Well known problem with Sky Star 2 PCI cards is overheating. This can result that your SS2 card will not work properly or will not work at all after some time. To prevent this, a good idea is to apply some extra cooling to the critical part on the board. The critical part already comes with small black heatsink, so it will be very easy to find it, and at the same time the heatsink is very hot under the finger touch.
Locate the critical part, very hot under the finger touch!
Extra cooling fan can be attached on many ways to the card. You will probably find some other solution according to fan and space in the PC you have. I am using a "Fan card" which is parallel with SS2 card and actually looks like you have another PCI card in the slot. This design can be used only if you have empty PCI slot close to the SS2. Negative side of this design is that you are loosing one empty PCI slot on your motherboard.
Original Pentium MMX cooling fan with power connectors is used for my design. The volume of delivered air is more than enough for this application. Different fans can be used, depending on the free space you have in computer.
Fan supporting board is made from FR4 singe side vitroplast material. In this place you can use also some other materials. Cut the board according to the shape of the fan. Keep in mind that fan should be placed parallel to the critical part, in the same line to insure proper cooling. Do not forget also to drill holes for the screws where later the board will be fixed to metal support creating the PCI style board.
Metal support that keeps the board in right place and parallel to the SS2 card is dismantled from the old PCI dial-up modem. The holes are clearly indicating previous purpose of the old card. In our case, this can be just another extra inlet for the air HI! Also here, any other old unused PCI card support can be used ( video, sound, LAN... ) together with the 2 small screws.
MMX cooling fan
Fan supporting board
Metal support
Assembled PCI SS2 Fan card
Now when you have all parts ready, assemble the Fan card. If necessary, apply some glue between the fan and the supporting board to prevent moving the fan from the gap. Remove the metal cover on the PC chases to make place for the fan card. Insert the card in the empty PCI slot just close to the SS2 card. Secure the card with the screw to the PC chases. Connect the power connector and your fan is ready to go.
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