Installation Continues:

4-pin molex to (2) 3-pin Y-cable to power the two front 92mm fans in case MB does not provide additional fan headers.

"90° angled SATA" connector; regular "straight" SATA connector will not clear the cover from closing.

Special MB power connector with extra power leads connecting to front panel light. A better solution to power the front panel on/off LED should be a high priority as adding this clumsily huge two-way MB power connector is a total waste of valuable real-estate.

The S21T front and sides came from a single piece of aluminum at about 0.20" inch thick, very unusual for PC chassis making it very sturdy; the front TFT panel hole is cut out while the top cover will sit "flushed and recessed" to the front and side walls. There is not a single screw found from the front and both sides.


Small value adds up; glad to see firewire, USB and HD audio connectors rather than individual wires.



Photo above better illustrates the needed angle SATA cables both power and data. I use the 2nd angled power SATA cable from Seasonic while the 1st (straight) plug is folded to the other side of the HDD. The very reason Origen provides several 4-pin molex to SATA (angled) cables. The same applies to the choice of power supply because you won't be able to use the SATA cables from it; it will also mean the need to use all 4-pin molex available if you decide to install a lot of HDD.

The provision of fan guards would be nice. Although the fan guard won't be necessary when all HDD mounts are utilized with HDD cables running atop, it is definitely not the case for most users. Cables from PS on the right, USB, Firewire and HD Audio wirings on the left might find their ways to the fan blades stopping the fan rotation. There is no air filter for the two fan locations. My current HTPC did not have the air filter neither, I fabricated one using fine alum mesh and it helps a lot from keeping dust in the case. Even if filters were in placed for the fans, there are vent holes behind the TFT panel and the opening of the lever that drives the TFT movement remain open for dust to get in; something to consider if you have dogs and cats around. There is a small "flap" that drops down when the TFT panel is slid out to prevent anything from falling inside the case accidentally such as SD card or USB flash drive. A rubber boot/curtain of sort may be able to close the area.



This is an older optical drive; newer one and SATA drives are shorter in length. I'd say the same length as the drive holder (cover), allowing the use of CPU cooler of up to 130mm in height.


Larger & longer graphic card should fit, again not with 5 HDDs on this side.


A minor issue, the 7600GT I am using here has two DVI outputs and no VGA. Although the adapter comes with graphic card 99% of the time, I find myself never have a use for it unless my LCD display does not have DVI output. I spent the next two hours looking for it. It was tossed into a large glass marked "junks' in the garage. I found a couple of PS2 to USB adapters along in my search. Whether an adapter should come with the case is your decision to make. My peers here at [M] said I was not well organized, the adapter is not required as part of the deal. ;)


IR sensors, connections and cables,

Summary of HW Installation:

The hardware installation process went through quite smoothly with a few exceptions. Choosing the right power supply will make the process a more pleasant one. I have tried three; OCZ Power Stream, Sunbeam NUUO and Seasonic M12. Both OCZ and Sunbeam are too long for this application. If you are using high quality PS as I presume you would, we know the cables are not as "flexible" especially around tight corners. Modular cable system model should definitely be considered.

The provided 24-pin power adapter to meet the "always on" chassis power on/off light has a relatively high price to pay in terms of cable management as there is little room to maneuver under the CD drive; in my case it was easier as the MB power connector is on the opposite side. Although the S21T is tall for HPTC, it is short by comparison to most others.

Most likely users of HTPC would have TV-Tuner, Wireless PCI LAN/WAN and may even be a sound card for better audio. Again, managing the heavy cables for the VGA, IR and the PCI expansion slot will take away some valuable space. A minor annoyance is the use of "0-ring" type grommets which kept falling off during HDDs installation, flat nylon tight fit ones may do the job better and for less.



The hazard of case review if any is sharp edges that could cut the fingers. Not the case here, except the rather sharp edges around the case when I carried it to another room for photo taking. Machining the edges to a smooth curve will not alter the great look but give the user the feeling of being well “cared for”.

Now, I could hardly wait to turn it on.