Need tips about CPU block design
 

Hello!

Together with two friends I've started X3mTech Computer Designs, which isnt a company yet, but I hope it will be one later on :)

We decided to design good looking computers.
Computers for extremely demanding games, but perhaps mostly for HTPC use.

A good looking htpc will be placed under your tv in your livingroom, and then IT HAS TO BE QUIET.

So, watercooling is very intresting for us.

To explain it easy the product range will as a start include 3 units.

1. The computer, containing ATX Motherboard, CPU, Graphic Card, Power Supply, HDD ect.

2. The water cooling unit, containing Radiator (probably a modified radiator from HWlabs), Water Pump (from timmer-pneumatik, capable for 360L/h), Water Tank

3. Storage unit, containing up to 4 HHD's

So for the Computer Unit, we'll need CPU block, GPU block, Motherboard Block and probably we'll also need to modify the PSU with water cooling. (1U PSU is very loud :/ )

So my question to you is what kind of construction for the water cooling blocks should we choose? At the beginning we are not intrested in the BEST cooling, because that will take to long time figure out and produce. We want something that chills enough AND is pretty low, so the inlets and outlets should be placed on the side.

I'll post some of my ideas soon, images of the units can be found at http://www.x3mtech.org

http://www.x3mtech.org/forshow/lasvegas-ver3_1.jpg

Regards Patrik

If it is placed under your TV then why does it have to be quiet? I would think the TV sound system would easily knock out any sounds from such a unit even air cooled. I can't hear my computer over my TV and it is currently air cooled and it is an old TV with stock speakers.

Also does a HTPC really have to have so much CPU power? Why not use one of the VIA/Cyrix chips that can be cooled with a heatsink? 7 watts at 1000mhz should easily run that thing. http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/processors/eden-n/

But anyway whatever. Good luck.

I totally agree with you, but as we are about to get the aluminium chassis for the first prototype we decided to make it as powerful as possible, to be able to demonstrate powerful games with it ect.

And ofcourse its more fun with Watercooling :)

So we got one AMD 64 3600+, 2 GB ram and ATI XT800 256mb graphic card to put in it.

When we se that our concept works, we'll probably take it a step further and create a passive chilled htpc, and then the Eden-N CPU, and Nano ITX mainboard is very intresting.

regards Patrik

Games eh?

Good block design has some importance on barb placement. usually there is not enough room to mount a barb on the side of the block because of the mobo parts around the socket. If there is enough room you can use 90's on the inlet and out let's. Restrictive but probably necassary. Do you have any specs on the area around were this block will be placed? How much room above the block do you have and the surrounding area around the socket?

A nice looking box.

You ought to consider your competition. They'll have built-in MP3 managers, so it can be used as some kind of jukebox. It should also have a remote. We've covered one before.

well I think your thinking too hard, watercooling a peice like that probably isnt the smartest idea, it makes things much heaver, bigger and all that. Its nearly impossible to watercool all that without a somwhat decent sized radiator. Your waterblocks shouldnt hardly matter, a cross drilled block would be more than enough, by this I am saying who needs their cpu 10c over air temp in something where it doesnt matter, you could simply use zalman stuff and make everything very quiet on aircooling.

Basicly what I am saying, dont waste your time and money on something thatll become more of a hassle than its worth.

Jon

Just go for a VIA setup. 90W and a lot of money is not fun when performance is not a major issue. It can do basic games just fine (my brother is playing CS, probably at this very minute, on a 450 MHz P3.)

i think it would be more impressive to see a very quiet air cooled HTPC. And since you are building custom cases yo ucould do some major ducting work.

Aim to cool the entire lot with 1x120mm fan - Id suggest going CPU first, psu last, and whatever else inbetween ;)

ducting is definitely the best idea, imo.

Where the heck would you fit a decent sized gfx card in that box? or is it open between two of the layers?

The size suggests its fairly small (looks to be about 50-70mm to be aesthetically pleasing, by the look of the cd/dvd slot you have on top)

you could also run heatpipes to the case like this:
http://www.logicsupply.com/product_i...roducts_id/166

I don't know how much you could do but guess you could make the whole case a passive rad. That would make it very quiet.