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Zalman I3 - good cheap case for video editing
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    Case uses all 2018 design trends:

    • 3 led lit fans
    • covered PSU / drives tunnel
    • transparent side panel

    Good thing here is front mech panel without plastic shit behind.

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    Extremely good is fan controller for all 6 fans (case comes with 4 actually)

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    As all modern cases it focuses on SSDs, so only 2 places for 3.5" HDDs

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    Yet it has high clearance for cooler. Normal range is 150-160mm, here it is 175mm, good for large Noctua and similar coolers.

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    Very nice case, price is around $50.

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  • 11 Replies sorted by
  • http://antec.com/product/case/p7-silent.php

    This is much better for video editing. Price is similar.

  • @tonalt

    It always nice to have you for help.

    Cases represent opposite concepts with Antec being quite bad(!) example of second one.

    Idea of modern approach is to use more fans with lower speed and front mesh for minimum resistance.

  • Number one requirement for video editing station is that it's silent so it does not disturb audio work. Zalman is missing sound dampening material and there's nothing to block fan and other noises.

    Also essential feature is 5,25" slot for bluray drive because of optical media. You don't ever know when you need it. Are you gonna say that you cannot use client's optical disc? You CAN use external optical drive, but you can make things just easier by having integrated one. Antec is not ideal in this matter either because it has only one 5,25" slot. Another is needed for HDD enclosure to make noisy HDD silent (SSD drives are still too expensive).

    Number 3 requirement is that the case does not distract the editor. Zalman's led fans illuminates a lot of light which is very disturbing and can even have an effect on color correction/grading result.

  • @tonalt

    Number one requirement for video editing station is that it's silent so it does not disturb audio work. Zalman is missing sound dampening material and there's nothing to block fan and other noises.

    "Sound dampening" you referred has virtually no value in computer case. Just marketing bullshit. Things that work a little are thick auto things used just to increase mass of the walls. They are used to prevent turning side walls into vibration speakers (due to fans and HDDs vibrations).

    From good place

    How to Minimize Fan Noise

    Reduce system impedance at the inlet and outlet ports. If a large part of the fan's flow potential is used up by the impedance of the inlet and outlet, a larger, faster, noisier fan will be required.

    Avoid obstructions to the airflow, especially in the critical inlet and outlet areas. When turbulent air enters the fan, noise is increased by as much as 10 dB, usually in a discrete tone form that is particularly annoying.

    Use a larger, slower fan rather than a faster, smaller version whenever possible. Often, this solution will produce less noise for the same airflow.

    Relax the temperature rise limits where possible, to reduce the airflow required. This will allow you to use a slower fan that produces less noise.

    Isolate the fan to avoid vibration transmission. Because fans operate at a low frequency and are light in weight, vibration isolators must be soft and flexible. Since the transmission is dependent on the system, trial and error is the best approach to a quiet system/fan interaction. In systems that require 20 CFM or less, cabinet vibration is the predominant source of noise, and isolation of the fan is the only practical solution.

    Next

    Also essential feature is 5,25" slot for bluray drive because of optical media. You don't ever know when you need it. Are you gonna say that you cannot use client's optical disc?

    I say that clients who use or ask for blurays are rare as dinosaurs. Still some can ask for copy burned to DVD sometimes. But otherwise it has no use at all.

    Another is needed for HDD enclosure to make noisy HDD silent (SSD drives are still too expensive).

    Seriously? Where you got this?

    You can set HDDs to shut down, no need for enclosures (I had one long time ago). And do all actual editing on SSDs. In modern PC large HDD role is to be just storage for rare footage you can require sometimes. All else resides on SSDs.

    Zalman's led fans illuminates a lot of light which is very disturbing and can even have an effect on color correction/grading result.

    Turning off leds is very easy thing :-)

  • You make so many false claims that I just don't want to waste any more my time on this. Sorry.

  • You make so many false claims that I just don't want to waste any more my time on this. Sorry.

    This was not written for your personal consumption.

    My response is based on science and knowledge. Unfortunately to you I made detailed measurements of different cases noise reduction approaches. It was years ago, but absolutely nothing changed.

  • @tonalt You are quite correct in your comments. As an editor with nearly 40 years experience, I ignore most advice regarding these kind of things because other people have no idea about my requirements.

  • @caveport

    :-) Also nice to have your help also.

    Because other people have no idea about my requirements.

    I think no one have idea about "your requirements" besides youself, until you are good at telepathy.

  • I will use my best Kiselev voice to explain this:

    Obvious, you (Vitaliy) are not editor. Read science, not other facts! Opinions from yours should be reading other opinions, not just made up opinions and whatever. Unfortunately, too many have same behavior. Read more Stalin, Lenin and Marx. Not Groucho made up nonesense!

  • Obvious, you (Vitaliy) are not editor.

    You are clearly used bad choice of words and complete lack of facts.

    Thing I am talking about I know very good, as for me it was very interesting experiment back in the time.

    Silencing desktop PC is quite interesting endeavor (if you do not make pointless proposals ala "buy case with anything related to silence in it's name").