Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Forum => Topic started by: Chunce DeLeone on March 20, 2009, 09:15:25 am

Title: Fanless Mini ITX Jukebox, is it possible.
Post by: Chunce DeLeone on March 20, 2009, 09:15:25 am

I have a Intel Atom 230 Mini- itx pc that I am about to hit hte button on in Newegg,  Its going to be a jukebox with an ELo touchscreen and a Lacie External 1 TB drive.  Also there will be a Ralink Wireless card as well.  I want this Juke to be as slim, quiet and small as possible.  My question do you think I can get away with not having a fan in this Juke?  The Lacie does get warm, thats what I am concerned with. 

Title: Re: Fanless Mini ITX Jukebox, is it possible.
Post by: Fordman on March 20, 2009, 10:32:41 am

I have 2 144mm blue led fans in my jukebox and I cant hear either one of them! I think you need the fans for cooling. I only added the fans because when I opened up the bottom of the jukebox where the PC was, it was very toasty!

I have one fan blowing in on the left and 1 fan blowing out on the right. Great air flow and heat problem has been solved!

Hope this helps!

Fordman

Title: Re: Fanless Mini ITX Jukebox, is it possible.
Post by: Jon Henry on March 22, 2009, 09:36:42 pm

I use a Atom 330 mini-ITX board with a 17" ELO.  If your enclosure will be sealed, use a fan. Problem is the ELO, it gets pretty hot. Check the specs on it for max operating temp.

Title: Re: Fanless Mini ITX Jukebox, is it possible.
Post by: BobA on March 22, 2009, 11:55:06 pm

Use as large a fan as you can to either blow air in or out.   The larger it is the more air it can move will less noise.  You can look for premium fans that create even less noise then others of the same size.   Look at the db ratings and compare.  Your jukebox will be a hundred times louder then the fan.  You should not even be able to hear the fan in a quiet room.  The disk drive will probably make more noise.

Title: Re: Fanless Mini ITX Jukebox, is it possible.
Post by: orion on March 23, 2009, 12:57:11 am

I have an enclosed entertainment center that I have to vent with a fan. I just ordered one of these so I don't have to hear the fan running when my system is off. http://www.coolcomponents.com/Basic-Temp-Controller--88-Degree-OnOff-Only_p_13-220.html  As BobA suggests a larger fan will be quieter. Also you can use a power supply with selectable voltages (max 12 volt). Running the fan at lower voltages will throttle them down and make them quieter. You will just have to experiment with fan speed in order to get the right balance of cooling vs noise level.