Spec me a solution for my lifestyle - NAS with lounge steambox/HTPC?

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I have my main PC in my spare bedroom with desk.
(Fractal XL case, i5 4690k, 8gb, 670gtx, 2x SSDs and 3x1TB HDD's). This system has drives in it that contain at least 15years of my life, music, pictures etc.

In recent months/years I seem to have drifted from sitting at a PC and gaming, it happens but rarely.

I am currently exploring the lounge PC idea, I have an old HP slimline (2.0ghz core2duo, 2gb, Vista) which I bought a HD6450 to get HDMI and connect to my TV. I've set up Kodi and have copied all my music collection over. Steam streaming works really well and the HD6450 will run a few basic titles. Definately enjoy the lounge gaming and media experience, it almost motivates me to go use the main PC and desk for more KB+mouse suited games.

I really want to centralise all my media and files, for backup and streaming purposes. I feel like i'm burning money turning on my main PC just to be able to access all my music and other media. I don't mind if using it's grunt to run and stream games to the lounge. I might even downsize the main PC, keep it simple.

Would a NAS suit my situation? Or an updated lounge PC build that could be always on and have all of my media on it for my laptop and PC to access?

I know little about networking, copying files from my main PC to the lounge PC often maxes at 8mb/s which seems slow if I was to use a NAS which Kodi would be using as a library?
Using homeplugs and a Sky Superhub so not sure what the bottleneck is or if this means it wouldn't be worth exploring the NAS option without upgrading the router?

Just looking for ideas as I know nothing about NAS's, networks and centralising media.

:)
David
 
I seem to have exactly the same problem as you.

I'm a multiplayer gamer. If no one is on or fancy's playing anything I just get bored. So most of the time don't even bother sitting at my pc unless someone messages me.

Been pondering the idea of getting a laptop for casual League of Legends and stuff but then I just think I'm being lazy for not sitting at my desk.
 
Do you still want to have the power of the lounge pc for playing the odd game etc?
If not then this is what I would do;

Buy a HP MicroServer, can be packed with TB's of your media and files. Uses very little power so leave it on 24/7 and every device you can think of can stream and backup etc to it!

Buy a Raspberry Pi 2 or Amazon Fire TV and install Kodi, connect it to the HP and BOOM!. All your media and files available to be streamed.

I would keep your main PC to use for all your gaming etc.

How does that sound?
 
Any ideas on my home network speeds? does max 8mb/s sound about right? I'm guessing my Sky hub is the bottleneck. My Internet speed is 20mb/s though.

I seem to have exactly the same problem as you.

I'm a multiplayer gamer. If no one is on or fancy's playing anything I just get bored. So most of the time don't even bother sitting at my pc unless someone messages me.

Been pondering the idea of getting a laptop for casual League of Legends and stuff but then I just think I'm being lazy for not sitting at my desk.

Similiar, I think I just like the idea of the lounge, especially with guests, a few fun games and accessing all my music.


Don't really have one at present as i'm just researching solutions rather than an actual build or NAS (whatever it may be).

Do you still want to have the power of the lounge pc for playing the odd game etc?
If not then this is what I would do;

Buy a HP MicroServer, can be packed with TB's of your media and files. Uses very little power so leave it on 24/7 and every device you can think of can stream and backup etc to it!

Buy a Raspberry Pi 2 or Amazon Fire TV and install Kodi, connect it to the HP and BOOM!. All your media and files available to be streamed.

I would keep your main PC to use for all your gaming etc.

How does that sound?

So a HP microserver is more a PC than a NAS as you can connect things?

Would that solution still work with Steam Streaming?
 
Yeah the HP Microserver is more PC hardware. I know people in the past have put low power graphics card in to help with playing media. You can install Windows if you like to keep both the NAS capabilities as well as being able to play games.
I don't know anything about Steam streaming but may be worth doing some research into.
 
Well my main problem at the moment is understanding my home network, the speeds seem awful yet I'll probably want to go in the route of getting a NAS to centralise my media but surely wouldn't work well with transfer speeds of max 8mb/s?

The ability to stream steam games from the main pc is a must. The current lounge pc seems to pull it off but its the other components and media aspect of the situation I want ideas on.
 
The sky hub is uber sheissen. I used to use one before switching provider. 10/100 is quite poor these days.

I got over the problem by using two gigabit network switches and connecting everything through those as an internal network.
 
The sky hub is uber sheissen. I used to use one before switching provider. 10/100 is quite poor these days.

I got over the problem by using two gigabit network switches and connecting everything through those as an internal network.

So would you say the hub is definately a problem? I know nothing about LAN or gigabit switches so wouldn't mind having a few pointers..
 
I have an old PC I put into a rack case and put that under the stairs. It has all music and films on it. I run Plex as it seemed easier to set up than XBMC at the time. House is wired with Cat6.

I have another old PC under the TV which serves Plex media and allows me the odd look on the net. My TV is "smart" so throwing Youtube stuff just goes from my phone.

My desk PC is for everything else and gaming - I'm hoping the Steam Link will turn out good and I'll use that under the TV.
 
Bit of a bump.

I've moved back home with the folks for a bit so saving money and also have got away from Sky so instead now have a Virgin superhub.

To utilise a NAS I really need a gigabit network?
Can I just get a gigabit switch and everything will be as it is usually but faster?
 
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