Speakers: Could use a good recommendation, probably a 2.1 speaker setup as my room does not lend it self to proper placement of a 5.1/7.1 speaker system. Aside from gaming, any music/video will be on casual basis, as most movies will be viewed on my home theatre setup in my living room.

Other gear already acquired:
Keyboard: Logitech G19
Mouse: Roccat Kone
Headset: Alienware TactX

RAID 5/6 for Home Media Server

Traveler — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:42:47 +0800

I'm building a media server for my home use (streaming HD & SD video plus audio over 1Gbps Ethernet & 300Mbps wireless-N; to up to 5 simultaneous users - but normally not more than 3 users). I am recycling some of my older component such as a Q8200 CPU, an not-so-new motherboard with (at least 5 onboard SATA ports), 8GB RAM, Radeon 2600XT and CM Stacker STC-101 casing (dual PSU).

As my casing has 11 free drive bays, I intend to use 6 of them to put in two 5-in-3 removable HD drive cages, that can hold up to 10 3.5" HDs. I also plan to put in an 8-port PCIe RAID controller. So I plan to hook up 8x 2TB WD Green HDs (in the drive cages) to the RAID controller, with another 2x 2TD WD Green HDs to the onboard SATA connectors. I will use up another 2 onboard SATA ports to connected either 2x BR-R drives or 1x BR-R and 1x DVD-RW. A 5th onboard SATA may be connected to a Vantec 2.5" removable HD slot.

For the 8 HDs linked to the RAID card, I was thinking of using a 7-disc RAID5 array (14TB) with the last HD as a hot spare. I thought of using a 8-disc RAID6 array (14TB) with no hot spares, however what I have managed to read up online seems to indicate that using RAID6 brings a performance hit due to the increased parity computation (also higher electricity consumption and more heat probably). I do plan to have 2 identical HDs around as cold spares. As I already plan to have another rig setup as a purely backup server to backup this main server, I think my 7-disc RAID5 array plan should be workable right?

The remaining 2 HDs will be set in JBOD for OS, and other uses, so I should end up having a total usable HD space of 18TB from the 8 HDs.

Since I do plan to do extensive encoding of my video files, I am thinking it would be quicker to read the input files from the RAID-5 array and encode them to one of the 2 non-RAIDed HDs linked to the onboard SATA ports (no RAID overhead). Is this right?

As for my backup server, I plan on using up to 10x 2TB WD Green HDs in SPAN configuration (no need to RAID as this rig is purely for periodic backup, and it is a backup on originals stored on RAIDed storage. Anyone have experience on using SPAN config?

Where can I find a 12V cooler box

Traveler — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:14:02 +0800

I was wondering if anyone here know where I can find cooler boxes that are powered by a 12V car cigarette lighter power socket? These are just like your usual cooler boxes except they use electricity to keep the contents cool/cold and some can also keep contents warm. Most can cool to 20C below ambient temp.

Some examples are:
12V 12L Cooler Box
Ezetil E40
Coleman Powerbox Deluxe Cooler
Automotive 6L Travel Cooler

Some sample pics are attached below.

I can find some luxury car brand's own cooler boxes, but they cost >RM900. I was wondering if I can find cheaper ones like the ones on these overseas websites that are priced around RM200-500 equivalent. Anyone seen any locally? I think these cooler boxes would very useful on long roadtrips, and since I will be making many roadtrips this year, am hoping to get one very soon.

Massive storage for home server

Traveler — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:55:41 +0800

Has anyone here setup a home server with >10TB storage before? Any issues that you face with the OS, heat, power, speed, etc? Preferably using normal (non-industrial/high-end) components to keep costs down (please don't suggest high-end NAS boxes that cost >RM2k+).

Am planning to setup a server using a mix of old and new components:

Q8200 with Zalman 9700 cooler (recycled from previous rig)
Abit IP35-Pro motherboard with 4GB DDR2/800 RAM (recycled from previous rig)
9800GT (recycled from another rig)
6 SATA ports
-> 5 ports into 5-in-3 SATA hot-swap HD cage holding 5x2TB WD Caviar Green HDs in RAID-5 (when the price/GB comes closer to price/GB of 1.5TB drives)
-> 1 port for 2TB WD Caviar Black/Green HD (OS, Apps, etc.)
IDE -> 2x DVD-RW optical drives
PCI SATA Card #1 - 2x 1TB WD Caviar Green HD (recycled from another rig) - cheap PCI card from LYP
PCI SATA Card #2 - 1x 2TB WD Caviar Green HD + 1x 500GB 2.5" HD (in Vantec EZ-Swap portable eSATA/USB casing) - cheap PCI card from LYP

Casing: CM Stacker (the original - 11 drive bays)
So I can dedicate 6 bays for the HDs (2 HD cages to hold 9 HDs), 1 bay for the Vantec EZ-Swap, leaving the remaining bays for optical drives (2), Fan controller (1), LCD display (1)
PSU: 2x CM RealPower 620W
Cooling: 120mm intake at 4-in-3 HD cage, 80mm in 5-in-3 hot swap HD cage, 120mm bottom intake, 120mm exhaust behind CPU, 80mm top blowhole (enough to keep things from roasting?)

Right now, since many parts are recycled, I just need to get the 2TB HDs and OS, all the other parts I already have on hand. Main usage will be as media server to stream SD/HD/music content to HTPC/media box/PCs all over the home (via Gigabit LAN/Wireless-N) and to archive/encode BD/DVD/CD (either straight rip from BD/DVD, encode video to MKV/MPG/iPod format, archive music to FLAC/MP3). This is not my main rig, so I won't be sitting at this rig much (except to rip, and queue encoding jobs). Backup will be over Gigabit LAN to NAS boxes or other PCs.

Does this seem like a workable setup? Am concerned it may get too hot inside. What OS should I use for this? I was considering Windows Home Server but I read an article (dated just over a year ago) saying that WHS is vulnerable to data corruption if data is accessed via certain apps from other PCs - supposed to be fixed by now, but still am concerned.

Intel stock heat sinks (LGA775)

Traveler — Thu, 28 May 2009 09:07:15 +0800

I have a few Intel LGA775 CPUs and I've noticed over time (E6600 -> E6550 -> E8200 -> Q8200 -> Q9550) that the stock HSF is getting shorter over time. In fact the smallest HSFs are the one that came with the quad-cores. Now the dual-cores have a TDP of 65W while the quad-cores have a TDP of 95W. One would think that the heatsinks would in fact grow in size over with higher TDP CPUs (or have increasingly more powerful fans). But looking at the heatsinks, they are shrinking, and while I can't tell the CFMs of the fans, they look very similar, and the higher wattage fans are all with the larger heatsinks (for the least powerful CPUs like the E6600/E6550).

Does this mean that:
1. The newer shorter heatsinks are better at cooling than the older taller heatsink? (hard to see from a casual inspection due to the very similar design, they look alike, except for the height).
2. The newer CPUs (45nm vs 65nm) put out less heat? It sounds logical to assume that given the 45nm should give out less heat, but then the newer CPUs are also running higher clock speeds and also Intel still records their TDP as the same (E8200 - 65W vs E6600 - 65W). Also what about the quad-cores? They have 105W TDP, but have shorter heatsinks than the E6600.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? I would think that the older larger heatsinks would be better for cooling (assuming same CPU) when compared with the newer shorter heatsinks.

Q9550 & Q8200 and P5Q Pro Turbo & IP35Pro

Traveler — Fri, 01 May 2009 00:17:27 +0800

I have a Q9550 and a Q8200. I also have a Asus P5Q Pro Turbo and a Abit IP35Pro. I want to build 2 rigs, one as my media/file server for my home network (also will be doing a lot of media file ripping/encoding); and the 2nd rig as a dedicated folding@home + NAS rig (together with 2x 9800GT). I have 2x2GB Kingston DDR2-800 and 4x1GB Corsair XMS2 DDR2-800 that I can use for both rigs. I expect to overclock both CPUs but not to extreme levels, maybe to 400FSB for the rig with the Kingston RAM and a bit beyond 400 for the rig with Corsair RAM.

I've decided that my media server should have the Q9550, while the folding/NAS rig will have the Q8200. Now which mobo should I pair with which CPU? Should I pair the Q9550 with the newer Asus P5Q Pro Turbo?

Appreciate advice on this matter. Thanks

Freecom Musicpal

Traveler — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:45:59 +0800

I wonder if anyone has used or seen this internet radio before.. I noticed MBf cards had a promotion with it sometime last year. I just ordered it via my friend in UK since I have another friend going to UK next week who can pick it up for me. I'm thinking of hooking it up in my kitchen as I have a RJ45 socket there that's hooked up to my LAN, so I can listen to internet radio or my music collection while I cook. Seems to even have live RSS feeds.

Freecom Musicpal

Details in spoiler:

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

Wireless internet radio from Freecom. Plays internet radio without the use of a PC. Streams also MP3 music from your computer or network via WLAN.

Features :
• Wireless digital internet radio and MP3 player
• Plays internet radio without the use of a computer
• Streams MP3 music from your computer or network
• Installs in seconds, easy to set up
• Supports over 10.000 radio stations, including BBC 1,2,3,4 and 5Live
• Supports MP3, WAV & WMA
• Alarm clock functionality
• Live RSS feeds / Blog feeds in display
• Built-in speaker and WLAN antenna
• Stereo audio out (2 x cinch) to connect to HiFi/Amplifier set
• Line out (minijack ) to connect to headphones or active
speakers

The easy way to listen to digital music anywhere in your home or office.
As the internet continues to have a bigger and bigger impact on our lives we now find all the popular radio stations broadcasting on the web! And they are joined by an enormous group of regional and specialist stations, which therefore can be heard across the world. Another trend is that we are collecting our own audio songs in our own libraries. We want to play these songs
anywhere in the house: in the bedroom, the kitchen, the home office or the garage.

Also more and more people start using RSS which is a popular way to pull in news and information from across the internet and allow web sites to easily push content to subscribers directly. Subscribers are instantly updated with the latest information and news from web servers. Freecom internet radio enables new ways of music listening and RSS/Blog information in one new device: Freecom MusicPal. Just put the Freecom internet radio MP3 streamer anywhere in your house and, with the push of a button, play thousands of radio stations or enjoy your own digital music library. Like the original radio we know, the internet radio is a device that will find it‘s way to millions of households in the next years.

Again, Freecom has created a solution from a consumer’s perspective, where convenience, design and quality are key factors.

[addedon]April 21, 2009, 2:47 pm[/addedon]Received it yesterday and immediately had to do a bit of supergluing, as the volume knob had broken off when my gf brought it back from London (apparently there was insufficient padding in her luggage after she removed it from original packaging; lesson learnt: when asking others to bring your stuff back, always leave it in the original packaging!). Anyway, a few mins later, it worked like a charm.

Installation was very easy. Just plug in the power cord and LAN cable, and it auto-detects everything. Tested on US, UK and Malaysian internet radio stations. Results: US (2 stations, 64kbps) - sounds great, no stuttering; UK (1 station, 64kbps) - sounds good, but heavy stuttering; Malaysia (1 station, 24kbps) - sounds so-so only, mild stuttering. Will test on more stations tonight. Also will check out weather options, music streaming (from my NAS), RSS settings, etc. Upgraded firmware (just select upgrade firmware and click, it will auto-update) which took >30 mins (slow download, maybe due to my main rig hogging the streamyx line).

[addedon]April 21, 2009, 10:52 pm[/addedon]After some tweaking on my connection (dumped the slow streamyx IP and kept re-connecting till I got a faster IP), and LAN (enabled QoS, prioritized the MusicPal), I got a much better connection to UK-based radio stations streaming at 128kbps without any stuttering over a 30 mins period.

In addition, also enabled weather reports, RSS feeds, stock tickers and world clocks; using the web interface.

Am quite happy with this little gadget. Only drawback is that it doesn't playback FLAC which is my format of choice for archiving my music collection. In any case, I will spend some time tomorrow on working out some audio streaming from my NAS.

Using Firewire for external HD

Traveler — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:10:02 +0800

Hi guys,

I have a Sarotech external HD casing (USB/eSATA/Firewire) and I want to use it with my PC's Firewire port (no eSATA on this PC). The HD works fine when on USB. But when I try to plug in via Firewire, the PC doesn't recognize the HD at all. Am using Vista HP, and it should be just plug & play right? Could the problem be caused by my Firewire cable, any special driver required or something else?

I have enabled Firewire on the mobo (BIOS) so that shouldn't be the issue, right?

I've a lot of files (mostly movies) to transfer so being able to use Firewire should save me some time as USB is very very slow (am getting around 15MB/s on average, sometimes up to 20MB/s).

Appreciate any advice.

France

QD_buyer — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 20:24:37 +0800

Got what in France ?

Anyone went there before?

I plan to go there soon,but I only know Paris

Might like to visit other place like Cannes,Marseille,Lyon and Normandy and Omaha Beach

Recommendation for new car <RM150k

Traveler — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:16:21 +0800

I'm helping a close lady friend in choosing her new car, and would like your thoughts on my suggestions.

Criteria:
Budget around RM150k
Car must be new, no 2nd-hand cars
Fuel efficiency is important (mostly city driving)
Not more than 2.0L (for Road tax rebate), but don't want underpowered car either
Prefers smaller-sized car, as she is driving a Satria 1.3L manual now.
Features required in cars: minimum 2 airbags, ABS, automatic transmission

So far my friend is looking at:
1. Honda Civic 2.0L (RM125k) - seems like a safe choice but I think my friend will only consider it if other choices don't work out
2. Mitsubishi Lancer 2.0GT (RM113k) - like the aggressive look
3. VW CrossPolo (RM110k) - my friend likes the shape, VW known for reliability
4. Peugeot 207cc (RM159k) - my friend really likes the shape of this car since seeing it in Europe
5. Smart Roadster (RM??) - not easy to find unused one, but my friend loves the car
6. Smart ForFour (RM80k-90k?)- also not easy to find unused one, but can be considered if cheap

No Proton, Perodua, Kia, Hyundai, Alado, Cherry, will be considered.
Already rejected:
1. Vios, Yaris, Corolla Altis (new), Rush
2. City, Jazz - don't like the shape
3. Smart ForTwo - too small
4. Peugeot 206/206cc - old model

Does anyone have any ideas on other cars to consider or particularly strong opinions on the 6 short-listed candidates? I have a strong preference for continental cars which is reflected in my recommendations, and my friend is starting to develop similar tastes as well.

Thanks in advance.

PC reboots when trying to boot from DVD drive

Traveler — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 00:22:22 +0800

I built a new rig (HTPC) and have decided to wipe my XP Pro install and install Vista Home Premium. But when I try to boot from DVD, at the moment I press "any key" to boot from DVD, the PC immediately resets and starts all over. I can't boot from XP anymore as I get some error about a missing DLL file or something.

Setup:
E6600 on Abit AB9-QuadGT (at stock speed)
2x1GB Kingston Value RAM DDR2-800 (at stock speed) - RAM tested on another rig and known to be good
3x 320GB Seagate HDs (SATA)
LG DVD-RW -> for some reason can't boot from this drive (IDE master)
LiteOn DVD-RW -> this drive can boot (IDE slave)
Primary Video: Gigabyte 7600GT fanless
Secondary Video: Leadtek 7100GS fanless
Creative X-Fi Elite Pro
750W PSU (Silverstone)

I am clueless now on what could be causing the reboots. I've tried swapping DVD drives, disconnecting one of them, changing BIOS settings (including going into fail-safe mode), but nothing seems to wrok. Anyone have any idea?

Thank you.

[Worklog] Project Argent - NAS

Traveler — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 16:01:46 +0800

A couple years back, I started my OmegaX case mod, which was never completed. Now with my home network project taking off, I am resurrecting this case mod to house my NAS (network attached storage) box with a total HD capacity of 1.3TB.

This particular case will take a while to be completed as a few things like windows and custom acrylic designs need to be done first; and my priority is to build my HTPC and Primary Server (see worklogs for those). Nonetheless, the rig should be operational sooner, so here goes:

Specs:
Athlon XP2400+ under Thermalright XP90 (I think it's XP90, bought it a long time ago)
Abit AT7-MAX2 - with extra heatsinks - yes it's an oldie
2x 512MB Apacer DDR400 RAM
Powercolor Radeon 9700 with LED heatsink and RAMsinks
1x DVD-RW
2x 80GB Maxtor PATA 5400rpm HD
2x 120GB PATA 7200rpm HD (Seagate/WD - don't remember which)
2x 200GB PATA 7200rpm HD (Seagate/WD - don't remember which)
2x 250GB WD SATA 7200rpm HD (one in a removable HD configuration)
Cooling:
2x 80mm intake fans for HD - CM blue LED or Vantec UV LED
2x 80mm exhaust fans (behind CPU) - CM blue LED or Vantec UV LED
1x 92mm intake fan (ventral) - Delta medium speed (preferred) or Nidec Beta V (if more CFM needed)
1x 92mm exhaust fan (blowhole) - Delta medium speed
1x 92mm CPU fan - Delta medium speed
Lights: CCFLs, LED lights, EL cable.
Fan/light controller device: to be determined later from whatever parts I can find cheaply
Silverstone ST75F 750W modular PSU

Sneak peek pic: CPU + heatsink + mobo installed in the custom BMW yellow interior

[Worklog] Project Argent - HTPC

Traveler — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 11:34:33 +0800

This is the first of a series of worklogs which I shall be posting on Project Argent, which is a comprehensive home network, of which this HTPC is just one part of a larger whole. After 2 years of planning, it is finally being built.

This thread is on the HTPC component, which constitutes a part of the home theatre system.

Specs are as follows:
C2D E6600 cooled by Zalman CNPS9500
Abit AB9 QuadGT modified with Zalman heatsink
2x 1GB Kingston DDR2/800 with added black heatspreaders
Gigabyte 7600GT 256MB fanless
Leadtek 7100GS 128MB fanless
Silverstone LC-18 (with 7" touchscreen LCD)
Creative X-Fi Elite Pro
3x 320GB Seagate 7200.10 HD
Lite-On DVD-RW
TDK DVD-RW
Silverstone FP34 card reader/front panel audio/USB/Firewire
Silverstone ST75F 750W modular PSU
4x 80mm Coolermaster silent fans replacing the original 2x Silverstone fans (Silverstone fans did not have RPM sensors)

Some pics to start (Left to Right):
1. Some of the parts I bought for this: Motherboard, PSU, Sound Card, LiteOn DVD-RW, 4x CM fans, Leadtek 7100GS, HDs, SATA cables and C2D E6600 CPU. The Zalman is a CNPS9700 which I wanted to install in the HTPC, but turns out it is too tall for the LC-18 by a few mm. So I had to switch to the CNPS9500.
2. Silverstone LC-18 with the touchscreen

Wired/Wireless home network plan - critique please

Traveler — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 12:19:26 +0800

Hi all.

I'm installing a wired and wireless LAN in my new apartment. The apartment has pre-installed network wiring connecting various points in the apartment to a central switch box.

I'm planning on installing Gigabit Ethernet for the wired LAN and draft-N for the wireless.

I am considering 2 options of setting up my equipment. Would someone mind posting comments, advice or pointing out any bad choices I've made?

Option 1 - WAP at modem

Home Office Room:
Modem: Aztech 600EU (use as modem only)
Router/draft-N WAP/4-port switch: Linksys WRT330N gigabit gaming router
8-port switch #1: Linksys SD2008 or Linksys EG008W - connected to the router, switch #2

Connection looks like this:
[Modem] ---- [Router/WAP/4-port SW] ---- [8-port SW#1]

Router is connected to 3 PCs & 8-port SW#1 (all 4 ports), 8-port SW#1 connected to 3 PCs, 1 printer, Router & 8-port SW#2 (6 ports used).

Switchbox Room:
8-port switch #2: Linksys SD2008 or Linksys EG008W - connected to switch #1, and other LAN ports all over apartment

Questions:
1. Can the Aztech modem be used as a modem only, with the Linksys WRT330N used as the router?

Option 2: - WAP in the switchbox room

Home Office Room:
Modem: Aztech 600EU (use as modem and router)
8-port switch #1: Linksys SD2008 or Linksys EG008W - connected to the router, switch #2, 5 PCs, 1 printer (all 8 ports used)

Connection looks like this:
[Modem/Router] ---- [8-port SW#1]

Switchbox Room:
8-port switch #2: Linksys SD2008 or Linksys EG008W - connected to switch #1, WAP and other LAN ports all over apartment
WAP: Linksys WAP4400N

In both cases, I will be using the same equipment except for in Option 1, I use the WRT330N router/WAP/switch, while in Option 2, that is replaced by the WAP4400N WAP.

Option 1, I think has better wireless coverage because the Home Office Room is kind of central in the apartment while the Switch box room is at one corner of the apartment. This option will also give me more free ports for future expansion.

But does anyone know if this structure will work with the equipment mentioned? Btw, I picked the gaming router since I plan to do online gaming quite a bit.

Thank you in advance.

Bedroom Hifi unit.. trying to decide

Traveler — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 17:37:27 +0800

HTPC configuration - critique

Traveler — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 16:53:21 +0800

Hi all,

I'm finally putting all the stuff together in the next 2 weeks, as I have started moving to my new apartment. So here's what I want the HTPC to do:

1. Play music stored on my server (streamed over 1000/100MBps Ethernet or WiFi-G). Music in MP3 VBR format (for most music/audio), WAV/Apple Lossless/FLAC/WMA Lossless for classical music or other "demanding" music.
2. Play video stored on my server (streamed as per audio)
3. Play a few computer games (DDO, Supreme Commander, GCiv2, etc..)
4. Surt net, etc. from time to time
5. Do PVR stuff (with EPG and all the bells & whistles)
6. Rip DVD/CD video/audio as needed (I expect most of my ripping to be done at my server-side)
7. Burn DVD/CD as needed (most burning will be done at server or other PC)
8. Move recorded shows from HTPC to server from time to time.
9. Play internet radio stations -> I may decide on adding a SlimDevices Transporter or a Roku Soundbridge later, so this is not so critical at the moment.

Hardware:
Casing: Silverstone LC-18 (black) with 7" LCD
CPU: Athlon 64 X2 3800+
Motherboard: Asus M2N32-SLI Premium Vista Edition
RAM: 2x 1GB DDR2/800 (2GB enough? or should I go 4GB?)
Video cards: 2x XFX 7950GT (fanless) - SLI capable
Tuner: Nvidia DualTV (PAL version) <<<<< Anyone know where to get this? I tried Nvidia online shop, but encountered problems.
Sound card: Creative X-Fi Elite Pro
DVD-RW: 1x any decent one. Reserve 2nd slot for Blu-ray or HD-DVD
HDs: 3x 320GB Seagate HDs or any other size that is most value for money. Room to add 2 more HDs.
Cooling devices: Zalman CNPS9700 LED for CPU, silent fans elsewhere
Keyboard: Logitech Cordless Desktop MX5000
Remote: Logitech Harmony 890 (as universal remote, also controls other AV equipment)

Misc accessories:
Silversone PP02 PSU silencer
Silverstone FP34 card reader
Akasa sound dampening material?

Output devices:
1. internal 7" LCD
2. Sony VPL-HS60 projector
3. 32-37" LCD TV (to be added in later, when budget allows)

Software:
Vista or XP Pro?
BeyondTV as my PVR software
iTunes, Slimserver, etc.. as needed

Other equipment in HT system:
1. Yamaha receiver/amp
2. 2x 300CD Sony changers
3. DVD player (HD-DVD or Blu-ray, undecided so may postpone this)
4. Astro box

HTPC will run on a UPS with auto-shutdown features. Model/brand of UPS will be determined later after some further research.

Hope to see a critique or some advise if I've picked the wrong equipment or something inferior. This will be my first ever HTPC. Will be ordering the equipment by the end of this week.

Thank you all!