Need a HTPC case

Sxotty

Legend
I keep looking for cases for a new HTPC, but I never seem to find what I want. Anyone have any suggestions in the neighborhood of $100? I don't really care if the case is made for HTPC, but I want something unobtrusive that I can lay on its side. I want a full ATX compatible case too I think.

Any good review sites?

Maybe I should just give up and make a custom built HTPC with a m-atx, or mini itx board, but I kinda like the idea of just using my old PC parts to make the HTPC in general.
 
Why not just get something cheap and ugly and longer cables? Easier to hide a cable than an ATX case.
 
a buddy found a discarded Heden or Advance ATX case, i.e. : a crap non-brand, which does the lay on its side trick. it has the PSU on front - with a cable so the plug is on the back - and its owner discarded it because.. the 1/0 switch on the PSU was stuck on 0 :)
it was a bitch to diagnose (I was selling him old parts) but it was fun when we found out.

it's white and nonintrusive. (oh right, I wondered where I had that word coming from, you wish unobstrusive :D)

here's a cheap box with the same layout, but black and from a good brand - check the pics. more ugly. a bit tall but it has the height of full height cards :
http://www.ldlc.com/fiche/PB00089251.html
 
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Cheap power supplies and silent don't always go hand in hand, the cooler master looks nice though (and comes without a PSU).
 
in my experience crap PSU come with a nice 120mm fan, and may be dead silent with crappy hardware (lowest end board with intel graphics or geforce 6100, and a fast lowest end CPU.)

but obviously I advise people on a low budget to buy crap components with a good PSU to insure stability and longevity.
 
Why not just get something cheap and ugly and longer cables? Easier to hide a cable than an ATX case.
B/C there is no where to hide it. It must fit in a cabinet on its side. I did not think about that b4 but it may make it an issue by itself. The cabinet is 24 inches deep, but there must be room for the cables out the back so the computer would either need to be turned sideways or fit in like 20 inches of space.

I already have a good power supply. Seasonic x-560.
 
Thanks Zaph, I have seen them b4 but there were so many. This time I spent a bit more time just looking at stilverstone and got the GD05
 
So I like the GD05 case, but the power and rest switch cables are both labeled reset. Seems a silly oversight.

Unfortunately I had to get a microatx mobo to use with my old components. I got a jetway hz03-gt-v2 and the stupid thing hangs on boot for ages. I found that if I went into the setup and changed the SATA controler mode to AHCI then it would actually boot and detect SATA drive and optical drive. However the optical drive is only intermittently detected so installing windows has been about impossible. It is a stupid BR drive as this is an HTPC. Not sure WTH is up with it, but hopefully I will get it figured out at some point soon. Been having bad luck lately, not like the failed GPU folks, but my HDD and power supplies and random stuff seems to be causes me no end up trouble lately.
 
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