[geeks] Nice HTPC case for sale at Frys.com

[Lionel Peterson]

>From: Joshua Boyd <jdboyd at jdboyd.net>
>Date: 2008/06/25 Wed PM 06:53:07 EDT
>To: The Geeks List <geeks at sunhelp.org>
>Subject: Re: [geeks] Nice HTPC case for sale at Frys.com

>On Jun 25, 2008, at 1:02 PM, Lionel Peterson wrote:
>
>> On Jun 25, 2008, at 12:08 PM, Joshua Boyd <jdboyd at jdboyd.net> wrote:
>>
>>> On Wed, Jun 25, 2008 at 11:48:33AM -0400, Lionel Peterson wrote:
>>>
>>>> The thing about this case/chassis is that it was designed to be seen
>>>> in an entertainment center - not to be put in a rack somewhere...
>>>>
>>>> There are plenty of rackmount chassis, even some that are made to be
>>>> quiet (for production studios). Antec is (I assume) going for  
>>>> retail,
>>>> not commercial, sales...
>>>
>>> http://flickr.com/photos/digitechcustomav/2357819217/
>>> http://flickr.com/photos/hometheater/2068104647/
>>> http://flickr.com/photos/prove_to_me/2110563401/
>>> http://flickr.com/photos/prove_to_me/2111370602/
>>>
>>> Each of those would be retail use, would they not be?  At least, they
>>> aren't exactly commercial usage.
>>
>> What? They are better equiped than many small-town theaters...
>
>It depends on your definition of better equipped.

I meant that nearly every piece of equipment in those "racks" is of a better quality and has better specifications than those found in many small-town theaters.

I put the word "racks" in quotes above because while those items are in shelves, it doesn't appear that much of the equipment is actually "rack mounted" with rackmount ears, in the "classical sense"... They appear to be installed in custom shleving units with trim and filler pieces to elimiate gaps around the front of the equipment...
 
>> I simply pointed out a good deal on a mainstream HTPC chassis, and  
>> your initial (published, anyway) reaction was "what, no rack ears?"  
>> Then, when I point out there are other chassis better suited to you  
>> imagined use, you (essentially) attack my characterzation of a  
>> chassis I can get at a local big-box retailer...
>
>I'm sorry I was offensive.

It's OK, I just realized I felt obliged to defend my post against what it wasn't, not on what it was.

>Wait, there is a local Fry's?  I'm sure you mean local to you rather  
>than me, but still that is close enough to be worth a trip.

NO. First off, I wouldn't call Fry's a big box retailer (but then I've never been to one), when I use the term I mean like (the old) CompUSA, Best Buy, Office Depot, Staples, Circuit City, etc. I wouldn't call MicroCenter a Big Box retailer either - to me, the criteria is that it is an "anchor" store that dominates the shopping center it is inside. It also as to do with numbers - there may be a lot of Fry's, but there are way more Best Buy stores - the cut-off is somewhere in-between...

I would love to have a Fry's near-by, but they aren't out here (yet)... (Indiana and Georgia appear to be the closest stores: http://shop3.frys.com/ac/storelocator/index.jsp)

>> I know high-end equipment exists, I've even seen rackmount cases  
>> with integral TFT screens, but that isn't what I was talking about.
>
>I've seen the TFT screens, but I've never seen a rack'd home theater  
>case with TFT.  That would be nice.  Expensive I'm sure.

Here you go:

http://www.rackmountmaster.com/rm-4919-4u-atx-19inch-wide-rack-mount-case-with-built-in-8-inch-tft-lcd-display-panel-monitor-rpc-91.html

And yes, expensive - but it is a touch screen...

Lionel