Spec Me a Media/File Server , TV Streaming and Backup box

[bugeyewrx]

I've currently got a small media/file server running Freenas on an old Dell PC , it's great and works well but I'd like to be able to get a bit more from it .

What I'd like to do is have a 'box' that is my media/file server , backup and can stream TV ( freesat ) to some XBMC clients .

So my plan is to set up the server using WHS2011 as a backend for Media Portal . WHS2011 can deal with the server duties , backups etc and Media Portal can deal with the TV part .

I've got myself a rack mount 4U server case from Ebay so that's the case sorted. The case will take up to 10 drives but I obviously won't have that many in there to start with , probably one for the os two main drives and two server backup and one PC backup .

I'm not specing the drives as I've got most of them already .


Dualcore Intel .

YOUR BASKET
1 x xenon intel core i3 2120 3.30ghz bundle £164.98
1 x lian li ib-01b pci-express 5-port sata-ii & 1-port e-sata raid controller £69.98
1 x corsair builder series cx 430w v2 '80 plus' power supply (cmpsu-430cxukv2) £36.98
1 x compro videomate s350 digital satellite tv card - retail £20.99
total : £305.53 (includes shipping : £10.50).




quadcore amd

your basket
1 x xenon amd bulldozer fx-4 4100 3.60ghz bundle - quad core £173.99
1 x corsair builder series cx 430w v2 '80 plus' power supply (cmpsu-430cxukv2) £36.98
1 x compro videomate s350 digital satellite tv card - retail £20.99
1 x startech 2 port pci express internal sata ii controller card (pexsata22i) £19.99
total : £263.95 (includes shipping : £10.00).




dualcore amd


your basket
1 x xenon amd x2 250 3.00ghz bundle - dual core £114.98
1 x corsair builder series cx 430w v2 '80 plus' power supply (cmpsu-430cxukv2) £36.98
1 x compro videomate s350 digital satellite tv card - retail £20.99
1 x startech 2 port pci express internal sata ii controller card (pexsata22i) £19.99
total : £204.95 (includes shipping : £10.00).




sort of leaning towards the amd quadcore setup right now as the value for money seems good plus i 'think' it would give me a few more options for the future.

i've also been looking at the Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-HD-S2l as an alternative satellite tuner card.

 

[bugeyewrx]

HTH

Yes it does I've been scratching a round at this build for a few months now and haven't had a lot of luck finding any hard info . Lots on how to convert an old Dell using x server os but not much on the hardware for this sort of build .

I hope you don't mind a few questions ....

Why the Athlon rather than a Phenom .... you seem to get more grunt for not much more money , is it the power usage ?

I'd had a look at FreeBSD and was my first choice before looking into how to stream TV using it , the whole whs2011 and Medial Portal just seemed so much simpler .... You don't have any links to info on the BSD/TV options do you ?

I understand the idea of 'future proofing' my build and tbh that's whats driving the whole thing . My Dell/Freenas set up works well for now apart from setting up some sort of low maintenance backup on it. It would probably rumble on for a couple of years but it would be nice to set up something now that I can expand on .


I must admit to knowing next to nothing about the sata cards etc so that info was very helpful . My plan , this is another reason for the amd building being favourite right now , for setting up the drives is as follows :

The main server storage and the OS drives are plugged directly into the mobo sata ports and the backup drives via the sata controllers . That way I get five/six by 2tb drives with a decent bandwidth . I don't think the low data transfer rates for the backup drives would be a problem for me , if it takes all day to restore from a backup drive I'll just watch a different film

So I get 10tb to 15tb of storage ( depending on the drives I use ) all backed up in one neat and easy to manage box that should last me at least five years .

Or am I missing something fundamental ?

I should add that I'm not planning on running RAID and that the backup is just to protect from disc failure and the need to spend several weekends ripping a load of DVDs. I also back up anything critical to Idrive and a USB drive I keep at work .

Re the tuner card ... I knew there had to be a reason the Hauppauge card cost so much more. I missed that the one I'd speced wasn't S2.

 

[bugeyewrx]

Thanks again arad85

I think I'm getting a handle on the hardware and tbh I'm tempted to just copy your spec but the extra £90 on the mobo is putting me off. You're probably right and it will turn out to be a false economy that I regret

I think you are right about FreeBSD for a few reasons . My main reason for not using it was having to use MythTV to stream to the XBMC clients. I've had a couple of goes with MythTV and I just can't get to grips with it also when it's own WIKI describes it as not exactly fit and forget and requiring monthly maintenance (not an exact quote but the gist of what it said ... I'd link to the quote but I can't find it again) it sort of puts you off trying anymore VDR on the other hand looks much simpler and worth a try .

Thing is if I can't get it all working under FreeBSD it's not cost me anything ... and who knows I might learn some stuff

The RAID thing ... I just said I wasn't bothered about RAID, I've just realised that my whole disc / backup plan is in fact a rather inefficient form of RAID 1, I'll start reading up on RAIDZ

 

[bugeyewrx]

It'll be worse than that .... I'll be posting does anybody know of a mobo with loads of sata ports because the one arad85 recommended two years ago is discontinued now and the only one I can find is £300

MythTV ... 5 or 6 times .... yes familiar with the whole Linux fifth or sixth time is the charm thing

Now that I realise my backup wasn't a backup but some sort of dubious RAID I've got something to do with my current server ... remote backup server