Computers give em a headache

[invisiblecities]

Why do we all put up with it? I sit in a room with these infernal machines day after day and nobody markets a machine purely on the basis that is completely quiet and doesnt pump out headaches?? .....

[JamesTaylor]

there are ways i think, water cooling instead of fans will be much quieter i'd have thought. more expensive tho

[invisiblecities]

I did sound a bit winey.... I dont know what others think but I have found Macs to be less overpowering than some PCs. Who has found a pc that is a s good?

[JamesTaylor]

its been a while since i used a mac, but yeah some machines are defo loader than others.......best way to get rid of it, turn up the stereo!!!

 

cleaning out dust from fans etc should help some what on older machines too. a friend of mine has an old dell machine, nothing special just something for his kids but its silent, guess the more powerful they are the more heat they produce hence more fans and noise.

[Crazy Homeless Guy]

when building your pc, simply search for quiet PC components. there are sites dedicated to them. the loudest thing on my home PC is the harddrive, and it is an open case design. i can hear it spinning, but i can't hear then fans spinning or the power supply fans spinning.

 

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=silent+pc&btnG=Google+Search

 

..also, are you sure it isn't CRT's that are giving you the headache?

[invisiblecities]

Its not just the noise tho its the atmosphere that they genenerate that I mind the most . I use TFT so that part has at least improved.The new machines I have are all quite quiet but they still make a room feel uncomfortable when they have been on for a qhile.

[notamondayfan]

i got a new machine and its water cooled and makes a right noise, especially when rendering, sounds like a air plane taking off!! i usually have my headphones in, so it doesnt bother me tho!

 

hate staring at the monitor tho, some times i jus have 2 break off from work, and do something else!

[Greg Hess]

There are a variety of types of computer noise.

 

You've got vibration, caused by the moving fans, rom's, pumps (in a WC rig), and harddrives.

 

You've got motor sounds from the moving parts as well. Fan motors have a specific hum based on their bearing type and design. HD seek noises, rom spinups.

 

You've got the actual sound of air being forced around at high velocity, usually right into a restrictive area.

 

Solutions for these problems include...

 

Step 1: Move the computer away from you. If its on a desk, put it on the floor. USB extender cables are incredibly cheap (less then 2 dollars), as are other types of extender cables. Most people sit with the computer right next to their face, not realizing they could easily relocate it about 4-5 feet away without losing any real utility.

 

Step 2: When building the computer, look for heatsinks and fans that are large diameter with low rpm's. If possible, pick a case with a 120mm exhaust fan instead of the standard 1x80 or 2x80 mm configuration. Avoid side door fans or windows. Zalman is one manufacturer which makes oversized heatsinks with giant fans 92/120mm that spin at low rpm's, resulting in excellent cooling and almost no noise.

 

Step 3: The primary source of annoying high pitched noises is from the graphics card and chipset fans. Once again this will require replacement parts via the aftermarket. The Zalman VF770 and VF900 work on a variety of new graphics card, and zalman almost makes a giant passive heatsink for northbridge chipsets that will only set you back 5 dollars that will counter out those 5000 rpm 40mm fans of annoyance.

 

Step 4: When picking fans, look for reviews of fans that actually have sound clips and db readings. Don't go by what the stores tell you. Thats just the manufacturers data. Here's an example of a recent 120mm roundup with soundclips and video.

http://www.madshrimps.be/?action=getarticle&articID=421

 

Step 5: To counter vibration, look for rubber washers to place between the moving devices and the case. If you can spare a 5.25 bay, some manufacturers make drive coolers which include rubber mounts to dampen vibration from the drive. These are the type of washers I'm talking about.

http://www.caseetc.com/cgi-bin/caseetc/F-047.html

 

(Don't need to buy them from there, just using as an example)

 

Step 6: Though its obvious, most people still tend to complain about noise with their case sides off. Having the side of the case off is a BAD idea. Not only does it allow for computer EMI interference, but it also allows other devices to effect the computer as well. The case is metal for a reason. You'll notice that all the 100% acrylic cases all have a warning label attached to them. (Or at least used to when people cared).

 

This is ignoring the fact that when you pull the side of the case off, you destroy any and all airflow in the case. Sure ambient temps will drop slightly, but hotspots form in various sections of the motherboard which no longer have any airflow over them.

 

Don't believe me? Put a decent exhaust fan on the rear of the case, and no fan on the front. With the case closed, move your hand over the front intake ports, you'll feel air movement. Now open the side of the case...guess what, no more air movement. A closed design allows for air to travel a path, instead of dispersing sideways. Having a closed case also reduces your noise level considerably.