I have been into home theater computers for a long, long time. In its infancy, HTPCs offered more functionality than was available to the average consumer (like upscaled DVD video, progressive scan displays, archived video library, etc), but at a severe usability cost. The unit was still primarily controlled using a standard keyboard and mouse, which let me tell you totally kills the almighty SAF (spousal acceptance factor).

The holy grail of a Home Theater PC is to make it as appliance-like as possible, and that includes having an enclosure that seamlessly meshes with other home theater equipment, and can be used without a remote control. One of the few companies up to this challenge is Silverstone, who has years of experience designing cases for the Home Theater enthusiast. Their LC16M case appears to be a serious candidate for the Holy Grail of HTPC enclosures, so let's take a serious look.



Link: OCModshop