View Full Version : Silence my XBOX/XBMC or build an HTPC?
ben.bayliss
02-05-2007, 11:00
Hey ho.
I've got an old black xbox running xbmc which I absolutely love and does everything I currently need of it perfectly. However as time goes by the noise it emits is getting more and more annoying, and I'm wondering if it might be time to start retiring it whilst giving me a new project to work on....
The two options available to me are either:
1) To attempt to silence my existing xbox to make it more living-room friendly by performing various fan mods / heatsink replacements / new hard drive etc..
2) Build an HTPC to take its place.
Pros to HTPC:
- Future proof
- Truly HD capable (the XBOX can output 720p but barely)
- TV tuner options / PVR etc..
- Potentially quieter?
- Aesthetically better
- New toy! :thumbs:
Cons:
- Undoubtedly more expensive than modding the xbox. :(
- XBMC is the perfect interface, and whilst I've not tried WMC/VMC yet I doubt it's quite as straightforward.
So I suppose my main question is: Has anyone successfully managed to mod their xbox to make it bearably quiet (comparable to a well-designed HTPC case I guess)? If so, how, and was it worth the money?
Otherwise, how has everyone been finding Windows Media Centre / Vista Media Centre, or do most people actually run another frontend? Are there alternatives out there that mimic XBMC with its program-launching abilities as well?
More questions to come no doubt!
Cheers all.
AdsterUK
02-05-2007, 11:34
You could try a newer xbox. My old one was a bit noisy but since replacing it with a newer 1.6 model (now itself well over a year old) and can't be heard at all if you are over 2-3 foot away from it. The main difference with the newer one is that it has no GPU (CPU?) fan only a heatsink.
Basically I stream everything to it and have the options for HD spindown set to minimum, so the HD and DVD are never active, thus not generating heat or noise. Because of this the main fan runs happily at 2-6% (I set the max temp to 50c) and can't be heard.
Pros to HTPC:
- Future proof
no such thing as future proof :p
ben.bayliss
02-05-2007, 11:48
No of course not really :), but I'd think it's fair to say that a powerful enough Windows-based PC will have software developed for it to cope with emerging formats for years to come. Plus by being based on standard PC hardware (unlike the xbox!) it's easily maintained, upgraded etc..
AdsterUK: I'll have a look in to that, but I suspect doing the mods will achieve the same effect. It'd mean a lot of resoldering work too..... :suspect:
you could always take the xbox out of it's casing and make something else to house it in?
or buy something already created...
http://iso420.org/xbox/xtenderv2/index.htm
If your HDD in the Xbox is quiet, the only other real source of noise is the small fan at the back.
Someone on here ages ago posted a link to a site that done direct replacements for the Xbox1 fan. Fairly amateur looking site, but lot's of people used them.
Think there's something unusual about the size of the fans? 70mm?
I got lucky about the same time as I was looking for the site, a friend's box died and I stole their identical, but much quieter, fan.
Could do with a decent one off that site though if I could find it again.
AdsterUK
02-05-2007, 11:58
If your HDD in the Xbox is quiet, the only other real source of noise is the small fan at the back.
Someone on here ages ago posted a link to a site that done direct replacements for the Xbox1 fan. Fairly amateur looking site, but lot's of people used them.
Think there's something unusual about the size of the fans? 70mm?
I got lucky about the same time as I was looking for the site, a friend's box died and I stole their identical, but much quieter, fan.
Could do with a decent one off that site though if I could find it again.If its an early model it will have a CPU or GPU fan too, its tiny but actually generates a lot more noise than the case fan..
Ah okay, not sure what version mine is, but would assume the other fan isn't there as if I use XBMC to slow the fan down it can go almost silent.
Just the temps that put me off keeping it like that ;)
SpaceCoyote
02-05-2007, 15:37
If you are happy to do it, take the CPU and GPU heatsink off, clean the gunk off and then replace with Arctic Silver 5. This will make a big difference to the temps when you slow your fan.
If you fancy tinkering, you could try replacing the stock exhaust fan with an 80mm fan and run that off the MotherBoard connector. It's not a direct replacement so you will have to trim bits of plastic. However, in my experience - I run a replacement 80mm Silen-X fan - it is considerably quieter than the original fan, even if you slow the original right down.
Of course, as the Xbox heats up XBMC increases the fan speed/cooling (if you've enabled that option), and therefore the noise, but it still seems proportionately less than with the two original Xbox fans i've tried.
The downside is that as soon as you boot back to the official MS dash (or basically anything apart from XBMC) you will not get the full benefit of the replacement fan. In fact, you'd probably be worse off. It'll be quiet but it'll probably get quite hot!
The replacement fan is designed to do its most efficient cooling when running at 12volts (which the MB connector is not). So, your replacement fan at 6volts (or whatever voltage the MB connector is) will be shifting less air than the original Xbox fan at the same voltage. Iyswim...
So it's probably worth trying if it's an XBMC only 'box, but maybe a bit risky* if it's used a lot for other things too.
Oh, and running a replacement fan from a 12v power source inside the Xbox (splitter from the HD power lead for instance) means you get 100% fan speed, but no speed control.
Hth.
*I get temps of around 55/56 degrees after a 2-3hr game of Halo etc. Which is a bit too hot for my liking. I haven't done anything other than replace the fan though - no Artic Silver etc. Yet. And I don't have GPU fan. Like AdsterUK says, they're LOUD!
unimatrix0
02-05-2007, 15:49
there is an option to slow / increase the speed of the fan in XBMC IIRC
My xbox can get a bit noisy too. Others have reported good results when replacing the fan with this one:
http://www.quietpc.com/gb-en-gbp/products/casefans/afdp-7025b
I've not found a cheaper one thats specced as quiet as this. I like the look of it as its a direct replacement as opposed to cutting out more space for an 80mm fan; that said I haven't tried it myself yet...
ben.bayliss
02-05-2007, 17:25
Thanks all - seems I might as well try to silence the xbox before spending big bucks on a new htpc.
The mods I've got planned are:
- Replace GPU and NB heatsinks with larger, passive coolers. Clean chips and apply Arctic Silver in the process.
- Replace CPU fan with new, quieter fan (maybe larger too if possible).
- Replace 70mm case fan with 80mm version. Hacksaw at the ready!
- Run new 80mm fan at 9-12v, constant speed.
- Examine current 120GB HDD and see if it's running ok. If noisy - replace.
The Acoustifan linked to from quietpc.com is a bit of a marketing con tbh. It may well be quiet, but the specs are blatantly phoney. A quick read on the SPCR forums show plenty of honestly specced alternatives that people have said to be even quieter... I'll be sure to have a better read before buying anything tho. To be honest, I'm not sure I trust any of the products that QuietPC sell(!).
Will do my best to report back here once I've got it all done.
slatermethuen
02-05-2007, 17:27
Have you tried a recent build of XBMC? A feature was added recently ("CPU idle thread with HLT instruction to cool and lower energy usage") which, on my xbox, lowers the temperature by about 4 degrees, and therefore lowers the fan speed.
ben.bayliss
02-05-2007, 17:29
Oooh I'll look in to that. Haven't updated since Feb probably so will do that tonight.
Thanks!
The Acoustifan linked to from quietpc.com is a bit of a marketing con tbh.
Cheers for that. Must admit I baulked at the price, so I went looking for a cheap(er) one instead. However, I couldn't find anything that ran as quiet as that one... may explain why.
The temp settings in XBMC are good in that it stops the box from getting very noisy but for me its done nothing for the underlying hum.
I'll be very interested to know how you get on and what bits worked for you.
- Replace 70mm case fan with 80mm version. Hacksaw at the ready!
- Run new 80mm fan at 9-12v, constant speed.
Just to make it clearer (I hope), XBMC will control your new 80mm fan for you. Including ramping it all the way up to 12v (100% fan speed) if needed. 12-volting it and running it at a constant speed is not an ideal solution if you're after quietness.
One thing you could ponder is removing/hacking away the whole rear "grill" where the fan is. I've noticed that a lot of the fan "noise" seems to be turbulence (whooshing) from that plastic grill. I've not done this though - it seemed a bit too destructive :D
If you do have a CPU fan then you might even be able to replace the CPU fan with a heat-sink from a later Xbox too although i'm not sure.
If you need any help re: the fan mod you're more than welcome to give me a PM.
Fwiw: This is a review what I ended up buying: http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/silenx_80mm_fans.php
ben.bayliss
02-05-2007, 20:52
I'm slightly confused, I thought the choice was between these two options:
1) Run the fan off the motherboard header - 6v with software speed ramping
OR
2) Run the fan at 12v by fiddling with the wiring. No speed ramping possible.
Is that not right? How does the fan speed work once its been modded to 12v?
carlito8
02-05-2007, 22:20
Definately get a newer xbox if you've got one of the older ones with gpu fan as well. I used to have an old black v1.1 which was very noisy. I replaced it with a v1.6, removed the heatsinks and re-did them with arctic silver. I now run it at 10% fan setting in xbmc and it's barely noticeable in a quiet room, can't hear it at all when watching anything. The cpu temp is around 36 degrees. I've also got a 250gb samsung drive which is whisper quiet.
I'm slightly confused, I thought the choice was between these two options:
1) Run the fan off the motherboard header - 6v with software speed ramping
OR
2) Run the fan at 12v by fiddling with the wiring. No speed ramping possible.
Is that not right? How does the fan speed work once its been modded to 12v?
Sorry! They are your two options, yes. The fan speed is at maximum all the time if you 12volt it.
Using the MB connector is the only way you will get fan-speed control within XBMC. XBMC can force the MB connector to produce upto 12v. Due to forum T&Cs I can't post exact links but Googling for "xbmc fan 12v 100% (http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=xbmc+fan+12v+100%)" should elaborate a little on this.
Hth.
ben.bayliss
03-05-2007, 07:30
Ahh how interesting. I assumed that 6v was the max voltage available from the motherboard ie. 100% and XBMC could only work down from that. I guess the XBOX bios already has some ramping programmed into it which defaults the header to 6v?
Cool, well in that case I shan't bother doing the mod! XBMC control it is.
cardinal biggles
08-05-2007, 13:46
I really wish someone would release an exact copy of XBMC for Windows
I really wish someone would release an exact copy of XBMC for Windows
they did http://www.team-mediaportal.com/
Although last time I looked it wasn't very good.
cardinal biggles
08-05-2007, 14:30
aye, its very poor compared to xbmc.
ben.bayliss
15-05-2007, 14:52
All done!
Removed the original fan and replaced it with a Nexus 80mm one. It's damn damn quiet - the loudest thing in the box is now the hard drive... I might have to replace that too!
Installed a Zalman cooler on the GPU, but WOULD NOT RECOMMEND ANYONE DO THIS. It is slightly too tall to fit properly, and as the only way to fit it is with thermal adhesive, there was absolutely no way I could remove it. In the end I had to manually cut the top few mm of the heatsink off! Not recommended - I'd suggest that anyone else keeps the stock heatsink, but redoes it with Arctic Silver 5.
Put little RAM heatsinks on the RAM, NVidia MCPX and TV output chips.
Very happy with the result so far and I'll certainly be keeping the XBox going for a while longer now.
B
retroandy
18-05-2007, 18:42
Just to add to the quiet Xbox thread...
Earlier this week I Arctic Silver 5'ed the CPU & GPU and replaced the fan with with a Noctura NF-R8 (http://www.quietpc.com/gb-en-gbp/products/80mmfans/nf-r8) (£10.99@quietpc) I had to double check that the fan was actually spinning, the difference is remarkable! £15 quid and a couple of hours bodging has finally silenced my whining Microsoft slab!
Running the fan at 20% seems to be the point where it's silent and my temps stay in the 45-55 ranges (I used to get 60C+ on the poor old CPU :eek:)
Highly recommended project, it's still shocking (not literally) to turn on the xbox and not hear it revving up like a tornado.
Retroandy
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