Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Can handbrake kill my i7 quad mini ?

M

mireki1975

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 22, 2011
56
27
Hi all,


last week i got my new mini server quad i7

i converted some movies with this beast - allways 80-90 °C and up
can this temperature kill my new gadget ?
when i convert 10 movies in a cue: i think it´s not so good for the cpu , what do you think?


in idle it has 2300 rpm and 38°C - i think thats normal
 
Chundles

Chundles

macrumors G5
Jul 4, 2005
12,037
493
It will dissipate heat as required until it gets too hot and then will shut down.

Should be fine.

I've run my Core 2 Duo MacBook at 100% for so many Handbrake sessions I can't count them (96°C) and it's doing fine after nearly three years.
 
philipma1957

philipma1957

macrumors 603
Apr 13, 2010
6,365
251
Howell, New Jersey
if it is in a hot room and runs around 103c to 109c it may not shut it down.
if it shoots to 115 c it will auto shut down.
so just keep an eye on it.

running for hours on end at 90 to 95 c has been done by many users over the years
 
C

cat3600

macrumors newbie
Apr 7, 2010
27
0
philipma1957 said:
if it is in a hot room and runs around 103c to 109c it may not shut it down.
if it shoots to 115 c it will auto shut down.
so just keep an eye on it.

running for hours on end at 90 to 95 c has been done by many users over the years
Click to expand...

I would like to know how loud the fan gets?
I have a dual quad core 2.8 early 2008 Mac Pro and it remains quite & cool as a cucumber during handbrake. Was thinking of going to a Mini.
 
Nightarchaon

Nightarchaon

macrumors 65816
Sep 1, 2010
1,393
30
Despite what other people say, Handbreak WILL kill your system sooner or later , running that near the thermal limits for a long period will reduce the life of components around the CPU , and given that apples cases, whilst looking pretty, are not exactly optimum for heat dissipation other components such as the hard disk will also have its thermal limits pushed.

I use handbreak a lot, but i use it with a Process throttaling app, cutting handbreaks usage to 75% has the effect of keeping CPU temps in the high 60s - mid 70s instead of maxing out the thermal limts, and will extend the lifespan of all the other components hidden away in that case.

I have been saying for years that handbreaks devs should put in an option to manualy throttle back the apps CPU usuage, or even select the number of cores you want it to use. I would rather wait an extra 10 minutes for my encode to finish than have the inside of my device (macbook pro, imac, mac mini, whatever) hotter than the surface of the sun.

The MacPros (and PCs)have WAY better cooling than the rest of the mac range, and use desktop components rather than notebook components, i tend to find these are MUCH more forgiving and easiier to cool, but then having a huge chunk of metal the size of a mac mini for a heatsink on each CPU alone must help lol.
 
M

mireki1975

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 22, 2011
56
27
whats the name of the "throttling" tool`?
its cool - overnight is 70% enough
is it for osx lion?

btw: max life of my macmini is to the next revision :-D
 
Last edited:
tbayrgs

tbayrgs

macrumors 604
Jul 5, 2009
7,343
4,867
mireki1975 said:
whats the name of the "throttling" tool`?
its cool - overnight is 70% enough
is it for osx lion?

btw: max life of my macmini is to the next revision :-D
Click to expand...

If you're only worried about making it to the next revision, then don't bother throttling Handbrake. I've been using my early 2009 2.0 C2D Mini for all of my DVD and blu ray encoding (about 300 movies and 600 TV episodes) for 2 years straight with no issues. And considering a 720p encode from a blu ray disk takes my Mini between 8-10 hours, it's definitely been running at limit for a pretty significant portion of those 2 years.
 
I

indg

macrumors 6502
Feb 7, 2007
459
12
wait, you bought a quad i7 and want to throttle it? maybe instead you should use fan control to adjust the fan speed so it cools more as it gets hotter. apple's default fan speeds favor quietness over cooling, which is why lots of macs develop logic board and graphics card failures after a year or two.

also keep in mind that one of the advantages of the mini over the imac is that you don't have to place it on your desk in your workspace. put it somewhere you can't see it and you probably won't hear it either.
 
M

martinm0

macrumors 6502a
Feb 27, 2010
568
25
I picked up a Mini Server specifically for Handbrake encoding. I noticed the fan ran at ~6000 RPMs constantly when just running Handbrake encodes and nothing else. The fan was audibly noticeable as soon as I walked into my smallish office.

In comparison, I picked up a 2011 base iMac (2.5 i5 quad) to compare to the Mini Server and found the fans ran at less than 2000 RPMs and were nearly silent compared to the Mini Server. Additionally, the iMac encodes faster than the Mini Server, so I'm returning the server and keeping the base iMac as it suits my needs better and has other goodies not included with the mini.
 
B

bearcatrp

macrumors 68000
Sep 24, 2008
1,730
69
Boon Docks USA
+1 for installing some form of fan control software. When I had a Mac pro, I would ramp up the fans to keep the chips cool constantly instead of the fans kicking in after the threshold apple determines. Would rather replace a fan than a motherboard and processor. Looks like the new mini works great to rip movies.
 
b-rad g

b-rad g

macrumors 6502a
Jun 29, 2010
895
1
Use SMC Fan Control! I've put over 100 dvd's through my Mini and put the fan at 4000 rpm and it never goes over 70 C. I'd rather replace the fan later on down the road than have something go bad from extended periods of heat.
 
M

mireki1975

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 22, 2011
56
27
yesterday i encoded a 720p movie for ATV2

the fans were at 6000rpm and the mini roars like a little lion :-/

is fan control out for the new mini / lion ?

when i set default to 4000 rpm i think its not enough when 6k rpm keeps the cpu at 88 °c

maybe more time overnight and throttle cpu usage - but how is the name of this tool ?
 
Last edited:
W

weckart

macrumors 603
Nov 7, 2004
5,835
3,514
Chundles said:
It will dissipate heat as required until it gets too hot and then will shut down.

Should be fine.

I've run my Core 2 Duo MacBook at 100% for so many Handbrake sessions I can't count them (96°C) and it's doing fine after nearly three years.
Click to expand...

I would be less worried about the logic board and a little more about the the hard drives. They don't tolerate heat nearly as well as non-moving parts.
 
Nightarchaon

Nightarchaon

macrumors 65816
Sep 1, 2010
1,393
30
mireki1975 said:
whats the name of the "throttling" tool`?
its cool - overnight is 70% enough
is it for osx lion?

btw: max life of my macmini is to the next revision :-D
Click to expand...

Its a script called CPUTHROTTLE, i think i found it in a thread on this site somewhere,

But if the life is to the next revision (i.e. 11-18 months) then i wouldnt worry about it, in fact, you could use the mini as a handy cup warmer whilst you encode. :D
 
M

mireki1975

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 22, 2011
56
27
my sleepingroom is next to the office - and the 6k rpm roar is not so quit :)
 
SmaugG5

SmaugG5

macrumors newbie
Aug 9, 2009
15
0
My i7 quad server does the same, temps topping @ 93c and fans at 6000 rpm when encoding with handbrake. The good news is that the encodes take 1/5 of the time my C2D mini took. I have avoided putting up a large que to be done and only do 1 or 2 at a time.
 
T

thebeautyisfake

macrumors regular
Mar 4, 2010
109
0
Nightarchaon said:
Despite what other people say, Handbreak WILL kill your system sooner or later , running that near the thermal limits for a long period will reduce the life of components around the CPU , and given that apples cases, whilst looking pretty, are not exactly optimum for heat dissipation other components such as the hard disk will also have its thermal limits pushed.
Click to expand...

Evidence? You can make statements like that as much as you want but without any documentation proving your point, it's invalid. Hardware is designed to take the heat, and macs are no exception (regardless of model).

Nightarchaon said:
The MacPros (and PCs)have WAY better cooling than the rest of the mac range, and use desktop components rather than notebook components
Click to expand...

Breaking news! Desktops don't use notebook components!
 
philipma1957

philipma1957

macrumors 603
Apr 13, 2010
6,365
251
Howell, New Jersey
Nightarchaon said:
...
The MacPros (and PCs)have WAY better cooling than the rest of the mac range, and use desktop components rather than notebook components...
Click to expand...

thebeautyisfake said:
...
Breaking news! Desktops don't use notebook components!
Click to expand...


Actually mac desktops are iMacs and Mac minis and both have notebook components in them.

I will point to screen shot of macrumors the desktop page links to iMac Mac mini and Mac Pro both the iMac and Mac mini are called desk tops on this site.


The mac mini has i5-2410M i5-2420M i7-2635QM cpus all mobile also the HD6630M for graphics is mobile see wiki link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_mini



The 2011 iMac has a 6750M gpu = mobile a 6770M gpu = mobile a 6970M also moblie


the cpus are desktop i7 2600s i5 2500s i5 2400

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMac_(Intel-based)#Unibody_iMac



Personally Too much heat is less of a problem then most people think.

Make your mini breath give it space. keep the room temp under 80 f. you will be okay.

Besides 80f or higher allows ozone to be in the air 80 f or lower does not allow ozone to be in the air.

So rooms under 80f are better for your lungs if you are in places that have ozone alerts.
 

Attachments

  • Screen Shot 2011-08-04 at 9.17.23 AM.png
    Screen Shot 2011-08-04 at 9.17.23 AM.png
    471.3 KB · Views: 122
Last edited:
P

Pecorino

macrumors member
Apr 18, 2009
35
0
Nightarchaon said:
Despite what other people say, Handbreak WILL kill your system sooner or later , running that near the thermal limits for a long period will reduce the life of components around the CPU , and given that apples cases, whilst looking pretty, are not exactly optimum for heat dissipation other components such as the hard disk will also have its thermal limits pushed.

I use handbreak a lot, but i use it with a Process throttaling app, cutting handbreaks usage to 75% has the effect of keeping CPU temps in the high 60s - mid 70s instead of maxing out the thermal limts, and will extend the lifespan of all the other components hidden away in that case.

I have been saying for years that handbreaks devs should put in an option to manualy throttle back the apps CPU usuage, or even select the number of cores you want it to use. I would rather wait an extra 10 minutes for my encode to finish than have the inside of my device (macbook pro, imac, mac mini, whatever) hotter than the surface of the sun.

The MacPros (and PCs)have WAY better cooling than the rest of the mac range, and use desktop components rather than notebook components, i tend to find these are MUCH more forgiving and easiier to cool, but then having a huge chunk of metal the size of a mac mini for a heatsink on each CPU alone must help lol.
Click to expand...

Must agree with every single word.
But nobody here are listen, and are capable to understand these BASIC details.
I wrote too on this subject already in details.
 
Last edited:
P

Pecorino

macrumors member
Apr 18, 2009
35
0
philipma1957 said:
Actually mac desktops are iMacs and Mac minis and both have notebook components in them.

I will point to screen shot of macrumors the desktop page links to iMac Mac mini and Mac Pro both the iMac and Mac mini are called desk tops on this site.


The mac mini has i5-2410M i5-2420M i7-2635QM cpus all mobile also the HD6630M for graphics is mobile see wiki link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_mini



The 2011 iMac has a 6750M gpu = mobile a 6770M gpu = mobile a 6970M also moblie


the cpus are desktop i7 2600s i5 2500s i5 2400

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMac_(Intel-based)#Unibody_iMac



Personally Too much heat is less of a problem then most people think.

Make your mini breath give it space. keep the room temp under 80 f. you will be okay.

Besides 80f or higher allows ozone to be in the air 80 f or lower does not allow ozone to be in the air.

So rooms under 80f are better for your lungs if you are in places that have ozone alerts.
Click to expand...
One typical, "average", user. He does not understand even a single technical detail... .
He "believes". Only... and without thinking too much.

The new Intel HD 3000 Mac mini does not support the OpenCL framework!
Be aware of this too.
 
Last edited:
P

Pecorino

macrumors member
Apr 18, 2009
35
0
SmaugG5 said:
My i7 quad server does the same, temps topping @ 93c and fans at 6000 rpm when encoding with handbrake. The good news is that the encodes take 1/5 of the time my C2D mini took. I have avoided putting up a large que to be done and only do 1 or 2 at a time.
Click to expand...

Your "i7 serever" will last at average 1-2 years. At 6000rpm and 90C CPU, nobody will survive for too long.
Then, the "mother Apple" will ask you again to "spend" - deeply with your hand in the pocket, and screaming.
 
Last edited:
P

Pecorino

macrumors member
Apr 18, 2009
35
0
mireki1975 said:
yesterday i encoded a 720p movie for ATV2

the fans were at 6000rpm and the mini roars like a little lion :-/

is fan control out for the new mini / lion ?

when i set default to 4000 rpm i think its not enough when 6k rpm keeps the cpu at 88 °c

maybe more time overnight and throttle cpu usage - but how is the name of this tool ?
Click to expand...
How many fans you have had see, which are able to cope with 6000 rpm for too long??
 
Last edited:
P

Pecorino

macrumors member
Apr 18, 2009
35
0
mireki1975 said:
Hi all,


last week i got my new mini server quad i7

i converted some movies with this beast - allways 80-90 °C and up
can this temperature kill my new gadget ?
when i convert 10 movies in a cue: i think it´s not so good for the cpu , what do you think?


in idle it has 2300 rpm and 38°C - i think thats normal
Click to expand...
You must accept some things:

* your new purchase is unsuitable for heavy load. It is suitable for reading, browsing, some movies ( not HD or flash HD, because of lack or properly supported hardware acceleration), chat, mail, Skype... small things, generally.
* you must be aware that, these temps inside, especially when sustained for long, will considerably shorten the longevity of your new purchase. The most weak spot inside is the HDD, because of the aforementioned thermal "facts". Like the past experience show us this quite clear... .
* Simply, the price you pay, is price paid for the "name" of the product, and surely, does not match the quality of the hardware inside, i.e. for the same money you are be able to make 2-3 fold more power machine. But you choose, and this is your choice only. And fault too.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom