Could this be the Perfect ROCK Platform???
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Looks like Intel got some ideas from the Nucleus…
Previous thread:
I have an Akasa Turing Fanless Case to install my NUC8i7 into, it is a substantial chunk of metal from a well known and established company, and I am confident it will cool mu ROCK NUC just fine.
Intel should know how to properly cool their own systems and engineer a satisfactory solution methinks.
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I would agree. This looks like a good solution for those that may want a reliable (and very durable appearing) fanless case for a ROCK install. They’ve even got a heat pipe in there.
More info here. Very interesting. One can only hope that they make it to the Roon approved hardware list for ROCK.
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They seem pretty pricey. By the time it’s fully configured, you’re near the price of a Nucleus (+).
They’re ruggedized. Ruggedized computers are $$$. But, if you absolutely need a waterproof Roon Core, this would be the way to go …
I can’t really see why Roon would officially support the Austin Beach NUC, surely it would reduce sales of Nucleus? I hope that it is supported though.
It doesn’t look like. On that site (no affiliation) the base prices with the less expensive (expandable) chassis and an i3, i5 or i7 (no vPro) CPU including 4-8 GB of RAM and 128 GB M.2 SSD are $698, $849 and $952 respectively. Way less than any of the Nucleus prices ($1399 and $2499). Also it is safe to guess that the costs may come down even more if one source and put together the components.
I bought a ruggedised i7 pc for little over £500 and it had everything fitted. You can run a car over it apparently. Not that I will ever be in a position to do such a thing.
They are different market segments. Nucleus owners usually prefer to avoid any DIY, even the minimal amount required to setup ROCK.
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You’re right. I was throwing in a 2TB M.2 and that drives up the cost a lot. Neither Nucleus comes with that preinstalled.
If you were to go this way would you need an OS or will Rock install without an existing OS?
You don’t need a pre-installed OS. Assuming that those NUC models become supported ROCK OS will install from an USB flash drive.
If you are not familiar with the installation procedure here is the official guide:
https://kb.roonlabs.com/ROCK_Install_Guide
The official guide can be confusing but member @Rugby wrote an easier to follow guide. I could not find the link to it but perhaps he will see this post and add it.
What is involved for ROON to support it? Do they need to modify the ROCK OS installer to allow installation on this particular NUC?
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My guess is that they need to get one, check that the drivers in ROCK are appropriate for any new hardware and update ROCK if needed.
The installer itself would only need modification if a new BIOS were implemented, which I don’t understand to have occurred.
Users are free to attempt ROCK on any gear, including unsupported NUCs.
Yes, just because it is unsupported does not mean it won’t work. You will however have to take on more troubleshooting responsibilities.
Thanks! If anyone is interested send me a PM and I’ll send ya back a dropbox link.
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Is it possible to install a 4tb hdd? 15mm height!
Thanks