Chieftec Hi-Fi HM-02B

Manufacturer:	Chieftec
Price:	£179.85 inc VAT
Reviewer:	Clive Webster
Review Date:	Mar 2009
Features	34/40	85%
Expansion	34/40	85%
Value	16/20	80%
Overall	84%

Verdict: Sleek and easy to use, but it needs a third fan.

Chieftec might be better known for making chunky tower cases that the Hulk would have trouble smashing up, but it also produces a range of sleek media PC cases. The Hi-Fi HM-02B has brushed aluminium panels and rounded corners, which certainly make it a good match for a refined living room. There's space inside for a micro-ATX motherboard, full-height expansion cards, three hard disks and an ATX power supply, so the HM-02B should easily accommodate your favourite components.

The front of the case is cleanly presented, with a flip-down panel located underneath the DVD door hiding the front I/O ports and slots. This means that only the power, reset and DVD eject buttons are constantly on show. The dial to the left of the VFD screen controls the volume, while the right-hand knob navigates through the supplied iMEDIAN software.

The two-line VFD is powered by SoundGraph's iMON software and acts as a receiver for the bundled iMON PAD infrared remote. The VFD uses an ATX pass-through cable to allow you to turn on your PC via the remote. The iMON Manager software powers the VFD, displaying information such as the system specs, the weather or a graphic equaliser. You can install the iMEDIAN HD suite, and use this to control your media files and TV tuner.

While the iMEDIAN interface is clear, the options are fairly basic. For example, you can only change the language of the soundtrack and subtitles of DVDs, while Microsoft's Media Center gives you options for the skip, replay, and up and down remote control buttons. The remote has some useful features such as a task switcher button (which acts similarly to Alt+Tab), a thumb-friendly D-pad and a right mouse-click button. To use the remote in Media Center, you must tell the setup software that you have a Microsoft MCE remote. At least the infrared receiver in the VFD panel is compatible with the MCE remote, so you can use that without having to replace the electronics.

The lid unscrews and pops up on two spring-loaded pins, and once removed, the interior is free of obstructions. This is in contrast to the Antec Fusion Black 430, which compartmentalises its internal space, thereby providing relatively small spaces in which to work.

The first stage of building a system in the HM-02B is to ignore the suggested installation order in the manual and sort out the cable routeing. You'll need to organise the bundle of wires from the VFD, the three chunky cables from the I/O panel, and possibly even the EPS12V cable from your PSU if your motherboard's connector is centrally located. Once you've taped down all the wires, it's far easier to install the rest of the components.

The three-bay hard disk cage is situated behind the VFD, and it's easy to fill once you've mastered the process. You need to screw four of the black rubber-headed screws into each drive and then open the lid of the caddy by pressing two plastic clips. The hard disks sit on their sides, and the lid of the caddy swings back down to clamp them in place.

The next item to install is the PSU, which sits on four rubber feet in the rear right-hand corner. There's 260mm between the rear of the case and the rear of the single 5.25in drive bay, which allows room for a fairly long ATX PSU. There's space underneath and down the side of the optical drive bay in which to thread spare cables, although the VFD's stiff ATX pass-through cable can be problematic if you're trying to be fastidiously neat.

Once the hard disks and PSU have been fitted, you should install the motherboard and attach all the headers you've previously routed into place. The final piece of hardware to be installed is the optical drive, which uses the white rubber-headed screws and drops into the caddy. A plastic latch locks it securely in place.

Cooling isn't overly generous in the HM-02B, with only two chunky 60mm fans at the back fitted as standard. These pull a reasonable amount of air out of the case while creating little noise, but we'd have preferred the 80mm fan mount to the side of the hard disk cage to be filled. If you're using a hot-running graphics card for games or video playback, you may need to use the second 80mm fan mount near the expansion slots as an exhaust. The Antec Fusion has superior cooling, as its two quiet 80mm fans pull plenty of air across the motherboard. However, the HM-02B's build quality is excellent. The hinges feel solid, the flip-down doors are rugged and the insides are nicely finished.

Conclusion

Considering that the HM-02B is a full-height media PC case made from brushed aluminium, for considerably less than £200, it's decent value for money - the similar Zalman HD160+ costs around £260, for example. Even the Antec Fusion has increased to around £140. The HM-02B also looks good, and it's easy to work with. While we'd rather give the iMON iMEDIAN software a miss, the built-in infrared receiver in the VFD is useful even if you chuck the supplied remote in the bin and use a Media Center remote. As long as you fit a quiet 80mm fan to cool the hard disk(s), this case is a great buy.