The highly rated HP Pavilion Slimline PC thread

I would say that things that are not commonly used are usually hidden away to keep people away from them. If you look around enough you would find out how to do what you need. Many games allow you to turn on the FPS, if you enable a particular function or mode. I don't know everything about computers, but love to learn so I keep on it.
 
Last night, the PowerColor ATI Radeon 2400 PCI card arrived from NewEgg and I installed it into the S7600n without a hitch. I had to swap the full-height bracket for a low-profile bracket, and fold the VGA cable around back. It's a bit of a tight fit at the bottom, and airflow is a minor concern, but it doesn't have a fan that requires active cooling. I burned it in for a few hours and didn't see any issues.
 
SlimKiwi said:
Movies are usually recorded at 24 fps (I think) so if it's playing at a lower rate, you're likely to get less than fluid motion (I think). Since I was getting less than 24 fps at times and jumpiness here and there, I figure my video card may not be up to snuff to play 1080P at the recorded fps rate. Arch says that my video card should do the job but maybe something else is clogging up the pipeline?
Click to expand...


Were you streaming the file to your PC? It may have been dropping frames to keep up with the streaming! It might also be recorded at a lower FPS?


SlimKiwi try these 1080p files and see if they work fine...(download them to your hard-drive first)

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/musicandvideo/hdvideo/contentshowcase.aspx
 
Arch

I downloaded Coral Reef 1080P and ran it on SMPlayer (latest version). The action was smooth with full-screen but there were 3 bands of red, green and blue shading (different sizes) overlayed horizontally on the picture. It looks psychedelic! - maybe intentional?

Wide band of red from the bottom, narrow band of green in the middle, wide band of blue to the top of the screen.

Thanks!

Aha! - I went to the Nvidia CP and changed the settings to use it instead of the player controls. I discovered that the display format was set to non-HD! :eek: I changed it to HD-1080P and voila! - Coral Reef played in brilliant HD colors. Now I'll head back to Apple to see if those trailers look any better. :rolleyes:
 
Hey all, so i have a slimline S3320F

I was looking at upgrading a few months ago but i really did not want to change out my processor to reduce power consumption.

I had an idea but i wanted to see if anyone thought this was do able

I'm not really going for pretty and not really worried about keeping the slim-ness

so i was thinking about just buying a power supply and feeding the power in to the case instead of trying to get a PS that would fit inside the case, let me know if i'm way off here, these are the three things I was going to pick up to substantially upgrade graphics power


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127412

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812189060

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817338006

not sure if i needed the M to F or F to M, but i'll figure that out later

please let me know if i'm way off here

Thanks in advance


edit* re looking at the first page, maybe the psu listed on the first page could work?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817374002
 
dj12345 said:
Hey all, so i have a slimline S3320F

I was looking at upgrading a few months ago but i really did not want to change out my processor to reduce power consumption.

I had an idea but i wanted to see if anyone thought this was do able

I'm not really going for pretty and not really worried about keeping the slim-ness

so i was thinking about just buying a power supply and feeding the power in to the case instead of trying to get a PS that would fit inside the case, let me know if i'm way off here, these are the three things I was going to pick up to substantially upgrade graphics power


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127412

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812189060

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817338006

not sure if i needed the M to F or F to M, but i'll figure that out later

please let me know if i'm way off here

Thanks in advance


edit* re looking at the first page, maybe the psu listed on the first page could work?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817374002
Click to expand...


I don't think you'll be happy with an external PSU - just do the internal one that you linked last or the Sparkle one from CensusPC. That's also the wrong adapter...You need the one linked on the first page -- or find it cheaper on ebay from the guy who posted the link in the last few pages.
 
so i'm looking at graphics cards and feeling like a moron,

i hope this isn't too much of a bother but if anybody wants to come behind and push me in the right direction it'd be much appreciated

I'm really unclear as to whether or not i should shoot for the 9500+ series or just go with a 9400

My major use of the slimline is for working in adobe premiere/photoshop/after effects and more than anything i'm trying to get a card so my ram isn't taken up by the graphics card any more, but at the same time, i do enjoy gaming,

with a 9400 series would I be able to play like half-life 2 era games? i really want to get the most bang for my buck and at the same time spend as little money as possible lol

also a quick question, is there any particular reason not to use an ATI card even though the computer came with nvidia?
 
Speaking of ATI cards, I just ordered the Sapphire HD 4550 512MB DDR3 HDMI card from Newegg during their 24-hour 'Special' ($47.95). I figure it's the best card I can get for the $$$ with the stock 160W PSU (draws 25W max). The cool blue fans should help with extracting the heat from the case, dissipated by the heatsink cooler. Since the card has no fan, it's guaranteed to just sit there and be quiet. I hope to become its fan! ;) I also expect to resolve my DVI noise problem with the HDMI port. Looking forward to having a closer look at the ATI Catalyst™ Suite.

I still have a few days to return the XFX to Newegg but may hold onto it just in case the ATI gives up the ghost or turns my Slimline into a little oven. Meanwhile, the mobo mini-adapter arrived and I'm ready for Seasonic to come to the party with its 400W gorillla, just in case. Also downloaded Sandra Lite - great program! :p
 
SlimKiwi said:
Speaking of ATI cards, I just ordered the Sapphire HD 4550 512MB DDR3 HDMI card from Newegg during their 24-hour 'Special' ($47.95). I figure it's the best card I can get for the $$$ with the stock 160W PSU (draws 25W max). The cool blue fans should help with extracting the heat from the case, dissipated by the heatsink cooler. Since the card has no fan, it's guaranteed to just sit there and be quiet. I hope to become its fan! ;) I also expect to resolve my DVI noise problem with the HDMI port. Looking forward to having a closer look at the ATI Catalyst™ Suite.

I still have a few days to return the XFX to Newegg but may hold onto it just in case the ATI gives up the ghost or turns my Slimline into a little oven. Meanwhile, the mobo mini-adapter arrived and I'm ready for Seasonic to come to the party with its 400W gorillla, just in case. Also downloaded Sandra Lite - great program! :p
Click to expand...

Cool, another 4550 owner (although mine's by Asus and is in a Dell Vostro 220s Slim Tower HTPC). :) Note that I've been having this HDMI issue with my 4550. I'll see if the new ATI driver (ver. 9.2) resolves it. It could also be an issue on my A/V receiver. Good luck!
 
SlimKiwi said:
Have you had any overheating problems with the card? Does yours have a fan?
Click to expand...

Hello
I have a Sapphire HD4550 512 DDR3 (Active Cooling version) for 5 months and their temperatures are 45 idle - 70 ° full load with the fan set to 100% manualy, whitout issues so far, in a Slimline s3041la 160w PSU.
 
SlimKiwi said:
Have you had any overheating problems with the card? Does yours have a fan?
Click to expand...

I forgot to mention that my Asus ATI 4550 includes a fan, so there are no overheating issues. The sound is not noticeable either (relative to Dell's case and PSU fans).
 
Halsey said:
If you read through the thread (especially the first post), you will find everything you need to know about the Slimline and its PSU limitations. The PSU upgrade options are explored more throughly around page 120-ish. :)

Basically, the slimlines have a wimpy power supply unit (AMD processor based models have a 160W PSU, Intel processor based models have a 180W PSU). If you have an AMD model, it's highly recommended that you at least upgrade your processor to a 45W processor (you most likely have a 65W) if you plan to add any low-end/low power dedicated graphics card, for system stability/longevity. Higher end graphics cards may require a 6 pin PCI-Express power cord, and in that case a PSU upgrade is required. Again, the first post should clear most of this up. :cool:

Ironically, your model normally has a 230W power supply (its a newer model), however, you seem to have gotten a 160W power supply, according to HP's website. Even more interesting-ly is that you have an Intel processor.....I personally don't know of many 45W Intel processors, sorry. Can anyone else figure that out? :confused:

Let me know if I've missed anything, guys. ;)
Click to expand...
Just recieved video card and put it in machine.....didnt even come up, fan was working though. I looked at the label on the PSU and sure enough its 160W ....unbelievable!!...so next Q is...I need an upgraded PSU that is PROVEN to work w/ the slimline series...any clips/ harness upgrades as well. Not concerened about noise just want a proven upgrade that works....probably min 300 watt. The vid card says min of 450 watt PSU required. And yes Ive read through this thread and have looked at many posted options. The PSU w/ the mid bodied fan that blows into the case looks like a very bad idea. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks all!!!
 
the first post lists the three PSU's that are proven and the required micro-fit ATX adapter.

You'll also need a molex to sata adapter. (~$2),


The sparkle 270 watt PSU will work for ANYTHING you could possibly fit in the slimline.
 
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When using the Sparkle 270w PSU instead of using a molex to SATA power adapter, is there any reason not to use a SATA power extension cable? Like http://www.cooldrives.com/8sapocaexmat.html

Is there any advantage or disadvantage either way?

I think I am just going to try and relocate the plug that is in the middle of the cable so I won't need to add any extension. Any comments regarding doing this?

Thanks.
 
oldmacd said:
When using the Sparkle 270w PSU instead of using a molex to SATA power adapter, is there any reason not to use a SATA power extension cable? Like http://www.cooldrives.com/8sapocaexmat.html

Is there any advantage or disadvantage either way?

I think I am just going to try and relocate the plug that is in the middle of the cable so I won't need to add any extension. Any comments regarding doing this?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Nope you could use a sata extension cable, just make sure the length is long enough to go from about where the connector on the HD is to the DVD ROM
 
I should have added this one to the one above, but wanted to keep them seperate. I got my Molex>SATA adapter and the Laptop cooling pad most of you have been getting.

I Mounted the fans first. They are larger then I was expecting. My opinion is that if you could get ones that were a little smaller and didn't extend past the holes on the back of the Slimline you would get better efficency. That said it would be rough to find ones that are as quite, have all the stuff to mount and power them built in. I hate soldering so this was nice for me. I mounted them down one row from the top and the one by the security lock I mounted with only one screw tight and up against the other fan. I was then able to when sliding the cover back on slide the fan down just a bit so I didn't have to modify the case. My life loves the color and they are quite nice. they seem to be pulling out air. I didn't have time to compare some temps of previous till now. I will post those later.

Another note, I used the stand the coolers came with and put it under our computer since we have it sitting in our entertainment center on it's side. Looks nice, and should give more airflow to all sides, since our entertainment center is cramped. I will have to get a pic.

The Molex>Sata adapter worked without a problem at the same time I reworked the cables in front of the PSU so there is more free space in front of it so the fan has air to grab. If the cables were not so long and so many I wasn't using then there would be more airflow. I am looking at shortening them. I also adjusted the screws on the back of the unit so I now have three holding it instead of one. Way nicer, thanks Archaea for the idea.

Overall I am expecting temps to be lower now. The PSU is a little nosy as Archaea has mentioned when it gets hot. I am exptecting the above modifications should help. If I didn't need the DVDROM I would remove it to provide better cirulation. That help tons.

[Edited]
Read the first post and saw how ronin did the fans. Will fix mine tonight.
 
M2N61-AR and BE-2350 arrived 3 days ago. old items are 1GB kingston DDR2-667, 250 sata HDD, DVDRW.

Put it all on HP Slimline s3200n case with 160w PSU. installed Vista ulitimate 32 bit.

2 problems.

1. Freezes sometimes LCD display is garbage or black.
2. Cold boot, when i try to power on the unit for the first time every morning it won't boot, no HDD activity only fan and the blue light is working. need to hold power button to turn it off and wait for a few seconds now powering it on again it would boot successfully into windows.

New RAM(2x2GB PC6400 Kingston) will arrived this weekend, maybe a faulty RAM causes the freezing or crashing. Don't know what causes the cold boot problem.

Any inputs will be greatly appreciated.

Sorry for the grammar, English is not my local language.
 
I'm also planning on using my 250GB 7200rpm 2.5 SATA HDD on this PC. Maybe this will ease the PSU.

But I need these..

Slimline SATA cable adapter
IMG_3171-01.jpg

u709089.jpg

http://www.cpustuff.com/SLIMLINE-SATA-CABLE-WITH-LP4-0.5-METER-p-16189.html

SATA to Molex
CBPO01SAMO.jpg

http://bestbyte.net/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=CBPO01SAMO&Category_Code=CBPO&Store_Code=BB

2.5 to 3.5 bracket
HD-108-soft.jpg

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-2-5-to-3-5-IDE-Hard-Drive-Adapter-Mounting-Bracket_W0QQitemZ300298054207QQcategoryZ3757QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting
 
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I've had a Asus Radeon HD4550 in my slimline for a few months now. While I've been happy with the 1080p video playback performance the card just can't play World of Warcraft with high framerates at 1080p.

I read that PowerColor will be releasing a low profile version of the Radeon HD4650 this month which has a little more power for gaming. Link

Is a stock AMD HP Slimline with a 45-watt processor capable of using this video card?

This is the only info I was able to find so far on the HD4650 power consumption although it is for an OC version which may or may not draw more wattage. Link
 
Well, the Sapphire Radeon 4550 512MB DDR3 card is 'in' for about 2 hours (along with ATI Catalyst) and the case top is still just pleasantly warm. The Vista WEI for Aero Graphics score went to 4.8 from 3.6 - whatever that means. Connected to the DVI port and raised the monitor speaker volume to check on the previous noise problem (static and popping) with the 8400GS card and am happy to report that 'silence is golden' :) The card is a tight squeeze with 0 spare mm. PC seems somewhat faster but nothing dramatic. Maybe it'll be more noticeable when I start multi-tasking. So far so good! :D

PSU upgrade $$$ saved for now (downpayment on Blu-ray player) :rolleyes:
 
SlimKiwi said:
The Vista WEI for Aero Graphics score went to 4.8 from 3.6 - whatever that means.
Click to expand...

Generally speaking, the higher the Windows Experience Index (WEI) score, the better your computer will perform in that catagory.
 
Here a picture when testing the Hec psu. I like the build quality, it is almoust inaudiable. During full load( aprox 160 w draw whit this setup) for one hour still barely warm, highest temp was 40C(exhaust air) but the cover was only about 36C . Active pfc's. Nex project to change the fan setup so that i can put the psu inside the box. Still happy with the 4670, plug and play right out the box, no issues what so ever.
Atached also a pic of the home made 24 atx to micro fit 24 cable.

index.php


index.php
 
miosis said:
Hey guys just read about this and thought it might be very interesting to many.
http://vr-zone.com/articles/galaxy-has-a-low-profile-low-power-9600gt-for-htpc/6706.html?doc=6706

Basically Galaxy's 9600GT but no 6 pin power needed. So that means no need for supplemental PSUs and the like... "Low Power" "Low Profile" and several degrees cooler than other 9600GT!
Click to expand...

Very nice! I already have an ATI 4550 for my (Dell) HTPC, but if I were still in the market, I'd take a look at that 9600 GT. However, one strong selling point about the 4550 is that it consumes a less power. (Granted, the 9600 GT you linked to seems to be lower power consuming than the other ones.) Thus, PSU issues aside, if someone cares about their utility bill and doesn't care about gaming, the 9600 GT wouldn't be worth it.
 
So I've got the s3400t with the Q9300 and all is good. However, I really can't stand Vista. Has anyone successfully got XP working on it?
 
Finally got the HEC psu assembled inside my slimline. This time nothing was plug and play..... Biggest issue was to design the fan setup. As there is no space for the original 80 mm fan, had to figure out another, preferably silent, solution. During testing, noted that the psu delivers voltage to the
fan, pending on the temperature/load, between 6v-12v.

First attached a 40x20mm SUNNON in the rear of the PSU. At idle a silent solution, but with further load (gaming) the fan starts to spin with high gear, the typical 40 mm fan pitch, no good. Then attached another fan, SUNNON 60x10mm. This one is so thin that it can be located almost inside the psu.

Now much better success! Due to the two fan setup, that airflow is so much better that neither of the fan need to spin even close to top speed, resulting in a reasonable sound level even at maximum load. After extensive testing at heavy load, highest temp measured of the air outlet was about 40C and the
side of the PSU was hardly even warm.

Needed to modify both the psu frame and the slimline case to get everything fitted in place, so not the easiest mod to do. Here specks of the fan's

MagLev bearing(50 000h) 4,5-13,8 V
SUNNON 60x60x10mm KDE1206PFV2.MS.G.A.GN
SUNNON 40x40x20mm KDE1204PKV2.MS.A.GN

A bit noisy at 12V but silent at 6-7 V, and that's about what's needed with one of each to keep the psu cool. The HEC psu delivers 18 A on the 12V rails, and is equipped with 24 pin ATX motherboard connector. As the 4760 takes all power from the mobo, consider it better to have a 24-24 pin adapter than
the 20-24 pin. Will post a picture later.
 
miosis said:
Hey guys just read about this and thought it might be very interesting to many.
http://vr-zone.com/articles/galaxy-has-a-low-profile-low-power-9600gt-for-htpc/6706.html?doc=6706

Basically Galaxy's 9600GT but no 6 pin power needed. So that means no need for supplemental PSUs and the like... "Low Power" "Low Profile" and several degrees cooler than other 9600GT!
Click to expand...

So how does the 9600GT Green Edition compare to a HD4650? Will a stock HP Slimline with a 65watt processor be able to handle either of these?
 
I just had a look at the Galaxy 9600 'Green' card and it doesn't look like it would fit (too long). The only reason the Sapphire 4550 fit is because the card is flat at the end - otherwise it would interfere with stuff protruding from the mobo and cables. This is just an eyeball guess - I could be wrong. Also, the Sapphire 4550 is rated at 25W max - a lot less than 65W for the 'Green' card - important if you have less than a handful of watts to play with. Caveat emptor.
 
Here pics of my project. Not much space inside the psu for a fan, therefore both ones are assembled slighly outside, as can be seen on the picture where the psu is in place.
So far ok, less noise, much less heat and plenty of amps on the 12V compared to original config.

index.php

index.php



190.jpg
[/url][/IMG]
191.jpg
[/url][/IMG]
 
Hi everbody,

So I ordered some new memory for my s7720 ( 4gb not supported by hp, all i can do is try :D ) but....
it's not so easy to remove the dvddrive because the PSU cable is blocking.

anyone around that could help me with some instructions what is easiest.

Please note the s3xxx upgrade guide does not apply to my system.

Tahnks in advance,

Don
 
The 9600 GT Green Ed. isn't Low Profile, but the technology used in the the Green Card for power consumption will be reformatted in to the Low Pro, Low Power 9600 GT. I imagine we should start seeing these cards in a month or so. So far it sounds like a great choice for somebody who doesn't want to fiddle with another PSU, but want a good GFX card.
 
I finally got a chance to plug in my Sparkle 9800GT that arrived a few days ago. Unfortunately I don't have a slimline case yet so I just put it into a regular case / 450 W ATX PSU. But on the gaming front, this thing tears up most games and should be able to play at nearly-max settings, at least at 1280x1024 (which if I'm not mistaken is the most common resolution nowdays.) Those with larger widescreens might want to tone it down but if you're making a small gaming computer this is definitely the card for you.

After playing for ~5 hours of maxed out Assassin's Creed the card was approximately 63C according to SpeedFan. Not bad!

In a few days I'll put it into an actual slimline though and see how the reduced air flow effects it. It seems to rely mostly on the large dual-slot heatsink because I haven't heard the fan pick up yet at all (or it just is really quiet, quieter than the PSU/CPU fan.)
 
7720user said:
So I ordered some new memory for my s7720 ( 4gb not supported by hp, all i can do is try :D ) but....
it's not so easy to remove the dvddrive because the PSU cable is blocking.

Don
Click to expand...
Hi Don!

I have a s7600n, which is essentially similar to your 7720.

I upgraded to 2 GB of Kingston not too long ago, and the performance is indeed much better than before.

The DVD drive is secured by 3 screws - 2 of which are sliders, and the 3rd locks the DVD into the cage. You will need to unscrew the one "lock" screw on the "bottom" of the DVD drive, and it will slide out with some work. The power cable is in the way, and you'll just have to push it out of the way as you slide the DVD out.

Alternately, you can remove the PSU before changing the DVD.

While you're in there, you can upgrade the video to a dedicted PCI GPU and free up a bit more memory. I put in an ATI HD2400, and it's much better now.

Good luck!

/John
 
Ok...It seems that for the most part, we have the graphics card issue sorted out, at least for now. :) I was reading on AnandTech about the Phenom II processors. Apparently, they're backwards compatible with socket AM2. All that is needed is BIOS support. I have emailed AMD to confirm that this is true, and am awaiting a reply.
As of right now, I'm fairly sure that none of the M2N61-AR motherboards support them, as the latest BIOS revision was before the Phenom II's were introduced. I also plan on emailing HP and seeing if it's possible that the next BIOS update would include support for the Phenom II. It's a long shot, but it's better than nothing, lol.
I would love to have a Phenom II in my slimline, because honestly, I just don't want to stay with a dual core- it isn't enough for my gaming needs/wants...I had been contemplating building my own computer, but I love the slimline's design, and if it's possible that with a simple BIOS update (and a new processor, and a new power supply... well, if I'm gonna upgrade the PSU, might as well add a video card...ok, so it's not that simple), I could have a decent quad-core setup, well, that would be a dream come true. :D
More on this to come! :)
 
Hi,,

Really sorry to bother you with this matter.. It is just that I can't buy another PSU for this PC in my country.

I really need a help, I would like to buy POV 8600 Gt low profile, is that possible with my curret 180 PSU... does anybody here ever did that ?

My current system

Model s 3581d
Core 2 duo 4700
4GB adata 800 /6400
Nvidia 9300 GE



Thanks a lot..
 
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