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[AndrewFG]

My current HTPC runs MC24 on Windows 10 just fine, but I can hear the fan running, so I am looking for a totally fanless PC to replace it.

I will use it for audio only (occasionally viewing photos, but no video) via the TheaterView UI and outputting via HDMI into my receiver. It might perhaps also be used to serve audio to one or two other MC renderers.

Any suggestions?

[JimH]

Silentpc.com is a web site that has a lot of information on this subject.

https://silentpc.com/

Ordinary audio doesn't take a lot of CPU power. 

We have a few returned IdNUC's if you want to try one.  I'll send you one, no charge.  We owe you that, at least, for all the help you've been.  They aren't fanless, but they're very quiet.

[Hendrik]

Entirely fanless requires specialized designs where the case itself is being used as a huge radiator and the CPU is connected to the case itself to dissipate heat. Such designs are not cheap, and often require matching a mainboard to the case for proper cooler seating. Its not something I would personally recommend unless you want to get really fancy, because of the cost - however silentpc as linked above offers some of those. You can definitely design a compact system with maybe one or two fans that is practically inaudible, for much cheaper, if one picks a case with decent airflow and good fans.

[Manfred]

Nice ones's are these:

https://www.cirrus7.com/

[AndrewFG]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I was thinking of something like one of these..

https://www.ambros.co.uk/product-category/fanless-pc-systems

But the question is really about which of them has sufficient horsepower to run MC TheaterView for audio?

[astromo]

Andrew, I can personally vouch for the build quality and support you'll get from HD-Plex. I'm on my 3rd case now.

The latest bit of kit that I'm running is this:
https://www.hdplex.com/hdplex-h5-fanless-computer-case.html
with a fanless graphics card as well, so ROHQ is no drama.

If you want to really upscale, then there's this option:
http://fanlessfan.com/
I thought about it but, for me, HD-Plex was a known quantity. The H5 may not have quite the same heat rejection performance but with careful selection of CPU, graphics card and motherboard, it can be made to work and deliver the goods. Give me the grace of an hiatus and I can come back with a more in-depth build report for you if you like.

[tyler69]

I can also recommend HDPlex. I have a 2nd gen H5 running (fanless) with a Xeon E3-1220 v6 + GTX1050Ti.

[fitbrit]

My company also makes such systems. We use Streacom cases, which are a good alternative to HD-Plex; we do HD-Plex linear power supplies though.

[AndrewFG]

Give me the grace of an hiatus and I can come back with a more in-depth build report for you if you like.

Yes please.

You guys seem to be talking just about the cases, whereas I am looking for a whole system..

[fitbrit]

In my post, I initially offered to build you a system. However, I am unable to do so before 2019 now, with my build queue as it is. I edited my comment also because I worried it was too much self-promotion. Our systems are silent, but most come with one Noctua fan that comes on only as needed, and it cannot be heard at all, especially during any kind of playback. The fan mostly optional and is only for ejecting warm air from the chassis - the CPU itself is passively cooled via Streacom's liquid-filled heatpipe system.

[krmasson]

Reading this a little late.

In France, I recently bought a fanless PC from PC Vert (https://www.pcvert.fr/). Their Euler gamme is fanless, with SSD drives : no sound at all.
You can choose inside a wide range of processors, disk sizes, and memory sizes. Only drawback, they have only hdmi or DisplayPort display, but a hdmi/vga adapter costs about 10 euros.

MC consumes hardly 5% of the CPU power, I am perfectly happy w/ this.