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Installing a console in enclosed cabinet - bad idea?

A

Ace Harding

Member
My wife wants my PS4 (and cable box, and Roku) hidden from sight, and wants it installed in a cabinet with doors that open and close below the TV. HDMI will be fished behind the wall and into said cabinet (which will also have power outlets installed) so it will be a clean look. I like that idea too, but I'm a little worried about the console overheating. The cabinet enclosure is maybe 25"x35"x12" (h/w/d).

I can't imagine there is a lot of airflow in there, and the Verizon Fios box gets pretty warm.

Worst case scenario I can just swing the door open when the PS4 is on.

Anyone else keep their PS4 in an enclosed cabinet? Any issues (loud ass fan on all the time, console failure)?
 
Yeah these things (especially cable boxes) need a ton of ventilation. I tried the "out of sight" thing in the past and my cable box would overheat and shut off on its own.

It's not a matter of "if" it happens, but when. It'll only take a couple of days for the cable box to go.
 
Absolutely bad idea for all the reasons you've listed.

If you can find something that doesn't have a full back, or is open in the back to dissipate the heat, you might be good.
 
I put my X360 in an enclosed TV stand. If I forgot to leave the doors open, after 15 minutes of game play the fans would kick on high and make a sound like a jet engine.

(When I got my X1 I put it on one of the non-enclosed shelfs in the stand and have not had any problems)
 
El_TigroX said:
Absolutely bad idea for all the reasons you've listed.

If you can find something that doesn't have a full back, or is open in the back to dissipate the heat, you might be good.
Click to expand...
These cabinets are built in to the wall unfortunately.

I could probably get really creative and install a ventilation system...
 
When I worked at gamestop, there were a handfull of people who tried to return their toasted xbox 360s because they did just this. They didn't understand that the systems required ventilation so they put them in closed glass tv stands. No bueno. I've seen gaming setups where they're inside of glass cabinets, but they usually install a fan in the back of the cabinet. Some cool DIY projects on reddit show this.
 
Best bet is to cut a ventilation hole in the back. Even better put a cooling fan back there, that's what I did for my Google Fiber equipment. The network box get's kind of warm.
 
georly said:
When I worked at gamestop, there were a handfull of people who tried to return their toasted xbox 360s because they did just this. They didn't understand that the systems required ventilation so they put them in closed glass tv stands. No bueno. I've seen gaming setups where they're inside of glass cabinets, but they usually install a fan in the back of the cabinet. Some cool DIY projects on reddit show this.
Click to expand...
Yeah this is what I'm thinking. It will be a challenge because the cabinet is the middle cabinet in a huge built in (like 12 feet wide). I will check the Reddit DIY thread for inspiration.
 
Not a good idea. My PS4 is getting pretty hot without putting it in an enclosed cabinet, so I would really try to find another solution.
 
While the system has a safety auto off feature, running your system at the high end of its operating temp for long periods is only going to shorten its life. The PS4 is very efficient at exhausting the heat it creates, the heat needs some place to go.
 
Bad idea for any kind of electronic equipment (even stereo amp, DVD player ...).
Personally, I also let some free space around the PS4, and I try not to stack devices.
I once put my Wifi router on my PS2. First time I removed it to dust it, the bottom of the router was hot as hell, while separately, both devices were never very hot. I guess heat adds up.

Fresh air is life.
 
PS4 gets SUPER hot when it's running games. Keep the cabinet door open for ventilation unless you want your PS4 to keep shutting down from overheating or die sooner.
 
My PS4 was in a half-enclosed area, the front side was open with a small round hole for the cables on the back side, it started shutting down after ~30min of gameplay during summer so I took it out, I don't recommend doing it, even if your console doesn't overheat and shut down it will probably run hotter than it usually would.
 
I've recently put my consoles in a cabinet to reduce the amount of dust they breathe. There is some ventilation in the back, but not a massive amount.

The WiiU coped fine.
The PS4 sounded like it was trying to saw its own way out of the cabinet.

I open the door slightly when I'm playing now.
 
Yes. My ps4 isn't enclosed completely but its covered top and sides and it gets HOT. I have to take it out because its like burning hot.
 
I put mine in an enclosed cabinet but with the back panel off. The PS4 did get louder but it never auto shutdown. Now I'm having issues with Wifi making it to the system now so I have to pull it out on the shelf it sits on.
 
Just open the door when you're playing and you should be fine. The back shouldn't be fully covered though, not sure if you can find a way around that.
 
Personally I built a custom, open cabinet and convinced my wife that a modern slab of black plastic with a dashing blue line of neon was worth displaying. This meant going vertical and hiding cables of course.

If you have to coop it up I think it'll be fine - auto shutoff as others have noted - but I suspect that it's probably not the optimal way to store it. I'd seriously consider if you can add ventilation to the cabinet at the side and rear as a compromise or even consider a cooling fan you use when PS4 is on to help cool inside of the cabinet (course your missus might like that even less than the cables!).
 
Yes it is rough as it turns the PS4 and PS3 into jet engines. I used to do the same and couldn't handle the noise once they had been on an hour or so.

Now out in the open they are much quieter.
 
You may be okay but just a general computer rule is to always have enough air flow. The more air = the less likely it'll overhead.
 
blame space said:
liquid cooling, fancy
Click to expand...

0ca.gif
 
My systems are in an entertainment center. Always have been, so I think you'll be ok, provided you leave the door open when playing.
 
Ace Harding said:
These cabinets are built in to the wall unfortunately.

I could probably get really creative and install a ventilation system...
Click to expand...

If it's built into the wall, they don't need a top. Let the heat into the walls. Also, get one with a mesh front. That way it can draw fresh air, and remotes will work, even though it will look solid.
 
Ace Harding said:
My wife wants my PS4 (and cable box, and Roku) hidden from sight, and wants it installed in a cabinet with doors that open and close below the TV. HDMI will be fished behind the wall and into said cabinet (which will also have power outlets installed) so it will be a clean look. I like that idea too, but I'm a little worried about the console overheating. The cabinet enclosure is maybe 25"x35"x12" (h/w/d).

I can't imagine there is a lot of airflow in there, and the Verizon Fios box gets pretty warm.

Worst case scenario I can just swing the door open when the PS4 is on.

Anyone else keep their PS4 in an enclosed cabinet? Any issues (loud ass fan on all the time, console failure)?
Click to expand...

I don't have a PS4, but my Xbox One, Direct TV bos, and Wii U are all in an inclosed cabinet mostly because I don't have a choice. With a 4 year old, 2 year old, and a newborn running around... you just can't keep nicer electronics sitting there where they can get their hands on them. Enclosed lets me lock them up, as it were.

Now, heat use to be an issue when we had charter cable. Their box overheated terribly, which then overheated the xbox one (which thankfully would shut down if in danger). However, since switching to Direct TV the heat problem is non-existent. I will play games for hours, open the cabinet for a heat check, and it's just fine in there.

Key thing to remember is that the PS4 does produce more heat than an Xbox One. Xbox One is roomier with better ventilation and cooling - it's basically the opposite of what the 360 was. PS4 is a smaller package, sleeker, and packs the power supply within. It doesn't have as good of ventilation while at the same time producing more heat.

It's probably safe in so much as the console will shut itself down for protection, but to have no issues you'd probably want to create some more airflow. Even cutting more out from the back and letting the PS4 shoot some of that sweet hot air out the back of your stand would probably be more ideal if you really want to enclose it from the front.

That or, of course, open the door when you game for long sessions.

My advice: Xbox One with a sattelite box? You're fine in an enclosed situation so long as it has enough room to push air around. Cooling is superb. PS4 - you probably want more open air flow, or a way for the PS4 to shoot the hot air out of the encloser.

Wii U - really a non issue regardless. It doesn't get hot enough pretty much ever to be a concern.
 
I just sawed a wide hole at vent-level in the back of mine--of course if you're flush against the wall this might not help. Needed a place for the wires to go through anyway. I leave the 20th anni PS4 visible anyway because it's pretty, and the 360 out because it's terrifying and I don't want it to die.
 
It is NOT a great idea though it can be converted to an excellent one.
If you're willing to spend the time and money, a cooled cabinet with entry/exit fans (with filters) would be the best form of case you could have.

If you want to go overboard, you can include lights alarms if it's left ajar too long.

Seriously though...I would envy you if you did this. You know you want my envy.
 
dork said:
Yes. My ps4 isn't enclosed completely but its covered top and sides and it gets HOT. I have to take it out because its like burning hot.
Click to expand...

This. My PS4 isn't enclosed whatsoever, it's totally out in the open. But it still gets super hot. IMO even if you open the cabinet while running the PS4, you might want to get a little fan to point at it.
 
Tell your wife she'll have to deal with it, unless she doesnt mind replacing it when it fails after a few months
 
Bad idea as everyone said and honestly IMO it looks better displayed in a nice entertainment center. I mean a TV with cabinet drawers looks ugly. It's an entertainment center for watching TV, Movies and Games, not a fine china display.

I mean something like this.....

X01XU.jpg


....looks better then something like this....

entertainment-center-with-hanging-tv.jpg
 
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