HTPC move - Antec Overture to SilverStone LC16
I moved all my home theater PC (HTPC) stuff over from the Antec Overture case to the much prettier and more component-friendly SilverStone LC16M yesterday. It turned out to be more stressful and time-consuming than I had hoped it would be. Much of it was my own fault though and no fault of the Overture or LC16M.
The LC16 is actually not as long as the Overture, which I like because it fits on my component shelf better. The problem is that this also means it’s a little more cramped from front to back than the Overture, which also means that the 5.25″ bay and any drive installed in it hangs over the motherboard more. Damn Plextor drives are always longer than they should be too.
I wish I knew if there was some technical reason behind the length of Plextor’s drives. They always seem to be an inch or so longer than Lite-On and other drives. Other than the length, I love Plextor drives. They just aren’t good for cramped spaces.
Another problem with the length of the drive and the location of it is that the Plextor drive is practically kissing my Radeon X850 XT. I really don’t like that, but I think I’ve gotten over it. An driver that was one inch shorter would make a big difference. In this case, an inch would go a long way.
The main thing that would have saved me time and frustration is to read the entire manual before proceeding with the install in the LC16M. The LC16M includes multimedia / HTPC software called iMON Multimedian. There are like 5 different ways you have to hook up the included VFD/IR display … USB, power, more power, etc. The LC16M manual is actually good for a case manual, but it should have a warning in it about checking the last page if you want to hook up the iMON stuff, which everyone will want to do, right!?
When it was all said and done, I had to pull the drives and video card out like 3 times after putting them in, and I was very sick of the install by time I was done. My problems aren’t gone though. For some reason, no sound is coming out of the HTPC now! I didn’t change anything besides the case, and I really don’t have time for a stupid audio problem. Argh…
I am really impressed and happy with the iMON stuff though. I like the remote and the software looks pretty cool so far. The VFD/IR display on the LC16M and now my HTPC looks great! You can show system info, local city info, news blurbs, and other nifty things. Kudos to SilverStone for including it!