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Computer Cases
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Thursday, 13 July 2006 |
| Media centers have grown in popularity within the past 2 years, so much so that manufacturers now have the demand to produce quality media center specific hardware. Where as before we put up with mediocre hardware some of which was MacGyvered (that is a technical term) to function as we wished. With the growing popularity it became blatently clear that the standard beige computer case or even a black computer tower would not suffice for our home theatre systems. This is where a spruced up legacy style of case has been re-introduced, the desktop. With it's flat design and modernized looks, its appearance is perfect for todays home theatre applications. | | | | | | Introduction |
| | | Coolermaster have been generous enough to supply us with one of their Media Center offerings, the CM Media 260. A stylish desktop case designed to fit in ith the rest of your home theatre equipment. In this review we'll go through the feature-set of this case and expose it's strengths and weakness'. | | | |
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| | | Product Details & Specifications |
| | | Product Name: "CM Media 260 "
Product Manufacturer: Coolermaster (Coolermaster)
Manufacturers Description: Cooler Master has launched a brand new series of case-CM Media. The stylish CM Media case, with its simple but elegant designs, complements any decor. For anyone looking to build a HTPC, CM Media offers the most stylish choice.
Dimensions: 16.93(L) x 3.5(H) x 17.32(W) inches
Weight: 22lbs
Drive Bays: 1x 5.25", 3x3.5" (1 external, 2 internal)
I/O Panel: USB 2.0 x2, Mic x1, Spk x1, Firewire 1x | | | |
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| | | | | Product Images |
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| | | | | Product Review & Feature Breakdown |
| | | We were impressed with the appearance of the CM Media 260, as you can see above, it would easily blend in with most modern stereo and home theatre equipment. The case is composed of brushed aluminum with a steel chassis, the front is anodized black and looks clean, smooth and faultless. The optical drive is hidden behind a black drive bezel which flips open when you press the chrome-style eject button. The tinted center of the case is a placeholder for a VFD display that's provided by iMON, not included with the case however. In addition, there is a small covered cut out available for an IR receiver that can be used with the iMON remote control, alternatively you could use a RF remote such as the ATI Remote Wonder.
If you lower the flap on the right corner of the case, it will reveal the power and reset buttons as well as 2 USB ports, mic in, audio out and firewire ports. Now, on to our feature breakdown!
Full ATX Specifications
Unlike many other home theatre style cases, the CM Media 260 conforms to the ATX specifications and comfortaly fits a full ATX motherboard with the assistance from Coolermaster's AGP, PCI and PCI Express riser cards. This makes building your HTPC (Home Theatre PC) much easier, you no longer need to purchase mATX or other smaller system components, a standard ATX motherboard will fit perfectly.
Full Size Power Supply Fittings
Also conforming to ATX specifications, the CM Media 260 enables you to use a full size power supply that uses any size fan, including 120mm power supplies. Many smaller HTPC cases are fitted with proprietary power supplies that are often expensive to replace or insufficient wattage, but with the CM Media 260 you can use any full size power supply.
Mesh Side & Cover Cooling
To assist in the cooling of internal components Coolermaster created several "mesh" areas, as seen in the above pictures. The side of the case sports two mesh areas, the top cover is almost complete mesh and provides cooling assistance by allowing heat to escape through the top of the CM Media 260. | | | | | |
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| | The Conclusion |
| | | The CM Media 260 is the perfect solution for any HTPC environment, with its slick looks and full ATX capabilities not only will it blend in with your current home theatre and stereo system hardware but it'll do so without breaking the bank. The CM Media 260 is cheaper than it's competitors, which is suprising considering some of the advantages that it has over them, but coming it at a $99 base model you can't go wrong. You can splash out on the $160 model which includes the iMON remote and VFC, something many enthusiasts would appreciate.
We did have one small problem with the riser card, but with a little tweaking it was solved before it became a big problem.
The excellent cooling ability combined with the stylish design make the CM Media 260 an excellent choice if you are in the market for a HTPC case. Despite the small problem with the riser card, we gave the CM Media 260 our Must Have Hardware award, it's low price and features leave us with no choice.
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