hec Black 7K09BBA30FNRX Micro ATX Media Center / HTPC Case

Comment:
Affordable, excellent top quality, looks decent. Power button is really nice seeking, has a lit ring about it. If you're not going to put a floppy drive in it, it has area for 2 3.5" drives. The difficulty is, to get the mounting screwholes to align with the chassis, I had to break the tabs off of the sides of the filler panel, and now it's somewhat loose. Seems like it could have been secured a lot more efficiently even though allowing area for that 2nd drive. In fact, a removable drive cage would have been really nice, as the energy supply blocks the drives' exit space. For the price tag I paid, it was a very good deal.

Comment:
Smaller than similar circumstances. I had to get rid of the power provide to install the difficult drive in the reduced three.5 inch bay. Doesn't look as very good as similarly priced apex case. I purchased this case simply because it is slightly smaller sized than the apex dm-387, but I'm not impressed. Its just a matter of taste, but the finish of the apex is greater, and the design is better. This is nonetheless a excellent get, but I consider it is much more suited as a desktop computer case than an htpc case.

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Good size, colour (flat black) and unobtrusive front face which fits in quite properly with my audio/video equipment. It has a good quality appearance.Ample space inside for my elements. I did not have to use 90 deg. angled SATA cable(s) as other people have pointed out. Energy provide blew although I was testing/assembling it. However, I do not blame the manufacturer. That portion of my home has faulty wiring. A window A/C unit kicked on and designed a surge which fried the energy supply. Newegg delivers a number of TFX size energy supplies in prices ranging from ำ to ์ so I've ordered a replacement.I removed the PS to install the HDD. It's only 4 screws; no large deal.I also had to modify the power button wire terminus to fit my MOBO - It comes mounted in a three-connector format (with a blank amongst constructive and ground) and demands to be in a 2-connector plug to match the MOBO energy posts. It was a speedy, uncomplicated fix with a razor knife. Slice the outdoors edge of black plastic; remove the wire with out damage; insert it into the middle hole; trim off surplus plastic from the now obsolete 3rd hole. Carried out! A want list item: add an eSATA port on the front of the unit.Hot air exhaust vent is on top of the case (when horizontal) so don't stack other A/V equipment on leading of it.

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Nicely CreatedStraightforward to use in a makeQuiet when developing a machine with the 65W Athlon II None Exceptional case, that is effectively produced.Place the Hard Drive and CD Drives in Initially

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Appreciate the case. Has a top quality appear to it. Green energy LED about the energy button looks cool. Has both 5.25 and 3.five inch bays. Energy supply fan was totally silent. PSU mobo energy cable just barely reached on a Gigabyte GA-H55N-USB3. I liked that the PSU was virtually silent but right after 3 days it burned out with a loud pop with the smell of burnt capacitors. Had to modify the power LED pin connector to operate on the GA-H55N mobo. Didn't bother to hook up the front fan due to the fact I didn't call for that significantly ventilation.

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It's smaller, unassuming, and has no moving parts(stealth drives, USB front port covers), which suggests significantly less components to break over time. Great for an HTPC. There's a brace that goes over the top rated of the motherboard to keep the leading panel from flexing beneath pressure. Factors are a bit cramped towards the front of the case, as other folks have reported. I had to take away the PSU to get the HDD in. I also had to use proper-angle sata connectors for my optical drive. I also had to attach them with the drive half-way in simply because once you slide the drive all the way in, the correct-angle sata connectors are actually butted up against the CPU heatsink. It's not a large deal and it doesn't bring about an issue with heat, but I'd consider that individuals with slightly longer optical drives might be out of luck. The use of a not-so-widespread PSU type issue could burn me down the road if can't come across a economical replacement if this one particular gets hosed. I personal both the 275w and the 300w version of this case. In my expertise, they're practically the precise similar case. The plastic CPU air duct on the best panel seems to be slightly various, but there's really no explanation to pick one particular over the other apart from the PSU wattage.

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Heavy steel building.USB, Firewire, and Audio on front panelUsable Power supply incorporatedCan be stood up or lay flat for HTPC use. Energy supply puts out some heat, could be an concern after a whilst. We will see.Can be tricky to line up ports with front cover, have to hold it just proper, right after the 5th a single we had it figured out. I constructed 13 of these systems for a news station Newsroom. They all worked out of the box and had no difficulties with energy supplies not working as other reviewers stated.

Comment:
solid case. no power supply failure concerns, just don't overload it. looks good with my other components. only 1 sata connector on power provide. make positive you get an adapter if you use far more than one particular sata drive. can't beat this htpc case at this price point.

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The case is strong and heavy with quite great develop quality with couple of if any sharp edges inside. Layout is very good allowing area to perform inside. Front bezel is understated and plain even though nonetheless looking nice. Standoff 'dimples' are a nice touch. Energy supply worked fine for me. Neither it or the front fan are silent but they are quiet enough specially it's inside a AV cabinet. Front lights are just vibrant enough without having becoming distracting. Two problemsɅ) The motherboard wouldn't POST when installed in this case. To make a long story brief, following lots of troubleshooting, I found that the reset switch glued into the front bezel is negative, stuck in the 'reset' (in) position. The mobo wouldn't POST because the reset button was always pushed in! Once the reset switch wires were removed from the mobo, it worked fine. It's not really a big deal in the extended run, but the quantity of time it took me to figure out the issue was very frustrating.2) I had to use washers underneath the mobo, stacked on leading of the mounting dimples in order to place it exactly where expansion cards would seat all the way and wouldn't be pulled out by the card's mounting screw. One washer below every of the two holes by the rear I/O shield, and two washers underneath every of the two holes by the front finish in order to lift it up a small and tilt it slighty back. It operates ideal now but this need to not be essential. Case is a bit long and sits a little also deep in my cabinet. HEC could have made it an inch shallower (or additional) and nonetheless permitted most MicroATX boards to match inside.The energy supply does not want to be removed in order to install a difficult drive... but it's easier than removing the front bezel! Soon after lots of wiggling and prying, I was unable to get it off devoid of the worry of breaking off the retaining clips because the plasic seems brittle. Removing 4 screws to get the power supply out of the way is a lot less complicated!

Comment:
Nicely constructed case, came with the necessary accessories.Not great searching but not negative either.Everything match fine with a mATX moboGood cusomter service from newegg and HEC Inexpensive PSU, mine blew on the second day of use.

Comment:
Specifically what I was seeking for aesthetically. Matte black, incredibly simple and clean.Sold building via out. The fan was silent at very first but a whirring sound can be heard after about a month. If you open the case and push on it that appears to help for a whilst. At times the top rated of the case can be difficult to line up and place on appropriately.The 3 pin energy LED is incompatible with my mother board. I know my cons window is additional filled out than my pros, but despite all that its four begins. This case just appears fantastic and for the cost I got it for I just cant complain to substantially. I don't use it in a HTPC atmosphere. I just wanted anything to that would be functional and sit beneath my monitor and hold my Computer components. This does it for me.My low power create.Foxconn M61PMV AM2+/AM2CORSAIR XMS2 2GBSempron AM3 140SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4550 Western Digital Caviar Black 500GBhec Black .7mm Thickness SECC Steel 7K09BBA30FNRX Micro ATX Media Center 300W Power Supply / HTPC Case

Comment:
I actually like this case. It's truly strong and the psu has lots of connections. Faceplate is solid too. Also holds on to the case very effectively. Looks nice in property theater setup. Only 1 fan and nowhere to mount yet another. It's a small tall and a tiny deep. Much more pc sized then what I would like It's about the size of a vcr but deeper. It looks really a bit like a pc and not so a lot like a household theater unit. The trade off is that you get a very good amount of room to work in. It's not actually that cramped but possibly I'm carrying out something incorrect, the reviews for my major personal computer's case stated it was cramped also. oh properly.

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Looks great with my stereo components, great vent holes about the CPU region of the case. A lot of room to function in The energy provide cords run suitable in front of the front fan to attain the CD drive and other connections on the motherboard. My pc was constantly overheating in the small cubby it was location in due to lack of air flow. I place a modest Ů fan from walmart in the similar space to just support push hot air out of the space and the case is now cool to the touch. For the cost point on this case it is extremely worth it.

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Good case. Lousey PSU. Fireworks show cleverly timed for right after two weeks of use. Luckily no one was injured, except the UPS. Can't find any warranty info on this, is it covered?

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Looks good, good and slim. The energy supply popped, sparked, and smelled burnt after very little use. RMA time. But an additional week of not being able to use my new computer system... I would just order a superior power provide, but I can't discover a very good a single to match the case. If I could do it more than again, I'd prevent new eggs combo bargains, and not attempt and use a little case. Whilst I wanted a slim excellent hunting case, high quality is not up to the job. I rather have major, bulky, and effectively, Functioning!

Comment:
Solidly constructed, about as smaller as feasible, nice finish. Descent thickness sheet metal; not like tin foil. Will hold two HDDs. There are just millimeters of clearance in between the DVD and the CPU if you use an aftermarket cooler like the Rosewill Z1. I wish there was additional air blowing on the HDDs. I believed I was obtaining power supply challenges for a whilst. I was acquiring BSOD crashes shortly right after powerup. Turns out those had been due to flakey OCZ memory and not my PSU. The PSU does run warm, definitely not your most efficient unit. I'm utilizing all 92mm fans inside this case (except in the PSU) and my program is pleasantly quiet.

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The front panel and paint job on this system are in fact pretty good. The photos on this web-site do not do it justice, honestly. I was kindof expecting it to look a little crappier than it does, so that was a good surprise :) The front bezel and the top are both simple to get rid of. I employed a Gigabyte GA-MA785GM-US2H motherboard and a ThermalTake "low profile" CPU cooler (NewEgg # N82E16835106137), and everything fits... Just barely! The energy provide cabling is a small brief for my tastes, and I had to get actually careful with all of my cable management, especially when finishing up the build. In the finish, it all fits and has excellent air flow, and the method runs silently. When carrying out my first test power up, the PSU fan was generating a weird noise. Upon further inspection, I located that the metal casing exactly where the fan is on the PSU was bent inwards just sufficient that it created contact with the fan blades, producing them NOT spin at all. Quite simple repair (just pull the grill metal back out so that almost everything operates fine), but not anything you wanna see on a brand new technique. As mentioned above, cabling is a royal pain on this system, especially if you have an optical drive to set up. Nevertheless, obtaining built a couple of Shuttles and other little circumstances, I can inform you that this fairly much goes with the territory. If you don't wanna deal with this, do NOT develop your personal modest kind issue system The Power LED hookup is the 3 pin style connector. The motherboard I used has a 2 pin style connector. I had to split the connector up and then connect the two pins separately. Not the case or mobo's fault, but one thing you ought to know.I genuinely like the completed system but boy was it a tight match finding it all collectively!

Comment:
Attractive and quiet, decent air flow. Front panel lights are not obnoxious. Cramped, but I guess a single should count on that for a low profile HTPC case. From other reviewers inputs, I did not bother with the energy supply. I installed a Rosewill SL-300 TFX provide that needed some elongation of one particular of the holes for attaching it to the case. Also required delivering some support under the supply. And, I had to extend the CPU energy cable. See assessment for that provide over there.The bottom three.five bay applied appropriately has the front of the drive protuding out of the case (still behind the plastic front panel). This is not apparent at initially. The top rated bay looks to be far more designed for a floppy than a difficult drive. I drilled out some much more holes to move the drive as forward as doable (flush to the front of the case).Other than that, a comparatively straight-forward but really cramped make. I feel this case would be superior in a 17" wide type issue, the size of most AV elements. That may well enable two front fans, and a little far more area to get the board away from the drives.Overall, I am satisfied with my new HTPC.

Comment:
Case is sturdy, just the size I required for my htpc build. Appears well ventilated as well, which is a plus. No spacers for mounting the motherboard? For as soon as in my life I don't have a pile of the items floating about... which signifies I can't mount my board in this case.Where do you even get such things? They often come with the case!Two eggs off because that is ultra-mega-cheapo-lame.

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The case itself appears fine. The energy supply will drive you insane. The energy supply in this case is terrible. To make matters worse, it's sort of stealthy about getting terrible. It installed Windows just fine, updated, and so forth and so forth, but the entire time, tiny weird things kept taking place. Then I put the machine to sleep, and it won't wake back up. When it does wake up, it blue screens. Often the machine locks up so hard that you can't reset or hold the power button to shut it off. Swapped in a various energy supply, and every thing is fine. Keep in thoughts, this machine has one particular HDD, a USB remote and keyboard, and that's IT. I'm employing onboard video and sound and no optical drive. The BIOS shows all the power levels to be just fine.Regrettably, since I also had to send back a dead HDD, I didn't understand that the PWS was also negative till nicely soon after the 30 day mark. So I'm pretty much just out of luck. Abandon me! Save your self! Get a diverse case!

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The case is built solidly. Even without having any parts in it it felt as sturdy as a case can. The paint doesn't look like it will chip simply, and the power supply runs cool and quiet. Front intake fan can be a bit noisy, I might replace it with a silent fan. Fingerprints quickly show up on it. If this thing has power and disk activity LEDs, this 1's don't perform... either that or I plugged the cables in backwards, which I'm awful at doing. Purchased it to place with each other a Win7 streaming media Pc for the bedroom, and my girlfriend and I love the result.Core 2 Duo E6600 that I had laying about2GB PC2-5300800GB WD Green really hard driveAsus P5G41C-M LX motherboard

Comment:
This is a sharp HTPC case that blends in with other av elements. Though tight fits in some spots, all round installation was a snap. General it took about 30 minutes to install everyting. Airflow appears ok and haven't had any problem with fan noise. My only concern, and it is the identical with any case that comes with a "generic" energy provide, will be its lifespan. We'll see. None so far. Nice searching and fits in great! I'll be obtaining more of these for future builds.

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Purchased this case, and got it pretty fast. The case is exceptional. Strong construction, and good looking. The front IO ports are quite good as nicely. The energy provide in this case is junk. The 1st one particular blew up, lucky it didn't fry the board. Sent it back for an RMA. Got a new one particular in. Installed, it and it blew just as quick. I gave up and ordered a greater rated energy provide by itself. Opened up the second failed unit, and the capacitors inside are blown. Poor top quality components/construction or a thing. To sum it up. The case it fantastic. The energy provide is junk.

Comment:
Least expensive slim case. My very first small kind issue built went quite nicely. Wish I would have constructed 1 of these for my HTPC. Motherboard a tiny tight have to drop the sata connectors under the drive cage can only use connectors 5 and 6. 24 pin connector on mother board covered by 5.25 bay. BIOSTAR TA880GB+Athlon II X3 450WD500 GB green driveAsus DVD -RW drive

Comment:
Tiny, sturdy, not atrociously ugly, strong buttons. To the folks who complain about removing the power provide, you can eliminate the front of the case by pressing in the two tabs on either side. This tends to make installing the drives Much easier. As with any tiny case, heat is going to be an concern and this one particular is no unique. I was also a little put off by the fact that the mobo energy connector is squeezed tightly under the dvd drive but, oh effectively. The power provide is quite quiet and the case is very strong. I would not hesitate to advocate this case to somebody searching for something related.