HTPC & Server?

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Foz2001

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Aug 25, 2001
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Hi Guys

I would like to build a HTPC/Server.

What I would like this to do:
- Play Media to my HDTV (will be hooked up directly via HDMI)
- Store Media
- Backup of files from all devices
- Ability to remote into it
- Future ability to add security cameras and be able to view them remotely.

I have the following parts:

Router - Asus RT-N66U

System 1:
Intel Pentium G630 CPU
BIOSTAR TH61ITX+RCH LGA 1155 Intel H61 mITX Motherboard
G.Skill F3-10666CL9S-2GBNT 4GB DDR3 1333 RAM
120W Mini ITX Power Supply Kit PicoPSU 120


and/or

System 2:
GA 965P-DS3 rev 3.3
Intel E6400
OCZ Gold DDR2-800 4X1GB
XFX 8800GT 512
Required: PSU

I would still need an operating system for either (I actually have Vista 64bit, however not sure I should use that?). This machine is in a basement room, not overly concerned with noise/temperature as it's cool down there. I am concerned about energy costs having a full PC running all the time, would like to minimize this cost as best as possible.

What are my options here? Should I combine the two or split them up?

Thanks for any help.
 
The G630 is very similar to what I have as my main HTPC. It runs very cool/quiet. Vista isn't a bad OS, especially if it comes with Windows Media Center. XBMC is also a good option. Add a small SSD and you're in business.

What you haven't identified is storage - if you're going to run a RAID array, you're going to need a RAID card or an OS that can do software RAID. Cheapest would be a version of Linux. A storage array needs very little CPU power and can run on very modest hardware as long as it has enough SATA ports. The 120w PicoPSU isn't enough for alot of drives so putting more than 1 or 2 mechanical drives on it is asking for trouble.

I'd recommend a low power NAS or Atom based mobo if you're building a storage array - long term power savings will make up for the initial costs.
 
Thanks Fenris.

I do have various hard drives, and will most likely utilize a RAID setup in the future.

So I shouldn't be combining these two due to energy considerations?
 
You could go with a version of Linux (IDK if XBMC lets you make software RAID arrays, I'm more familiar with Windows Server), but the mobo only has 4 SATA ports, so with one used for the OS, that only leaves three. You could go with a dedicated SATA card to increase your ports, but a hardware RAID card will cost $$$. Maybe you could find one on ebay or the FS/FT forums, but they're still pricy. The PicoPSU also may not handle four (or more) drives, depending on what kind they are.

If the Pico can handle the drives, one cool option could be to run a virtual machine server (VM ware or Hyper V) and run a Windows Vista VM for the HTPC portion and a Linux VM for the file server. This really isn't as difficult as it sounds, in fact it's pretty easy. You could maybe stagger the spin up time of the drives to make life easier on the PSU as well.
 
Not a good idea to combine all of that stuff into one box. Typically application servers are separate from storage.

With video footage, movie storage, plus file back up (and I assume you'll be backing up this server as well) you'll be back reassessing the build in no time.
 
File server and HTPC should be fine on one machine. Security cameras and related storage should be a separate machine. As long as your file backup is at a different time than your HTPC usage, bandwidth shouldn't be an issue. What's your backup plan for this server? Re-ripping terrabytes of movies isn't fun to re-do. Personally, I use Crashplan. It took me 6 months to backup and one month to restore when I had a failure, but that was faster than re-doing 5 years of ripping.
 
Since you've got the hardware, I'd build a server (with system2) and separate htpc (with system1). Think that'll make you much happier. Vista's fine for the htpc...there are lots of options for the server. Personally...I'm still running whs2011.
 
I was trying to give him the best option for conserving power and saving money - the older Socket 775 with the 8800 isn't very efficient an would need a new PSU.
 
So I ended up getting a corsair cx430m.

I am now inclined to go the two system route...

My next obstacle is the fact my onboard NIC on the gigabyte mobo is shot. Any recommendations for a cheap NIC card I should be using in a server?

Thanks
 
Unless you have an enterprise quality network switch or run an OS like Win Server 20xx, it won't make a difference. I personally prefer Intel brand cards, but just about anything Gig-E should work well enough (or at least as well as the built-in one originally worked).
 
Yep...+1 to what Fenris wrote. I'd just grab the cheapest intel gigabit nic you can find and be done with it. I use them on a few of the pc's here at home...no problems.

Good choice on going the 2 build route!
 
Foz2001 said:
So I ended up getting a corsair cx430m.

I am now inclined to go the two system route...

My next obstacle is the fact my onboard NIC on the gigabyte mobo is shot. Any recommendations for a cheap NIC card I should be using in a server?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Like the others, I highly recommend an Intel NIC. Specifically this one:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CY0P7G/?tag=extension-kb-20

With that said, if the NIC on your mobo is shot, there's a good chance that the rest of the motherboard may end up dying later on.So it may not be a good idea to keep using that mobo for your server.
 
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Suggestions on a mobo/CPU/ram combo for the server if I go the replacement route?
 
Have you decided how you will perform the raid? I think that will determine the hardware specs.
 
I am very new to RAID and servers in general, based on my knowledge I think I will just go with a RAID 1 with 2 sets of 2 drives.

I will most likely have a couple extra drives that I would like hooked up as well. So total would max out at 6.

Edit: It also looks like it may be important to know if I would be transcoding from this server. Although it would be nice, I doubt I would justify spending the extra on CPU horsepower.


My thoughts as of right now are have an htpc running wmc as I would like to add a tv tuner to it eventually and from my understanding wmc is good for this. The server would then store media with redudency/backup/auto download torrents.

I am getting overwhelmed with the amount of options for the server in terms of software as well. I am a noob when it comes to this so something user friendly and can do the above would be great.
 
Last edited:
Foz2001 said:
Suggestions on a mobo/CPU/ram combo for the server if I go the replacement route?
Click to expand...

I'd recommend this:
$105 - AMD A8-6800K APU
$88 - Gigabyte GA-F2A88X-D3H AMD A88X FM2+ ATX MOtherboard
$75 - Corsair CMV8GX3M1A1600C11 8GB DDR3 1600 RAM
----
Total: $268 shipped.

Quad-core, 8GB of RAM, and has 8 SATA ports. So plenty of room to grow.
 
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Personally, I'd go with a dedicated NAS box as my first choice. Alternately, a modern Celeron and appropriate mobo and use a version of Linux to do a software RAID 5.
 
Price wise both solutions will be similar. Only difference is with a dedicated machine it may be more complicated. Obviously that offers a lot more performance and growth but is it necessary.
 
Consider remoting the HTPC as a media server and using a player. You won't want to down the main house TV while tweaking the media server and/or NAS box if you have more than yourself in the house.

Big departure from your original topography but I believe its more practical with 'others' involved.
 
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