Please help me buy an HTPC case - maybe a midi tower on it's side

[acrobat]

Wow thanks all! Got lots to be thinking about there.

I'm still not 100% decided on the 8800GTX idea but I would quite like to. I know it's not typically what an HTPC is for, but with a big telly and a nice big couch, it would be great to play games on that! And I have loads of games already, and also have the card already. I can just do the easy option and skip all that and use a cheaper smaller card.

I would like to still do it if possible though. It will be on 24 hours sometimes, but 24/7 isn't really likely. For example, I may have it on for a whole weekend, but not then for the rest of the week.

What I'll probably do is look at the cases people have linked and see if there are any that would work well for me and my price range and stuff. If not, I'll have to decide between a tower case on it's side, or just forget about high end gaming on it, and get a nice slimline case and just use it for web and music and video. Which would still be nice =)

Thanks again.

[Lucio]

This should do the trick KustomPCs.co.uk - Lian Li PC-A01A Silver

If you look, the bay lined up with the PCi card slots, runs the whole length of the case. You might want to get the top modified with some extra venting mesh, or even mount a couple of 120mm fans externally.

[acrobat]

Wow nice, thanks! That thing looks promising. I think that may do exactly what I was hoping for. I may have to do something to mod the fans, but the size is good and it looks nice.

[SiM]

OK, just checked, it will definitely not fit in the case. Its about 2 inches too long... But there is an easy mod you can do to the case that will make it fit. You just need to cut off some metal. I'll make you a pic to show you what I mean. Stay tuned folks.

[SiM]

You need to cut some metal here. I don't think it will effect the case in anyway except it destroys the "compartment" and you will lose the cable hole thingy.

[s3ds]

Tekheads.co.uk

i have two 80mm 1000 rpm on a controller in the back abd a 120 in the front

[staffsMike]

Tekheads.co.uk

i have two 80mm 1000 rpm on a controller in the back abd a 120 in the front

They never had stock when I was looking at that but it is a very nice case

What CPU cooler do you use?

[s3ds]

i use that PC in the front room and it runs a p4 2.8 with modded cpu cooler

take one of these
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK
then one of these
Tekheads.co.uk
a 120mm fan of your preference ( or one randomly picked from a box of spairs)
and finaly
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

would have been a lot simpler if i had not had the p4 2.8 hanging arround

the psu is close to the HD i put an enermax 400 but wish i had used VX450 as they are shorter
in the end i just tuckrd the HD under the DVD with brackets

[edp33]

Some ATX case recommendations in this excellent HTPC thread

Guide to Building a HD HTPC - AVS Forum

[acrobat]

Thanks guys I need to decide if I'll get the first case and mod it, or get that Lian Li PC-A01A Silver. Both are nice. I also need to have a good read of that thread edp33 posted.

I'll have a think about it and do some more research on those cases, and if I chicken out, I may just get a cheap small new graphics card and that will let me just use a smaller case and not worry about air flow and temperature as much. I'll see how it goes.