Silly question time.
Why would you need to cool your PC or have fans running if it's not on?

An Aquaero 5 can do all of your requirements but as far as I know it does really need your PC to be on unless your going to use a separate power supply for it.

Gentle Typhoon fans work great, their what I use

1: The Aquaero 5 is stand-alone (only power supply necessary) you only need a pc to set it up.
2: The Aquaero 5 can do this. (4 probes in the purchased parts package)
3: LT no display, PRO&XT display
4: The are ok, you do not want PWM

Quoted from "phoenix_rising"

Thanks Enigma!
The Aquaero 5 can do this. (4 probes in the purchased parts package)

Can i use 4 digital probes? Or do they need to be analog?

No, only analog 10KOm

Quoted

The are ok, you do not want PWM
So if i buy Non-PWM fans i can still variably control the frequency curve of the fans etc?

No, but the voltage.

Quoted

:: would i need the battery expansion module for the units to hold onto their configurations IF using them constant plugged into a PC? or do the configs save to the units in a different way?

battery expansion only vor the Clock

AE5 only has only one channel for PWM.
10% are to low for PWM and voltage, but with voltage you can turn it off, with PWM not.

No problem. That's what´s the AE 5 for.

Yes, i do.(BeQuiet)

Quoted from "phoenix_rising"

1) I have a need to control 8 fans (over 4 channels) independently without the need of a PC being on... (i have access to a pc to set up the device but the device needs to just work independently of the PC being on)

I'm sure all three types of the Aquaero 5 could handle that matter if you attach an external power supply like for example the following one:

If you need to control 8 fans with only 4 channels and also need to monitor the RPM at the same time, you must make sure, that just one RPM signal from one of the two fans gets through. Because otherwise both signals would interfere with each other.

Quoted

2) the fans must react to the temp rising in the case and cool the case automatically (4 probes needed!) with no manual intervention and having access to set a cooling curve would be handy but as long as the fans come on at "x degrees" and variably speed up as the temp rises until they reach 100% -That's really the goal here.

If you connect the Aquaero 5 via USB to a Windows Computer with the latest aquasuite 2013 software, you can easily set up several controller typs like a 'set point', 'two point', 'curve' or 'constant value' controller. In the end the aqauero stores the settings in an internal memory and acts independent without the USB connection to a computer and the aquasuite software.

Quoted

3) I would like to have a display to show temp of each fan channel and current RPM if possible (but can live without a graphic readout)

The two aquaero 5 with a display are the Pro and the XT Versions.

Quoted

4) I would like to use the Scythe "Gentle Typhoon" fans but i don't believe they are PWM fans would this be an issue when trying to variably control the speed of the fans with any of the controllers?

The Aquaero 5 has only one PWM channel to control PWM devices such as fans. The other three channels use a transistor power control. These transistors produce a lot of heat (power loss) when the voltage is regulated under the regular 12 Volts. Perhaps a little cooling air for the Aquaero cooler is needed. Oh, I forgot to mention, the a 4 pin pwm fan behaves exactly like a 3 pin fan if only connected to a 3 pin power controller.

Quoted

5) As a bonus it would be lovely if there was a way of IR controlling 8 cold cathode tubes by the device but this isnt a deal breaker!

The only Aquaero 5 delivered with an IR remote control is the XT version, but the IR RC is also optional for the Pro version. The LT version has no IR receiver. I don't know if it's possible to connect and control the AC multiswitch with the Aquaero 5 and the Aquabus connection. But I imply it could be possible, because if you connect both devices via Aquabus, the multiswitch becomes an integrated part of the Aquaero 5 section in the Aquasuite software. But that's only a guessing.

Quoted

6) I was originally looking at the t-balancer to control this setup but it dosnt have any sort of visual display which is a little annoying and development seems to be non-existant! (BigNG) so would like to use one of the AquaComputer devices if possible!

NC

Quoted

7) I like the look of the AquaAero 5 controller buy can't decide whether the AquaAero LT would be a better fit for the job but cant tell if it needs the AquaAero 5 device to be present to use it?

See answers above. The Aquaero 5 LT uses the same PCB and has nearly the same functions as the Pro or XT versions. It only has no display, IR receiver, cooler and other attributive optional equipment.

Quoted

Laslty, would i need the battery expansion module for the units to hold onto their configurations IF using them without a constant PC? or do the configs save to the units in a different way?

The Real Time Clock expansion module for aquaero 5 is just like the name implys only needed to preserve the time for the integrated clock after the computer is shut down. The settings of the Aquaero 5 are stored in an integreted flash memory within the Aquaero itself.

http://aquacomputer.de/handbuecher.html?…_2011_08_22.pdf
http://aquacomputer.de/handbuecher.html?…sh_20120719.pdf
http://aquacomputer.de/handbuecher.html?…sh_20121025.pdf

Quoted from "Pilo"

The Aquaero 5 has only one PWM channel to control PWM devices such as fans. The other three channels use a transistor power control. These transistors produce a lot of heat (power loss) when the voltage is regulated under the regular 12 Volts. Perhaps a little cooling air for the Aquaero cooler is needed.

8 fans (over 4 channels) cooling shouldn't be a issue.

1. What size should your fans have?...40 mm, 50 mm, 60 mm, 80 mm, 92 mm, 120 mm, 140mm, 180 mm?
   But I'm guessing you meant the Scythe Gentle Typhoon 120mm, no?
   Personally, I'm a fan of Be Quiet cooling fans.
   
   
2. Probably none. The Aquaero 5 Pro and XT have an aluminium heatsink installed. But not the LT version.
   Also, the Aquaero has an automatic protection to avoid an overheating of the transistors.
   
   
3. Don't know any and I'm also to lazy to search, just like you
   

I am thinking you will have to make your own cables??
Or find research a local source for something like:

e

http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=P0837



With a cable like this



(keep in mind the internals of the chassis mount can be reversed)
http://www.akasa.com.tw/update.php?tpl=p…odel=EXUSBIE-40



Then you can get a long USB cable for connection when you need, and can remove when not needed.