IntroductionI have been into home theater computers for a long, long time. In its infancy, HTPCs offered more functionality than was available to the average consumer (like upscaled DVD video, progressive scan displays, archived video library, etc), but at a severe usability cost. The unit was still primarily controlled using a standard keyboard and mouse, which let me tell you totally kills the almighty SAF (spousal acceptance factor).
The holy grail of a Home Theater PC is to make it as appliance-like as possible, and that includes having an enclosure that seamlessly meshes with other home theater equipment, and can be used without a remote control. One of the few companies up to this challenge is Silverstone, who has years of experience designing cases for the Home Theater enthusiast. Their LC16M case appears to be a serious candidate for the Holy Grail of HTPC enclosures, so let’s take a serious look
Specifications
With over 15 HTPC enclosures worth of experience and years of knowledge in case cooling and layout, SilverStone’s acclaimed engineering and design team have once again re-invented an existing standard. The attractively styled LC16M offers impressive features that are unprecedented for HTPC enclosures. They include cooling performance surpassing most tower cases for next generation processor technology and a storage capacity unseen in this class. By combining these new technical advances with traditional HTPC features such as VFD/IR multimedia kit and a clean, functional front fascia, the LC16M is sure to become the premier choice for HTPC enthusiasts.
Special Features
- Brilliant home theater styling details
- Next generation cooling performance
- Outstanding potential for silent operation
- Integrated hotkey and multi-functional knob
- Superior storage capacity
- New Maglev bearing fans included
| Material | Aluminum front panel, 0.8 mm SECC body |
| Color | Black | | Silver |
| Motherboard | Standard ATX, Micro ATX |
| Multimedia | VFD, IR, remote control, iMON media center software |
| Model | LC16B – M (Black) | | LC16S – M (Silver) |
| External Drive Bay | 5.25” x 1 | | 3.5” x 1 |
| Internal Drive Bay | 3.5” x 6 |
| Cooling System | lntemal 2 x 92mm or 80mm fan slots | | Rear 2 x 80mm exhaust fan, 2050rpm, 21dBA | | Front 1 x 80mm fan slots |
| Expansion Slot | 7 |
| Front I/O Port | USB2.0 x 4 | | IEEE1394 x 1 | | audio x 1 | | MIC x 1 |
| Power Supply | Optional standard PS2 (ATX) |
| Net Weight | 7.3 kg |
| Dimension | 425 mm (W) x 170mm (H) x 425 mm (D) |
* LC16M is not compatible with GeForce 6800/7800 series and ATI X1800/X1900 series cards but is compatible with 7900GT (not 7900GTX).
The included soft-closing 5.25” drive bays are not compatible with
optical drive doors that are the same width as the drive
Continued...
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