Post by JohnG on Jul 6, 2010 8:45:54 GMT
Hi guys and gals,
Do you regularly use a laptop for everyday work, or use one for playing your MIDI files at gigs?
Background
I have two laptops, the one I use all the time for connecting to the Internet and for the everyday business of MIDI notation, sequencing, editing, writing articles etc. This is quite a tiny machine, (12" x 9") bought originally for portability when I was travelling the world lecturing. I now connect a full size keyboard and desktop LCD monitor to make life easier.
The second is a more powerful Core 2 duo with an eSATA port to which I attach a second, external hard disk for sample libraries. It's used mainly for rendering audio mixes and recently became equipped with an EMU cardbus 1616m, courtesy of eBay. This has a wide screen monitor like most modern laptops.
The problem
Recently, during the warmer weather, I have noticed once again (I do it every year and always forget to do something about it), that the laptop cooling fan cuts in regularly with a particularly annoying whine. I also noticed that the case above and below where the hard disk is situated internally becomes particularly hot to the touch. Cooking my hard disk?
The solution?
I decided to do something about it, so ... I did some research on Amazon and ended up buying a laptop cooling fan from Hama. It seems to be called a " Hama Notebook-Kühler "Compact", USB 00049137".
It's just over 10 inches (25cm) wide, about 3.5 inches (9cm) deep and maybe an inch (2.5cm) thick. It slides partially under the back of the laptop, leaving the two small fans exposed to draw air in from above which is then expelled under the laptop from a long slot.
It is driven from a spare USB port and comes with a short USB adaptor cable. It has a three position switch on the back, off, slow and fast. I have been running it on its slow setting. Since using it the laptop fan has not turned on once and the area above and below the HDD remains cool.
Of course it does make some noise. There is a constant background quiet whirring of the fans, but I prefer that infinitely to the sudden "whee" of the processor fan cutting in.
It also angles the base of the laptop, the keyboard area, towards you. Actually I find that no bad thing and have got used to it quite quickly. It has rubber feet and a rubber rest for the laptop at each end, and feels reasonably secure in position. I imagine it may depend upon exactly where the front feet are on any laptop as to whether it will always be okay though.
Minor niggles.
1. The draft of air, even on slow speed, expelled out of the right hand side blows over my hand on the mouse cooling it down. For extended periods of mouse use my hand becomes a bit cold. The solution was to use a thick, soft mouse mat and push it up against the side of the laptop like a draught excluder.
2. Not suitable if you want to sit with your laptop on your lap. There are other coolers designed for this.
3. The background noise.
4. Loss of one USB port.
Good points
1. The internal processor fan noise has ceased completely.
2. The internal hard disk drive now seems to run cool all the time.
3. Increased confidence that the laptop will last longer.
4. No external power supply with yet another wall wart and more leads draped everywhere to trip over.
5. Compact and lightweight, it'll drop easily into the laptop case.
6. Seems to suit both small netbook size laptops as well as the more conventional modern monster.
7. Particularly useful if you use your laptop occasionally on a table with a tablecloth, restricting the airflow.
Suggestions
If using this to cool a laptop for gigging, I'd suggest some bits of velcro strategically positioned to hold it in place. Otherwise I'd be concerned that the laptop might slide off the fan unit.
Hope that might be of help to one or two of you.
My usual 2d.
JohnG.
Do you regularly use a laptop for everyday work, or use one for playing your MIDI files at gigs?
Background
I have two laptops, the one I use all the time for connecting to the Internet and for the everyday business of MIDI notation, sequencing, editing, writing articles etc. This is quite a tiny machine, (12" x 9") bought originally for portability when I was travelling the world lecturing. I now connect a full size keyboard and desktop LCD monitor to make life easier.
The second is a more powerful Core 2 duo with an eSATA port to which I attach a second, external hard disk for sample libraries. It's used mainly for rendering audio mixes and recently became equipped with an EMU cardbus 1616m, courtesy of eBay. This has a wide screen monitor like most modern laptops.
The problem
Recently, during the warmer weather, I have noticed once again (I do it every year and always forget to do something about it), that the laptop cooling fan cuts in regularly with a particularly annoying whine. I also noticed that the case above and below where the hard disk is situated internally becomes particularly hot to the touch. Cooking my hard disk?
The solution?
I decided to do something about it, so ... I did some research on Amazon and ended up buying a laptop cooling fan from Hama. It seems to be called a " Hama Notebook-Kühler "Compact", USB 00049137".
It's just over 10 inches (25cm) wide, about 3.5 inches (9cm) deep and maybe an inch (2.5cm) thick. It slides partially under the back of the laptop, leaving the two small fans exposed to draw air in from above which is then expelled under the laptop from a long slot.
It is driven from a spare USB port and comes with a short USB adaptor cable. It has a three position switch on the back, off, slow and fast. I have been running it on its slow setting. Since using it the laptop fan has not turned on once and the area above and below the HDD remains cool.
Of course it does make some noise. There is a constant background quiet whirring of the fans, but I prefer that infinitely to the sudden "whee" of the processor fan cutting in.
It also angles the base of the laptop, the keyboard area, towards you. Actually I find that no bad thing and have got used to it quite quickly. It has rubber feet and a rubber rest for the laptop at each end, and feels reasonably secure in position. I imagine it may depend upon exactly where the front feet are on any laptop as to whether it will always be okay though.
Minor niggles.
1. The draft of air, even on slow speed, expelled out of the right hand side blows over my hand on the mouse cooling it down. For extended periods of mouse use my hand becomes a bit cold. The solution was to use a thick, soft mouse mat and push it up against the side of the laptop like a draught excluder.
2. Not suitable if you want to sit with your laptop on your lap. There are other coolers designed for this.
3. The background noise.
4. Loss of one USB port.
Good points
1. The internal processor fan noise has ceased completely.
2. The internal hard disk drive now seems to run cool all the time.
3. Increased confidence that the laptop will last longer.
4. No external power supply with yet another wall wart and more leads draped everywhere to trip over.
5. Compact and lightweight, it'll drop easily into the laptop case.
6. Seems to suit both small netbook size laptops as well as the more conventional modern monster.
7. Particularly useful if you use your laptop occasionally on a table with a tablecloth, restricting the airflow.
Suggestions
If using this to cool a laptop for gigging, I'd suggest some bits of velcro strategically positioned to hold it in place. Otherwise I'd be concerned that the laptop might slide off the fan unit.
Hope that might be of help to one or two of you.
My usual 2d.
JohnG.
