What spec for media / TV server

wonder_lander · 17 Mar 2012 at 21:49

I'm currently running an HP ML115 server with 4GB Ram and a quad core AMD Opteron 1352 @ 2.1GHZ. (Running windows home server 2011)

I'm hitting an issue with the cpu hitting 100% when decrypting 2 or more encrypted TV channels so it's time to look at upgrading the server. Server is running a quad tuner DVB-S2 tuner (PCIe) if that matters!

As I've had the server 3 or 4 years I'm assuming that I should be able to get something 3 or 4 times "better/quicker"?

Also the server is on 24/7 so power consumption should be considered! What do you guys recommend I go for in the way of CPU, Mobo and RAM?

jamesfreddie · 17 Mar 2012 at 22:49

YOUR BASKET
1 x Intel Core i5-2500K 3.30GHz (Sandybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor - Retail £175.99
1 x Gigabyte Z68AP-D3 Intel Z68 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Motherboard REV 1 £84.98
1 x Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit (BLS2CP4G3D1609DS1S00CEU) £31.19
Total : £303.56 (includes shipping : £9.50).

If you need any lower power consumption you can underclock +/or undervolt the CPU.

However with speedstep enabled it will under clock and under volt.

Or

You could go with a i3.

YOUR BASKET
1 x Intel Core i3-2120 3.30GHz (Sandybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor - Retail £93.59
1 x Gigabyte Z68AP-D3 Intel Z68 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Motherboard REV 1 £84.98
1 x Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit (BLS2CP4G3D1609DS1S00CEU) £31.19
Total : £221.16 (includes shipping : £9.50).

stulid · 17 Mar 2012 at 22:56

Again, important questions havent been asked before specing parts.

• Does your case take a ATX motherboard?
• Are all your drives SATA?
• What PSU do you have?
• Budget?
• Do you have a GFX card or hope to use the onboard solution of a motherboard?

wonder_lander · 17 Mar 2012 at 22:57

Not got a case, yes all hard drives are SATA and not got a PSU.

Just trying to work out what should be at the core of the system then will look to build around it with an appropriate case / psu.

jamesfreddie · 17 Mar 2012 at 22:58

wonder_lander said:
Not got a case, yes all hard drives are SATA and not got a PSU.

Just trying to work out what should be at the core of the system then will look to build around it with an appropriate case / psu.

How many drives do you have?

Do you have a RAID card?

stulid · 17 Mar 2012 at 22:59

wonder_lander said:
Not got a case, yes all hard drives are SATA and not got a PSU.

Just trying to work out what should be at the core of the system then will look to build around it with an appropriate case / psu.

You connect to a monitor? what inputs does it have? or do you have a PCi-E GFX card? or is it just straight to a HDTV?

wonder_lander · 17 Mar 2012 at 23:00

I've got 5 drives, with WHS handling the backups between them. There is no raid and I have no need for it atm.

This is a headless server so just basic onboard graphics would be fine.

jamesfreddie · 17 Mar 2012 at 23:01

wonder_lander said:
I've got 5 drives, with WHS handling the backups between them. There is no raid and I have no need for it atm.

This is a headless server so just basic onboard graphics would be fine.

But WHS 2011 does not have drive pooling, So how does it handle the backups between drives.

wonder_lander · 17 Mar 2012 at 23:05

We are going slightly off topic here but drive pooling != backups.

I have a drive for instance with my photos and music on and this is scheduled to backup to another hard drive. Same for Movies / TV etc.

Subliminal Aura · 17 Mar 2012 at 23:05

Interesting... How are you hitting 100% ? Are you restreaming ?

jamesfreddie · 17 Mar 2012 at 23:06

wonder_lander said:
We are going slightly off topic here but drive pooling != backups.

I have a drive for instance with my photos and music on and this is scheduled to backup to another hard drive. Same for Movies / TV etc.

OK

What do you think about my specs?

wonder_lander · 17 Mar 2012 at 23:06

Subliminal Aura said:
Interesting... How are you hitting 100% ? Are you restreaming ?

I'm using DVBLogic and ACAMD and the combination of these two is bringing the CPU to its knees!

wonder_lander · 17 Mar 2012 at 23:08

jamesfreddie said:
OK

What do you think about my specs?

Both sound reasonable so am going to investigate other people running those processors to see how they perform.

As my current CPU is AMD is there an AMD alternative to the Intel?

Subliminal Aura · 17 Mar 2012 at 23:09

wonder_lander said:
I'm using DVBLogic and ACAMD and the combination of these two is bringing the CPU to its knees!

Christ! Your CPU is not really a slouch either.

Bump up to a 2500k for 3 times more headroom but power consumption is out of the question. Might be possible with a 2120 but I'll google it for you

wonder_lander said:
As my current CPU is AMD is there an AMD alternative to the Intel?

Intel is top dog at the moment I'm afraid

jamesfreddie · 17 Mar 2012 at 23:11

Subliminal Aura said:
Christ! Your CPU is not really a slouch either.

Bump up to a 2500k for 3 times more headroom but power consumption is out of the question. Might be possible with a 2120 but I'll google it for you

Intel is top dog at the moment I'm afraid

The i5 won't use that much when it has speedsteped down.

jamesfreddie · 17 Mar 2012 at 23:12

You could look at this i5 it is only 35 Watts TDP

http://ark.intel.com/products/53448/Intel-Core-i5-2390T-Processor-(3M-Cache-2_70-GHz)

wonder_lander · 17 Mar 2012 at 23:12

If I look to source these parts from the members market would you still suggest the same items?

wonder_lander · 17 Mar 2012 at 23:14

Subliminal Aura said:
Christ! Your CPU is not really a slouch either.

Would more RAM help things? The server seems to be consuming 3GB of the 4GB when running.

jamesfreddie · 17 Mar 2012 at 23:16

wonder_lander said:
If I look to source these parts from the members market would you still suggest the same items?

Yes.

But i doubt you will get 8GB ram that cheap.

Or get a i5 2500k, however if you look around you might find a i5 2500 non K where somebody has upgraded

Subliminal Aura · 17 Mar 2012 at 23:19

jamesfreddie said:
The i5 won't use that much when it has speedsteped down.

True, my own personal energy target for a 24/7 machine is kind of strict ~ 20W idle so we're out of that territory

wonder_lander said:
Would more RAM help things? The server seems to be consuming 3GB of the 4GB when running.

Nope, just having a google and looking at this thread...

http://dvblogic.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=39248

Seems like you're just throwing hardware at a software problem. You might be able to get away with it but in all fairness i5+ CPUs seems overkill for this type of system.

Probably suggest you take a look at working out why this software is hammering your CPU