Review / Test: Alseye fan controller α – 100 H


test-Avis-appreciation-critique-review-1 If you want a little refresh inside his computer, we notice quickly is rubbed to 2 concerns (when not available square): the number of connection at the motherboard level and control the speed of the fans. For the first concerns, there are several solutions:

  1. change the motherboard (a bit extreme when even method)
  2. take cables Y which will allow for example to connect 2 fans on a single connector
  3. the hubs, same principle as the cables, but in larger quantities
  4. rheobus or fan controller

Solution 1 is quite expensive and demand a complete dismantling. Depending on the model, can you allow (or not) a management of the speed of the fans. Solution 2 is inexpensive but limited. And let no more management than usual. In addition, done you an additional cable length. Solution 3 is relatively expensive, but he must find a good place to place, and still does not custom management solution 4 on the other hand, it allows to increase the number of possible connection, but also to effectively manage the fan speed! In addition, popular models have usually (always?), which allows you to regulate the speed depending on the temperature in places of strategic! As a result, the rheobus to deal with 2 worries! A rheobus I have the chance to test is the alpha 100 H of Alseye. alseye-cooling Alseye isn't a brand very well known on the side of general public, but it is as an OEM distributor/seller (for those who are unaware of what that means OEM, I invite you to read this article on Wikipedia: A9quipement_d % 27origine) and it is only in recent years that Alseye has decided to also sell its products under its own brand. And I must say personally that I am far from complaining, in view of the quality of their products I've tested! Make it accessible to the general public is a good thing!

The α – 100 H Alseye

Alpha-α - 100H

Features

  • Size: 147 x 66 x 42.6 mm
  • Weight: 258.8 g
  • Composition of material: LCD Screen, Metal, PCB
  • Fan connector: 3 Pin
  • Included accessories: 4 x screws M3
  • Temperature sensors: 6 x thermometers
  • Brightness level: On / Off
  • Control modes: manual / automatic
  • Number of channel for fans: 6
  • Power per channel: 24 watts x 2 + 15 watts x 4
  • Temperature range: 0 to + 100℃
  • Measuring rate: 2 Seconds
  • Zone alarm: 25℃ to 90℃
  • Touch screen size: 5.25 inches
  • Type of screen: resistive
  • Fan control method: PWM
  • Wifi range: 150 m

  What should know, this is at the base, I'm not at all the rheobus fan, despite their advantages, they control via a touchscreen or buttons on the front on your turn, thereby, I have rather the impression of having a cassette inserted in my Tower and the adjustment is not easy because precisely everything is physically managed at the level of the tower… When I use a computer, this is the screen I look, not my Tower… Is that me attempted to test the α – 100 H? Its Wifi feature and the ability to turn off the screen! Well Yes, it (and I think this is the first model in the world) is able to be controlled via Wifi (* see in my test about Wifi), but in addition, the screen can be turned off, short, for 2 items that me rebutaient, Alseye found in principle a solution with the α – 100 H rheobus!

The test

alseye-α - 100H Firstly at the level of the screen: it is resistive, so requires a pressure (unlike capacitive screens or requires electricity that leads your finger) turned off, there are still areas, but it should be enough ready to see it, so not really a problem. alseye-screen-speed But turned on, I can assure you that the images that show you Alseye aren't Photoshopped, they are contractual, is really too loud and clear! At the level of the data that displays on the screen, you have:

  • left: the wifi as well as auto/manual signal
  • at the centre: 2 dial Recalling meters of cars, one for the temperature and one for the fan speed.
  • right, in the form of bee hive: individual channels 6, the "+" button, the button "-" and the power button

Oddly, the channels 6 which are separated into 2, are not in numerical order: instead of having the logic 1, 2, 3 on one side and 4, 5, 6 of the other, you have… 1, 2, 5 and 3, 4, 6.   The screen is well lit and clear, without being too flashing. The degree of visibility is about 30%, but this concerns only the numbers (only elements that vary), the rest remains visible no matter the degree of vision! They put on the internet description of the alpha 100H, "Brightness level: On / Off", simply press 5 seconds on the "power" button to turn off the screen (the controller is of course always active), unfortunately, the record did not indicate the market to follow!   At the level of the PCB, this one is very clean! Only a thick layer of glue holds the various connectors of the temperature sensors. And yet, it is this one side, indoor. On the other hand, I was surprised to see an elevated part of PCB! Although technically nothing prevented this and there is no constraint that I know, it's the first time I saw it! Think of an oversight and that we have added the module after… I assumed it was the wifi module, and indeed, it is the case! Also the model of the chip's written on it: Realtek RTL8188ETV although Alseye gives no info about Wifi module, thanks to this reference and a little research on the internet, it gives us: wifi 802.11b/g/n 1T1R. Which isn't bad at all! Of course, there are better, but when you see the size, cannot but admire the miniaturization process, especially at the level of the antenna (lower-left, in blue)! A CD is provided for the installation of the driver and program, this is the Realtek Wireless Lan Utility. About the wifi module, when I saw that this fan controller had the wifi function, it has seemed me logical that this wifi module would manage the fans… Well no! During the test, I noticed that I was wrong, although in the lead, I had this idea, after reverification in all data from Alseye, they have mentioned any ability to control the fans via Wifi! Where me I saw at the level of the single rheobus, at Alseye, they have seen the computer in general: the wifi module allows to have wireless internet just like a portable pc, given that fixed computers rarely have wifi modules! I am disappointed at this level here, but I can only take it out on myself! ^^ Wifi module remains still interesting, and Alseye still had a great idea to integrate it!   In the documents, they talk about control method: PWM. I must admit I don't know any PWM technology, but I know the principle. And from what I can see connectors for fans of the rheobus, they include only 3 male pins with as last pin, a hole. As such, the control method is actually 3 pins, exactly as they described in connectors fans, and non-PWM, which is 4 pine. The fact that they speak of PWM is that precisely these connectors have a space dedicated to the female connectors of the pwm fans 4 pins and they are therefore compatible and will have no problems of insertions. Fan 3 pins vs 4 pins, it's kinda like usb 2.0 and usb 3.0. The 4 pins are backward compatible with the 3 pins, but the 3 pins are not eligible for the pwm function if they are inserted into a connector 4 pins. So if we transfer the sample to the usb: usb 3 can connect to a usb port 2, but only has a speed of usb 2. A usb 2 can connect to a usb port 3, but enjoys a speed of usb 2. About USB, the rheobus also has a USB connector to connect to the motherboard. It is in USB 2. Same principle, compatible with 3 USB connectors. This connector is used for the wifi module. Channel coast and power, you have 6 channels, but not all of the same power. You have 2 that can provide 24 watts and 4 of 15 watts. For fans of enclosures, there are no worries, they rarely exceed 4 watts. With a maximum of 24 watts, you can connect without too many worries of the AIO (All in One, ready-made solution) of watercooling. On the other hand, even once, given contradictory on the website: on one side, or speak to you 2 x 24 watts (same thing on the box) and the other (with a few wheels lower mouse) 6 x 24 watts… alseye-α-100H-fan-control-Watercooling Something tells me that there was a communication problem between graphic artists between them or between designers and those who built the model ^^

Conclusion

The product itself is very good, it works perfectly and do the job for which it was built: control the fans. Disappointed for the wifi function, but this was due to my imagination… Disappointed by the different information that can be found on the site, but in the end are wrong. In short, this is still an excellent quality rheobus but if looking for just a simple wifi module to install and at the same time a rheobus, or simply a rheobus effective, I recommend! N.B.: A small towel to clean smudges on your screen provided you + 6 stickers (on the other hand, these are relatively low) to fix the temperature sensors! Nice touch! The product link: https://web.archive.org/web/20171022202835/http://www.alseyecorp.com:80/pro5/20140409/434.html for information, there are also 2 other variants of this rheobus: 1 without wifi module, the α – 100 L (R) with data in red screen and the same white and the α – 100 L with data in blue screen and White. For the other products of Alseye: http://fr.aliexpress.com/store/1632017 test-Avis-appreciation-critique-review-2

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