Red Dot Select BC1 Open Benchtable – Product Design 2017

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BC1 Open Benchtable Wins Prestigious Red Dot Design Award

April 3, 2017 – STREACOM , OC-TV and HWBOT, an organization regulating international overclocking competitions rankings, is delighted to announce the BC1 Open Benchtable as winner of the internationally recognized Red Dot Award. The BC1 Open Benchtable was chosen as the winning product in the category of Product Design, underlining the unique design approach of the BC1 which offers a lightweight, portable, toolless and fully integrated benchtable for enthusiasts and professionals.

“This Red Dot Award for Product Design further highlights the hard work and commitment of the Open Benchtable project and the invaluable input of the enthusiast overclocking community who made vital contributions to the design philosophy of the BC1,” commented Pieter-Jan Plaisier, Director at HWBOT.

“We are delighted to receive recognition from such a respected organization as Red Dot,” commented Shimon Simon, Head of Design and Manufacturing at Streacom. “Creating beautiful and functional computer hardware has been our mission from day one, and this industry award inspires us to continue pushing the boundaries of form, function, quality and value.”

 “It’s an honor and a privilege to be chosen for this Product Design award from Red Dot,” commented Isaie Simonnet, President of OverClocking-TV. “The award enhances our position as the only benchtable design that offers true portability to the thousands of professionals and enthusiasts who need to test hardware components in the field.”

The Red Dot Award is well established internationally as a seal of quality and outstanding design. The Open Benchtable was selected by a jury of forty independent designers, design professors and specialist journalists. The uniquely portable and integrated design of the BC1 Open Benchtable was selected from a pool of more than 5,500 entries from 54 countries around the world.

As a Red Dot Product Design winner, the BC1 Open Benchtable will be showcased in the special “Design on Stage” exhibition in Essen, Germany. The exhibition forms part of the world’s largest contemporary design exhibitions. The Open Benchtable will also feature in the Red Dot Design Yearbook 2017/2018 and on the Red Dot App – both international references for award-winning design.

About the Red Dot Design Award:

In order to appraise the diversity in the field of design in a professional manner, the Red Dot Design Award breaks down into the three disciplines of Red Dot Award: Product Design, Red Dot Award: Communication Design and Red Dot Award: Design Concept.The Red Dot Award is organized by Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen and is one of the world’s largest design competitions. In 1955, a jury convened for the first time to assess the best designs of the day. In the 1990s, Red Dot CEO Professor Dr. Peter Zec developed the name and brand of the award. Ever since, the sought-after Red Dot award has been the revered international seal of outstanding design quality.

More information is available at www.red-dot.org.

The BC1 Open Benchtable: Uniquely Designed, Ingeniously Implemented

The Open Benchtable project set out to create an open testbed platform for PC components, adapting to the evolving needs of PC enthusiasts and IT professionals. The project has now developed a benchtable that is highly suited to the needs of a traveling PC enthusiast, overclocker, or any professional who needs to test components in the field.

OBT-Red-Silver-Black

The lightweight BC1 Open Benchtable is eminently portable and fully accommodates the components needed to set up a full system. Its toolless design allows for quick assembly and prevents loss of small components during travel. It is fabricated from a single milled block of aluminum which is sandblast finished and includes custom stainless steel screws for a premium look and feel.

 To learn more about the BC1 Open Benchtable, visit our website here:

 https://openbenchtable.com/ and http://www.streacom.com

Open Benchtable Now Available in Silver, Red and Black!

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OBT-Red-Silver-Black

Today we’d like to bring you a quick update regarding the Open Benchtable project and a forthcoming second batch of Open Benchtable Edition products available in just a few weeks time. Building on the success of the first production run, we are pleased to now offer a limited quantity of new and unique benchtables available directly from the OBT Project – the great news is we have expanded our portfolio to include red and black versions.

Sold simply as the Open Benchtable Edition, the new batch of silver, red and black benchtables will feature the same lightweight, portable and fully integrated benchtable design with each model sporting a Open Benchtable engraving. This batch will include a limited quantity of red and black Open Benchtables as a way to test the waters and assess the reaction of users.

Each OBT Edition product also ships with a custom traveler sleeve – ensuring it remains undamaged regardless of where your travels may take you.

The Open Benchtable Edition is available for order directly from us now. The original silver version retails for $159 USD (excluding shipping), while red and black versions of the Open Benchtable will cost $199 USD (shipping included). Prices include a traveler sleeve. Shipping is expected to commence in the first week of May.

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Red and Black Open Benchtables – Tell Us What You Think

Let us know your thoughts on this initial batch of red and black Open Benchtables by visiting this forum thread on HWBOT.org: http://forum.hwbot.org/showthread.php?t=168024

 

OBT Spare Parts Full Pack Now Available

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Today we bring you news that we are now offering a Spare Parts – Full Pack for the Open Benchtable . The Pack include the full array of screws, standoffs, pushpins and brackets that are supplied with original Open Benchtable and BC1 products.

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BC1 Open Benchtable Wins iF Design Award

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Renowned iF International Design Forum Selects the BC1 Open Benchtable for Computer Product Design Award 2017

[Press Release] February 21, 2017 – STREACOM, OCTV and HWBOT, an organization regulating international overclocking competitions and rankings, is proud to announce selection of the BC1 Open Benchtable as winner of the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD.

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Community Edition OBT Sold Out: What Now?

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The Open Benchtable is sold out! Now that we have no more (well, technically there are still three or four left) Community Editions to sell, we want to know what your thoughts are on the next steps. Should we produce another batch of the custom community editions? Or just have the BC1 version up on the site so anyone can still join the Open Benchtable community with the sleeve available separately?

The Open Benchtable team has had a fairly challenging year or so. Getting the product right, doing the research, absorbing the feedback from Overclockers and enthusiasts and finally bringing it to market took plenty of effort and determination. It’s also been a great experience and one that, at the end of the day, has produced a product which we feel proud of. According to end-user feedback, it is also a very nice piece of kit. However, it is clear that we have now reached a crossroads of sorts.

We have now arrived at the place where we no longer have remaining stock of the Community Edition OBT. The Open Benchtable will still be available in the retail channel in the form of the BC1 from Streacom, so potential buyers need not panic just yet. You can find the 32 shops where the table is available in our forum. We will however ponder the next move. Should we restock the Community Edition OBT and continue with the laser engraved product numbering, or should we leave sales to the retail channel and keep the Open Benchtable alive as a project and a community only?

Firstly let’s make sure there’s no confusion about the difference between the BC1 from Streacom, the Community Edition that has been available directly from this site. In essence the two products are identical. They are all manufactured by Streacom to exactly identical specifications. The Community Edition was created to give members of the Open Benchtable community an opportunity to have a special version, kind of a way to say thanks to the support we’ve had in the last year or so. The things that made the Community Edition special were that it came with a black sleeve and had a laser etched serial number and logo.

So what about the Open Benchtable project? The Open Benchtable project is essentially two things. A collaboration between HWBOT, OC-TV and Streacom, the three entities which helped create the product. It also refers to the community that helped create it; the group of Overclockers who gave valuable feedback and advice regarding how the final version was created, plus those who are still helping to develop accessories and other devices that can be used to enhance the overall experience.

At this point in time, we have three options to continue to offer the Open Benchtable via our website:

  1. Create a new batch of community editions with sleeve and custom engraving
  2. Offer the Streacom BC1 for purchase via the website (and put a link up to purchase the sleeve separately)
  3. Offer the BC1 and sleeve as a single package

What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or in the Open Benchtable discussion forum at HWBOT.

(PS: we know a lot of people are looking for spare parts – they are coming!)

Elite Overclocker DrWeez Unboxes and Previews the Open Benchtable

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Today we can bring you a great video stream that was produced by Elite Overclocker DrWeez from South Africa. The video basically gives you a step by step look at the Open Benchtable, starting with a comparison between the latest revision and an early prototype that DrWeez acquired last year. He then shows how it all works, putting together a test rig for his latest Extreme Overclocking session. What you have in the end is an Extreme Overclocker’s perspective on the OBT. Check out the video below.

The Open Benchtable was designed to be used by a variety of different user types, addressing a range of situations where a portable, lightweight benching solution is required. One such user scenario is that of Overclockers, not least because it was primarily developed by several members of the overclocking community. DrWeez is the current No.1 Overclocker in South Africa, recently competing in the World Championship Final and other high profile contests around the world. He was fortunate enough to be one of the overclockers who tried the initial prototype OBT, which puts him in prime position to assess the latest design of the Community Edition. The intelligent, integrated design of the feet, stand-offs and screws for example is something that he found really impressive.

The main motivation for unboxing his Open Benchtable and getting it setup as his primary test-bed is that DrWeez intends to do some testing and preparation for a 4-way graphics card setup involving four GTX 980 Ti cards. The OBT is of course designed to support four graphics cards, and will make a solid foundation for the session. The initial video above shows DrWeez getting familiar with the basics of the OBT, mounting his motherboard and figuring how much insulation use, how to mount the AiO etc. We hope to see a follow up video where we get to the OBT in action with some LN2 in future. Watch this space.

Order your Open Benchtable now while stocks last for just $149 USD (Community Edition – incl. Open Benchtable + traveler sleeve).

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Open Benchtable Shipments Delayed Due to Chinese New Year

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Today we bring you news that we are expecting shipping delays for Open Benchtable orders due to the arrival of Chinese New Year. The Open Benchtable is manufactured and shipped direct from the Streacom factory in China, a fact that means that shipments will unfortunately be halted for the duration of the festive season. Open Benchtable orders placed now will not be processed and shipped until the second week of February. We kindly request your patience regarding this issue.

As you may already know, Chinese New Year is the biggest holiday season of the year in China and Taiwan. It’s similar to Christmas in the West, being a time when families make an effort to travel home and come together for a full week of festive fun. Unfortunately for anyone looking to purchase an Open Benchtable, it means having to be a little patient as the country basically closes down, making manufacturing and shipping impossible during this period.

In the meantime however, from our offices here in Taipei, Taiwan, on behalf of the OBT team we’d like to wish you all a happy Chinese New Year, or Xin Nian Qui Leur (新年快樂) as we say here. We hope the year of the Rooster is a prosperous and fortuitous one for all who bench in the open!

 

Order your Open Benchtable now while stocks last for just $149 USD (Community Edition – incl. Open Benchtable + traveler sleeve).

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Hothardware: “OBT, Open-Source Open-Air PC Building Done Right”

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It’s been a while since our last blog entry, mainly because we’ve been busy with International CES 2017. The Open Benchtable featured on both the HWBOT Performance Matters Kick-off Event as well as the first stop of the HWBOT World Tour in Las Vegas, United States. During our preparation for the event, Chris Goetting from Hothardware had a look at the Streacom BC1 Open Benchtable and he came to a positive conclusion.

The assembly process is described as “quick and easy” and the table is praised for needing no fluff or gimmicks to deliver. That’s exactly the mind-set we designed the benchtable with! The review closes with a Editor’s Choice for Hardware Innovation and Excellence award. Thanks!

Check out the full review over at Hothardware.com.

If videos are more your thing you’ll be pleased to know that Hothardware also made a livestream using the Open Benchtable for a PC build. The stream is about one hour and twenty minutes long, but gives you a prime insight in the building process of a system with the Open Benchtable as foundation. We’ve embedded the YouTube video for your pleasure below. Enjoy!

Open Benchtable Gets Plasti-Dip Paint Job

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It’s always great to see what enthusiasts who have purchased an Open Benchtable do with it once they get their hands on it. Of course one of the primary concepts that drives the OBT project is the spirit of creativity and the ability to modify and customize the product to meet any specific needs a user might have. One such example which recently appeared on the HWBOT forum was from Enthusiast Uing07. Not completely happy with the finish of the OBT, he decided to give it a customized paint job using a product called Plasti Dip. The end results are, admittedly, pretty impressive.

The finish on the Open Benchtable is pretty unique. First it gets sandblasted to remove blemishes and scars that can occur during the CNC cutting process. This gives it a smooth, grainy feel that makes it feel polished. It’s then anodized to create the final silver color and make it more scratch proof. Uing07 opted to create his own unique finish using Plasti Dip, a product described by the manufacturer as an air-dry, multi-purpose rubber coating. Uing07 chose to use four colors of Plasti Dip to complete his creation; Matte Black, Gunmetal Gray, Metallic Silver and Clear.

Step one was a simple coating of Matte Black. in fact several coast were added, basically as an undercoat. After adding a coating of Gun Metal Gray, he then used a thatched draw cover to create a pretty unique square pattern. The end result is pretty impressive. Check out the image gallery below to see what I mean.

The custom paint job certainly look quite different from the original silver / metallic finish. In fact it looks pretty awesome in its own unique way. You can check out the original forum post from Uing07 on the HWBOT forum here.

Order your Open Benchtable now while stocks last for just $149 USD (Community Edition – Engraved Open Benchtable & Traveler Sleeve).

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Community Edition Open Benchtable Almost Sold Out

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Since launch its launch in September earlier this year, the Open Benchtable has proved to be popular with enthusiasts and Overclockers. So much so, that in fact the Community Edition is almost out of stock. Current inventory reveals that there are in fact only thirty units left. If you still fancy treating yourself to a Community Edition OBT, now would be the right time to whip out your wallet.

The Community Edition of the Open Benchtable differs from the standard version in that it comes complete with a traveler carry sleeve (see above). The sleeve is black and is made from a durable elastic material that feels good and simply stretches over the benchtable. It’s perfect for keeping it clean and free from dust and corrosion. The Community Edition also features a special engraving which identifies exactly which one it is from an initial run of only 200 pieces. This means that the Community Edition Open Benchtable, truly is a limited edition product (check out the image below).

The Open Benchtable

The Open Benchtable has been optimized for true portability, a fact  that makes it stand out from other benchtables currently available on the market. It’s only 8mm thick, weighs a just 1.82kg, and is designed for traveling overclockers, enthusiasts and technical professionals. It’s suited to basically anyone who needs to put together a full, open PC while on the road. It’s ingeniously integrated design means that all the components needed to quickly set up a benching station are actually integrated to the main body. These include standoffs, screws and brackets. It really is the next level of convenience and portability.

Order your Open Benchtable now while stocks last for just $149 USD (Community Edition – incl. Open Benchtable + traveler sleeve).

Order Now