Installation and Operation (continued):
Most other fan controllers I have used required just about 3/4 of a turn in order to go from maximum speed down to minimum speed. The DigiPanel provides far more control, as it took multiple rotations of the large knob to get from high to low. On a fan rated at 3000 RPM maximum, I was able to get it down to around 1800 RPM, and control the speed within +/- 20 or 30 RPM across the full range. Although that type of accuracy may be unnecessary in this type of application, I really like it. The knob has a bit of a resistive click to it, so by turning the dial one click while connected to this fan I knew just about how much I was altering the speed.
Since the controller is based on a range of 60%-100% of the fan's full speed, the amount each click represents will vary for higher or lower speed fans. That 60% figure is one item that I personally would prefer to see changed, as this was still too high for some of the high speed fans I own, but choose to run much slower. One fan tested, a 6000 RPM, 45mm unit mounted to a Thermalright NB-1 chipset cooler is a prime example of 60% being too high. Even at about 3600 RPM, roughly 60% of maximum speed, the fan was louder than I had been running it while using a 'dumb' rheostat, and I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't get it slower (or quieter).
The below left image shows the DigiPanel in a low light situation, and that the mellow glow of the back lighting makes the display legible in any situation. With this final check completed, it was time to slip the panel into my case and complete the installation and testing.
 
The above right image shows the Spire DigiPanel installed in the Thermaltake Armor case, and it couldn't have been easier. Previous panels I have used just had to balance in the open drive bay, as they were either too shallow to reach the tool-less clips, or not rigid enough to be held in by the clips. The DigiPanel's design is just like an optical drive, and in that sense it popped right into the tool-less clips and was held securely in place in a matter of seconds.
Once the physical installation was complete, all the wires were connected, and once again this was an easy task. The cables that needed to reach the rear of the case were all long enough, even on this larger tower case. The fan leads and thermal sensors being labeled made it easy to arrange everything correctly, and I was set up to control/monitor my CPU fan, chipset fan, and the hard drive cooler fan. The one aspect of the installation that took a while, which has to be expected, was managing all of the cables inside the case.
The fan controller had already been tested, now to test the hard drive cooler. Installed in a standard drive bay with no added cooling, the drive ran at around 43C (as measured at the center of the top surface). Installed in the Spire DigiPanel, but with the fan off, this actually dropped to 41C. With the fan on full speed, the temperature dropped to 29C. The fan noise at this speed was a bit too loud for my taste, and I cranked it all the way down to the minimum speed and still maintained a drive temperature of 31C. Keeping the drive around 10C cooler than usual has to be good for extending its life, and being able to do so with no discernable noise is even better.
As a final phase of testing, I checked the functionality of all of the front panel connections. The Firewire, USB, and audio ports all worked as expected, and conveniently moved one set of rear connections to the front for convenience.
Conclusion:
The Spire DigiPanel is pretty much what I had been searching for in a fan controller / multifunction panel. The key features that are generally lacking among others on the market is the inability to be used in tool-less drive bays and the sense that "more is better". Although it may be impressive to include every possible feature in one 5.25" bay, I honestly don't need or want all of that. I want a reliable fan controller, USB/Firewire ports, and I want an attractive, uncluttered interface. Any other features are just a bonus, but too many can easily detract from the appearance and just provide gadgets I may never use. The only other things Spire gives you are the two audio jacks and a hard drive cooler, and both of these features will definitely come in handy.
The fan controller portion of the DigiPanel is simple to install and operate. The use of one large dial that doubles as a fan selector button keeps the panel uncluttered, and leaves plenty of room for the large display to show temperatures and fan speeds. The extra sensitive dial may be annoying to some, but I found it interesting to fine tune a fan down to 10-30 RPM accuracy. Where most fan controllers go from minimum to maximum in 3/4 of turn, this one takes multiple turns to do the same, allowing for greater control. What I did not like is that the lowest a fan could be set was roughly 60% of its top speed, as I have a few fans that are still too loud/fast at this setting.
The hard drive cooler is a feature you generally do not see in a multifunction device. It really works well, and is the reason why the housing works in cases with tool-less drive bays. I was tired of using various fan controllers and multifunction panels that didn't have the depth or rigidity to be held in place by the tool-less clips, but the DigiPanel fit well and worked well, too.
One issue with the Spire DigiPanel is the US pricing and availability, despite numerous retailers carrying Spire products. Their "Where to Buy" page has you search each state in the US separately, which takes a little bit of time, and even after doing so I only found the DigiPanel at a few locations. I found it listed at Newegg (out of stock), SVC, and a place called Cool Gods for just under $40, and over at FrozenCPU for close to $55. $40 isn't a bad price for the features and quality provided by the Spire DigiPanel, but the number of outlets to choose from is limited.
Given the quality, styling, and useful features I award the Spire DigiPanel 4.5 out of 5 stars... "Readily Recommended".
Final Rating (4.5 out of 5 stars):  
Pros:
• High quality design and construction
• All necessary cables are included and easy to install
• Uncluttered, attractive design available in silver or black
• Large back-lit LCD display is easy to read from various angles
• Space saver: Multifunction panel plus a hard drive cooler in one bay
• Compatible with cases featuring tool-less drive bays
• Compatible with cases featuring a door over drive bays
• Fine tuning of fan speeds possible with large knob
Cons:
• Would prefer a low limit of less than 60% for fan speeds
• Pricing and availability
Special thanks to Spire for providing the DigiPanel multifunction panel to Bigbruin.com for review!
Please drop by the Bigbruin.com Forum and feel free to discuss this review.
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