Introduction :

Origen S21T is a high-end aluminum Home Theatre PC enclosure featuring a unique 12.1 inch motorized TFT touch screen for the utmost enthusiasts in Home Theatre experience; such feature can only be found in some server rooms. Armed with 120mm exhaust together with two 92mm internal fans, it accommodates both ATX and micro boards.

Origen; never heard of the name? May be you have heard of Uneed International, established in 2000 headquartered in Gyonggi-Do, South Korea not very far from Seoul across the Han river. Uneed rebranded as Origen-AE in July 2005 focusing on HTPC enclosure.

Today, we are looking into the top end model S21T introduced earlier this year; Origen has taken the route of more HTPC friendly Asian and European markets to establish it’s root finally made S21T available in the U.S. From what I’ve gathered high end chassis for gamers is forthcoming.






S21T is certainly not an ordinary HTPC we have accustomed to; other than the 120mm exhaust, it could house up to 10 hard drives and removal motherboard tray all sounded like an enthusiast chassis for the die-hards or a server for a small company. The motorized TFT touch screen of up to 1920x1080 resolutions will definitely enhance the experience in navigating any media presentations.

Undoubtedly, the S21T is not totally aimed at the DIY PC market but also the custom builders in home electronics and home theatre setups arenas. However, there are other HTPC cases offered by Origen to meet different levels of requirements and budgets; the recently released S16, S14 and S10 below are priced from about US$350 to $680. Both S and X series will have additional accessories support in meeting MCE and Vista requirements.



The X-series are priced from about US$270 to $640


The H-series are priced at about US$240.


Accordingly, Origen is working towards providing a completely end -user ready entertainments solution in the coming months including Touch Screen Desk/Wall mount monitors. At the mean time, S, X and H series products are available directly from Origen U.S.



For now, let's take a closer look at the S21T .

Closer look:

Our review sample arrived after a 5-inch snow fall the night before. It was well packed inside a sturdy corrugated box.






The Styrofoam keeps the unit well protected.


The sample came in "Black", more like gun metal black.


The rear exhaust is 120mm in size giving you an idea the size of this case.


Removing two thumb screws from the rear, the top cover (rather thick) came off revealing the inside. There are two 92mm fans located at the bottom blowing at the (left & right) hard drive mounts on both sides.



Removing another 4 thumb screws, the motherboard tray slides out.




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At the far end of the photo is the electric motor with metal gears to drive the opening and closing of the TFT panel and a 4-pin molex power connection. Media card reader sits atop of the motor assembly.

Installation:

Origen engineers employ an unique HDD mounting system using three screws per HDD as the following photos show. Install the screws onto the HDD two on one side and one on another. Remove the two rails.

Slide in the HDD and reassemble the two rails.


Although having 10-HDDs provision sounds good, I have no idea anyone will need 10 HDDs with single drive capacity nowadays running at 500, 750 and 1TB. And, in case you do, think ahead of the motherboard and PCI card to accommodate the setup.


Removable motherboard tray makes installation easier as always.


A slight problem mounting the MB back plate, there is a slight curve at the top making it a challenge to alignment.

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To install Optical drive, unscrew 4 screws holding the bracket; install the optical drive into the bracket and remount. There is an aluminum CD front face plate with double sided "3M" tape to be applied afterward.



Choosing the "right" size power supply becomes evident here. My 1st choice of using OCZ 420-watt was out of the question due to the longer length. Seasonic M12 600-watt seems to be the prefer type of power supply not only because the standard size but also the modular cable design. This also brings up another question as to the number of hard drives can be installed in a practical sense. To better facilitate power supply installation, it is advisable to mount the hard drives to the right side (opposite to the power supply) first.



There is not much room for the standard power supply cables coming out from the back to the "perceivable" HDD territory. Nevertheless, base on trial and error, pre-forming the cable will tidy up the cablings making it possible to install 2 to 3 hard drives behind the power supply.

Continued ->

Installation Continues:

4-pin molex to (2) 3-pin Y-cable to power the two front 92mm fans in case MB does not provide additional fan headers.

"90° angled SATA" connector; regular "straight" SATA connector will not clear the cover from closing.

Special MB power connector with extra power leads connecting to front panel light. A better solution to power the front panel on/off LED should be a high priority as adding this clumsily huge two-way MB power connector is a total waste of valuable real-estate.

The S21T front and sides came from a single piece of aluminum at about 0.20" inch thick, very unusual for PC chassis making it very sturdy; the front TFT panel hole is cut out while the top cover will sit "flushed and recessed" to the front and side walls. There is not a single screw found from the front and both sides.


Small value adds up; glad to see firewire, USB and HD audio connectors rather than individual wires.



Photo above better illustrates the needed angle SATA cables both power and data. I use the 2nd angled power SATA cable from Seasonic while the 1st (straight) plug is folded to the other side of the HDD. The very reason Origen provides several 4-pin molex to SATA (angled) cables. The same applies to the choice of power supply because you won't be able to use the SATA cables from it; it will also mean the need to use all 4-pin molex available if you decide to install a lot of HDD.

The provision of fan guards would be nice. Although the fan guard won't be necessary when all HDD mounts are utilized with HDD cables running atop, it is definitely not the case for most users. Cables from PS on the right, USB, Firewire and HD Audio wirings on the left might find their ways to the fan blades stopping the fan rotation. There is no air filter for the two fan locations. My current HTPC did not have the air filter neither, I fabricated one using fine alum mesh and it helps a lot from keeping dust in the case. Even if filters were in placed for the fans, there are vent holes behind the TFT panel and the opening of the lever that drives the TFT movement remain open for dust to get in; something to consider if you have dogs and cats around. There is a small "flap" that drops down when the TFT panel is slid out to prevent anything from falling inside the case accidentally such as SD card or USB flash drive. A rubber boot/curtain of sort may be able to close the area.



This is an older optical drive; newer one and SATA drives are shorter in length. I'd say the same length as the drive holder (cover), allowing the use of CPU cooler of up to 130mm in height.


Larger & longer graphic card should fit, again not with 5 HDDs on this side.


A minor issue, the 7600GT I am using here has two DVI outputs and no VGA. Although the adapter comes with graphic card 99% of the time, I find myself never have a use for it unless my LCD display does not have DVI output. I spent the next two hours looking for it. It was tossed into a large glass marked "junks' in the garage. I found a couple of PS2 to USB adapters along in my search. Whether an adapter should come with the case is your decision to make. My peers here at [M] said I was not well organized, the adapter is not required as part of the deal. ;)


IR sensors, connections and cables,

Summary of HW Installation:

The hardware installation process went through quite smoothly with a few exceptions. Choosing the right power supply will make the process a more pleasant one. I have tried three; OCZ Power Stream, Sunbeam NUUO and Seasonic M12. Both OCZ and Sunbeam are too long for this application. If you are using high quality PS as I presume you would, we know the cables are not as "flexible" especially around tight corners. Modular cable system model should definitely be considered.

The provided 24-pin power adapter to meet the "always on" chassis power on/off light has a relatively high price to pay in terms of cable management as there is little room to maneuver under the CD drive; in my case it was easier as the MB power connector is on the opposite side. Although the S21T is tall for HPTC, it is short by comparison to most others.

Most likely users of HTPC would have TV-Tuner, Wireless PCI LAN/WAN and may even be a sound card for better audio. Again, managing the heavy cables for the VGA, IR and the PCI expansion slot will take away some valuable space. A minor annoyance is the use of "0-ring" type grommets which kept falling off during HDDs installation, flat nylon tight fit ones may do the job better and for less.



The hazard of case review if any is sharp edges that could cut the fingers. Not the case here, except the rather sharp edges around the case when I carried it to another room for photo taking. Machining the edges to a smooth curve will not alter the great look but give the user the feeling of being well “cared for”.

Now, I could hardly wait to turn it on.

The Special Features:

We before we go on to the main feature; 12"1 motorize TFT panel, let's look at others that the S21T has to offer.

There are two hidden on/off switches. This one is located on the left hand side next to the "front foot" or "stand off" to turn on/off the TFT panel.

The second is located on the opposite side to slide out and retract the TFT panel.

Blue light indicates system running; Red/Orange indicates standby.


Screen adjustment control panel is located on the right side of the TFT; metal Stylus is stored on the left.


In addition to the normal MCE remote control, I find the second remote control to adjust the screen to be luxurious.

System Setup:

ASRock 4-Core-1333 Viiv MB

Seagate 7200.9 500GB SATA HD

G.skill PC6400 2*1GB

NEC Optical Drive

Seasonic M12 600-Watt PS

Intel E4500 @3.22GHz

Intel Stock HSF

Chaintech 7600GT graphic card

Windows XP Pro SP2

The sample unit did not come with any software or driver CD except a simple manual. I would suggest these to be included when retail units become available in the next month or so. The two software/driver files are available for download at Origen; they are,

IR Trans V07.09.09 Software/Driver (MCE & Vista x86 & x64) - ZIP 8.4MB

Touch Screen software V4.3.8.4124 Software/Driver (MCE & Vista, x86 & 64) - ZIP 6.3MB

Frustrating time; the IR transmitter does not work, USB driver and card reader could not be loaded. Another problem is a warning of "USB Hub Power Exceeded" whenever I plug in a USB flash drive into the card reader. Yet, when I used an external card reader via USB, the external card reader works. After a day of trying I finally decided to disassemble the optical drive mount and remove the USB Hub only to find out Origen is using GL819 Genesys logic chip for media card reader and GL850A for touch screen USB controller. The faulty USB media card reader controller might be affecting the IR Trans sensors. Let's hope replacing the USB controller PCB would solve the problem.





The BB+ Module was for MCE and Vista. However, I could not determine if it comes from the faulty controller. The issue prevented me from using the remote control, with which a similar setup works partially on Windows XP while MCE should work perfectly. Touchside went through smoothly after all.



The screen calibration process is easy to follow.


Accessing on screen keyboard with the use of stylus.

The Main Attraction:


Of course the main attraction of the S21T is the 12.1" motorize touch screen panel. At this time, I think it is a well engineered piece. Origen tries hard to make this the best of the best HPTC experience, from the super rigid almost 1/4" thick frame from a single piece of aluminum to the smart HDD mounting system.

The 120mm exhaust fan is turning at a lazy 800 rpm and so do the two 92mm intake fans. My digital sound meter could only register about 40 dBA at 37.3 dBA white noise level 5cm from the chassis; it is silent a few feet away. For comparison, my Gateway laptop is humming along ~41 dBA at similar distance.






The color quality is quite nice at a proper viewing angle.

Below are two video clips; the first is how the front panel works and the second is to illustrate one of the few options in hooking up two displays. The video is a bit dark so that the screen colors are not washed out.

The display on the front left is the S21T running Windows Media Player. The display on the back right is a 20" display running DVD movie.

The setup on this dual display arrangement was done via N-Tune with two displays running at different resolutions. The S21T at 1280*800 and the 20.1" behind at 1600*1200. I could see a number of combinations and situations where the S21T could be deployed. Image a two income family, after a day's work and a quick dinner the wife may be doing her family budget and sorting out her husband's spending on Spreadsheet using the S21T touch screen with a wireless keyboard while her husband is watching football game on the big screen not far from her. Okay, may be this is not the best example, but they are together at least rather than in two separate rooms. ;)

How about airflow?


Not bad for a 1Gb overclocked C2D; CPU temp barely touched 50°C; core temps both slightly touching 67°C using Stock HSF.


While watching DVD movie and browsing the internet; temp remains below 40°C; in both cases room temp was about 22°C.

Thoughts:

Here is the challenging part for me. Why? It is because the S21T could turn the HTPC into an entirely new direction. Intel has been pushing rather hard in the marketing front on MCE in the last several years with nothing much really being done in making an industry standard for others to follow such as IR software and hardware. It is up to the individual manufacturers to engineer pieces to make "things" work while consumers are the ones to chase after various supports.

MSRP price of US$1,100 without Power Supply, the S21T is the most expensive HTPC chassis around. No one can deny that most of the cost comes from the touch screen TFT panel. This is the reason I am being nitty-gritty on some of the small stuffs which won't matter much when the target audience is system integrators/builders. I've noticed a S21T system using mid price range CPU (such as Q6600) and two 750GB hard drives goes for ~$3,700 in Hong Kong market. I can only assume the price will be similar in the U.S. If you have already invested a large amount into a Home Theatre build; the S21T is definitely a consideration in making it an even better experience, such as one found in one of my three children's home below.


Patrick & Jocelyn Probst's Home Theatre

Whether you need 10 hard drives or not, Origen makes certain you receive 10 SATA cables all in 90° degree angle; enough special rubber coated thumb screws and molex to SATA power cables for 10 HDDs. The area of my main concern is the choice of power supply as mentioned previously, and customer support. The latter is due to a relatively new company not having enough experience on my part. Then again, if Origen decides to include a quality power supply as an option that would accommodate 10 HDDs, SLI graphic, elimination of the bulky power adapter and nifty cable management, my concerns are less profound.

I wonder if the expensive touch screen TFT is replaced by a regular TFT panel plus a smart placement of keyboard with mouse how much would the price be lowered. Should this happen Origen would be hell of a competitor in the high end HTPC market; watch out, Zalman and Silverstone.

Conclusion:

My conclusion is based on three folds. Firstly, the most important of all is that the S21T gave me the confidence of a manufacturer who has the willingness to produce a world class product after I spent time with the review sample. Secondly, from their new product launch program in the past two years gives me the indication that Origen is committed in a long run. Last but not least is the fact that product refinements are needed; the nitty-gritty stuffs will add up together with their willingness to listen carefully to what the customers are asking. Whether or not they are "street smart" remains to be seen.

Currently, Origen is working hard in the establishment of the U.S. Office in the areas of customer service, technical support calls, product warranty policy, distribution and retailer network. Their office is ready to take on any questions and product inquires from both consumers and system builders. Accordingly, by the second week of March, the U.S. office should be fully operational. I am confident that you will be hearing more products from Origen AE in the coming months.

Bottom line, if you want something different in HTPC chassis with "class". You might not mind the investment.

Pros:

One of a kind, trend-setter

Strong structure

Smart HDD mounts

Good air-flow with TFT panel in closed position

Exceptionally "clean" look

Very quiet

Cons:

Expensive

Much needed fine-tunings

Support & Customer service?



I like to thank Mr. Bobak Kianoush, Managing Director of Origen to allow us the opportunity to have the first hand look at this masterpiece in the U.S.