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Revisting chassis design

Addressing the consumer side for a bit, we take a look at the quiet computing issue. As computers become increasingly integrated in the life of the average American home, fan noise, power consumption and form factor assume more importance in buying decisions and user satisfaction. Visit anyone with a Windows Media home system and you will be surprised by the audible hum of the processor. What works in the office or the den doesn’t work when projecting movies - the processor should not be audible over the sound of crickets. It interferes with the viewing experience.

Finally there’s growing momentum to adopt the BTX chassis, which is designed to maximize airflow over the hottest components (chips and graphics cards).

Vendors currently producing kit with this chassis configuration include IBM (ThinkCentre), Gateway (consumer-grade 700GR - see article here), and HP (Grantsdale-chip based dc7100).

I have yet to see a demo of these systems, but anything to bring entertainment convergence closer to the TV model should help to improve the customer experience and increase adoption. Could this be a way for the Windows Media home entertainment style boxes to be welcomed into living rooms?

For more information see eWeek article: Quiet Computing.