[Cimi]

Hi guys, with the main goal of running linux with xbmc, while keeping the system *silent*, and fully compatible with linux, which could be the best alternative?
In Italy, I have found motherboards from Zotac or Point of View, and of course the asrock 330.
I would like something that will work out of the box, even with alsa and digital/hdmi audio out to the amplifier.
I don't mind paying more for a better solution.

[spanik]

Hi Cimi,

Had been wondering the very same thing for a few weeks; having read this forum quite extensively, I ended up going for the Asrock 330 as it seems to be the one with the most (happy) users and the most posts, tricks & tips available. So I went for the safe option, this machine being my first linux one, and having not touched XMBC since my xbox1 days back a few years :-)

Have not yet built the AsRock machine, but I can tell you that even with the Fan Setting on Ultra-Silent, it is definitly not silent (I have a SSD instead of the loud HDD), you can hear both fans. Sure, they are quiter than an Xbox360 or PS3 but not silent. Zotac has a silent already build solution I believe.

Btw

[jbernardo]

I got a POV (motherboard+case+1TBHD+BluRay) from ebay, it sells from Germany as SidneyII or something like that. It is silent enough that I don't hear its fans when it is inside the cupboard, but the power supply also gets very hot after some time on.

Ah, and it took 3 working days to arrive here in northern Italy...

[genka]

Fan on Zotac board is quiet and the chip itself doesn't need much airflow. The fan could be rewired to run from 7 volt source and still cool sufficiently.

[vikjon0]

ave not yet built the AsRock machine, but I can tell you that even with the Fan Setting on Ultra-Silent, it is definitly not silent

I am pretty happy with mine..but yes you can hear it if the TV is of and there is no other sounds in the room.
I have the fan on auto and I dont mess with OC.

NB: You need to update the BIOS to get the fan control working.

[brookz]

I went with ASRock Ion 330.

I opened the case when I got it and was pleasantly surprised that there is full ram sticks in it and not sodimm size. Also the construction of the case seems to be of good quality and there is quite a lot of room inside for air flow.

When watching a 1080p mkv (which would potentially generate the most heat from GPU\CPU) I cannot hear the little fan in the device.