Colin's Weekly Tip: Sound Proofing your Computer

[Colin]

With computers producing more heat then ever before people are equipping their computers with bigger heatsinks, and more powerful fans. The big negative effect is the increase in noise that comes with this extra cooling. I've made a decision to change my ways, and so gone are the days of using a 7000RPM Delta fan which screams like a vacuum. I just can't stand the noise anymore. When I recently moved my system from AMD to P4, I was amazed at how quiet my computer had become but I was still not satisfied. I was determined to quiet it down even more! <BR><BR>There are plenty of sound absorbing products on the market like this and this, but what I wanted to try a trick and keep things cheap. What I did to try and "quiet" down my computer was tape some antistatic Polyester foam to the inside panels of my case. Polyester (this black foam comes in most retail motherboard packages for cushioning). While Polyester foam isn't the most technically engineered sound absorbing material, it's readily available at your local computer retailer and will most likely be free!<BR><BR>After doing this quick little trick I found that my computer was a few decibels quieter and some occasional rattling from the side panels (I have an 3 year old Lian Li PC-70 Aluminum case) had stopped! My computer is a little bit quieter, and I think we can all agree that is a good thing. If you think your computer noise is unbearable this little mod might be worth a try. <BR>

[Polykranopalous]

this would be great for my computer, its pretty damn loud, but wouldnt work. As I have my panel off the side to tower (its off the tower cause my tower is like under my desk in a little compartment and beating the panel provides minutes of fun), when I turn on my computer the cpu fan just screams, and than just a little before the Windows logo comes up it quiets down a far bit, but is still LOUD. hmm just wanted to say that, i feel better now

[CHE]

My computer doesn't make any noise at all. Maybe you need to try AMD <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif" border="0"><BR><BR><img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

[Polykranopalous]

how dare u say that *slaps ya with the glove* I am using AMD!!! I would never use those crummy intel ppls

[CompSnake]

you complain about noise? what are you a woman??<BR>what do you think speakers play music for

[timberlandman420]

Yeah, Yeah. You guys dont know noise until you have a Western Digital 18.3 GB Ultra SCSI/2 68 pin 10,000 RPM drive. Sounds like a damn jet plane taken off!<BR><BR><BR>AMD Athlon XP 1700+<BR>K7S5A Pro Board<BR>512 PC2100 DDR<BR>32 Meg Viper V770 Video<BR>Sound Blaster Live 4 Channel<BR>120 GB Maxtor<BR>18.3 GB Western Digital Ultra SCSI/2<BR>4.3 GB Seagate Barracuda Ultra SCSI/2<BR>15 GB Maxtor<BR>Adaptec SCSI Controller<BR>5 Fans<BR>Case with 420 Watt PS

[Joe]

<br><br><< <i>Yeah, Yeah. You guys dont know noise until you have a Western Digital 18.3 GB Ultra SCSI/2 68 pin 10,000 RPM drive. Sounds like a damn jet plane taken off!<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>AMD Athlon XP 1700+<BR><BR>K7S5A Pro Board<BR><BR>512 PC2100 DDR<BR><BR>32 Meg Viper V770 Video<BR><BR>Sound Blaster Live 4 Channel<BR><BR>120 GB Maxtor<BR><BR>18.3 GB Western Digital Ultra SCSI/2<BR><BR>4.3 GB Seagate Barracuda Ultra SCSI/2<BR><BR>15 GB Maxtor<BR><BR>Adaptec SCSI Controller<BR><BR>5 Fans<BR><BR>Case with 420 Watt PS</i> >><br><br><BR><BR>lol try a computer with 10 seagate 15k u160 drives on a mylex raid card. lol .... now thats some hdd noise .... ( i dont own the system but i built it for a guy.)<BR><BR>but i must have gone def or something because i dont even hear my 400+cfm's going through my case lol.

[CompSnake]

how do you get 400 cfm's??

[timberlandman420]

Tis a bit louder now with the 24 volters but not too bad. But 400 CFM's is pretty insane. Whats <BR>a good way to see how many CFM's are goin thru? I keep the sides on so that its all concentrated and <BR>not losein outside the case. Never had a temp prob since.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>AMD Athlon XP 1700+ <BR>GA-7DXE Mobo<BR>768 PC2100 DDR <BR>Radeon 9000 Pro<BR>Sound Blaster Live 5.1<BR>4.1 Labtec Surround<BR>20 GB Western Digital <BR>15 GB Maxtor <BR>48x Samsung<BR>32x10x40 Lite-On<BR>7 Fans (3 exhast 2 intake cpu radeon) 4 @ 24 volts <BR>Case with 420 Watt PS <BR>Average Temp. 37-40 deg C (never seen it above 45 loaded down)<BR>O/C @ 1595mhz FSB @145/145<BR>-------------------------<BR>The "IT" Guy

[CompSnake]

you go by the fan ratings

[killas1moBrandt]

I have well over 400 cfm going through mine<BR><BR>4 smart fan 2's 79.7 cfm each<BR>Vantec 80mm tornado 84.1 cfm<BR>2 power supply fans (probley like 30-40 cfm)<BR>and a pci slot fan that puts out about 15 cfm<BR><BR>sounds like a damn hoover vac when its cranked

[Zefram]

Preferred Intel over AMD for several reason:<BR>Intel great for Video Editing (most probably by SSE2 architecture) compared to AMD.<BR>Intel P4 covered with heatspreaders, minimised damaged caused by HSF pressure on it,<BR>Intel processor generate less heat,<BR>Only Intel Processors can fit into Rambus MoBo's (I'm using 1GB 1200mhz RDRAM, great for video editing)<BR>A lot of fake AMD chips here in Malaysia (Re-batched AMD chips),<BR>AMD FSB kinda low, Intel rocks (FSB 800Mhz!)<BR>You should come here in Malaysia and visit AMD factory and Intel's, then you'll know why. Intel factory more modernised and kinda neat compared to AMD fab factory.<BR>Processors pioneered by Intel,<BR>AMD did use Intel MMX technology several years back,<BR>.................................................. .................................................. .......................<BR><BR>So, that is why some users preferred Intel than AMD (don't mentioned the price)<BR>Amd only had advantage in Price and more to gaming than other tasks.<BR><BR>heyy, DDR400 is little compared to RDRAM 1200mhz <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif" border="0">