If you're looking for a case to house that HTPC, we look at something that shouldn't be ignored.

http://www.viperlair.com/reviews/ca...r/cases/cavt04/

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Hubert Wong
Owner and Editor-in-Chief
http://www.viperlair.com

Wow - I've been waiting for a review of this case for ages and you were first! kudos!

A few questions though..
The specs quoted from CoolerMaster state one rear 120mm for ventilation - cool - but where is it? Don't they know that one 120mm isn't the same as two 60mm fans?

Secondly, and more importantly - the PSU. Proprietary eh? This is bad.. but are you sure it is? Your pic says it's a "Macron Power MPT-301" - doing a quick browse it turns out to be a , but it looks like it is actually an ATX PSU. Dunno, maybe I'm missing something. The axiontech MPT-301 doesn;t actually have the fan at the back.. maybe they are different units. Any thoughts?
Did you try replacing the included PSU with a standard ATX PSU (say, a Nexus NX3500 )?

Thanks, and congrats on the review,
DonP.

PS Just remembered - I once about the PSU and the admin dude there said that it was a standard non-proprietary ATX PSU.
PPS Found the official page of the , and they also claim to be standard to ATX. But the fan is at the back, not inside. weird.

After reading the review and seeing the pic's posted of the case, I'm really PO'ed about purchasing the Coolermaster case Thursday before seeing the review.
I've waited months now on the release of this case solely based on the advertised fan specs by Coolermaster. Now I find that the VERY expensive Papst fans may be the wrong sizes for the case, not to mention that the vendor I bought the case from is listing namebrand PSU's as options which implies that no propriety unit exists in the case. So now I may not be able to use my beloved SilenX PSU (not Ahanix) without possibly modding the rear panel if it'll fit at all.

Well, I wish I had seen this review beforehand, secondly, Coolermaster should have shown more pic's on their website of different views of this case... Talking bout misleading!

Well i just double checked tonight to verify that i wasnt seeing things when i wrote the review, but yes the power supply is indeed proprietary. I compared a standard atx to it, and the difference is about half an inch or more in height. As for the fans, it looks like the cooler master specs are incorrect, the rear fans are actually 2-60mm fans, not 1-120mm.

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Asus A7N8X Dlx | Athlon XP JIUHB 1700+ @ 12.5 x 175 | 1GB Corsair PC4000 | ATI Radeon X800 Pro 256MB | Seagate Barracuda 200GB SATA | Asus Burner + Asus DVD

Craig, could it be a TFX power supply (found the Macron company site ).

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David - dsp
Senior Editor - www.viperlair.com
Ain't no doot aboot it, right eh!

Thanks for confirming that Mica. I've think I've figured a way around the cooling problems by mounting a slot cooler, 3.5 fan controller, and a thin Zalman 80mm fan on the top casing behind the perferations.

I know I'm asking a lot, but if you still have the case, could you try mounting a standard PSU and publish the info as an adendum to your review? I think it'd make a difference in someones decision to buy this case.

this is the perfect case but, the PSU is holding me back big time.
psus are one most failing parts. its hot, it got moving parts, its high powered.
the odd sizes are hard to find, expensive, and dont come in high ranged power.

silverstone cases are too pricey. wont ever paid that much for a case. but 170 for something thats limited in life but its psu sucks just the same.

WHY WHY did you do this to me coolermaster. i want the looks of this case with the price to fit my av system. but its gotta last.

will an atx psu sit in the case at all? will the cover fit on with it in?
can this be fixed with a jigsaw or not??

Well anything is possible, but it would be extrememly difficult. When i looked at the case i remember putting an atx power supply next to the case and it went right from the bottom to the top, even sticking up a bit. It would take some major modification to get one to fit.

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Asus A7N8X Dlx | Athlon XP JIUHB 1700+ @ 12.5 x 175 | 1GB Corsair PC4000 | ATI Radeon X800 Pro 256MB | Seagate Barracuda 200GB SATA | Asus Burner + Asus DVD

emailed coolmaster about this and got a prompt reply from their staff.
they explained that the PSU is actually an ATX, but made to the different dimension to fit the height restriction. the height is set to fit audio rack equipment.

fair nuff.

Hmm didn't notice that dimension problem until too late. Even tought I dodn't have that case yet. I'm still going to take it and just because the other one that I'm able to find in finland is digicomp and those cost wayyyyyyyyyyy to much...
Can anyone give me those psu dimensions? I think I'm going to make small mod and use my Bu Quiet! psu as a externall unit.

yer, the psu is the ONLY thing that is holding me from purchasing it.
is there no other psu that will fit? when you get it i'd be interested to here any findings about possible replacement.

i dont want to have the psu fail just out of warranty and have a $200 door stop.

its hard finding a htpc case that has a normal psu, full height pci and looks super sweet, particularly with black equipment

thsi reminds me... i still need to scrounge up enough money to buy that CM stacker some how so i can install my w/c setup i have sitting in a plastic-open-the-lid box that i have stashed away in a corner of my room

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Eberlin: Nothing accelerates windows like a good ol' fashioned 9.8m/s^2

So all the strum und drang on this PSU is for nothing, right ? I mean the original link doesn't work and the review has been edited, yes ?

http://www.viperlair.com/reviews/nav/cases/

Link changed: http://www.viperlair.com/reviews/ca...r/cases/cavt04/

__________________
Hubert Wong
Owner and Editor-in-Chief
http://www.viperlair.com