HTPC, server, NAS or all in one?

mavers · 7 Apr 2010 at 23:41

In the next few months im planning to build a system to connect to my tv so i can watch 1080p movies.

Originally i thought i'd just buy a revo or asrock 330 stick it next to the tv and everyone is happy. But recently i've been thinking of getting a NAS so the two laptops in the house can access media wherever they are. It would have the advantage that all media would be centralised. Plus from my research so far they consume little power and can be woken up via lan.

Then another thought passed my mind, instead of a NAS i could get a server. This will give me greater flexibility in the future in terms on increasing the number of drives. Plus i could use it as a download machine for torrents. Though maybe this solution seems a little overkill and i imagine the power usage would be higher than a NAS.

Then to complete the circle i though of building a htpc with a lot of storage and have it as an all in one solution. I like the sound of this but i think i might be sacrificing a quiet solution (would need a larger psu to power the hard drives) and wake up on lan wouldnt be as fast as a NAS.

I'm not really leaning towards any solution! any help is appreciated!

I'm not really sure what the ideal solution is but it seems like a NAS and a revo/asrock

mavers · 9 Apr 2010 at 04:38

I've done some more research and im leaning towards a server box with WHS. Means the two laptops can be backed up on a regular basis, and adding storage to a server is a bit easier and cheaper than a NAS option.

The question now is what HTPC to opt for, whether its worth building one myself or getting off the shelf. Also does anyone have any advice for the front end software, XMBC live? Media Centre? Media Portal?

mavers · 11 Apr 2010 at 00:54

Whats the best platform to run XMBC off? (i was thinking of running it off windows 7)

I'm thinking of building a very quiet HTPC.
Small SSD hardisk.
Any recommendations on processor/graphic card? - preferably something that can play 1080p with no jittering, the occasional encoding.

For the server. I would like it to be pretty quiet too. all i need it for is for downloading, backing up the laptops in the house, and providing media to the HTPC and the laptops.
Spec
OS - WHS
again what sort of processor should i be after? I'm not looking to run anything too challenging on this.

Thanks!

mavers · 18 Apr 2010 at 15:57

Not building for a couple of months, but i do feel i'm probably going to go for the amd 240e setup, passively cooled and have it as a one stop shop for all my needs. then down the line when i get a server, i'll use the parts from this pc to make a silent tiny htpc and a server to supply all the media.

posted a thread on the 3 specs im toying withhttp://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18136971

mavers · 20 Apr 2010 at 03:48

looks like a very interesting mobo. very like the Zotac one but with a DC brick.

Ive had good luck with ASUS in the past. motherboard seems very good value for money - around 120 notes i believe.

not a lot of reviews online though

mavers · 29 Jun 2011 at 22:07

I ended up building a HTPC based on i3 530, GT430, 4gb ram, 60gb SSD and 2tb hard disk. I run Win 7 and use XBMC. All the other laptops in the flat can access the media on the HTPC (Wake on lan is awesome).

I was worried that i'd fill up the 2TB quite quickly, though in 2 months theres still 1.5tb free space!

If you want a proper NAS, it might be worth going down the unraid route. You'll be able to run squeezebox on there, but you wont be able to run XBMC on it.