Sorry about the double post, but I went back and looked at all the one's available through the BT site and they were all listed with a PSU included. Look at it this way, you shave $47.99 off that final price by dropping the PSU from the shopping list. Can't complain about that!
Originally Posted by Ghast Sorry about the double post, but I went back and looked at all the one's available through the BT site and they were all listed with a PSU included. Look at it this way, you shave $47.99 off that final price by dropping the PSU from the shopping list. Can't complain about that!
:) True, but having not seen or heard the PSU, some people might like alternatives if it does turn out to be loud ;)
the antec fusion used to include a PSU but no remote. now it's the other way around, which explains the confusion.
a word of warning on the fusion -
the black version comes with an imon LCD (not VFD). this is, pretty much, the most useless piece of crap i have ever come across. the contrast on it is so poor, that you have to be dead on to see anything. take a step back and sit on your sofa and it just turns into an illuminated blue panel.
the silver version comes with a VFD, and should be decent.
to add to that, the imon IR drivers are flakey at best - i ran into no end of problems. i ended up buying an MS IR receiver and remote combo off ebay for £15, and unplugging all the imon hardware. works much better.
it's a shame because the design of the case is very nice, i admit, but honestly compared to antec's non media-oriented chassis, the NSK 2480 (http://www.antec.com/uk/productDetails.php?ProdID=00281), you're getting a stealthed drive and a volume knob which, if you unplug the imon like i have, you can't even use. the NSK 2480 is a lot cheaper and comes with a passable PSU too, but it doesn't come in black. so unless you either really, really want a black case, stealthed drive, or absolutely must have the imon vfd and IR receiver and are willing to put up with all the problems it throws up, consider the 2480.
PS - i'd also like to add that the bloo ring of light around the fusion's power button is very pretty (i think it might be white on the silver version) - but REALLY, REALLY BRIGHT. i ended up ripping the front panel off and coating the LEDs in some black ink to darken them. it's much nicer now, and way less distracting.
hi great review i went straight out today and bought all the bits to build the Preferred Build 2: Affordable Micro ATX, unfortunately when i connected my samsung 1tb the system hangs at verifying dmi pool data. did you have to manually set any f the bios settings?
Originally Posted by Fod to add to that, the imon IR drivers are flakey at best - i ran into no end of problems. i ended up buying an MS IR receiver and remote combo off ebay for £15, and unplugging all the imon hardware. works much better.
Funny, I ended up doing exactly the same thing in my Silverstone HTPC case. The iMon software was appallingly bad - I'm not happy about sacrificing the VFD (if I knew I was going to have that much trouble I'd have bought the case without the IR/VFD) but the Microsoft IR receiver/remote has so far worked very well... and hasn't made Vista 64 BSOD, either.
I might end up ripping the VFD/IR bit out, if I can do it "easily", and replacing it with just a same-size VFD that I can control using some decent software.
I think the HTPC and the gaming machine are best as independent items - that way the size and noise from the HTPC can be kept right down. One vital trick I'm using to save card slots is an excellent external, networked TV tuner. This can recieve 2 simultaneous channels of Digital Freeview, and attaches to any point on the (Ethernet) network. It's called HDHomeRun, just released in the UK - cost £ 159.
Originally Posted by pcTVok I think the HTPC and the gaming machine are best as independent items - that way the size and noise from the HTPC can be kept right down. One vital trick I'm using to save card slots is an excellent external, networked TV tuner. This can recieve 2 simultaneous channels of Digital Freeview, and attaches to any point on the (Ethernet) network. It's called HDHomeRun, just released in the UK - cost £ 159.
Not really - some people want quiet, some people want the full beans.
Also - your post is technically sort of spam given your username and site link to the product mentioned in your post, but it's a benefit to the discussion so you're welcome to stay ;)
Having just reviewed the Akasa and been woefully disappointed, we've changed our mini-ITX case recommendation for something suggested by the guys at mini-ITX.com. :) They say the Jou Jye is awesome, and they know their stuff!
Originally Posted by MG Man Although you haven't specified an OS, the CPU choice on the lower end boxes means you won't be able to do 1080p playback on anything other than windows.
GPU hardware acceleration just isn't there (yet- it looks about 6 months away or so) for linux due to driver (lack of) support.
XBMC guys are talking 3 GHz minimum on a C2D to get 1080p without dropping many frames.
and don't forget, even if you're outputing to a 720p screen, the 1080p content of Blu-Ray /HD-DVD/other 1080p rip still has to be decoded and downscaled, taking more CPU than just decoding 1080p alone
XBMC recently added vdpau support to main branch, and the nVidia driver got it months ago.. besides, you can't really say "plays 1080p" or "doesn't play 1080p", since it's not the resolution that's eating CPU power but the bitrate.. :P
I recently purchased all the recommended components in the article to build the "High End Gaming Full ATX" with the Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R as the foundation. Problem is, when I got near the end of construction and attempted to insert the Asus Xonar HDAV sound card into its slot, it would not fit. The tail end of the card intrudes into the first two memory slots making it impossible to have a memory module and sound card in place at the same time. Makes me wonder if anyone has actually tested this configuration as was described in the article. It clearly will not work with this compliment of components. Looks like I will have to start over with a different motherboard. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Originally Posted by Sparky I recently purchased all the recommended components in the article to build the "High End Gaming Full ATX" with the Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R as the foundation. Problem is, when I got near the end of construction and attempted to insert the Asus Xonar HDAV sound card into its slot, it would not fit. The tail end of the card intrudes into the first two memory slots making it impossible to have a memory module and sound card in place at the same time. Makes me wonder if anyone has actually tested this configuration as was described in the article. It clearly will not work with this compliment of components. Looks like I will have to start over with a different motherboard. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Well bugger me that is an obvious oversight! Those memory slots are awfully low now you come to mention it.. :( Maybe the UD3P would have been better - then you could have used the lower x16 slot as an x1.
Originally Posted by Sparky I recently purchased all the recommended components in the article to build the "High End Gaming Full ATX" with the Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R as the foundation. Problem is, when I got near the end of construction and attempted to insert the Asus Xonar HDAV sound card into its slot, it would not fit. The tail end of the card intrudes into the first two memory slots making it impossible to have a memory module and sound card in place at the same time. Makes me wonder if anyone has actually tested this configuration as was described in the article. It clearly will not work with this compliment of components. Looks like I will have to start over with a different motherboard. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Well bugger me that is an obvious oversight! Those memory slots are awfully low now you come to mention it.. :( Maybe the UD3P would have been better - then you could have used the lower x16 slot as an x1.
Originally Posted by Sparky I recently purchased all the recommended components in the article to build the "High End Gaming Full ATX" with the Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R as the foundation. Problem is, when I got near the end of construction and attempted to insert the Asus Xonar HDAV sound card into its slot, it would not fit. The tail end of the card intrudes into the first two memory slots making it impossible to have a memory module and sound card in place at the same time. Makes me wonder if anyone has actually tested this configuration as was described in the article. It clearly will not work with this compliment of components. Looks like I will have to start over with a different motherboard. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Well bugger me that is an obvious oversight! Those memory slots are awfully low now you come to mention it.. :( Maybe the UD3P would have been better - then you could have used the lower x16 slot as an x1.
Originally Posted by Bindibadgi If you bought it recently you can return or exchange it within 14 days in the UK. (Providing you are in the UK)
I'm in the US. Bought it by mail order too long ago to return.
F.Y.I., The UD3P won't work either. In order to put my Asus audio card in the only suitable PCI Express x1 slot, I would have to put my Sapphire HD4870 video card in the leftmost PCI Express x16 slot. However, that slot is running at x8, not x16 as required by the HD4870, so I'm screwed there too. Any other suggestions for a comparable motherboard that will fit my situation?
What revision of Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H is used? there is 3 revision: 1, 1.1 and 2.0
I have a problem getting the Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H in Denmark can I use another Gigabyte motherboard like GA-MA78GM-UD2H. I think it's very confusing with so many Gigabyte motherboards with nearly identical specification.
Comments 51 to 75 of 76
Reply:) True, but having not seen or heard the PSU, some people might like alternatives if it does turn out to be loud ;)
Does it do audio and HDCP on the HDMI connector?
a word of warning on the fusion -
the black version comes with an imon LCD (not VFD). this is, pretty much, the most useless piece of crap i have ever come across. the contrast on it is so poor, that you have to be dead on to see anything. take a step back and sit on your sofa and it just turns into an illuminated blue panel.
the silver version comes with a VFD, and should be decent.
to add to that, the imon IR drivers are flakey at best - i ran into no end of problems. i ended up buying an MS IR receiver and remote combo off ebay for £15, and unplugging all the imon hardware. works much better.
it's a shame because the design of the case is very nice, i admit, but honestly compared to antec's non media-oriented chassis, the NSK 2480 (http://www.antec.com/uk/productDetails.php?ProdID=00281), you're getting a stealthed drive and a volume knob which, if you unplug the imon like i have, you can't even use. the NSK 2480 is a lot cheaper and comes with a passable PSU too, but it doesn't come in black. so unless you either really, really want a black case, stealthed drive, or absolutely must have the imon vfd and IR receiver and are willing to put up with all the problems it throws up, consider the 2480.
PS - i'd also like to add that the bloo ring of light around the fusion's power button is very pretty (i think it might be white on the silver version) - but REALLY, REALLY BRIGHT. i ended up ripping the front panel off and coating the LEDs in some black ink to darken them. it's much nicer now, and way less distracting.
Funny, I ended up doing exactly the same thing in my Silverstone HTPC case. The iMon software was appallingly bad - I'm not happy about sacrificing the VFD (if I knew I was going to have that much trouble I'd have bought the case without the IR/VFD) but the Microsoft IR receiver/remote has so far worked very well... and hasn't made Vista 64 BSOD, either.
I might end up ripping the VFD/IR bit out, if I can do it "easily", and replacing it with just a same-size VFD that I can control using some decent software.
Not really - some people want quiet, some people want the full beans.
Also - your post is technically sort of spam given your username and site link to the product mentioned in your post, but it's a benefit to the discussion so you're welcome to stay ;)
Bio - yes it does, but it's not full HD quality.
Barry - did you get it fixed?
"The other downside of the Enigma case is that it's exceptionally difficult to find a quiet, very low profile CPU cooler"
Peace.
XBMC recently added vdpau support to main branch, and the nVidia driver got it months ago.. besides, you can't really say "plays 1080p" or "doesn't play 1080p", since it's not the resolution that's eating CPU power but the bitrate.. :P
Well bugger me that is an obvious oversight! Those memory slots are awfully low now you come to mention it.. :( Maybe the UD3P would have been better - then you could have used the lower x16 slot as an x1.
Apologies.
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/motherboards/2009/03/18/zotac-geforce-9300-itx-wifi-review/1
Now you tell me!
I'm in the US. Bought it by mail order too long ago to return.
F.Y.I., The UD3P won't work either. In order to put my Asus audio card in the only suitable PCI Express x1 slot, I would have to put my Sapphire HD4870 video card in the leftmost PCI Express x16 slot. However, that slot is running at x8, not x16 as required by the HD4870, so I'm screwed there too. Any other suggestions for a comparable motherboard that will fit my situation?
I have a problem getting the Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H in Denmark can I use another Gigabyte motherboard like GA-MA78GM-UD2H. I think it's very confusing with so many Gigabyte motherboards with nearly identical specification.
Hope someone can help me out.
Thanks for the answer, then I just go with the UD2
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