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Product:
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Cooler Master CM Media 281 HTPC Case |
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Price:
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$343 (CDN) / $299 (U.S)
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Supplied By:
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Cooler Master
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Author:
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Hi-TEK
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Date:
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February 22nd, 2007
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Rating:
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MODTHEBOX would like to thank Yolanda from Cooler Master
for sending the CM Media 281 HTPC Case for review.
Introduction:
Cooler Master has developed a significant reputation in the case manufacturing market. A few years ago
the company's main focus was manufacturing products for the cooling market with everything ranging from
cooling fans to hard drive and chipset coolers. Many will remember the ATC (Active Thermal Convection
System) product line which set a standard for high-end computer enclosures. The
explosive growth and demand for new HTPC based products has lead the company to develop the newly
branded CM Media concept. The CM Media product line pairs a modular enclosure with the latest home
theatre applications allowing consumers to easily integrate a PC into the living room. Today in the MTB
Labs, we will be evaluating the new CM Media 281 HTPC Case.
Specifications:
The Cooler Master CM Media 281 features a roomy interior capable of supporting NVIDIA SLI / ATI Crossfire
configurations as well as the capacity to hold up to five hard drives. It is also compatible with RAID
configurations and full-length video cards which include the newly released NVIDIA G80 SLI. The CM
Media 281 comes pre-assembled and supports both mATX and ATX motherboard formats. Here are some
specifications taken directly from the Cooler Master website:
| Model | Cooler Master CM Media 281 HTPC Case |
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| Dimensions | 16.93" (W) x 7" (H) x 18.78" (D) |
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| Material | Chassis: SECC, Bezel: AL+ABS |
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| Weight | 20lbs |
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| Motherboard | Standard ATX, Micro ATX |
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| Cooling System |
1x 120 mm Rear Silent Fan (1200 RPM, 17dBA)
1 x 120mm Front Fan (Optional)
1 x 120mm Top Fan (Optional)
1 x 120mm Side Fan (Optional)
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| Drive Bays | 9 (Extemal 3 x 5.25" and 1 x 3.5" lnternal 5 x 3.5") |
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| Expansion Slots | 7 |
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| Front I/O Ports | - 2 x USB2.0 port
- 1 x 1394 Firewire
- 1x Earphone Jack
- 1 x MIC |
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| Display Type | Multi-Media Kit (RC-281-OSB1-GP) |
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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The Cooler Master CM Media 281 HTPC Case was shipped in white and purple double-walled
corrugated box with the case manufacturer's logos and images printed on all sides. The front portion of
the package includes several images of the CM Media 281 while the back portion includes product
specifications. The packaging inside the box was good with the case sealed in protected plastic with two
pieces of Polystyrene located on the left and right side of the unit.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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The Cooler Master CM Media 281 HTPC Case was bundled with an assortment of accessories which include
mounting screws, motherboard stand-offs, zip ties, power cable, remote, AAA batteries, replacement
front bezel, application CD and a single user manual. The documentation included with this package is
well written and includes 22 pages of useful information. Consumers will be guided through a feature
list, specifications, installation process, conversion, software support and cooling recommendations.
To cater to the demands of HTPC enthusiasts, Cooler Master has included a silver coloured remote control
and a copy of Soundgraph's VFD Controler software. The remote control is powered by two AAA batteries that fit into a
removable compartment on the back of the unit.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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I was extremely pleased to see that the bundled remote has the same look and feel as Microsoft's own
Media Center 2005 Edition remote control. The remote is a solid performer and makes navigation an
absolute breeze. The top portion includes macro style buttons that provide quick access to menu options
for My TV, My Music, My Pictures, My Video, Guide, Live TV and Recorded TV. The middle portion includes
arrow style buttons for quickly moving from menu to menu or each program option. The bottom portion
includes a numeric pad as well as control keys for media player or DVD applications.
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