PSU Frustration

[drago3000]

I recently upgraded my video card in my HTPC, and like a noob didn't check the power demand untill it was shipped. Now I need to find a PSU that will fit my case (it's a modified "Neuros Link". The problem is i has a hell of a small PSU slot.

What I'm in need of is a 400 watt PSU with a 24pin, which is 3.5" by 2.75" by 7" (or smaller). I've searched everywhere I could find and have come up dry.

Any help or leads would be REALLY appreciated. Thanks for your time guys.

Drago3k"at"gmail.com

 

[WR2]

Is it time to look at a new case?

 

[drago3000]

Yeah maybe...

It's just that this case is sleek, black, and sits quite unassumingly in my theater shelf - I'd rather not to have to buy another one and start looking like my dad with his 4 PC's in every room stacked on one-another.

In the end if this doesn't turn up something in the next week or so I will have to start shopping for a nice looking (bigger) case - I've just always found the answer I need here, so I'm hoping you guys will come through for me again

Thanks again!

 

[vladtepes]

thermaltake power express

http://www.thermaltake.com/product/Power/ToughPower/w0157/w0157.asp
Its a GPU dedicated power supply

 

[drago3000]

Dude that's cool as hell and just might be the solution to my problem!

Even if you don't use the PCI-E power cords (my card has none), it boosts the wattage of the primary power supply right?

If that's true then you just saved me a new case and power supply man - thanks!

I knew you guys would come through

 

[N@n0]

Nope, deticated for VGA, so its designed to take the power load of the GPU off your primary PSU... so its not going to help you... sorry man...

 

[drago3000]

That splice into the 24-pin power between the PSU and the Mobo had me hoping that it would donate the power through the 24-pin if the PCI-E wasn't being used.

I'm no electrical engineer so if you guys say no then I'm off to buy a case. Oh well it was a good shot anyway.

 

[drago3000]

Another option I was thinking of was getting a PSU with the height and width requirements, (3.5" by 2.75" - or vice-verse, I could always lay it on its side) but longer length, and just dremel out the back panel of the HTPC.

You can't see the back anyway so it wouldn't matter if there were a couple inches sticking out the back...

 

[vladtepes]

Dude that's cool as hell and just might be the solution to my problem!

Even if you don't use the PCI-E power cords (my card has none), it boosts the wattage of the primary power supply right?

If that's true then you just saved me a new case and power supply man - thanks!

I knew you guys would come through

u could buy a better card with a pci-e connector or use the 12 volt line from the thermaltake to the 4 pin CPU connector on the motherboard, you will have to make some tipe of adapter to achieve that

 

[drago3000]

Yeah, the better card is unfortunately not an option - I had to buy this one so that it would squeeze into my case - same reason I can't buy a regular ATX PSU. I have modified PSU's in the past (ganging up two peripheral powers to make a 4-pin P4 power plug - was rather proud of myself for that I must admit).

I just wonder that if the 24-pin from the Thermaltake gets connected in-line with the 24-pin from the primary PSU, wouldn't that help to reduce the load on the primary (which is only 230w) by adding the Thermaltake's 400w to the mix?

Like I say I'm a biologist, not an electrician, so I trust that if someone says it won't I'll just buy a new case. There's one on Newegg for like $65 WITH a 500w PSU already in it (it's a POS power supply though of course...)

More and more it seems like I'm going to make Newegg stock go up again - oh well it was worth a shot and you guys gave some good feedback. Thanks for the time fellas.

 

[WR2]

It certainly was worth your time asking the question.
Neuros Link seems to be a nice case - I can see why you wanted to keep it.

Maybe a different video card? What did you order - and what were you looking to a new video card to do for you?

 

[drago3000]

I got the HD4650 by XFX, a short, narrow card that will play my hi-def .mkv's without the stutter and skip that my onboard does.

I had to choose this card based on dimensions - this little shorty is one of the only ones I found that will fit - and it just barely does. Unless I've totally gotten it wrong - it should play the heavier 1080p files (I've only recently learned not all 1080p is created equal!).

The rest of the box is capable, 4gigs DDR2, 1TB storage, ~3.*ghz single core, optical audio, etc... So I'm hoping this video card will take me up a big notch from the onboard video (even though it has an HDMI out - which is convenient).

 

[WR2]

Can you find a HD4350 card that will fit? Then you could return the 4650.

 

[drago3000]

You think the HD4350 will play 1080p files smoothly enough? I just wanted to overshoot the mark a little bit, cause I'd hate to get a card that can ALMOST do what I want it to.

 

[WR2]

Absolutely.

 

[WR2]

You can also look at nVidia 9400GT.