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The Omaura TF8 was a slim, living-room-oriented PC case, and the best-documented build around it is a 2008 high-definition media system assembled by AVForums member deksawyer. It paired Micro-ATX hardware, a full-size ATX power supply, TV recording and an HD-disc drive in a chassis only 100 mm tall. The project also shows why the TF8 is better treated as a hands-on restoration than a plug-and-play modern HTPC case: connector clearance, fan choices, improvised drive mounting and legacy display software all needed attention.
The documented Omaura TF8 build
deksawyer began the AVForums project on April 17, 2008, aiming for high-definition playback and TV recording rather than gaming. The case was delayed; the builder reported waiting more than a month before completing the system. The parts and software below are the components he documented, not a present-day recommendation.
| Role | Documented component |
|---|---|
| Case | Omaura TF8 |
| Motherboard | Asus P5E-VM HDMI, Micro-ATX |
| Processor | Intel Xeon 3075 |
| Memory | 2 GB Corsair XMS PC6400 |
| TV tuner | Hauppauge Nova-T 500 |
| Optical drive | LG GGC-H20L Blu-ray/HD-DVD combo drive |
| System drive | 60 GB Seagate 2.5-inch drive |
| Recorded-TV drive | 250 GB Seagate “Scorpio” 2.5-inch drive |
| Power supply | Elan Vital 400 W “Greenerger” |
| Operating system | Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit |
| Playback software | Vista Media Center, PowerDVD, CoreAVC Pro, CCCP and ffdshow |
The component list and build notes are documented in deksawyer’s original AVForums thread. The software stack, including its HD-DVD workflow, belongs to the Vista-era context; it should not be assumed to install or work on a current Windows system.
Why a Xeon?
The builder chose the Xeon 3075 because an Intel E8400 was unavailable. He described the Xeon as a 2.66 GHz, 65 nm, 65 W processor. Availability, modest heat expectations and the playback-and-recording brief explain the choice better than any claim that a Xeon is inherently preferable for an HTPC. It is a historical parts decision, not a current buying guide.
#1 Best Overall
- Positive air pressure design for excellent cooling/quietness and dust-prevention
- Supports SSI-CEB, ATX, Micro-ATX motherboards
- Support SilverStone RA02 rackmount ears
- Quick access filters included
- Incredible 358mm depth to fit comfortably inside home theater cabinet
What the TF8 case offered—and constrained
Archival specifications describe an enclosure measuring 435 × 401 × 100 mm (width × depth × height), with Micro-ATX motherboard support, a full ATX PSU position, one external 5.25-inch bay, four internal 3.5-inch bays and provision for four low-profile expansion cards. The OLED display and IR remote were optional accessories, distinct from the case itself. A front card-reader area and USB/audio connections supported its living-room presentation. These are archival listing details, not a current manufacturer compatibility guarantee; see the surviving TF8 specification discussion and archival listing.
The 100 mm height made the TF8 unusually slim for a case designed to take a conventional ATX PSU, but nominal support does not ensure an easy fit for every combination of parts. Cooler height, PSU depth and fan orientation, cable bends, optical-drive placement and expansion-card shape all interact in a tight enclosure. Four listed drive bays likewise do not guarantee that four modern drives can be installed with good cable routing, acceptable vibration and adequate cooling.
The case’s appeal was its low, furniture-like profile and the possibility of integrating an optical drive, card reader, remote and optional front OLED into a media-center setup. Its low-profile-card requirement and limited vertical clearance are the price of that format. A full-height bracket, oversized GPU heatsink, double-slot cooler or rear-facing power plug can defeat an otherwise plausible card choice.
Rank #2
- Stereo-shaped design HTPC chassis with 240mm radiator support
- Positive air pressure design with superior cooling and dust prevention
- Supports SSI-CEB, ATX, Micro-ATX motherboards
- Adjustable LED indicator
- Fully meshed front panel with shortened chassis provides large surface area for air intake
Assembly lessons: check fit before committing
The original build was first tested in a temporary case, then transferred to the TF8. That sequence helped separate component problems from enclosure fit issues. One specific snag was the Asus board’s 4-pin 12 V CPU-power socket: a nearby component obstructed the PSU’s 8-pin plug, which did not split into a 4-pin connector. The builder needed an adapter. This is a documented board-and-PSU pairing issue, not proof that every TF8 build requires the same adapter.
Before installing parts, inspect the actual case and compare clearances rather than relying on a parts list. A TF8-specific forum warning noted that the low case height can rule out PSU arrangements with a fan mounted on top; actual compatibility depends on the particular PSU and case layout. The owner discussion is useful as a caution, not a universal PSU rule.
- Check where the motherboard’s CPU-power socket sits and whether the chosen PSU cable reaches it without colliding with nearby heatsinks.
- Verify whether the CPU-power lead is a split 4+4 connector or a fixed 8-pin plug, and confirm the board’s actual socket clearance.
- Measure PSU length and inspect fan orientation, cable stiffness and the space needed to bend cables around the optical drive and board.
- Check the clearance above the PSU and beneath the case lid, including the path of PSU airflow.
- Test optical-drive alignment and SATA cable routing with the motherboard and storage in place before finalizing mounts.
- Confirm expansion cards have low-profile brackets and that their heatsinks and connectors do not conflict with adjacent components.
Cooling and noise in the documented build
deksawyer replaced the original rear fans with quieter Silenx 80 mm fans and removed the front 60 mm fans, relying instead on available intake openings. He placed importance on rear exhaust near the CPU area. In a separate AVForums fan-position discussion, the builder described the rear exhaust position as important, considered extra intake fans unnecessary when there was enough intake area, and reported a northbridge temperature of roughly 54°C in one configuration.
Rank #3
- Compact & Durable: Sleek design with sturdy 0.8T steel construction and a 17.1-liter total volume
- Minimal Yet Mighty: Supports standard ATX PSUs, 260mm length GPUs, and 137mm height CPU coolers
- High Airflow Design: Perforated front panel and pre-installed 80mm fan for optimal cooling
- 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x 3.5mm Stereo AUX for easy device connections
- Despite its charming appearance, it's built with durable 0.8T steel for a robust and sturdy structure
These are owner observations, not standardized acoustic or thermal tests. In the completed build, deksawyer reported CPU idle temperatures around 28–30°C, with a slight overclock to just above 3 GHz. The ambient temperature, sensor method and workload conditions are not established as a controlled benchmark, so those figures should not be used to predict another system’s temperatures. The builder also noted that the PSU became hot to the touch and kept its fan on a low setting; that is a practical warning to monitor the PSU rather than a measured temperature or proof of a universal setting.
For a restoration, treat airflow as a complete path: identify where air can enter, where the CPU and chipset exhaust, and whether the PSU adds or obstructs airflow. Older Micro-ATX boards may have hot northbridges, while low-profile coolers can conflict with the CPU cooler, PSU or side panel. Populate the case and test it closed under the intended load; a quiet idle result does not establish safe temperatures during sustained playback, recording or other work.
Storage: the original soft-mount approach
The documented build used two 2.5-inch mechanical drives, one for Windows and one for recorded television. The builder suspended a SATA drive using strong elastic material to reduce vibration. Another TF8 project mounted a 2.5-inch IDE drive under the optical-drive mount with a zip tie and foam after removing the original drive bays, as described in the build thread.
Rank #4
- Support standard-length expansion cards (10 5 inches)
- Mini-dtx/Mini-ITX motherboard & ATX PSU compatible
- Support 120mm or 140mm single fan all-in-one liquid cooler
- Support 2 5" And 3 5" Hard drives
- Case dimensions: 8.47" (W) x 7.13" (H) x 11.22" (D), 11.5 liters
Small drives helped with space and could reduce the acoustic burden compared with several larger mechanical disks, but improvised mounts need to keep a drive from moving, striking the chassis or pulling on its cables. Soft material must not obstruct a fan or allow the drive to shift during transport. For a restoration where silence and shock resistance matter, SSDs avoid mechanical seek and spindle noise; their fit still depends on the available brackets and mounting points. Do not assume every TF8 retains the same cages, hardware or accessory set.
The optional OLED: attractive, but not assured to work
The OLED was installed in deksawyer’s system, but setup took time and initially slowed the PC. It displayed some media information and music playback details, yet did not provide useful information during live TV in that setup. The clock disappeared in standby, while the power light and Omaura logo reportedly stayed illuminated. These are specific owner experiences from the 2008 project, not a guaranteed behavior for every module.
A later AVForums participant said the OLED and remote worked with Windows 7 64-bit, but that forum report is not an official support matrix and says nothing conclusive about Windows 10 or 11. Driver availability, USB behavior, sleep-state power and display software are all potential obstacles. Treat a used OLED or IR kit as a bonus until its electronics, cables and software have been tested with the intended motherboard and operating system. In particular, test sleep and wake, whether the OLED driver prevents sleep, whether USB remains powered, and whether the remote can wake the system. The later compatibility comment appears in the AVForums group-buy discussion.
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- Mini-ITX Case Size: 212x60x190mm, surports Mini-ITX motherboards (170x170mm). It builds two 6cm WiFi ports and can be mounted behind a monitor for use.
- "Power Board + Adapter" Configuration Design: Power board (typically a DC-ATX power module rated at 300W or less) and an external adapter—this setup eliminates the "power supply cooling fan noise" and "heat generated by internal power components affecting the chassis interior" compared to traditional internal power supplies.
- Only supports one 2.5" hard drive, aligning with the mini chassis' lightweight design. CPU cooler height limits: 36mm max height without a hard drive; 29mm max height with a 7mm hard drive; 27mm max height with a 9mm hard drive.
- Application Scenarios: Ideal for users with limited desktop space (e.g., HTPC,student dorms, office workstations); Requiring portable setup (e.g., temporary offices, backup units for outdoor livestreaming); Pursuing minimalist desktop aesthetics (where the chassis can be easily concealed behind monitors or on bookshelves).
- Compared to plastic computer cases, 0.6mm SPCC steel sheet offers superior structural rigidity, preventing case deformation after prolonged use. It also provides a degree of scratch and impact resistance.
Other TF8 projects show different trade-offs
The TF8 did not have to house the exact Intel parts used by deksawyer. A completed MediaPortal project used an AMD 4850e, a Biostar 7050PV/nForce 630a motherboard, 4 GB of DDR2, a passive low-profile Leadtek 8500GT, a 120 GB 2.5-inch hard drive, an optical drive and a 550 W PSU. A separate project planned an AMD Phenom 8450, four 1 TB hard drives, a 600 W PSU, OLED, remote and tuner. The first illustrates a low-profile graphics and modest-drive configuration; the second illustrates an ambitious storage plan, not proof that every four-drive configuration is thermally or mechanically straightforward.
| Project | Documented configuration | What it demonstrates |
|---|---|---|
| deksawyer, AVForums | Xeon 3075, 2 GB DDR2, Nova-T 500, Blu-ray/HD-DVD drive, two 2.5-inch drives, 400 W PSU | HD playback and recorded-TV focus, with fan, PSU connector and display adjustments |
| ryan20021982, MediaPortal | AMD 4850e, Biostar 7050PV/nForce 630a, 4 GB DDR2, passive low-profile 8500GT, 120 GB 2.5-inch drive, optical drive, 550 W PSU | A different low-profile graphics configuration in the same case |
| karu, MediaPortal plan | Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H, Phenom 8450, four 1 TB drives, 600 W PSU, OLED, remote and tuner | A planned high-storage configuration; planning does not establish completed fit or thermal results |
The completed AMD build is documented in the MediaPortal project thread; the four-drive plan appears in karu’s MediaPortal thread and a related [H]ard|Forum discussion.
How to assess a TF8 restoration today
- Inspect the specific case. Request clear photographs of the interior, drive cage, front-panel electronics, brackets and included accessories. Used listings may omit the OLED, remote receiver or handset, proprietary cables, screws and mounting hardware.
- Measure the parts that matter. Confirm PSU depth and fan orientation, cooler height, motherboard connector access, optical-drive position, GPU bracket and heatsink dimensions, and cable bend room.
- Keep heat and clutter down. A low-heat processor, SSD storage and a carefully chosen low-profile card reduce demands on a shallow enclosure. Do not infer cooler compatibility from the case’s general Micro-ATX support.
- Test accessories before final assembly. Establish whether front-panel controls, card reader, OLED and IR receiver are present and recognized. Verify driver support for the operating system you intend to use before depending on these features.
- Check sleep and wake behavior. Test the intended sleep state, USB power behavior, display-driver interaction, remote wake and whether fans shut down as expected.
- Test with the case closed. Monitor CPU, chipset and PSU behavior during sustained workloads that match the intended use, and listen for vibration or fan noise after the system has warmed up.
Is the Omaura TF8 worth using now?
The TF8 appears to be discontinued and scarce, rather than a normally available current case. A 2015 enthusiast classified post described leftover units after production had stopped and asked $200 or best offer; that is historical resale evidence, not a current valuation. No current official product or replacement-accessory channel is established here. See the historical classified listing.
| Intended use | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Period-correct Media Center restoration | Good fit for a historically minded project, provided the case and accessories are complete enough. |
| Local 1080p media playback | Potentially suitable with compatible, low-heat hardware and current software chosen independently. |
| Modern 4K/HDR streaming appliance | Poor fit: the case is legacy hardware, and no current platform or streaming-service compatibility is established. |
| Modern gaming | Poor fit for the low-profile expansion and tight cooling constraints. |
| Quiet living-room PC | Possible only with careful PSU, fan, storage and airflow choices; quiet operation is not guaranteed by the case. |
| Cheap, supported modern HTPC | Not recommended as a case hunt: scarcity, missing parts and uncertain accessory support add risk. |
| Collector or design-focused build | A strong candidate if the distinctive enclosure itself is the point and the buyer can verify fit and condition. |
Historically, deksawyer also considered the OrigenAE SV14 before choosing the TF8; period discussions compared it with the Lian Li Muse C37 and SilverStone cases. These are historical alternatives, not claims about present availability or suitability.
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