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 We’ve
all been there…that moment where you want to plug in your latest “hot swap”
toy and you’ve got to jump up from your chair and lean way over the system in
order to plug it in. Well, maybe you haven’t had to do it since you bought
that fancy rig with the front ports...but those tend to be limited on the
connectors and functionality. Enter the multipanel, a device whose sole
purpose is to bring lots of functionality right to the front of your PC.
Thanks to Xoxide, we have one of the latest models on the test bench today –
the Aerocool CoolPanel. With everything from temperature monitoring, fan
control, an eight format card reader, and front port SATA, this one looks like
it could handle anything!
Packaging &
Contents
The
CoolPanel showed up in a rather pretty box. Lots of good specifications and
pictures on this one!
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**click to enlarge** |
**click to enlarge** |
I
came very close to cutting myself pulling the CoolPanel out of the box…I don’t
know how AeroCool managed to make cardboard sharp, but this box definitely has
it. If you end up purchasing one of these, make sure to look out for that.
**click to enlarge**
The
CoolPanel comes with a massive array of cables, covering every major function
that the device offers. Also included are two pieces of paper outlining the
installation and functions, and a very small plastic bag with screws and zip
ties.
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**click to enlarge** |
**click to enlarge** |
**click to enlarge** |
The
CoolPanel is not much for looks…although the massive array of connections
makes it sexy in a way only a true geek could understand. The card reader
supports eight different types of cards – Compact Flash I/II, Memory Stick,
Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Duo Pro, Smart Media, SD, and
the Multi Media Card. The documentation seemed to be at odds with the speed of
the card reader, listing the USB 1.1 speed at 480Mbs. I assume they mean USB
2.0, but we’ll be sure to check and get a straight answer during the testing
phase. The card reader also has two LEDs, one green and one red, to indicate
read/write status. Also available are a pair of high speed USB 2.0 ports, a
single IEEE 1394 Firewire port, two SATA ports, a RCA type Video port, and the
almost obligatory Headphone/Microphone/audio out 3.5mm jacks. Although I have
yet to see one, SATA based CD and DVD drives are on the way, and these ports
will allow you to use them externally.
**click to enlarge**
AeroCool has done a nice job with the back of this panel. One of the big
problems with panels like this is unused cables cluttering up the inside of
your case, and potentially restricting airflow. On the CoolPanel, all the
cables are removable and you can remove wires that you are not actively using.
On that same note, I would point out that not one of these cables interfaces
with motherboard headers…every one of them is simply a pass through to the
rear of your case. I’m not a big fan of this setup, especially since all it
would take is the addition of a few extra cables to provide that capability.
The CoolPanel supports two thermal probes and speed control for two fans.
That’s not a lot, but when combined with a dedicated fan bus this should give
you specific control over every fan in most systems.
Specifications
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Specification
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Dimensions: 148(W) x 42(H) x 70(D)
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Input
voltage: +12V , +5V
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Port
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Qty
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Port
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Qty
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Port
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Qty
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Line
in/Line out/Mic
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1
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SATA
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2
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MM card socket
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1
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USB
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2
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3-Pin connector
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2
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MS socket
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1
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IEEE 1394
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1
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SM card socket
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1
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MS-Pro socket
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1
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Video
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1
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SD card socket
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1
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CF / MD card socket
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1
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