Media Server - New build

lmbe · 9 Jan 2017 at 20:15

Hi all!

I'm putting together a new media server for the sitting room and need some advice and input on the build I have so far.
Some background... I'm currently running a Gen8 Microserver with a 16tb raid5, while it does the job it's very low power and struggles to transcode 1080p on occasions.
The dream is to handle multiple 1080p streams, along with it serving several other uses (git repo etc).

A few goals, some essentials and some nice to haves:

it needs to be nice and quiet / run cool
it needs to be able to run 24/7
needs capacity for another 4 -8 drives (h440 will do the job)
possibility of using it as a VR setup in the future (nice to have but will obviously boost price, I can add a graphics card later to help with this though)

I'm not looking to spend a fortune, I've reduced a few parts already.
But if there's improvements you suggest for significant gains then I'm more than open to them!

Here's what I have so far:

My basket at Overclockers UK:

1 x NZXT H440 Midi - Tower Case - White= £109.99
1 x Asus Z170 Sabertooth Mark S Intel Z170 (Socket 1151) DDR4 ATX Motherboard= £189.95
1 x Intel Core i5-6500 3.20GHz (Skylake) Socket LGA1151 Processor - Retail= £209.99
1 x Noctua NF-A4x10 FLX Fan - 40mm= £11.99
1 x Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 PC4-19200C16 2400MHz Dual Channel Kit - Black (CMK16GX4M2A24= £109.99
3 x be quiet! Pure Wings 2 120mm Fan= £8.99
1 x EVGA Supernova G2 650W '80 Plus Gold' Modular Power Supply= £95.99
1 x Noctua NH-U9S PU Cooler - 92mm= £48.95

Total: £831.84
(includes shipping: £28.02)

------------

I'm planning on reusing the ssd in the Gen8 for the OS.
Let me know what you think and if you see any glaring issues or potential improvements.
I'm not the most computer savvy so bear with me!

Thanks!

DONOHUE07 · 10 Jan 2017 at 11:42

Seems overkill to me, wouldn't a NAS do the job?

(Apart from VR)

Neural · 10 Jan 2017 at 12:07

Yea VR isn't really going to run very well on media boxes in general.
You might be better suited to the likes of a Synology NAS, the PLAY ones are suited for streaming.

Semple · 10 Jan 2017 at 12:21

What software are you using? Based on your statement about struggling to transcode 1080p streams, i'll place my bet on that being Plex?

If that's ultimately what you're after, can you not give Kodi a go? Most devices these days should transcode 1080p.

lmbe · 10 Jan 2017 at 12:25

I had considered a NAS, but they're quite limited in terms of bay drives unless you go mega bucks, and what I can achieve using it as a git repo (for example it's likely I'll set it up as a hosting environment for websites).

If I was to use it as a media/web server with potential to game, would you make any changes to the setup to improve longevity (with it being on 24/7) and keeping it quiet?

Another concern is that if the time came and I decided to buy a graphics card, the cpu and motherboard wouldnt be able to handle it, costing more to upgrade. I'd rather tick those boxes now. Unless you think it can?

Thanks for the replies! Appreciate the feedback

lmbe · 10 Jan 2017 at 12:29

Semple said:
What software are you using? Based on your statement about struggling to transcode 1080p streams, i'll place my bet on that being Plex?

If that's ultimately what you're after, can you not give Kodi a go? Most devices these days should transcode 1080p.

You're bang on. It is setup with Plex. I've tried Kodi in the past but while it struggles to transcode 1080p files another large issue is hd capacity and the likes of 4k content. These atm are ruling out my current system and looking for something futureproof

kkelly · 10 Jan 2017 at 12:35

Check the Dell T20 in the server's thread

DONOHUE07 · 10 Jan 2017 at 13:22

Adding a GPU such as a 1070 would certainly help with VR and gaming, but I'm not sure how economical it would be with it being on 24/7

I wouldn't be concerned about the longevity of the CPU for gaming, it's perfectly fine, you see people rocking 1st gen i5's and i7's on the forum with 1070's. I use a fx8350 for gaming and I'm in no rush to upgrade. If you really are concerned you could always go for the K version and overclock down the line

Neural · 10 Jan 2017 at 13:50

kkelly said:
Check the Dell T20 in the server's thread

they are possibly a good idea, the T20's and Gen 8s can be upgraded and already have the tools for remote admin etc, they would be more NAS/VMs/site hosting side rather than gaming though obviously, its tricky to get a jack of all trades for what the OP is looking.

MG42Maniac · 10 Jan 2017 at 14:31

I'm running a plex server with the following:

i5 4670k @ 4.2GHz
16GB 2400Mhz
250GB Evo 850
24TB of space

Your proposed spec will be very similar performance wise. I find that the extra processing power is useful for unzipping 70GB .rar files and multiple transcodes. If you have large uncompressed videos that need a full audio and video transcode then it hits the CPU hard which is where lesser processors (NAS) fall over. You could get away with less power but if you can afford the extra power I see no reason not to. I reckon I am good for a few 4K transcodes as well, if I am not then I will stick in a 4790K.

One use case that the extra processing power comes in handy is if you have friends over and you have to download a movie ad-hoc. Nothing worse than your internet pulling it down at 39MB/sec and then the CPU taking 40 minutes unzip the file so you end up waiting an hour.

jigger · 10 Jan 2017 at 15:21

Build an Intel greenlow system with ECC would be my advice.

ludicrousgib · 12 Jan 2017 at 16:02

After using Plex I wouldn't consider swapping. Its just too good, although it has turned me into a data hoarder.

I run a small form factor HP ProDesk with a 6700 - so plenty of encoding muscle. Storage solution is temporary (USB HDD's) until I build a NAS.

How many streams is multiple? You could use the Nvidia shield as your always on server - and build a dedicated gaming rig for VR if that ever happens.

wellibob · 14 Jan 2017 at 15:08

I wasn't impressed with the nvidia shield as a Plex server. Yes it worked but it wasn't near as snappy as you'd like it.

decto · 14 Jan 2017 at 22:19

TBH a plex server and a VR machine are poles apart done properly.
.
I'm assuming you have a celeron or pentium in your gen 8. You can pick up and xeon for a not unreasonable price@ auction which should eat plex transcoding.

If you want a VR box., then build something specific.

As per other threads, ML10 or Dell T20 Xeon are good for home servers, neither will have the power (PSU and PCI-E power) to give a good VR experience

lmbe · 21 Jan 2017 at 15:15

Thanks for the replies everyone! After doing some thinking I'll probably tone it down a little to reduce costs, and as for the VR side of the build I already have a 6 month old build perfectly capable of handling this but it was a more a question of future proofing the new one.

MG42Maniac I was wondering if you've had any trouble with running out of sata ports? This is my only concern atm as most mobo's come with 6. I've read about adding a pci sata card but I cant find any decent reviews or recommendations on them. Ideally I'd need an expansion for 4 additional ports that I can use to expand the current raid array. If anyone has any suggestions or can recommend something it would be hugely appreciated!