Friday, September 17th 2010
AeroCool Intros Strike-X Multichannel Touchscreen Fan-Controller
Close to month after releasing the Strike-X ATX mid-tower case, AeroCool released a new touchscreen multichannel fan-controller under the same banner. The Strike-X fan-controller occupies two 5.25" drive bays on your case (designed to look best with the Strike-X case), and has a fuzzy-looking LED display that looks like one of the touchscreen computers from the retro generation of the USS Enterprise (in which William Shatner plays Capt. Kirk). The controller supports five independent fan channels, with fan-speed and thermal-zone monitoring. The unit also doubles up as a 2-port USB 2.0 and front-panel audio hub (by relaying the same from the motherboard). It is available with red+black and all-black bezel options. Available soon, the Strike-X fan-controller from AeroCool will sell for €54.90.
Source:
TechConnect Magazine
18 Comments on AeroCool Intros Strike-X Multichannel Touchscreen Fan-Controller
I have had most of Aerocools panels (compulsive shopping, haha) and after a year or so, or when upgrading the computer, I removed them, as they have no real use (if you are fine with BIOS or software fan managemnt)
I don't understand the point of this, they could make this fit a single slot given that it's a screen instead of dials : / could just page through to the next 8 fan channels or something.
I've an aerocool touch-1000, they are good fan controllers at-least.
Only reason i would buy one that size would be 8 fan readouts and a wattage readout which reads from different parts of the comp.
Like hell Zalman fitted 4 fan readouts +wattage readout on there's and it's just a single bay for the same price.
Also, what's the deal with touch screens? Didn't buttons work fine?
I'm saying this because I hate to see huge greasy fingerprints in screens...takes all the beauty away.
I'm happy with my FP-01.
At this time 2x120mm + 1 80mm. And able to fit over 12 HDDS in it lol.
At first I thought that I would just want a controller that uses a mobo header for "definitive" fan speed for all fans, but then my thought went a little further:
The thing is, I would want to have a controller that can adjust to both high CPU and/or high GPU load. So if I would play a game that stresses the GPU very much but has only one or two threads and doesn't put a high load to CPU, the CPU fan speed would be on low-normal, while the case fans and GPU fan would blow at higher rate. Of course the GPU would have an aftermarket fan or the original fan would be hooked to the controller (that takes an input from GPU fan header).
Controller should have RPM meter on/off switch and automatically switch a single RPM display off, if there is no RPM signal detected. Also the controller should show the voltage going to the fan.
The thing should hook up to internal USB and be fully programmable, for example:
spin-up voltage, min/max voltage per fan (1V-12v), fans used in high cpu/high gpu "mode", fan names/properties.
There should be a test mode for detecting the fans spin-up voltage and speed/voltage ratio. Also there should be a noise "test-run"/setup that is user-controlled. The controller would start the fan and find it's lowest spinning voltage. After that it would start to add voltage and the program would ask the user to set the noise "steps" (programmable to maximum of 5 steps) something like: 1. silent - 2. comfort - 3. audible - 4. clearly audible - 5.noisy
These would be also user programmable (1-5 steps, renaming ability, adjustable speeds after initial "test-run"). For example there could be modes, something like "Silent", "CPU intense work" or "Benching". Also speed-lock (for enthusiasts/silence oriented people) that would not change the speeds before going to very high temps (alarm beep), and dynamic mode that is flexible and adjusts all fans according to load/temps.
...list could go on and on :D
In these highly controlled days, I would think that designing/manufacturing a decent fan controller wouldn't be so much asked.