SilverStone LC-14 Lascala HTPC

Written by Michael Larabel in Enclosures on 27 July 2005 at 01:00 PM EDT. Page 4 of 4. Add A Comment.

As always, to test out the case we loaded up the chassis with a slew of different components. As the LC-14 is designed for HTPCs, we loaded up some of our home theatre components into the chassis. The purpose of our HTPC was to simply play some DVDs and other video files. Below are all the major components we used.

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Although SilverStone does bundle some quiet fans with the case, we decided to replace the front 92mm fan with an AcoustiFan DustProof fan due to its features and 3-pin fan connector. At the rear of the case, we used some noise dampening mounts to further reduce the noise produced from the cooling. More of these changes can be found in our Silencing the SOHO article. Even though we are strong advocates of computer chassis' that utilize many tool/screw-less features, we really didn't mind the lack of these features in the LC-14 due to the great construction and layout of the case. Unfortunately, due to the motherboard and heatsink we used in the article the 3.5" drive bay had to be removed. Luckily, only two screws hold the cage in place and due to the fact we were only using one hard drive in this system, we had no problem simply utilizing the 3.5" drive bay hidden underneath the 5.25" cage. Our next problem, however, was attempting to get the media hot keys on the front of the case working under Linux. From our steps we've taken so far, we've been unable to get any of these media keys to successfully work under Linux and MPlayer for controlling the movies. This can be a fairly significant problem as many computer enthusiasts are turning to the Linux-based MythTV for their HTPC. Except for these few complications, the installation was quite easy with no other difficulites.

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While some manufacturers have taken a rather drastic design for their HTPC cases, like Logisys with their clear HTPC chassis with blue LEDs, the SilverStone LC-14's design is simply elegant. The appearance of the case makes it perfect to fit into any home environment and the design makes it compatible to fit most any computer component. Even with Silverstone’s short time in the industry thus far, we're utterly impressed by the consistent quality of their products and can only hope they continue creating these stylish, exceptionally built cases.

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Pros:

· Quality built
· Full ATX supported
· 2 x 60mm exhaust fans
· 1 x 92mm intake fan
· Elegant appearance
· Plenty of drive bays
· Media hot keys
· 1.0mm SECC construction

Cons:

· Linux Hot key compatibility
· 3.5" drive bay can cause problems with mounting some heatsinks

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