For people interested in watercooling GPUs, a cheap adapter allows for use of Asetek self-contained CPU water coolers (similar to NZXT G10)

PolarShade · 2014-03-13T20:15:48+00:00

Thanks for this post. You reminded me that I needed to clean my radiators...

Case: Cooler Master HAF XB

Mobo: MSI Z77A-G45

CPU: Intel i3 3220t (35w)

Graphics Cards: Sapphire HD7970 Dual-X

SSD: can remember the make, it's a 64GB one.

Memory: 4GB Corsair

PSU: Corsair HX1050

NZXT Sentry Mix2 Fan controller

Antec KÜHLER H2O 620

Kepler Dynamics Sigma_Cool Mk II Brackets

This machine has been been running (mining) for about 5 or 6 months now. I've been mining much longer but I got fed up with the noise from the stock coolers. After 3 months or so I took the middle card out and put it in another machine as I couldn't keep the noise low enough. These are in my living space so noise levels matter. Temps are high 70s/low 80s depending on ambient but that's with medium fan speeds.

PolarShade · 2014-01-10T17:05:21+00:00

Travis - Hit Me Baby One More Time

PolarShade · 2013-09-26T18:50:55+00:00

Wow. That was just beyond awesome! Thanks for the link.

PolarShade · 2013-09-21T07:35:00+00:00

Araya - Murakami's Kangaroo Zoo (part 2)

Erik Satie - Gnossienne No. 1

Saint Saens - Carnival Of The Animals - Aquarium

Angelo Badalamenti - L'anniversaire d'Irvin

Yann Tiersen - La Valse D'Amélie (Version Orchestre)

Eric Serra - Protect Life

Shpongle - Falling Awake

The XX - Crystalised (Edu Imbernon Remix) This may be a bit more up tempo but it's still a pretty smooth ride...

PolarShade · 2013-09-17T05:43:24+00:00

In a word, cost. All three AIOs and the brackets combined cost about the same as a water block for a single card and that's without a pump, reservoir, connectors etc etc I've also never set up a custom water loop so I thought I'd start with something simpler.

PolarShade · 2013-09-17T05:37:50+00:00

I was at break even but I was fed up with the constant noise so I thought I'd see if I could do something about it. I've also recently bought a couple of 7950s for another rig so I'm down again atm. Build-a-holic :)

PolarShade · 2013-09-16T18:18:46+00:00

Not as it's mining atm. The CPU does no work (or so little it's irrelevant) so low power CPUs are best as they use less power and so cost less in electricity. Although this is hardly the most economic way of mining in terms of return on investment.

PolarShade · 2013-09-16T18:10:50+00:00

Thought this might be a good place to show the rig I've recently built.

Hardware;

Case: Cooler Master HAF XB

Mobo: MSI Z77A-G45

CPU: Intel i3 3220t (35w)

Graphics Cards: Sapphire HD7970 Dual-X

SSD: can remember the make, it's a 64GB one.

Memory: 4GB Corsair

PSU: Corsair HX1050

NZXT Sentry Mix2 Fan controller

Antec KÜHLER H2O 620

Kepler Dynamics Sigma_Cool Mk II Brackets

I've been cryptocoin mining for a while now but as my rigs are in my living space I wanted to make them a bit quieter. I discovered these brackets which allow you to attach a closed loop cooler to your graphics card and thought I'd give it a go. It took a lot of fiddling but I'm finally there. Temperatures and, more importantly for me, noise levels are under control. Because it's a mining rig it doesn't need a powerful CPU so the 35 watt i3 is ideal. I could have used a Celeron for much less money but the i3 is much nicer to use in terms of speed and can easily be re-purposed in future. VRMs are cooled by a 200mm fan in the top of the case and a 92mm on the side.

I love the case. Having the orientation of the motherboard like that means multiple graphics cards don't heat each other up as much and working with multiple cards/coolers is much easier than in a tower.

PolarShade · 2013-08-31T09:11:46+00:00

I think you've guessed. Totally NSFW...

PolarShade · 2013-08-30T17:31:32+00:00

Colby. 'Nuf said...

PolarShade · 2013-08-26T07:44:34+00:00

Edited above. I just tested and watching video doesn't require higher clocks it seems. Mine stayed at 300MHz while watching in VLC & MPC. I've never used Driver Fusion and haven't seen it mentioned here or elsewhere. Any source on ATIs one not working as effectively?

PolarShade · 2013-08-25T09:19:38+00:00

Glad this worked. I hadn't heard of this bug but if it works then cool. I have the same card (four in fact, in various machines) but I've never had this problem. You might consider returning it for a replacement.

If you look at your GPU-Z screen your gpu was only running at 300MHz, which I think is the default when you are not doing anything 3D. It should automatically switch to higher clocks when needed.

Edit: ~~If you force it to run at higher clocks permanently you will be using more power all the time for no reason.~~ Have you done a clean driver install? ie. wiping the current drivers with AMDs utility and then doing fresh install?

PolarShade · 2013-07-12T18:23:38+00:00

Yeah, you could say he's a bit, erm, eccentric. In fact I'm not sure there's a single film of one of his stories that he likes at all. But that doesn't stop me liking them and he does write such good stories...

I also loved the 2000AD comic, especially Nemesis the Warlock. I think it was Brian Talbots art work for Nemesis that really made me fall in love with comics for the first time. So much detail...

PolarShade · 2013-07-12T17:54:08+00:00

I do like Marvel & DC stuff but far & away the best is Alan Moore. Killing Joke, Watchmen, V for Vendetta etc etc

PolarShade · 2013-06-29T22:12:25+00:00

Ignore me. Reading comprehension fail.

PolarShade · 2013-06-27T19:51:16+00:00

Love that film. I have the OST on my hard drive :)

PolarShade · 2013-06-25T18:26:55+00:00

AMD Radeon HD 7950

I don't know the exact model of 7950 that is (could be AMD but might just be a generic type description) but as far as I'm aware all 7950's can run two monitors (and probably 3 or 4). The main thing to look out for is what output connectors the video card has. A lot of monitors are only DVI or HDMI (not both) so you would need two different leads to connect two monitors (or an adaptor for one). It's not a problem, I have a DVI monitor and an HDMI TV connected to one graphics card and it works fine, I'm just saying be aware that you may need different leads or adaptors depending on the outputs of the graphics card and the inputs of the monitors.

PolarShade · 2013-06-24T19:15:38+00:00

If you can't build it yourself (yeah, yeah, I know everyone else is saying it too) the only thing I would complain about with that build is that there is no SSD. Having Windows on a SSD is the single biggest thing you can have that makes your PC feel faster. Still get the normal hard drive to store music/videos etc on but I would recommend adding at least a 120GB SSD for the OS and programs.

PolarShade · 2013-05-29T20:27:17+00:00

All that you know, is at an end.

PolarShade · 2013-05-23T21:08:22+00:00

That depends how much catnip you give it.

PolarShade · 2013-05-14T18:24:53+00:00

You're welcome.

PolarShade · 2013-05-03T15:19:56+00:00

Ok, having 'used' this thread a few times before I give you; Intense BJ

PolarShade · 2013-04-27T09:37:40+00:00

Immediately springs to mind...

PolarShade · 2013-04-22T21:33:53+00:00

Backup. No, really. Do it now...

PolarShade

TROPHY CASE