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MacPower DigiDoc5


Date
: 08/11/01 – 08:46:18 PM

Author
:

Category
: Misc

Page 1 : Index

Manufactor: MacPower
Price: around $60

Many thanks to CoolerGuys for supplying us with their DigiDoc5.

Introduction

Have you ever wanted to measure temperatures of several different areas of your case? Or did you ever want to install more than 5 fans inside your rig to cool down your heavily overclocked CPU and videocard. I guess that if you have one of those state of the art PCs and you are a hardcore overclocker, then this device, the MacPower Digidoc5, will certainly be of great interest to you.

In the following review we will tell you what you get in the Digidoc5 package, what this beauty can do to your precious rig and last but not least, if this baby is a great birthday present for a friend or not.

Come on folks, and experience the Digidoc5 with me ;)

Page 2 : Specifications

Specifications

Here’s a copy/paste from the MacPower website :

• 5V+ 12V monitoring function +/- 5% tolerance level
• Compatible with two-pin or three-pin fans (supports RMP monitoring function for three-pin fan)
• Temperature range 0-99 degrees C
• Can support up to 8 sensors
• Backlight function
• Real-time scan function monitoring
• Installs quickly into any 5.25′ slot (takes up no extra space by replacing the 5.25′ panel)
• All channels can be programmed separately, temperature levels easy to program
• Sensor reads unit temperatures every 5 seconds (complete cycle every 40 seconds)
• Battery-free, E2 PROM technology keeps memory settings protected
• Optional use of continuous fan operation or power-saving standby mode.

So, what exactly do you get when you purchase a Digidoc5? Well, the package contains the Digidoc5 main device which fits in a 5.25′ drive bay, 2 types of screws (5 of each, 10 screws in total), 2 fan filters, 8 thermal sensors (2 types), 8 pieces of small tape to attach the thermal sensors to the different areas in your case and a manual with all the help you need on cdrom (.pdf Acrobat Reader file). That’s all the hardware you’ll see when you open up the package.

The main device has a large LCD screen with an orange backlight (very c00l indeed!), 5 buttons on the front and a 40mm fan. The Digidoc can measure op to 8 temperatures inside your case by using external thermal sensors. On each temperature channel, you can also attach a fan to control the temperature. Because the Digidoc5 supports up to 8 channels, you can attach up to 8 fans (60mm – 120mm high performance fans) and thermal sensors! Now that are a lot of temperature readings when attach all of the sensors ;) I’d like to note that MacPower includes two types of thermal sensors in the Digidoc5 package, two flat sensors and six bulb sensors.

Let’s see how easy it is to install this nifty little device and how it handles all these readings …

Page 3 : Setting it up & Testing

Setting it up & Testing

Installing a Digidoc5 is pretty easy! I will tell you how I did it. First of all you need to install the Digidoc5 in an empty 5.25′ bay (like I already said earlier in the review). It’s possible to install a hard drive behind the DigiDoc5 front panel, which is pretty interesting for peeps who’re using a small case (like me). I chose to install my Western Digital 45GB hard drive on the DigiDoc and as you can see on the pictures, it fits perfectly! Then you should decide which and how much fans and thermal sensors you wish to use with the Digidoc because you need to attach them before you put the device in the 5.25′ bay. I chose to install 3 thermal sensors and 3 fans to it to test the device. You just need to plug the sensor cables in the back of the front panel and you’re all set. Push the DigiDoc5 in the drive bay, plug it in a molex connector to provide the doc with some power (no, it does NOT run on batteries) and fasten it with the screws that are in the package. One last thing you need to do before we can begin the setup of the Digidoc is to put the thermal sensors somewhere in your case (on the heatsink of the cpu, the videocard, etc.) and attach the fans you wish to install to the corresponding thermal sensor channel.

So far, so good … if you followed these few easy steps correctly, then the DigiDoc5 should be in place and ready to be configured …

The front of the Digidoc5 shows you 5 buttons next to the LCD display. The two large buttons on the left are used to browse through the different menus (up and down) and temperatures of the Digidoc5. The three other buttons on the right each have a specific function. The top button is the ‘set’ button. When you press this, you will be able to set up the temperature alarm levels of each channel and whether or not the fan should turn on when you start up your system or not. For example, if you set up the alarm level of the second thermal sensor to 40C and the fan is turned off by default (so that it doesn’t turn on when you startup the pc), then the DigiDoc will only turn on the fan when the temperature of sensor 2 exceeds 40C (you will hear a short beep when it does). When the temperature drops back to values below 40C, the fan will be stopped. The second ‘force’ button on the front is something like a panic button, so when you feel like turning on all the fans at once, this is the button to press. This button has no other function. The last button is called the ‘scan’ button. Pressing this button makes the Digidoc cycle through all channels and displays the temperature of each sensor and RPM of each fan installed.

Something I almost forgot the mention here is that the LCD display also displays the 5V and 12V power source at the bottom. You can also set an alarm on this voltage to warn you if the power source exceeds the setting for the tolerance warning range.

And how about the ‘performance’? Well, I attached a flat sensor right next to the CPU core with the help of the tape that’s in the package. At full load, the temperature of my overclocked 1.3GHz Athlon (1.3GHz @ 1.4GHz) was about 49C on Motherboard Monitor. The same CPU temp measured by the Digidoc sensor was no less than 4C hotter … 53C. I also tried to set up an alarm. The Digidoc should automatically start an extra fan when the sensor temp exceeds 50C … and guess what … it did start the fan and the temperature immediately dropped by several degrees Celsius. When the Digidoc sees that the temp has dropped below 50C, it stops the fan. This is great for guys who don’t want any unnescesarry fans running inside their case. Same story with the fans, the fan I was monitoring turned at 2773RPM according to the motherboard readings, and at 2897RPM according to the DigiDoc5.

And guys & gals, let’s not forget the DigiDoc’s 40mm fan right next to the LCD display and the buttons. Because I installed my hard drive behind the frontpanel, the 40mm fan blows right on this hard drive making it run cooler!

Well, I think that’s about all their’s to say about the DigiDoc5, let’s summarize our thoughts, shall we?

Page 4 : Conclusion

Conclusion

Good

- Easy installation
- Awesome looks
- Orange backlight
- Up to 8 fans & thermal sensors
- You can use 120mm high performance fans
- Also acts as a hard drive cooler
- Warns you with a beep if something goes wrong with the temps or the fans

Bad

- Pricey for the avarage geeks
- Makes your case look messy with all the fan cables
- You may have some probs setting up alarm levels
- Only two flat sensors

To be absolutely honest, I can recommend this superb piece of hardware to any pc geek around the world. Especially hardcore overclockers and pc enthusiast will adore it. It not only makes your rig look like it comes right out of a Star Trek Voyager episode, but it’s also actually quite useful for everyone. I mean, don’t we all want to find the perfect combination between a great looking rig, an acceptable noise level and the best possible cooling for our hardware? I think so! With it’s 8 thermal sensors, 8 fan connectors and support for high performance 120mm fans, this DigiDoc5 looks like the perfect partner for everyone who has the $$$ to buy it. Oh yeah, it’s also a great birthday present ;)