HTPC - case selection and what went wrong.

[DukeP]

Hya peeps.
Im building a HTPC and I wanted to start out with a beautifull case - damned the price.

I went for the Omaura TF11.

Unfortunately - it didnt turn out well.

Now Im trying the Zalman HD 160 plus instead.

Whats Your thoughts?

~~DukeP~~

Below is the short note I posted to the Omaura forum:

I have just recieved my TF 11. I have waited for this for months (litterally).

But. It feels like the factory have rushed this one.
The parts doesnt line up properbly. I had to remove the drivecover and
slightly file at the edges of the cover - otherwise it wouldt open, as
it grated heavily against the corners.
The front doesnt line up with the sides - so white light from the
powerbutton leaks through the 2 mm gab and illuminates the sides (in
an uncool way).
The holes for the PSU doesnt fit - mostly because of a mangled
backplate and inproper fitting between the two bottom ledges which is
supposed to flank the PSU. Theres rust (iron oxides) on the top of the
backplate - enough to have fallen down and coloured the 2 rear fans.

Speaking about fans; none of the 4 fans report their RPM's (even
though they have got 3 legs). The 2 rear mounted fans are NOISY! - and
since the motherboard cant get a fix on their RPM, they cant be
regulated. Oh. And by noisy I mean: My girlfriend came up from the
floor below to check on the noise....

The front media bay's JMicron JMB36X controller's drivers arent signed
(Vista 64bit) and doesnt work either (Code 10 - unit doesnt start).
The USB ports doesnt work (at least not on my motherboard - connecting
them to the MB yields a "SB Over Current Status Detected, Computer
will shut down in15 seconds" error. The headphone port only sends
stereo if you wiggle the jack about 1/5 of the way out (with the jack
properbly seated, You only get sound in the right ear).

Oh. And its pretty darn hard to open the media bay without tools.
Although that can most likely be fixed with a spacer for the magnets.

Did I mention that the front left foot wasnt attached when the case
arrived? Reason was bad machining of the foot itself. It cant be
attached -the bottom mounted nut cant enter the hole in the foot, so
the screw cant get traction.

So all in all.

Its a pretty case, if seen from a distance.

Its practically unusable in its role as a home entertaintment center.

[VJ]

Sorry to hear about your experience... but thanks for sharing (I have been looking at the Omauro cases as well... ) Other cases I looked at where the Zalman range, the OrigenAE range and the HFX classic.

Guess this removes the Omauro from my list.

How is the Zalman doing?
(noise wise, quality wise, ...)


Jörg

[DukeP]

The Zalman is pretty neat.

Its not meant to be disassembled all the time, since the case is pretty tighly screwed together (nicely done, all in all - but theres 6 screws to open the lid).

The Imon lcd display is gadgety - Its neat and all, but I have found little use for it (news as rss feed? Ehm. Well. World isnt made of headlines..).

I love the volume knob. Far more than expected. The remote is both pretty and well made.

Only found 1 point that subtracts a bit: theres room for a huge fan in the lid of the case - but its placed above the CPU. Today its the GPU that produces the most heat - so It would have been much better placed a bit neare the center of the case.

My ATI 4850 is spewing fire, brimstone and hot, hot air directly into the closed lid. The backplane and lid approaches 70 degrees celcius while playing.

Obviously: Dualslot GPU's with exhaust out the rear is far better for this type of case (eg, my old ati 3870).

But all in all - a darn fine case, with next to no problems.

~~DukeP~~

[rylan]

So are you able to return the crappy TF11 case for a refund? Sure sounds like crappy workmanship and no QA.

[DukeP]

Actually Omaura was very nice about it. They offered me whatever - return (money back), replacement, repair - all up to me. And the money was transfered at once, when I choose to return it.

I even got an email from one of their enginers, first apologizing and then asking if I would spare a moment to go through the errors with him (i ended up mailing him a couple of pictures).

So Ive got no hard feelings towards Omaura at all.

In fact, when they get their act together, I think they are going to make some kickass cases. But they NEED to step on their Q&A - and I do believe they are on the way to do exactely that.

~~DukeP~~

[VJ]

Great to hear!
They may not be completely off my list after all. It seems to me they know they have a quality control problem...

Jorg

[Mehen]

Have you looked at the Silverstones? Supposed to be superb quality-wise.

[xortam]

Silverstones

I love mine. Four years old and going strong.

P.S. Isn't this a GHW subject?

[VJ]

Mehen: haven't started actively looking yet... just something in long term planning...

xortam: I guess it started out as a rant....


Jörg

[DukeP]

It started out as a rant, on account of /me being pretty annoyed.

1) Its an expensive case
2) Its HEAVY
3) In its original packing its even pretty big.

So having to haul it to post office more than once got me kind of riled.

(And it was hot. And.. And.. ).

~~DukeP~~