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Noise

As the LC17 will most likely be sitting along side relatively silent home theater components, noise output is a large consideration.

We took a rough measurement of sound from 1 meter away to add some numbers to our observations. The ambient noise picked up by our Omega sound meter was rated at 39 decibels. Powering up the cases two 80mm fans raised the noise level by 2 DBa to 41. An increase of 2 decibels doesn't seem like much, but the fans are actually fairly audible. They let out a distinct "whir" that can be heard from up to a couple meter's away.

There was also some form of rattle going on while we were testing. We tightened all of the screws and did a fair amount of "pressing" around the case to try and isolate where the noise was coming from, but we couldn't find anything. There's a possibility that there was something loose within the fans themselves that an end user wouldn't be able to do anything about, other than replace the fans one at a time until it went away.

Leaving the fans unplugged might be one way of keeping noise output in check, but a heat issue would likely arise. The case is by no means loud, but in a living room setting it would be noticeable if you sit close enough to the system. Assuming you are placing the HTPC on a rack at a distance of 6 feet or greater, the noise potential is somewhat lower, but still worth noting.

Sharp Edges

One would assume that by now, mainstream case designers would have realized that their customers are not buying metal boxes to use as kitchen knives. Why is it then that sharp edges still exist on some of today's cases?

We all managed to get away relatively unscathed from some of the LC17's razor-sharp edges but for one! Geordan was packing the case away at the end of testing and sliced his finger nicely on one of the outer edges. This is thoroughly unacceptable in a modern case and designers (especially ones as esteemed as Silverstone) should think it a given to roll or sand the edges of their cases before selling them.

Conclusion

Despite a couple design quirks, sharp edges and a couple of relatively noisy fans, the LC17 isn't half bad. The overall feel and look of the case finish makes even Shuttle look mediocre, which is more important for an HTPC case.

Even though it will take some work, Silverstone has provided quite a lot of room for expansion. Utilizing both HDD bays, it is possible to run up to six hard drives, which is a significant amount for an HTPC. That's one setup TiVo can't match easily.

With all the fan placement holes, you are able to install quite a number of extra fans, but other than the side 80 mm fan, it is not suggested to add anything as the noise level will increase with each additional fan. Remember, in a HT setting, people are far more sensitive to noise sources.

All in all, the LC17 is a solid case that does what it is supposed to well. For those who can pay for a more full featured case, there are alternative ones by Silverstone that also have LCDs, remotes and external controls. For everybody else, there's this.