Why is every HTPC Case I decide on discontinued.

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  1. Posts : 38
    Windows 7 Professional 64 bit
       #1

    Why is every HTPC Case I decide on discontinued.


    Hello,

    I have finally decided to build my own PC which I want to tailor towards playing HD video and sending music to my Hi-Fi amp.

    I would like the case to replicate my amp style with loads of room for ease of build, accept ATX size motherboards and allow for plenty of ventilation.

    The one I decided on was the Silverstone GD08 which is available but with only 2 left on Amazon and now discontinued I don't have much hope this will be in stock when I'm in a position to buy in a couple of months time.

    It seems fine if you live in the USA choice is vast but in the UK every alternative I find and like seems overpriced or discontinued.

    Anybody got any advice.

    Thanks in advance, tj
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  2. Posts : 12,012
    Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bit
       #2

    Is that a rhetorical question? If not, you'd have to have discussion with case manufacturers and UK vendors. No one here can tell you why certain cases are discontinued or why your vendors have few choices.

    You haven't provided much info on what you require from a case other than ATX with "loads of room" and "plenty of ventilation".

    There are many dozens and probably hundreds that meet those specifications.

    The Silverstone GD08 is not a tower type case--it has the old horizontal style similar to an audio receiver. Is that a definite requirement, a preference, a hope, or?

    The best thing you can do is:

    1: Provide links to the vendors from which you might actually order, UK or otherwise.

    2: Provide much more detail on what you want and don't want in a case--including such things as number and size of fan mounts, number and type of hard drive mounts, anticipated motherboard and CPU, maximum you want to spend on the case, absolutely required features, features that you'd "like to have" but are not set in stone, "looks" and aesthetics, how "quiet" this thing must be, any possible size limitations, etc, etc, etc.

    As it is, we know very little about what you want or your possible sources. If your sources are so limited as to have perhaps only 3 plausible choices, then there's not much that can be done. Pick the best of a bad lot.
    Last edited by ignatzatsonic; 23 Oct 2016 at 13:54.
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  3. Posts : 38
    Windows 7 Professional 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Thanks for the reply but I can't believe that you are pointing out what style the GD08 is to me.

    I just want something that gives me scope for future upgrades and add on's so something the size of the Silverstone is ideal. Style as I did say in post needs to replicate my amp (HiFi box style and not tower).

    I'll just keep looking, confused as this type of build is so popular why manufacturers aren't catering more for this, so many I find seem to be discontinued.

    Thought I may have been missing something.
    tj
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  4. Posts : 12,012
    Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bit
       #4

    tjpearson said:

    Thought I may have been missing something.
    Apparently you aren't missing anything.

    Your problem appears to be that you are in the UK and your unknown vendors have poor choices. A quick look at US sources shows maybe 50 cases in the "amp" style. But I wouldn't recommend moving to the US for that reason. Or possibly any reason. But that's another story.
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  5. Posts : 38
    Windows 7 Professional 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #5

    OK, thanks anyway Ignatzatsonic.

    Reading and learning and reading and learning and building my wish list so will be needing plenty of help from this forum when start the build.

    Hope I will still be able to get Windows 7 installation software by the time I've finished this project or else Lynux here I come.

    tj
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 12,012
    Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bit
       #6

    Windows 7 is still available in the US, but may be getting hard to find in the UK--I haven't checked.

    You don't need a lot of CPU power for an HTPC, but most would point you toward Intel. They tend to run cooler and are price-competitive across the entire line.

    I'd decide on a motherboard with the required features and the rest of it will fall in place with a little care.

    Windows 7 can be a bit cranky to install on an Intel Skylake PC, but it's doable. I did it.

    I don't use Windows 10, but most people are pretty well satisfied with it. The reasons to reject it are shouted all over the Internet. If those reasons don't matter to you, then I'd at least consider it.

    If you are Linux savvy, there's no reason at all not to go with it and that might be the best long term choice anyway---nobody can say what's up Microsoft's sleeve these days.
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  7. Posts : 38
    Windows 7 Professional 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Taking advice from ignatzatsonic


    Decided to take the advice from ignatzatsonic and start with motherboard and processor.

    Got the case Silverstone GD08, what a monster but very nice, and ordered a cheap Samsung Disc Drive just to allow operating system installation

    Planning on:

    ASRock Z170 Extreme4 Skylake ATX Motherboard

    Intel Core Skylake Processor i5-6500/3.2 GHz Processor CPU

    Samsung 850 PRO 256 GB 2.5 inch SATA III Solid State Drive

    EVGA SuperNOVA 750W PC Power Supply - Gold

    I appreciate the power might be a bit overkill but want expansion possibilities.

    Can not bring myself to run W10 on this so sticking with W7 and as confirmed as doable I will do.

    Reading so much on the control Microsoft have adopted with W10 I just sense they are fast in decline as a company and once W7 becomes unusable I will switch to Linux incorporating a dual boot system to make sure all my hardware runs trouble free. I know Windows will never disappear but feel the total lack of support for many being unable to download updates and continual nagging to update to W10 shows a company lagging behind Apple and Google and trying very hard to create a system that tells you and not what you tell it.

    Any advice or thoughts on my build components would be appreciated.

    tj
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 12,012
    Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bit
       #8

    tjpearson said:

    I appreciate the power might be a bit overkill but want expansion possibilities.
    Not sure if you mean CPU power or power supply. Yeah, 750 watt PSU is a couple of hundred more than you need.

    Don't see any RAM in your list.

    I don't see anything wrong with your component choice--it's certainly stouter than most people would build for an HTPC, but if it fits your budget, knock yourself out.

    I see that case will even take an Extended ATX board. I'm wondering how tall a cooler it will take--maybe you are planning to use the stock cooler?

    Looks OK to me--you can evaluate temps and fan noise later and replace case fans and/or CPU cooler fans if necessary. I'm guessing noise might be some type of issue for you in an HTPC.

    I've got the micro ATX version of that motherboard (Z170M Extreme 4). The first one was outright defective and I could not get ANY on-screen display when I fired it up. I RMAed it to Newegg and they sent me a new one--they paid postage both ways. So far, so good on the replacement.

    Prediction: you'll be pulling your hair over the Win 7 install. I finally got it done, but have no idea in the world why my first 2 or 3 ideas didn't work. I eventually had to make an installer ISO from a DVD installer I'd made 3 or 4 years ago. Then get that ISO on a bootable flash drive. My attempts at using a bootable flash drive made directly from a downloaded Microsoft Win 7 ISO failed.

    I kept getting errors midway through the "Windows is expanding and installing files" portion of the installation--or whatever the terminology is.

    Check the Asrock website for their downloadable "USB Patcher" designed to help you install Win 7 on Z170. There's a video about it available also.
    Last edited by ignatzatsonic; 06 Nov 2016 at 10:48.
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  9. Posts : 38
    Windows 7 Professional 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Your so bloody helpful.

    Nice to know I'm on the tight tracks.

    G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series F4-2400C15D-16GVR 16 GB (8 GBx2) DDR4 2400 MHz C15 1.2 V Memory Kit

    Reading through the Asrock manual they give brief explanation of how to install W7, if that fails I will get a flight and bring all with me and you can do it.

    tj
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 12,012
    Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bit
       #10

    tjpearson said:

    Reading through the Asrock manual they give brief explanation of how to install W7, if that fails I will get a flight and bring all with me and you can do it.
    OK. Meet me at no special place and I'll be there at no particular time. You better bring along your glasses in case I'm hard to find.

    Other than that, I'm looking forward to it.
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