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03 September 2010 

1/1 

Quick access, control and monitoring of devices are important factors to most users. The Nexus Multi Function Panel brings together these factors and gives you much, much more in one neat package.

Company hype:

"The Vantec Nexus Multi Function Panel adds flexibility to your personal computer by providing fast and easy access to the USB and Firewire devices. One switch mode button and the LCD display allow you to monitor the system temperature instantly. Central CPU Fan Controller allows efficient monitoring system temperature and audio alarm allows to prevent system overheat problems. Interchangeable faceplates give your PC case a brand new look. The Nexus Multi Function Panel fits in your 5.25" drive bay to give you an ultimate and effective PC management."

True? I think so...


Product Specifications:

- Dimension: 148.5 x 41.5 x 62.0 mm
- Weight: 350 gm
- Rated Voltage: 5V +/- 5% 12V +/- 5%
- Input Power: 5V - less than 0.5W ; 12V - depends on the type of fan
- Panel Temperature Range: 15°C ~ 70°C
- Sensor Temperature Range: 15°C ~ 90°C


What you get:

The Nexus Multi Function Panel ships in a well packaged, colourful box. The box itself is self-contained advertising device, all over the box are details of the products features and what it can do for you. This is the first thing that impressed me - imagine walking into a store, eye-candy is important to get your product noticed and picked up first:

Back of the packaging

In the box:

As well as the Nexus Multi Function Panel itself, you also get a whole host of bits, again very well packaged. The Nexus Multi Function Panel package includes:

- 3 x faceplates
- 1 x allen wrench
- 3 x temperature sensors
- 2 x CPU fan cables
- 1 x power cable
- 1 x USB 2.0 cable
- 1 x Firewire cable
- 8 x allen screws
- 1 x user guide

Everything is sealed in a plastic package to ensure no damage

Each of the above items came tightly packed in individual plastic bags, with cable ties on each of the cables. Everything you need to use the Nexus Multi Function Panel is supplied, making the whole thing very plug-n-play and user friendly. This was the second thing that impressed me, the impressive amount of accessories that are provided with the package.


The User Guide:

The short, but comprehensive user guide is in colour and details what is included in the package and steps required by the end user to quickly and safely install the Nexus Multi Function Panel into their computer. Everything is easy to understand and the colour diagrams make it even easier for the user to get the Nexus Multi Function Panel all connected up and installed in no time, this will appeal to all users ranging from beginners to experts:

The colour user guide - clear and concise

The Nexus Multi Function Panel:

My first thoughts of the Nexus Multi Function Panel were purely on how good it looked, rather than function once I had dealt with all the accessories and the user guide.

The Nexus Multi Function Panel

The Nexus Multi Function Panel has a silver, brushed aluminium construction that is faced off with an acrylic faceplate. I received the package sporting a green acrylic faceplate. However as you may have guessed this is interchangeable with the other supplied faceplates! Thus giving the user the freedom to 'custom' their Nexus Multi Function Panel to match their system or to please there eye as they see fit.

Upon initial purchase, the user has the option of either a blue, purple or green faceplate. If you wish you don't even need to have a faceplate attached, leaving the brushed aluminium look.

Changing the faceplate is a simple procedure, unscrew the four allen screws (using the supplied allen wrench) and swap the faceplate over remembering to screw the faceplate back down (if you loose a screw, make use one of the spare set of four screws kindly supplied as standard by Vantec).

Changing the faceplate

Simple yet very effective, this gives the Nexus Multi Function Panel many possible different looks and perhaps even the option for a modder to create their own custom faceplate designs either out of acrylic or by slipping printed designs between the faceplate and the unit...

The front of the Nexus Multi Function Panel

In the centre of the Nexus Multi Function Panel we have a chrome knob. This is the control for the CPU fan speed, from 'Hi' to 'Lo' - where the 'Hi' setting is 100% and the 'Lo' setting is approx 50%, you can set the fan to any figure between this by simply twisting the knob clockwise and anticlockwise.

To the left of the chrome knob is the unit's LCD display... when the unit is operational, this green LED backlit displays the Temperature Mode (which device is being monitored), the actual Temperature readout in °C and the CPU Fan Speed in RPM x 10.

On the far right is where the user has access to the Firewire (IEEE 1394) and dual USB 2.0 ports (should the user's system not support USB 2.0, they are backwards compatible with the USB 1.1 standard)

Installation:

At first the amount of cables may seem daunting, but a quick flick through the user guide shows how easy it really is. Basically it is a case of plugging wires into their sockets. The rear of the Nexus Multi Function Panel is where all the connections are made (to the unit itself, the rest are done inside your computer to the CPU fan for example):

The back of the Nexus Multi Function Panel

Everything is labelled, from the sockets on the PCB at the back of the unit to the wires themselves - it would be incredibly difficult to mix up any wiring, as everything has its place.

Pin headers for USB/Firewire | Labelled PCB sockets

I suggest you complete the wiring up stage outside your case and then push the unit through a spare 5 1/2" drive bay. If you try and plug the wires in while the unit is in the drive bay - you will find yourself with a very fiddly, almost impossible task!

Some connections made | Completed unit connections
(notice the labels on each of the wires)

The next stage of installation would be to offer the Nexus Multi Function Panel into a spare 5 1/2" drive bay and make the final internal connections - the CPU fan, the Firewire/USB ports and the attachment of the temperature probes to their devices.

I liked the fact that the Firewire/USB ports are connected using a pass through cable, rather than directly connecting to your motherboard. This is a good idea by Vantec, as this enables any user with Firewire and USB ports to make use of them.

I for one own a computer that has a custom Intel motherboard that does not sport the common USB pin header sockets, meaning that if the Nexus Multi Function Panel had used such connections I would not have been able to make use of them. Although some users may not like the pass through cable due to the fact it would clutter the internals of their computer.

One of the three temperature probes - supplied
with thermal tape to secure to device

The entire installation process is detailed in the supplied user guide in a 'four step' process again each having step having clear diagrams to aid the user.


Installed in case:

Some images of the Nexus Multi Function Panel installed in a case:

The Nexus Multi Function Panel installed in case, looks great!

The Nexus Multi Function Panel also has an internal audio alarm built into the unit, which chirps away if ever the CPU fan failed or the CPU overheats. Its piercing sound will alert you early to the potential disastrous outcome from such a failure, allowing you to correct the problem quickly and safely.


Conclusion:

I have been thoroughly impressed by the Nexus Multi Function Panel, right from the packaging down to the unit itself, it is evident that a lot of design and development has been put into the unit by Vantec - producing an excellent product.

The amount of accessories that ships with the unit is great, each one being individually secured in plastic and labelled so the end user knows what is what - nothing extra is required to make use of the unit, everything is supplied. The colour user guide is what all manufacturers should produce, although the whole installation process is very simple, it is heavily backed up with clear instructions and colour diagrams showing what should go where should the end user get stuck.

Looks wise the Nexus Multi Function Panel is impressive and the fact that the faceplates can be interchanged brings about just how versatile the unit can be easily matching virtually any users system and not 'sticking out'. As you can see in the above installed in case pictures, the colour compliments the silver, brushed aluminium of the Lian-Li case it has been installed in.

Build quality is of a very high standard and I found no issues with loose connections or loose screws etc, everything was as it was meant to be. This product has impressed me throughout and is hard to fault, concluding only that having control over one fan is a slight disappointment (although such a feature of multiple fan control would mean more knobs on the device, spoiling its looks) and the fact that the temperature readout is only in °C - users in countries that adhere to the °F temperature scale may not be happy with this.

Overall the pros of the Nexus Multi Function Panel far outweigh the cons and therefore I award it top marks:

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