Misc stuff for my HTPC

Bought some stuff to enhance my HTPC since it can get pretty warm during gaming. Especially the graphics cards and I feel that CPU fan is not enough to cool the fins. Therefore, I decided to add some more fans in the case where possible to expel hot air faster.

I also bought a fan controller to be mount at the unused 3.5" drive bay. Extra fans will be connected to it and controlled manually. Finally, a couple of 80mm fan filters and hoped that it will cut down on the dust intake by the fans.

Below is the unboxing video:

Misc stuffs bought from Linke computer

By the way, Happy New Year in advance! :)

Palit Geforce 560 Ti Twin Light Turbo 1GB Limited edition

Got my new graphics card finally, it is Palit Geforce 560Ti from Palit. It is a limited edition. Therefore, it is on limited output from the factory. And it is slightly over-clocked by the factory too. However, you can overclock it further by yourself as GTX560Ti to harness its power even more. MSI afterburner is a good software to use, easy and intuitive! 

Anyway, I was deciding between Radeon 6950 and Geforce 560Ti. Although 6950 is faster by default, a overclock 560Ti is able to match the speed of a stock 6950 although the end result is that 6950 is still the champion in this range.

Another reason is the card length of 560Ti, it reference length is 9 inches I think. Radeon 6950 seems to longer with 10.6 inches. With all the manufacturer out there, it seems that Palit makes the shortest card compared to the reference model.

It is a few cm shorter than reference and it suits my Silverstone SG-02F case, the downside I guess will be the 2 years local warranty that is given by the distributor as certain brands gives 3 years warranty. It is really a nice but powerful little card. Below is the unboxing video and some pictures of it.

My unboxing video

 Nice box

 Contents

 Nice design

 4 heatpipes

Short card length

A little mini review:

The light is lit up with a red glow from the two fans, it is nice in a way. However, it will be even better if it comes with a 2 GB version or have some heatsinks on those VRM chips.

On a side note, I got a extra 8GB of G-skill value rams again with this purchase since it the price is still economical. Now end up with a total 16GB of RAM on all 4 slots although my system will not be able to fully utilised it lol. It is there for the "fill up every RAM slots" mentality. Never know when you need the extra memory lol.

HTPC build 2011 part 3/3

Finally, for the motherboard and RAMs. As I don't OC the CPU or anything, it will be better to use H67 chipset compared to Z68 or P67. Also, I was also particular about the board layout, design etc. Having heatsinks on the VRM is a must for me since I feel it will prolong the life of it. Also, I will not be using a K series CPU since I don't overclock, a i5 2400 should suffice for me for my budget.

After all the researching on the different MB brands, I narrowed down to ECS (H67H2-M) or ASUS (P8H67-M EVO). Comparing both of them, they both look good with their individual colour themes and their VRM heatsinks.

ECS is lower cost and short of internal 1394 header and crossfire but ASUS has almost everything on the the board from 1394 (obsolete soon I feel) to crossfire. It even has a 2-port USB and eSATA module compared to ECS only has eSATA module. Of course, the price difference is there.

I wanted the ECS due to cost but the shop (lowest priced among all the shops) that I went to is out of stock for ECS. After some consideration, I decided to get the Asus board instead. And I am pretty happy with it.

Below is my unboxing video:

P8H67-M EVO unboxing

The pictures:

 Contents

 View 1

 View 2

 View 3

View 4

Lastly for the RAMs, as I don't overclock and with H67 chipset, I am limited to 1066 or 1333 rams. It is either Kingston or G-skill value rams for me. I choose the G-skill as it cost lower than Kingston and I shouldn't see any real world difference in them.

The PCB is black compared to Green for Kingston. I bought 2 sticks of 4GB each and it adds up to 8GB. It should be more than enough for Windows 7.

The picture:

G-skill value rams

For my future upgrades, I will be getting a Graphics card, maybe some fans and maybe even more RAMs if the price is good. It is a pity that my old fans can't be used due to size. Will do a post once I bought the stuffs.

Pictures of my HTPC build:

 My HTPC

 i5 2400

 Contents of i5 2400

 nice copper base

 low height

 Comparison with kozuti

 Mount nicely

 Clear VRM heatsinks

 Fans transfer

Assembling

 Close up

Completed

As you can see, the cable management is pretty messy. If you wish to have a neater management, I guess a modular PSU will be more useful but the length of the PSU will be slightly longer.

Sitex show 2011

The last major IT show of the year. The Sitex show 2011, will there be any good bargains this time round?


Links below for its brochures as usual:

From bootstrike:

Bootstrike

From Hardwarezone:

Hardwarezone Singapore

HTPC build 2011 part 2/3

Next up, I am going to choose the storage device and PSU. All the while, I had been using HDD although SSD has been available for couple of years now. However, due to the steep price when it was first released.

I wouldn't think of buying it until recently where the price dropped to a reasonable level I guess. If you buy it online, it seems to be cheaper than buying locally but the warranty will be an issue since it needs to be send back in an event of RMA. Therefore, I rather pay a bit more for the local warranty to save the hassle.

As for the advantage and disadvantages, there is plenty of websites explaining the differences between SSD and HDD. One of the major advantages is the access speed and therefore, I decided to buy one as a boot drive since it is said to be much much faster compared to HDD.

I choose Crucial M4 64GB after reading the reviews and it is manufactured locally (they have a production plant here), it may not be the fastest SSD but it is pretty stable according to reviews. Moreover, it is a SATA3 interface and seems to be the least costly compared to other brands.   

My unboxing video below:

Crucial M4 64GB SATA3 SSD unboxing

The picture:

The package

Well, I do feel Crucial is a bit stingy in way that not even the the mounting screws is provided. Only the manual is given and nothing else. It will be good to have a couple of screws or maybe a 3.5" to 2.5" bay converter since it is much more expensive compared to HDD. At least it will let the user have a "feel good" factor. 

For the PSU, FSP Aurum 500W Gold seems to be a good choice. It is shorter by 2cm compared to its modular counterpart and other PSU. Moreover, it has a Gold efficiency rating and so in the long run, it should save some electricity bills.

My unboxing video:

The picture:

The package

HTPC build 2011 part 1/3

The day came earlier than expected to upgrade my PC. As mentioned before, I am going for a smaller PC rather than ATX form factor. So I decided on mATX rather than mini ITX as mATX still have some expansion slots if I need it but not as much slot as ATX board.

For the case, I had been researching online for different type of mATX available locally. As most of the case seems to be those typical tower type mATX casing, which is the ones I want to avoid. And also I prefer the board to be sitting down rather than mounted sideways. So there isn't a lot of choice available for SFF case. And Silverstone seems to fit the bill as it is available locally.

The link for the case:  Silverstone SG-02F
 
As you all may already know, Silverstone makes interesting and unique cases. This particular shoebox type case caught my eye which is the SG-02F, they are in the SFF(small form factor) category. Small but has almost everything.  It is only half the height of my current NXZT alpha gaming case and it is shorter in length too but slightly wider.

Do take note it is not a new model, it is couple of years old so no USB 3.0 front port for it. It has a full aluminium version and a steel version, the steel version is the one I am looking for since it cost lower but has the same design other than lesser front USB 2.0 ports.

Also the cable management might be a issue too since the room is really limited. But I guess there has to be some sacrifices made somewhere for its small form. It cost around 92-95 SGD for the steel version and the aluminium type cost around 155 SGD locally.

My unboxing video:

Silverstone SG-02F

The pictures:

 Pic 1

 Pic 2

 Pic 3

 Pic 4

 Pic 5

 Pic 6

 Pic 7

 Pic 8

Pic 9

Also, if you wish to use the crossflow fan, you need the default heatsink or some other brands low profile CPU cooler like Scythe Kozuti. Otherwise, you will not be able to mount it.

CPU Heatsink for impending HTPC build

For my coming PC replacement, I decided to build a HTPC which is capable of gaming. So I will be using a SFF (small form factor) casing, as I started to feel that for my current ATX board seems to have too much unused slots and the ATX size casing seems to be too big.

Maybe as I grow older, I prefer a smaller board that can do most of the things and a smaller case for space saving which is more practical in a sense. Now talking about CPU cooler, the Intel default heatsink seems to be pretty small and it cools well but I prefer something that is nicer and better heat dissipation.

And so my hunt for a HTPC CPU heatsink begins! I was looking through some CPU heatsink review and came across this nice little product from Scythe. I believe the height of the heatsink is one of lowest (4cm) among all the low profile heatsink products out there and it looks pretty nice too.

Below is the link of its specifications at its official website:

Scythe Kozuti CPU Heatsink

However, it is not easy to find Scythe over here although it has a distributor and price is slightly more expensive than getting it online. Therefore, I decided to get it online since this online shopping website was recommended by the forum users that I frequents. For those who are interested, the website is as below:

Linke computer

After visiting it, they do have a quite a variety of computer products and I managed to find the product I wanted. The shipping took slightly more than a week to reach my doorsteps for my case since it is in stock.

Unboxing video:

Also, in my soon to be HTPC post, will put a few pictures in comparing its height between the Intel default heatsink and Kozuti.

Sex expo 2012

Wow, was surprised that Sexpo is coming to Singapore next year. It seems to be interesting but the tickets is not cheap. Having said that, I might visit the show though.

It has always been held in Macau and surprisingly it will be held here next year. Perhaps it will help the tourism industry.

Below is the extract on the report:

"The Asia Adult Expo will be held in Singapore next year.

The sex-theme fair, to be held at Marina Bay Sands, will feature Playboy playmates and Japanese AV stars pole dancing.

Participants must be 18 and above to attend this adult-only fair. They can expect to find sex toys, intimate clothing, adult magazines, nude body painting and models doing sexy catwalks at the event.

The fair began in 2008 and has been held in Macau for the last four years. Admission fees will likely cost between $20 to $25, as tickets for the Macau fair was US$15.

Industry insiders believe that the fair will be popular in Singapore as locals here are less conservative compared to other regions in Asia."

Source:  Sexpo coming to Singapore in 2012

Comex show 2011 purchases Part 2/2

As mentioned in one of my earlier post, I had a extra SIM card for the mobile broadband when I renew my Singtel home broadband contract. But I didn't opt for a Singtel HSDPA USB key since there will be extra charges and the design isn't very appealing.

It has been a while that the SIM card is gathering dust. So I decided to get a Prolink HSDPA USB adapter (PHS101) to use the SIM card, since the price is pretty reasonable and the design is pretty neat. It cost 69 SGD. Also, it has a extra microSD slot for your microSD memory card.

 Nice box

 In the box

Casing off

Comex show 2011 purchases Part 1/2

It has been some time since I am considering to upgrade my monitor to a full HD monitor (1920x1080). Also, I had read up on panel type that is used on LCD screen. Basically, it is TN and IPS panel. TN is more mainstream while IPS is used more for photography works.

There is some difference in the colour but I am not a expert on this. It can be read up on the web between the advantages and disadvantages. Since my old Samsung monitor is a TN panel (about 3-4 years ago), I decided it is time to get a better monitor and a different panel. So a IPS panel for me this time and also FULL HD!! More details and richer colour perhaps!! By the way, the screen is matt which is the one I prefer over glossy type.  

Seems reasonable enough for me with a monitor + freebies. Actually the freebies doesn't interest me since it is nothing special. The choices available are a LG mobile phone or Capsule speakers or a bluetooth. HDMI cable will be included for whichever gifts you choose, but you can opt for without freebies and the monitor will cost 30 bucks less (278-30=248 SGD).

However, there is another special gift that is not on the brochure, you can opt for a Canon Pixma printer which I feel is more worthwhile compared to 30 bucks discount or the original free gifts. So here is the monitor plus the printer.

 Whole package

 Monitor contents

Another view

Mini review: The colour reproduction seems to be overall much richer compared to TN panel.

WhatsApp for Android

My friends has been telling me how good whatsapps is, so I decided to try it out. Indeed, it is a good apps and so I guess it is true. However, one thing that irks me is that android users need to pay for its services annually for 1.99USD.

Compared to iPhone users, they only need to pay the fees once to use it forever. It seems a bit contradicting to me and I don't the rationale behind it. Maybe I switch to iPhone next time to use it forever lol.

The only consolation is that 1st year is free for android users. But I guess if the apps can interconnect with your friends on different mobile platforms (iOS, android, blackberry). Small fee for 1.99 USD seems to reasonable for now.

Link below for info on Whatsapp:

Info on WhatsApp

Comex show 2011

That's right, the 3rd major IT show in Singapore. Time to look out for any good bargains at the show. It will be from 1-4 Sep 2011 and held at Suntec convention centre.


Below is the link for the price list as usual (credits to them) but this time includes VR-zone price list too:

 From bootstrike

From Hardwarezone Singapore 

From VR-ZONE 

Super robot wars for PS3

Finally!!! A super robot wars game is coming to PS3 in Sep 2011. Can't wait for this great game haha. It is based on the OG series, so the storyline will be more or less independent from the rest of popular robot stories I guess.

I had 2 out of 3 series for PS2. Now after PS3 has been released for quite some time, it is finally on PS3. Can't wait for it to be released!

Below is a short clip of the gameplay and its trailer:

Andyson F600M PSU

One fine day, when I switched on my PC. A loud "pop" sound is heard and I smell something is burned. And it is coming from the PSU, a enermax PSU to be precise. It had served me for almost 3 years but if I didn't remember wrongly, the warranty is 5 years. And my DVD writer has problem too recently. So 2 parts of my PC is not working.

So I am pondering whether I should RMA it or get a cheaper PSU which is faster. But I am not sure if the PSU has affected the rest of my rig. And whether it is worthwhile to upgrade my PC now. Less than 30 bucks for DVD writer vs 1k~1.2k SGD for a new rig.

Finally, my decision is to check with the distributor if my PSU is still in warranty. The answer is yes since I had only used the PSU for close to 3 years and the warranty for Enermax is 5 years! However, they do not have this model for 1-1 exchange anymore and had to be send to the manufacturer for repair which I think will take a long time.

So I suggested swapping with a different brand of equivalent value PSU, and they recommend Andyson F600M which I don't mind since it is a modular type PSU (compared to my non-modular PSU) and the wattage is slightly less (previous Enermax is 625w). Good service from them, since my previous PSU left 2 years warranty and it was bring over to my new PSU. They also throw in a extra 1 year warranty for this new PSU which makes it 3 years that is equivalent to a new set warranty.  

In conclusion, I swap my PSU for a different brand and bought a new DVD writer to replace my faulty one. But I choose a LG DVD writer this time since my previous Sony model didn't last long. So, although my rig is still usable, but I am still tempted to get a new rig to keep up with the technology every couple of years. Will see how it goes.

Below are the pics:

 PSU and DVD writer

 PSU

 DVD writer

 PSU package

 Specs

DVD package

Castlevania: Lord of shadow completed

Bought the Japanese version some time back, I even write a post on it when it arrived. I took a pretty long time to complete this game lol. Although this game is released last year, I didn't know or watch the ending on youtube until I completed it.

I was surprised by the ending that the hero become Dracula instead after saving his land. However, there are 2 subsequent add-on (Reverie and Resurrection) for the game after the last battle of Lord of Shadows, it is to know how Gabriel Belmont become Dracula which corresponds to the ending of the game first part. The 2 add on can be purchase on the Playstation Network. Both parts is pretty short and the walkthrough can be found at youtube.

Note: From what I know, this storyline is completely new and bears no links to the original 

          castlevania series.

Below is the full story (Credits to the individual uploader for their clips):

Lord of Shadows ending

Reverie Ending (continuation after the final battle of Lord of Shadows)

Resurrection ending (shows how Gabriel became Dracula)

Tablets

Ever since tablets has been popularized by Apple, new models keeps appearing from different manufacturers to compete with iPad. In my view, the major contenders is basically Android OS vs iOS, now consumers spoilt for choice given the models that is currently available now. Windows tablet is not that common yet.

Every new release spots new hardware and faster processing speed, sharper screen etc. So I guess the EOL for current model is pretty fast. And now I am tempted to get a tablet with 3G + WiFi function and 7" screen will be more ideal for me. But overall, I still prefer Android tablet since the OS is always improving everytime.

After doing some research and hands on testing with the current available models, I narrowed down to Samsung tablets. I like its overall feel while testing the Galaxy tab (it has been released for almost a year). ASUS transformer seems to be pretty good too, but the 3G version will only be released later this year.

Currently, Galaxy tab 8.9" and 10.1" version is going to be released locally with the Android 3.0 OS and improved hardware. I shall see if is a major improvement over the current Galaxy tab before I decide, but deep down inside I wish they had released a improved 7" version instead.

m4/3 systems

It has been a couple of years since the release of m4/3 system and I felt that the system is beginning to stabilise in a way. It is sometimes known as DSLR system without the "mirror", so the camera body can be shrink down considerably without it. The sensor is basically the same size as a normal 4/3 sensor.

With more lens and body been released every year as well as improvements made to 4/3 sensors, consumers is spoilt for choice I guess.

For the manufacturers, it is mainly coming from Olympus and Panasonic. They each have their own ways to maximise the potential of their own m4/3 bodies. Good thing is that their brands of lenses is interchangeable with each other like their 4/3 counterparts.

And now I am beginning to have interest in this system too!! Moreover, it can used with the older 4/3 lens. All is needed is to get a adapter to use your old 4/3 lens on m4/3 bodies, so I guess your old 4/3 lens can be put to good use but I am not sure whether the body will fully utilise the 4/3 lens capabilities.

Personally, I felt these two upcoming new models seems to be pretty interesting. So I can consider it to be my next system if 4/3 system is really going to end in the near future. If it doesn't end, it will be another story lol. There are currently previews of both models at some famous online camera site and it looks pretty positive. Below is the specs:

Specifications for EP3:

Effective pixels	12.3 megapixels
Sensor	4/3" Hi-Speed Live MOS sensor
Focal Length Multiplier	2x
ISO rating	AUTO: ISO 200 - 12800 (customizable, Default 200-1600); Manual: ISO 200 - 12800 (in 1/3 or 1 EV steps)
Image Stabilization	Built-in imager-shift image stabilizer
Shutter speed	60 - 1/4000 sec.
Auto Focus	35-area multiple AF with the contrast detection system (Auto, selectable in option)
Exposure Control	Digital ESP (324-area multi pattern metering), Center weighted average, Spot metering (approx. 1% for the viewfinder screen. Highlight / shadow bases are available)
Exposure Compensation	±3 EV in 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV steps selectable
Metering	TTL Image Sensor metering system
Flash Modes	TTL-Auto, Manual (Full, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64)
Recording Formats	Still: RAW (12-bit lossless compression), JPEG, RAW+JPEG, MPO (3D still); Movie: AVCHD, AVI Motion JPEG
Display	3.0-inch, 614,000-dot OLED touch panel
Storage type	SD Memory Card (SDHC, SDXC, UHS-I compatible), Eye-Fi, Class 6 is recommended for Movie shooting
Connectivity	USB 2.0, mini HDMI, Video-Out, Accessory port (AP2)
Battery	BLS-1 Li-ion battery (330 shots according to CIPA standard)
Dimensions	122 x 69.1 x 34.2mm (W x H x D, excluding protrusions)
Weight	321g (without battery)

Specifications for G3:

Effective pixels	16.0 megapixels
Sensor	Live MOS sensor with primary color filter
ISO rating	Auto / Intelligent ISO / 160 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200 / 6400 (Changeable to 1/3 EV step)
Shutter speed	1/4000 ~ 60 and Bulb (up to approx. 120 seconds) (Still Image) / 1/16000 ~ 1/30 (NTSC), 1/16000 ~ 1/25 (PAL) (Motion Image)
Exposure Control	Program AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual
Exposure Compensation	1/3EV step +/-5EV
Metering	Intelligent Multiple, Center Weighted, Spot
Recording Formats	JPEG (DCF, Exif 2.3), RAW, DPOF compatible, AVCHD, QuickTime Motion JPEG
Display	3.0-inch, 460,000 dots, TFT LCD with Touch panel
Storage type	SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards
Connectivity	USB 2.0, miniHDMI (TypeC/VIErA Link),
Battery	ID-Security Li-ion Battery Pack, 1010mAh
Dimensions	115.2 x 83.6 x 46.7mm
Weight	Approx. 336g (body only)

Castlevania Lord of Shadows Japanese Limited Edition

As mentioned previously, I had been wanting to get this game for some time. But I was kinda waiting for the Japanese version though since I felt that the game sounds cooler with Japanese. Sadly, the pricing is kinda steep.

By chance, I was browsing through Play-asia website and I saw this offer on the game. Moreover, it is the limited edition package with the same pricing as the normal one. Therefore, I felt that it is more worthwhile now to buy this game.

I placed the order with a fee for a tracking courier. The package arrived within 2 days, that is pretty fast! And I recommend adding small fee so that you can track the parcel to give you a peace of mind. Otherwise using the FOC shipping may take up to 2 weeks and there is a risk that the package might be lost. Finally, the Japanese version doesn't have English subs, only Japanese Subs. How i wish i could choose English or Japanese subs though.

Below is the unboxing video and some pics of the limited edition package.

Parcel Unboxing


The game package itself

 Back view of Package

 Nice logo

 Extras 1

 Extras 2

Whole package