XBMC4Xbox

@spice: As royalX says I would imagine if you have a smaller fan then you wouldn't have to cut quite so much, it is a very snug fit with these cuts when using the xilence fans and there's not need for zip ties (unless you manage to break a clip, and even then there's probably no need for a tie).

@royalX: Thanks for the advice, yes usually I would use a little flathead screwdriver from above but I forgot to lay one out on the table and was busy recording so had to make do with what I had lol.

RoyalX wrote:Well it depends on which fan (make or brand) you use spicemuseum

By preference I use Xilence (Redwing), failing that Arctic F8. I don't cut the DVD tray at all, preferring to cut a vee in the fan surround instead. I'll take a pic or two next time I do one, or take an existing one apart. ...and I too use a flat screwdriver to release the case's retaining clips around the fan.

RoyalX wrote:Well it depends on which fan (make or brand) you use spicemuseum
With this fan I did not have to cut on the DVD tray and only had a few cuts on the HDD tray.
Cause this fan has no corners on one side. So I measured it out very well on the HDD tray. The line from a marker is still visible
But on my other xbox with a different fan. I had to cut more from the HDD tray and grind a bit from the screw paw of the DVD tray.

RoyalX, where did you get your fan? Do you find it quiet?

Ailyn Zel wrote:RoyalX, where did you get your fan? Do you find it quiet?

Yes it is quiet. It looks like a cheap brand, but it is much quieter than the Arctic AF 8025. Which I tried first.

I got it from a Computer store. They had it as leftovers from upgrades.
And I told them if you got another fan like that one, just give me call.

Very excited. Just completed the fan mod using an Arctic F8. I managed to replace the fan and snip the RF shielding without removing the motherboard. Now I just have to replace the fan on the vid chip with a larger heat sink. I did this on one of my other Xbox's in the past and it just died/bricked at the green blob screen. So, hopefully I can use that heat sink once I get some more thermal paste/tape.

Excellent vid whufclee. And thanks to everyone else for the great advice and comments.

After doing a number of comparisons on the 80mm fans available in USA, and the ones I selected are these:

SilenX EFX-08-15 80mm Effizio Quiet Case Fan
Colors: Black housing with Red fan, or all Clear with Blue LEDs.
Performance: 32 CFM airflow at a low noise level of 15 dBA.
Power Consumption: 1.08W
Price: $8.99 with free shipping from Newegg

SilenX EFX-08-12 80mm Effizio Quiet Case Fan
Colors: Black housing with Gold fan.
Performance: 25 CFM airflow at a low noise level of 12 dBA.
Power consumption: 0.72W
Price: $8.99 with free shipping from Newegg

Both of these SilenX models use Japanese fluid dynamic bearing, and they are both significantly quieter then the ARCTIC F8 80mm fans, which offer 31 CFM airflow at a higher noise level of 22 dBA (0.3 Sone).

Best fan is the Noctua 80mm.

I have mine running at 50% & its silent. I also have mine blowing Air into my case as this reduces the temps more that facing the other way.

i also did this mod but it wasn't great for me.

i found a quiet fan clear with 4 blue led's and i was able to trim it to fit inc dremeling 2 clips out so it would clip into the existing clips in the xbox, unfortunately Ive taken off all that i can and it still doesn't fit quite right.

I can set the case pushed closed but when screwed down the fan rubs

i have another fan i think an arctic f8 in one of my computers I'll try next. If that works then i'll go ahead and buy a red wing one since you guys seem to think its the best

Rocky5 wrote:Best fan is the Noctua 80mm.

I have mine running at 50% & its silent. I also have mine blowing Air into my case as this reduces the temps more that facing the other way.

and where does the hot air go than ??? doesnt make sense having blowing cold air in of you dont have an outake ???

scroeffie wrote:...doesnt make sense having blowing cold air in of you dont have an outake ???

You're right. Forcing air in is not the same as sucking air out, it simply circulates the heated air from the CPU/GPU around the whole box - warming up the other components, increasing the likelihood of failure in a component which cannot be readily replaced.

Regarding 'outlets', though, if you reverse the flow they're the slots intended to be inlets on each side of the case. ...but it still doesn't make it a good solution.

spicemuseum wrote:

scroeffie wrote:...doesnt make sense having blowing cold air in of you dont have an outake ???

You're right. Forcing air in is not the same as sucking air out, it simply circulates the heated air from the CPU/GPU around the whole box - warming up the other components, increasing the likelihood of failure in a component which cannot be readily replaced.

Regarding 'outlets', though, if you reverse the flow they're the slots intended to be inlets on each side of the case. ...but it still doesn't make it a good solution.

There is no metal sheilding, it's removed so the xbox has two giant air holses on both sides, hot air doesn't circulate in the case the noctua fan pushes a lot of air, also you can feel it coming out the sides

Temps sit about 34 idle/48 after playing a game for a few hours. Psychonauts! So I'm happy.

Rocky5 wrote:Temps sit about 34 idle/48 after playing a game for a few hours. Psychonauts! So I'm happy.

What are your hdd temps like?

blighty wrote:

Rocky5 wrote:Temps sit about 34 idle/48 after playing a game for a few hours. Psychonauts! So I'm happy.

What are your hdd temps like?

Havent a clue, I use a 2.5 640GB Sata HDD now & XBMC doesn't tell me its TEMP.

Also the configuration is now different, I made it into a slimbox. & I have the Fan blowing in from the top set at 30% temps are less than what they were beforehand.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v131/ ... g~original

Rocky5 wrote: I have the Fan blowing in from the top set at 30% temps are less than what they were beforehand.

Rocky, I'm just wondering what would possibly make you think pressuring the Xbox would be a better way of cooling it?. Firstly, heat rises and a fan in the roof would be a better way of removing it but forcing air into it is not the way to go. Once the machine is "pressurized", the fan will actually start to cavate and do nothing leaving stale , non moving air inside. This is the reason every device always has one fan drawing air out of a case with inlet vents low in the case or one fan drawing air in and one fan drawing air out. I do like your lid mounted fan idea but I would definitely having it drawing air out rather than in.

Thanks for the great tutorial, i bought the 80mm fan

Glad to be of service, hope it all works out for you. It can be a bit fiddly but it's an hour of your time well spent once you have a lovely quiet machine

From a technichal standpoint this one also works:

ARCTIC AFACO-080P0-GBA01 Cooling F8 PWM

http://www.amazon.de/ARCTIC-AFACO-080P0 ... rctic+80mm

But its too thick layered. even if you cut down most of its surrounding u will stick with fiddling around till it fits.

One solution would be to cut down the hole back part of the xbox (where the fan is placed and fit it in as part of the case (not inside).

A 70mm could do it maybe with less hurdles.

Still a great tutorial it made me think about moding again. Found this vid on youtube and started cutting down may xbox XD

Look at this one.
Sharkoon System Fan M 70X70X15mm
http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B000EIV ... UTF8&psc=1

At first glance it looks odd. But it fits and is stable. SILENT
There was a different Fan in before, that's why so much is cut. Not really necessary.

retromonger wrote:Look at this one.
Sharkoon System Fan M 70X70X15mm
http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B000EIV ... UTF8&psc=1

At first glance it looks odd. But it fits and is stable. SILENT
There was a different Fan in before, that's why so much is cut. Not really necessary.

that is the one I was looking for... I don't like the cutting at all... do you have installed one by yourself? what speed setting did you choose in xbmc?

edit: I should look the pictures... so no cutting is needed by installing this fan?

I've installed this Sharkoon System Fan M 70X70X15mm but even with 100% fan speed setting the box gets very hot around 70° maybe even more I shutted it of before overheating...

I even tried a FAN Speed controller but this doesn't really change the speed at all?! anyone did get it working?