Media Server spec

decto said:
Get a USB DVDRW, a drive will use power (5-10W idle) when plugged in so you may as well keep the internal connectors for HDD's and just plug in the DVD when you need it.AD
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TBH, I may as well install an old IDE drive and just unplug it after I've installed everything ... I could always loook at a USB drive at some point in the future. I'm trying to minimise costs at the mo.

I hadn't considered using the server as an additional HTPC ... I was considering building one for my bedroom eventually as well. I'd need a really long HDMI cable though ... what are you looking at getting?
 
If you are just going to use this server to actually serve files then you don't need much CPU grunt and as it will be on 24/7 then you would be well served by using a low power configuration.

Have a look into an Intel Atom CPU/Motherboard with a PCI-E SATA controller. This will really reduce your power consumption which will definitely be noticable with the high cost of electricity at the moment.

Unfortunately I built my WHS before the Atom was available or else I would've gone down that route (I use an AMD 780G system with a 45W single core CPU that uses cool n'quiet to cut power consumption). If you have concerns over if it has enough processing power then there are companies out there who make ready-built WHS systems using the Atom.

I do encoding and the like on my main desktop PC and then transfer onto the WHS box. No sense in having an ultra powerful quad core system running 24/7 and using lots of power if you only occasionally encode on it.

For general info on WHS then http://www.wegotserved.co.uk is a really useful user community.
 
I think I'm more likely to go the HTPC capable system that Decto mentioned ... probably a Gigabyte 780G and Athlon CPU, same as my wifes PC and my HTPC. I'll use the 5 onboard SATAs and route an internal cable to the external eSATA connector to gain number 6.

Decto - how would you look at controlling the media system from the bedroom if the server is in a different room?
 
Right ... how does this spec look, bearing in mind that the P&P is free:

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Looks good to me. I have one of those earthwatts in my Home Server and they are decent PSU's. I started with the X2 4200 and upgraded to an X2 6000+ for folding (Which I stopped due to electricity bill). Same ram in mine too . . . .

You could save money by looking through the bgrade stuff, I got an ASUS M2N4-SLI for 30-odd quid and it has 2x16x PCI-E on it for future expansion of RAID cards etc (Already has an 8-port SAS controller in there - cheap). Dont get extras with B-Grade but if you are building on a budget its great.

I am useing Icy-Dock hard drive bays in mine now, (M9 VI1000BWS is my case) but it all started as a cheap build and gets added to when needed.

That spec will do you nicely.

I recommend only putting 1 drive in to install WHS, and then installing other 3 when its done. Same as any windows installation, god knows where it ends up putting the MBR sometimes . . .
 
Hi,

Graphic card wise I'd be looking at a 4550 or similar for passive performance since my mainboard old s939 mainboard only has VGA out so wouldn't drive most modern TV's. If I was building now i'd be looking at integrated HDMI 1080p as in the boards you've viewed.

If you can get the PC somewhere near (mine lives in the loft) then it's simply a matter of dropping the HDMI cable down to the TV for video and hopefully audio. You'd need to check if the board supports audio over HDMI (780G does), I know recent Ati Gpu's do so that is always and option.

Control wise I use

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...Keysonic Wireless Keyboard/Touchpad ACK-540RF

which works fine and has a very good range. You can use a USB extention lead to get the USB dongle near the usage point, eg over the ceiling. Unlike standard keyboard it has a range of over 20ft. It has a minor issue in taking a moment to wake up at times but the range is great.

Otherwise you could just run an extention to a IRDA sensor positioned in a corner of the room or hidden just behind the TV to recieve IRDA bounce off the wall just above or below.

AD

System looks fine but personally I'd splash the little extra for the better board
Replicating the design of its 780G board, Gigabyte has a lower-end AMD 740G chipset based board, the GA-MA74GM-S2. Unlike the new Northbridge on the 780G with Radeon HD 3200 graphics, the onboard graphics here for the 740G is known as the Radeon HD 2100. This is only a DirectX 9 part and pertinently for the entry-level HTPC users as it comes with no UVD for full hardware decode acceleration for HD videos. Frame buffer can go up to a maximum of 512MB. In short, the 740G is like a rebranded 690G chipset.

The HyperTransport link is only 2.0 and hence capped at 1GHz, so the faster Phenoms will have its advantage curtailed, while the PCIe x16 is the older version 1.1 and not version 2.0 (not that there will be significant real-world difference). The Southbridge however is a similar SB700, so one gets the same number of USB and SATA 3.0Gbps ports. With a 55nm manufacturing process hopefully leading to lower temperatures, the 740G looks to be for the budget user who does not mind the slower and less powerful integrated graphics.

Gigabyte's implementation of it appears to follow the same layout as its 780G. Physically, the locations of the various features and ports are similar. Even the two heatsinks don't look that different. There is however only 2 DIMM slots supporting up to 8GB of DDR2-800 memory (if you stock it with 4GB memory modules). The storage options are also predictably similar, due to the same SB700 used, though this 740G board has no eSATA port. Audio however has been slightly degraded to the Realtek ALC888 from ALC889. Other changes include removing extras like FireWire but Gigabyte has commendably kept with the broad display output support, including HDMI which the chipset supports natively. Just like the AMD 780G brother, the AMD 740G chipset supports the HDMI standard 1.2a with HDCP just like its 780G brother.

So overall while Gigabyte's own implementation of the AMD 740G chipset is decent, some of its design decisions (like the Audio CODEC type) and that of the integrated graphics engine's own capabilities (which are similar to the last generation AMD 690G), the GA-MA74GM-S2 isn't a good board for modern day HTPC needs. As you'll see in our testing, it fares bad in the graphics and video decoding performance and is looking more like a renamed and rebranded AMD 690G platform.
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Can't post a direct link due to competitor adverts
 
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Yeah, I've got two Gigabyte 780G boards already so I might put the exta £20 towards another one and have the option ...

I also use the Keysonic for my HTPC downstairs ... I forgot that it was wireless lol ... definately the best option then.
 
Just had the authorisation from my wife ... I'm ordering now. Merry Xmas me :)

Being delivered Xmas Eve ... I think my Christmas will be spent building my server and ripping the rest of my DVDs :D
 
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