Oh, it's quite true we can tolerate it when more than likely your setup involves your speakers being closer to your ear than the fans in your box. I'd have to imagine most PC gamer's setups are like this. But for a PC hooked up to a TV is not the same unless you are using a surround sound system of some type.

Plus, depending on the games, many PC gamers use headphones.

But that's PC gamers though, I see your point about your 360. Your example is basically what I'm saying, I don't think many people would care for that very much. When it comes to electronics connected to the TV the most common experience is that they produce no noise.

Most HTPCs are built to perform their duty with little to no fan noise but putting in a proper discrete video card can ruin that. You can get accustomed to it over time but you have to get over that initial unfamiliar white noise coming from the general direction of your TV.

The reason I feel that this is important is that if Steam were to start being used on a typical TV environment it will expand beyond games. They've already tested the waters with one movie, granted it was very relevant to their market. Steam is already well suited to be an iTunes and/or Netflix type service.

> I'd have to imagine most PC gamer's setups are like this. But for a PC hooked up to a TV is not the same unless you are using a surround sound system of some type.

My Xbox 360 along with the 3rd party fans sounded like a leaf blower. You don't need a good surround system, you just need to turn the volume up on your TV or get a cheap sound bar. With PC's it's even cheaper to get a 2.1 speaker system that does the job for like $20.

> But that's PC gamers though, I see your point about your 360. Your example is basically what I'm saying, I don't think many people would care for that very much.

People still care but many either tolerate it or work around it based on the games.

Turning up the volume to cover up the white noise is not an ideal solution and in many cases not a solution at all. A neighbor in an apartment building may not care for the extra noise coming through the wall. I feel your 360 example is supporting my thought, fan noise is an issue that different people handle differently. You accepted the additional level of white noise in the situation but it's not reasonable to assume every else will too.

> People still care but many either tolerate it or work around it based on the games.

Of which I totally agreed with. My point is that it's an issue because I expect Steam to expand beyond games. If the box is not built with this in mind then it's a potential issue. To expand into the TV audience market you'll need a box that won't make noise that people who are not accustomed to may not like.

> If the box is not built with this in mind then it's a potential issue. To expand into the TV audience market you'll need a box that won't make noise that people who are not accustomed to may not like.

I think there's a bigger problem than noise if they want to expand beyond techies and gamers. Ease of installation comes to mind. It's hard to compete against the Apple TVs, Rokus, PS3's and Xbox 360s on that end.