Easy HTPC

Since the wave of affordable laptops hit the mainstream market, desktop PC sales have been on the decline. Many consumers have found that their obsolete desktop PC is just sitting there collecting dust aside from occasional gaming. One option to revive the desktop PC is to convert it to a Home Theater PC (HTPC). Armed with an HD Tuner card and an HDMI capable video card, we are well on our way to moving our old desktop PC to the Home Theater. With the last item to make the HTPC complete being a sleek case, today we are taking a look at Antec’s Veris Fusion Black Quiet Media Center Case.

The Veris Fusion Black arrived well packed with no signs of physical damage.  The case itself was well packed with styrofoam, including a special block of styrofoam protecting the more delicate volume knob. The drivers CD and manual were securely placed within the case so they were not loose in the box. All of the cables inside the case were also bound in zip ties or rubber bands to prevent them from rattling around in the case.

Features:

The exterior of the Veris Fusion Black consists of 0.8 mm cold rolled steel with an aluminum front bezel. The LCD display also has a built in IR sensor that should be compatible with most media center remotes. The volume knob worked great in controlling the application volume. Our optical drive tray did fit through the built in optical drive door on the Veris Fusion Black without a problem. The simple and elegant front bezel also includes 1 firewire, 2 usb, 1 headphone and 1 mic ports.

Read more about the review here.

Via Legit Reviews

I remember the HP Blackbird as being pretty much the zenith of custom computer-building. Its second-to-none specs and stunning design put it ahead of everyone else — although its was monumentally expensive. The Firebird is a sort of companion piece to the Blackbird: quieter, more compact, less powerful but still potent, and significantly less expensive. We got the latest version, the 803, to test out. Is it a good deal or is it style over substance?

Since the last time I bought a custom system (from Alienware, perhaps six years ago), the demands on PC manufacturers have changed. Increasing consumer knowledge and easier aftermarket customization have made it more important for someone like HP to offer something a little more exclusive. Therefore, they decided on a low-power, interestingly-designed, and extremly well-put-together PC. The first thing you notice about the Firebird is the case (well, necessarily, since it’s the first thing you see): it’s certainly unique-looking, with the box sort of suspended over a foot, giving it a swoopy rice rocket sort of look. There are also understated designs on the translucent side panels, which are eye-catching but not garish. The whole thing is actually a little bigger than I expected, but it’s still smaller and slimmer than your average mid-tower case (not much lighter, though).

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Via Crunchgear.com

Introduction

Antec are very well known for their high end PC cases and have an impressive selection of PSU’s that are so reliable they carry a 5-Year warranty. Enthusiasts and gamers are not their only target market however as the product catalogue also features a range of HTPC cases. Today we have one of the higher specification models on our test bench, the Fusion Remote Max which is designed to house a HTPC system with no need to cut corners on the component specifications.

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Via Driverheaven.net

Antec HTPC Cases.

LG USA was kind enough to send us the LG BH08LS20 Super Multi Blu-ray Disc Rewriter with LightScribe. LG, even though an early endorser of Blu-Ray, has made it possible for the consumer to experience writing and reading of Blu-ray media as well as all DVD media types along with CD-R/RW writing, which makes the LG BH08LS20 truly a “Super-Multi” drive. The LG BH08LS20 is an internal SATA drive.

In this review we will show the performance of the LG BH08LS20 by running the drive through many tests on a considerable amount of various CD/DVD/BD media.

Read the whole review here.

Via cdfreaks.com

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Introduction

Coolmax has graced us with some really outstanding power supplies in the past. The first was the CUQ1350B which was a behemoth when it came to power as well as size. The whole idea of the CUQ, which also included a 1200 watt model, was to compete for the top spot in the most demanding rigs. The type of rigs that many of us can only dream of. You know the ones: dual, triple or quad video card setup using dual WD Raptors in raid for maximum performance.

And then there was the CUG-950B which was aimed at the rest of us that did not demand such large amounts of power. But that was still more than what the average Joe needed. This line only consisted of the 950 watt unit we reviewed. Even this model could power a well-built gaming rig with multi-GPU setups. Two great models of power supplies for the more than average user. But what do Coolmax have for the average Joe? One that does not need 800 plus watt of power.

The answer is the CU-700. The CU-700B which we will be reviewing today is aimed at the individual’s that don’t want to fork out $100 plus for a power supply. The same individual that do not even need 600 watt but wants the insurance when the time to upgrade comes along. The CU-700 fits this individual to a tee. The Cu-700 not only boasts 700 watts of power but does it at a price that any can afford. At $60 the CU-700 will not break the bank. The same individual would also like the fact the low cost unit is 80% efficient.

A little something from Coolmax

The CU-700 is a partial modular power supply that lets you select the cables you need while powering your system at a healthy 700 watts. Everyone likes a clean and easy installation. This power supply allows you to keep what you want and remove what you don’t. While necessary connectors, like the 20+4 pin power connector, are attached to the unit, you decide which of the others should stay. Customize your power supply to reflect your system.

Read the rest of the review here.

Via Pro-Clockers.com

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Easy HTPC Will be conducting our own reviews in the near future- but for now, I thought you would like a review I read back in October. Here’s a summary. Click on the Link to read the full review.

On a side note… I was so  impressed with the look of this case, I purchased one for my HTPC.

The Home Theatre PC market which only a few years was once a niche market has really started to grow in popularity. This increase in popularity is due to many different maturing technologies. Some would argue people (thanks to TiVO and other PVRs) have started to get a taste for recording TV without the need of external media, which at the best of times was a mix of low quality and short duration. We like to think this is only one such area which has allowed the HTPC market to flourish and is in fact more a bonus side effect than the actual true cause. 

The real cause of HTPC popularity is due in part to technology getting faster, smaller and cooler running while becoming more and more accessible to regular consumers. Being able to have a dual core MicroATX based system is at the heart of the expansion; but without newer, fresher case designs the HTPC would still be nothing but a good idea whose time never came. No one besides the hard core uber geek wants to have a big, bulky, loud and all in all ugly beige box in their entertainment center, no matter how many shows and movies it can record. People will put up with a lot of things but when it comes to making a decision and spending hard earned dollars “beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes to the bone”!

Read the rest of the review here.

Via Hardware Canucks

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