jakv5...
According to this page, your case sports a "proprietary"
power supply, making it sound less likely that you can
substitute an off-the-shelf ATX Power Supply without
making potentially difficult mechanical alterations to
your case:
http://www.sundialmicro.com/cooler_master_desktop_htpc_case_cavt02uka_1698_162.html
However, in looking over the Master Cooler Power Supplies
on their website, they seem to conform to ATX dimensions:
Legacy 350W PSUs:
http://www.coolermaster.com/index.php?LT=english&Language_s=2&p_class=536&url_place=product_retired_list
Latest 450-550W PSUs:
http://www.coolermaster.com/index.php?LT=english&Language_s=2&p_class=536&url_place=product_list
A close-up look at one of the 450W shows Standard ATX
dimensions:
http://www.coolermaster.com/index.php?LT=english&Language_s=2&url_place=product&p_serial=RS-450-ACLX&other_title=RS-450-ACLXReal%20Power%20450
An independent review of this model is available on
SilentPCreview.com:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article205-page1.html
It nails the Power Meter, or Human Power Interface, as
the useless glitz it is, and it raises the price to $90.
For less money and more-than-acceptable reviews from
SilentPCreview, I would recommend a higher wattage for
your system, and an Antec Power Supply. Antec makes the
SmartPower 2.0 at 500W. Frys Electronics (Outpost.com)
offers it at $70:
http://shop3.outpost.com/product/4455906?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
SilentPCreview hasn't reviewed this specific model, but
reviews Antec PSUs on a regular basis, and has very good
things to say. I just bought one of these myself, and it
offers the advantage of having cable plug-in sockets in
the PSU which lets you plug in only the cables you need.
This eliminates the extra cables you usually have hanging
down and cluttering your PC space.
If you want the high-end, I'd recommend the Antec True
Control or the TrueControl II, both at 550W. Both provide
a front panel controller that lets you tweak the +3.3V, +5V
and +12V outputs. This can significantly extend the life of
the PS when it starts to fail and voltages start going below
tolerance. Only my Scottish heritage kept me from buying one
at about twice the price of the SmartPower 2.0, but I just
don't need the wattage, as I have a mediocre video card
with no fan of its own, and minimal USB usage.
The TrueControl 550 was reviewed on SilentPCreview here.
The price was ~$160 at the time:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article58-page1.html
The TrueControl 550 II is for sale at Frys for $140:
http://shop3.outpost.com/product/4470326?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
By way of contrast, the Cooler Master Real Power 550,
at $120, earns a poor review from SilentPCreview:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article259-page5.html
I think that gives you a good combination of professional
and personal reviews, and narrows your focus well enough
to make an informed decision, but if anything's unclear,
or a link doesn't work, just let me know and I'll be
happy to clarify my answer.
Please do not rate this answer until you are satisfied that
the answer cannot be improved upon by way of a dialog
established through the "Request for Clarification" process.
A user's guide on this topic is on skermit-ga's site, here:
http://www.christopherwu.net/google_answers/answer_guide.html#how_clarify
sublime1-ga
Searches done, via Google:
"CASE COOLER MASTER" "CAV-T02-UKA" HTPC case
://www.google.com/search?q=%22CASE+COOLER+MASTER%22+%22CAV-T02-UKA%22+HTPC+case
"Real Power 450"
://www.google.com/search?q=%22Real+Power+450%22 |
Request for Answer Clarification by
jakv5-ga
on
02 Aug 2005 00:28 PDT
Thanks for the long answer, but it does not help me too much. The
coolermaster web site does say it is an ATX PSU but this is not the
case it is proprietary. I already tried placing a standard ATX PSU in
it and it was too tall. Here is just one link I found by entering
"coolermaster cavalier PSU proprietary" into google:
http://www.viperlair.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2962
Ideally I would like to find a site that sells something like a 500w
microATX PSU and a special adapter to slide it into my case.
Here is a review of the case with pictures of the PSU:
http://www.modthebox.com/review356_4.shtml
I agree with you that I probably need at least a 450w psu and that
silence would be a huge help as it is going under my TV in the living
room.
|
Clarification of Answer by
sublime1-ga
on
02 Aug 2005 01:43 PDT
jakv5...
Thanks for the clarification.
Sorry to hear about your size limits. If the dimensions for
the Macron MPT-301 pictured in the image you provided are
accurately represented in the PDF file available from this
page, they are 150 x 140 x 86mm:
http://www.casing.com.tw/products_index.php?p=2&c=22&m=17
This limits your options, but the following PSUs seem like
reasonable options, and are 5.9" x 5.5" x 3.5" vs the ATX
standard of 6.1" x 5.9" x 3.4" used by Antec and others:
Alpha Power:
Alpha Power's 450W PSU:
http://www.currentsolutions.com/alphapower/html/app-450.htm
Alpha Power's 500W PSU:
http://www.currentsolutions.com/alphapower/html/app-500.htm
Seasonic
Seasonic offers several solutions, and are highly rated by
SilentPCreview. I've used a Google-cached version so you
can see the ones that are 150 x 140 x 86 mm more easily:
http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:0hiT-7aCfygJ:www.seasonic.com/new/new.jsp+%22150+*+140+*+86+mm&hl=en&lr=lang_en
The uncached page is here:
http://www.seasonic.com/new/new.jsp
I'd personally go with the Seasonic 500HT Active PFC
on that page. It's available from DealSonic for $112:
http://www.dealsonic.com/se50s150posu.html
I'd contact them first to verify the dimensions, as
their page provides few details, and lacks the exact
measurements provided on SeaSonic's page. It never
hurts to check on these things.
Other options for purchase are available from Froogle:
://www.google.com/froogle?q=SeaSonic+500HT
You can explore some of the Seasonic reviews on SilentPCreview
from this page:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/section4.html
Keep asking if there's something I've missed...
sublime1-ga
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
jakv5-ga
on
02 Aug 2005 17:35 PDT
I am just not sure your measurements are correct. Here is the diagram
of the PSU I tried to put in but was too tall:
http://www.pcpowercooling.com/products/assets/S41ATX/diag_S41ATX.gif
The diagram says that it is also 86mm high.
Unfortunately I do not have to old PSU with me (it worked for about
6months then slowly died so I trashed it before the new one came in)
or I would measure it myself.
Even this behemoth fanless / silent psu has the same height as the one
you are suggesting:
http://www.antec.com/specs/Phantom500_spe.html
I guess I should have waited for the mac mini
http://www.apple.com/macmini/
and built a myth tv box like Kevin Rose's
http://revision3.com/systm/
for an HTPC but I am already $800 in the hole on mine and would like
to finish it. I also really like the 5.1 surround sound support my MB
NFORCE2 A7N8X-E DELUXE ASUS RTL provides (even though NVIDIA stopped
providing this in later nforce models) that you can't find on the mini
or anywhere else (even on add-on audigy cards).
Anyway I do not think your answer is going to help me much, but if you
have anymore ideas I would appreciate them.
|
Clarification of Answer by
sublime1-ga
on
02 Aug 2005 20:15 PDT
jakv5...
I'm only going by the information you gave me:
The link you provided from ModTheBox.com's review:
http://www.modthebox.com/review356_4.shtml
...shows a picture of a Macron Power MPT-301 PSU,
saying this comes bundled with the case. The link
they give for the MPT-301 is:
http://www.casing.com.tw/
Navigating their menu to find the MPT-301 goes to the
page I cited:
http://www.casing.com.tw/products_index.php?p=2&c=22&m=17
The PDF file for that unit is available from that page
at this link:
http://www.casing.com.tw/product_files/2_22_MPT-301_spec.pdf
...and states that it's a 300W power supply with the
following dimensions:
"Dimension: 150 * 140 * 86 mm"
Assuming then that the problem might lie in the fact
that the review you cited from ModTheBox might not be
specific to the UKA version of the CAV-T02, which is
the one you said you have, I did a search for:
"CAV-T02-UKA" review
://www.google.com/search?q=%22CAV-T02-UKA%22+review
Buried in the results was a review from PC Perspective
which indicates that the size for the PSU in the UKA
version is 120 x 86 x 155mm. Interestingly, the height
is pictured as 86mm, and it is shown side-by-side with
a standard ATX PSU, noting only that because it's not
as wide as a standard PSU, at only 120mm, it will be
hard to replace when the time comes. Even more peculiar
is that the dimensions are listed as 120mm (H) x 86mm (W)
x 155mm (D):
http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=104&type=expert&pid=6
Since you're stating with some certainty that the height
of the original unit was less than 86mm, based on your
attempt to install the one for which you provided an
image from PCpowercooling.com, I'm somewhat at a loss
in trusting the new dimensions I've located, as you
seem to be saying that they can't be correct if they
indicate a height of 86mm.
Nonetheless, I did some searching:
A search for these dimensions turned up only one result,
which is a 250W PSU on the Procase site in the Netherlands:
http://www.procase.nl/details.asp?ID=241
This does not bode well for finding a replacement.
Let's try converting to inches:
120mm = 4.72440945 inches
86 millimeters = 3.38582677 inches
155 millimeters = 6.1023622 inches
So 6.1 x 4.7 x 3.4
Sadly, these dimensions turn up no PSUs that I can find.
However, the Procase site describes the 250W unit with
the exact dimensions as a "ATX12V, 400W, P4" power supply.
A search for that turns up what might be some options:
ATX12V 400W P4
://www.google.com/search?q=ATX12V+400W+P4
...however the 2 hours I've spent looking through the
results haven't turned up anything.
I've about run out of steam here, unless something I've
added here inspires something in you, but your assertion
that the unit you need has less than the 86mm height in
every reference I've found for the original PSU makes
things seem dubious, indeed.
If you want me to request that the editors remove my
answer in the hopes that another researcher can produce
better results, I'll do so, but I think the problem is
just that "proprietary" is a bad word for those building
or refurbishing their own systems.
Let me know...
sublime1-ga
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
jakv5-ga
on
02 Aug 2005 22:17 PDT
Now I'm really confused about the dimensions. What are your thoughts
about this unit:
http://www.athenapower.com/sub/micro_p4atx.htm
Or maybe a more silent micro atx?
Would there be any adapters I would need to get this to work??
|
Clarification of Answer by
sublime1-ga
on
03 Aug 2005 00:21 PDT
Hey! That looks pretty promising! My question would be
whether the stated Width of 5" on the 450W model:
http://www.athenapower.com/sub/mp4atx45.htm
...is precise, and whether the case will tolerate a unit
slightly wider than the original 4.724 inches. The 2.5"
height is certainly less than 86mm (it's 63.5mm), and the
5.5" depth is less than the 6.1" on the original.
I believe the cables would work fine, as most newer PSUs
try to accomodate earlier cable and pin configurations.
I don't really know, though, if a MicroATX unit is
somehow fundamentally different in its connectors.
I don't see why it should be.
You might just need to make a slight modification by
blocking off part of the case opening for the unit,
if it proves to be slightly too tall for this PSU.
You might also need to drill some custom holes to
secure it to the case effectively.
If possible, I would try to order such a unit through
a local provider like Best Buy or Fry's Electronics,
or, if necessary, a smaller independent PC shop that
can take the risk of ordering it and letting you take
your case into the shop to see if it can accommodate
it, and having the option of sending it back if it
won't. That way you can see if the cables will work
for you, too.
Here's a breakdown of the various sizes of PSUs, from
the Directron website:
"Physical Dimensions"
"Besides the specs and form factors, the physical
dimensions are also important factors in selecting
a compatible power supply. Here is an outline of the
physical dimensions of most standard power supplies:
- ATX: 6x3.5x5.5", HxWxD. Most common. Uses 4 mounting
screws.
- Mini-ATX: 5x3.5x5", HxWxD. Rare size. Uses 4 mounting
screws. Can be used in a regular ATX case, but often
not the other way around.
- MicroATX: 5x3x4", HxWxD. Use 3 mounting screws. Not
interchangeable with ATX or miniATX.
- Flex ATX: Even smaller than Micro ATX. Various sizes
according to case specs; often not interchangeable."
"Use the data above to determine if a particular power
supply would fit your case."
http://www.directron.com/psu.html
Note that the MicroATX size indicates 3" height, vs the
2.5" unit you located. 3 inches = 76.2 millimeters,
which sounds closer to what you say you originally had.
Also note "not interchangeable with ATX", though it
doesn't say why. Perhaps this is due to the 3-screw
mounting configuration, and could be worked around,
or perhaps its a cable/connector issue.
Your ideal size sounds like the Mini-ATX, except that
the 3.5" dimension would need to be a rounding-off of
the 3.3858 inches of your original unit. If it's more
precise than that, it would be too big. Besides which,
searches for Mini-ATX turn up nothing useful - it seems
they are rare, indeed!
Searches for other Micro-ATXs show similar dimensions
so this looks like it may be your best bet. I didn't
find any that looked more promising than the Athena
Power 450W.
Let me know what you decide...
sublime1-ga
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
jakv5-ga
on
14 Sep 2005 06:28 PDT
The 450 Athena power microATX fit with room to spare (litterely). But
I still had problems with the computer shutingdown with no warning. I
figured out that it was a cooling problem and bought the coolermaster
aquagate cpu watercooler which fit nicely inside my case and is really
quiet.
http://www.coolermaster.com/index.php?LT=english&Language_s=2&url_place=product&p_serial=RL-MUA-E8U1%20/%20EBU1&other_title=+RL-MUA-E8U1%20%2F%20EBU1+AQUAGATE%20Mini%20R80%20%2F%20R120
Everything has been workng well since.
|
Clarification of Answer by
sublime1-ga
on
14 Sep 2005 13:29 PDT
jakv5...
Wonderful! It sounds like you've managed to create an even
better system than you'd hoped for. I'm glad I could help.
Best regards...
sublime1-ga
|
