Date: December 19th, 2005
Article by: Joe Anderson (Hardware Reviewer)
Edited by: Nathan Glentworth (Owner / Head Editor)
Product was submitted by: Antec
<--SHOP FOR A POWER SUPPLY
PRODUCT PICTORIAL AND WALKTHROUGH
From left to right, we find two separate PCI-E lines, a 4-pin auxiliary 12V mobo line and two SATA power cables with a total of four connectors.
Two separate lines provide a total of five 4-pin and two FDD power connectors. All contacts are gold plated for maximum conductivity, and generous cable lengths should allow the TC2 to be usable in most any chassis.
Two 4-pin connectors are provided to power fans, and are clearly marked as such. A couple of caveats are in order here, and I’ll quote from the Antec website, “The TruePower 2.0 Fan Only connectors are designed to power standard fans only. Attaching thermally-controlled fans to these connectors will likely result in unpredictable and undesired behavior. Thermally-controlled fans should only be connected to the standard 4-pin Peripheral Power Connectors. Please do not connect more than three fans to the Fan Only connectors.”
Additionally, the speed of fans attached to these connectors can be adjusted from the front control panel, which we’ll discuss shortly.
These two little connectors provide additional functionality. The one on the right, when attached to an appropriate fan header on the motherboard, allows the user to monitor the PSU fan speed, and its use is optional. The other connector is not optional and must be connected to the front control panel. Without this cable attached to the control panel, the voltage circuits will default to their minimum voltages, leading to instability and other problems. Antec has included an excellent manual that details the connection and calibration procedures necessary for maximum PSU performance.
The controller faceplate has a dark gray-blue hammered finish that, while attractive, won’t blend in with many case bezels. The tri-foil adjustment knobs only protrude approximately .25-inches from the faceplate and should fit behind most case doors. The body is stamped steel and has threaded mounting holes. (The drive rails in the above picture are not included with the TC2.)
