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Vantec Nexus Fan Controller
Date: Wednesday, January 8, 2003
Author: Iroc
Provided By: None
Page: 1 of 2
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Vantec has released yet another stylish bay device. The NXP-201, or better known as the Nexus Fan Controller is the newest addition to adjustable fan rpm and loudness. But before you buy this at your favorite online store join me as I show you the problems I have encountered while owning the NXP-201.
The NXP-201 installs as simple as a CD-ROM drive. Choose one of your free 5-1/4" drive bays and secure it with the provided screws. Plug in the 4 wire Molex power connector, then start hooking up your fans. The provided wire extension cables make it a plug and play installation. There is no need for soldering or cutting/stripping the wire ends like other rheobus kits require. You will only have to get adventurous in soldering if you need to hook up more fans than the cables can connect.
First thing you will see once you plug in the power is the blue LED's will illuminate the knobs. There's a total of five LED's behind the light conductive plastic. This looks great for adding some color and lighting to the front of your case and even better if you have a case window illuminated by a blue cold cathode ;-) . Now wipe off the drool and come back to reality. The LED's do not change in intensity, once they are on that's it. Other rheobus LED's change brightness depending on the knob position.
Secondly the unit produces a crackling like buzzing noise at low to mid levels. This is inherent with the technology Vantec used. Still, I was dismayed the first time I operated the NXP-201. I had a custom two way toggle switch in place that selected between 5v and 12v. At 5v you cannot tell my computer is on from exterior decibel levels. Now with my custom baybus removed, I have given up total quiet for this buzzing. Trying different fans and reattaching the front panel of my case lessened the buzzing to a point I could live with. Different fans yield slight differences in the buzzing. At full power the noise is completely gone.
Operation is simpler than the install. Turn the knob to the left for less noise and cooling, to the right for more noise and cooling. One thing you may notice when turning the knobs is that the edge closest to the clear plastic rubs occasionally. This is normal, the knobs are a press on fit and a slight variation will make them spin around in an oval shape rather than a perfect circle. This in no way harms the function of the unit; it just gives you a bit of tactile feedback through your fingers. To solve this you can pull the knob out a little bit from the all the way in position.
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