Who has a home server here?
03 March 2010, 02:25 PM
#1
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Who has a home server here?
I've just started buying parts for a home server project.
First round of parts are upgrades to the living room PC. A pre-clocked I3 at 4Ghz with 4GB RAM and a 5770 ATI Card. The card is important as that is what is going to handle the audio for games and movie playback to my AV receiver (TrueHD over a Harmon Kardon AVR255).
I'm actually getting a new case, PSU and a 80GB SSD HD so in effect the living room PC will be more or less all new. The SSD will hold Win7 and whateve apps are required to run the HTPC duties and maybe a game or two. It will have another 500GB HD I have spare for other games and stuff.
The machine in the loft will be housed in an old coolermaster case that has space for lots of HDs so I will fill this up with between 2 and 4TB of space. There is a 2nd PC in the loft at the moment which will be linked but its only used for running my model railway (No joke!)
Our bedroom and daughters bedroom we will probably have WD TV Live boxes. These seem able to stream most things plus HD content - what I'm not sure is if they have an audio output to listen to music in the bedrooms. We could also do with something that can pick up music from the server in the kitchen too.
The living room PC will have Win7 and the server is going to be running Windows Home Server. I'll also be obtaining whatever software is required to rip our DVDs and Blurays onto to the server and any streaming software that might be required.
So, anyone actually done this already? Any tips on setup etc? My biggest concern is that its not too complicated for my wife and daughter to use and its reliable.
First round of parts are upgrades to the living room PC. A pre-clocked I3 at 4Ghz with 4GB RAM and a 5770 ATI Card. The card is important as that is what is going to handle the audio for games and movie playback to my AV receiver (TrueHD over a Harmon Kardon AVR255).
I'm actually getting a new case, PSU and a 80GB SSD HD so in effect the living room PC will be more or less all new. The SSD will hold Win7 and whateve apps are required to run the HTPC duties and maybe a game or two. It will have another 500GB HD I have spare for other games and stuff.
The machine in the loft will be housed in an old coolermaster case that has space for lots of HDs so I will fill this up with between 2 and 4TB of space. There is a 2nd PC in the loft at the moment which will be linked but its only used for running my model railway (No joke!)
Our bedroom and daughters bedroom we will probably have WD TV Live boxes. These seem able to stream most things plus HD content - what I'm not sure is if they have an audio output to listen to music in the bedrooms. We could also do with something that can pick up music from the server in the kitchen too.
The living room PC will have Win7 and the server is going to be running Windows Home Server. I'll also be obtaining whatever software is required to rip our DVDs and Blurays onto to the server and any streaming software that might be required.
So, anyone actually done this already? Any tips on setup etc? My biggest concern is that its not too complicated for my wife and daughter to use and its reliable.
03 March 2010, 03:05 PM
#2
I've done something similar... I have a media centre pc running XP MCE 2005, a win7 laptop, and a vista main pc... All my media sits on a buffalo terastation. I use a registry hack in MCE turning "Play DVD" to "DVD Library."
I use FAB HD decrypter to rip DVD's to the terastation as is, i,e. no compression, and it all works well. Not added a blu ray drive yet, as I believe there might be an issue with ripping Blu Rays.
Using Win7 and SSD's will impress you, they'll fly. Not sure about windows home server though, had friends use it in the past, but they weren't overly keen. We found a NAS worked just as well. Home Server V2 is due to be released some time this year apparently (according to its wiki).
I use FAB HD decrypter to rip DVD's to the terastation as is, i,e. no compression, and it all works well. Not added a blu ray drive yet, as I believe there might be an issue with ripping Blu Rays.
Using Win7 and SSD's will impress you, they'll fly. Not sure about windows home server though, had friends use it in the past, but they weren't overly keen. We found a NAS worked just as well. Home Server V2 is due to be released some time this year apparently (according to its wiki).
03 March 2010, 03:31 PM
#3
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Excellent thanks.
There a few ripping guides for Blurays and it doesn't seem too big an issue. My big fear would be to do all this and end up with movies not streaming in HD to the TVs.
I'll be building this over the next couple of months or so, so will probably po back in here with an update.
There a few ripping guides for Blurays and it doesn't seem too big an issue. My big fear would be to do all this and end up with movies not streaming in HD to the TVs.
I'll be building this over the next couple of months or so, so will probably po back in here with an update.
03 March 2010, 07:20 PM
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I don't actually own a TV (yet) but please update this thread when you have worked it out 
I'll be interested how your setup works.
My servers don't really do any media serving yet and they are forever breaking as it is my lab. I have started to virtualise more on VMware now which might be useful for you to look into? You could then test out different backend systems to find the best one?
I envy you having a loft! Mine is a new build with prefab trusses, it can't hold any weight...
I'll be interested how your setup works.My servers don't really do any media serving yet and they are forever breaking as it is my lab. I have started to virtualise more on VMware now which might be useful for you to look into? You could then test out different backend systems to find the best one?
I envy you having a loft! Mine is a new build with prefab trusses, it can't hold any weight...
04 March 2010, 11:15 AM
#7
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My railway is 19x10 and is built onto the joists rather than putting more weight on the floor. As the proper conversion was going to be £10K+ I chose to chance it - been faffing about up there since 2005 and it hasn't come down yet Our small room is part office so there will be a PC in there to run the hair salon we own. I might put the server in the little room because when I'm not in the loft I don't really like having things left on up there.
Was that with using Windows Home Server? I'm sure it has its limitations but I need something that will share media without complaint to the streamers in the bedrooms.
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04 March 2010, 11:40 AM
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Edd,
Yeah it was Home Server....left a lot to be desired. Basically it MS's Servers OS but on the cheap with bits removed.
Can I ask why you think you need a server to stream media? Or do you intend to just use a desktop PC with a server OS on it?
I don't see any reason why you could not get a simple PC to do this for you.
Do you run a workgroup or a domain?
Dave
Yeah it was Home Server....left a lot to be desired. Basically it MS's Servers OS but on the cheap with bits removed.
Can I ask why you think you need a server to stream media? Or do you intend to just use a desktop PC with a server OS on it?
I don't see any reason why you could not get a simple PC to do this for you.
Do you run a workgroup or a domain?
Dave
04 March 2010, 11:47 AM
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I use Windows Home Server, with the server physically located in the garage. It was in the loft but it gets a bit hot up there during the summer.
My WHS is used primarily to back up the PCs in the house. It does this automatically every night with no user interaction and has saved my bacon many a time. My brother got a spyware/virus the other night, rather than trying to fix it, I chucked in the restore CD and restored the PC from it's previous nights backup. Took about an hour.
Don't know how I'd live without the automatic backup feature now. Especially with a few non-PC literate users in the house.
The WHS is also used to stream media around the house. Primarily to Xbox 360's. This works perfectly, even with one xbox on a wireless connection. All of our videos and TV episodes are stored on the server and I use the duplicate feature in WHS to make sure we store multiple copies of everything for redundancy.
The only thing I wish WHS could do is stream HD content in .mkv files. The Xbox will play them from a memory stick but the media centre part of WHS (media connect I think it's called) doesn't support .mkv files. There are a few options, I could convert them(can't be bothered), I could use Tversity or something to transcode them on the fly (I've tried a couple of these and none are perfect).
Actually it doesn't bother anyone else in the house anyway, and they probably wouldn't stream to the wireless xbox and I use a PC to watch the HD stuff from the server so it's not a huge issue. Hopefully the next version of WHS will have better support.
Yes I could probably use a NAS for the streaming but the backup feature I couldn't live without.
My WHS is used primarily to back up the PCs in the house. It does this automatically every night with no user interaction and has saved my bacon many a time. My brother got a spyware/virus the other night, rather than trying to fix it, I chucked in the restore CD and restored the PC from it's previous nights backup. Took about an hour.
Don't know how I'd live without the automatic backup feature now. Especially with a few non-PC literate users in the house.
The WHS is also used to stream media around the house. Primarily to Xbox 360's. This works perfectly, even with one xbox on a wireless connection. All of our videos and TV episodes are stored on the server and I use the duplicate feature in WHS to make sure we store multiple copies of everything for redundancy.
The only thing I wish WHS could do is stream HD content in .mkv files. The Xbox will play them from a memory stick but the media centre part of WHS (media connect I think it's called) doesn't support .mkv files. There are a few options, I could convert them(can't be bothered), I could use Tversity or something to transcode them on the fly (I've tried a couple of these and none are perfect).
Actually it doesn't bother anyone else in the house anyway, and they probably wouldn't stream to the wireless xbox and I use a PC to watch the HD stuff from the server so it's not a huge issue. Hopefully the next version of WHS will have better support.
Yes I could probably use a NAS for the streaming but the backup feature I couldn't live without.
04 March 2010, 12:18 PM
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You could use something like Symantec Ghost to auto backup from clients to a NAS box.
Just seems a bit of a waste of a server, it does next to nothing other than a file store.......which a NAS is designed for.
I only use a NAS box at home, but I do have a GB HP Procurve network setup, which ensures smooth streaming.
Just seems a bit of a waste of a server, it does next to nothing other than a file store.......which a NAS is designed for.
I only use a NAS box at home, but I do have a GB HP Procurve network setup, which ensures smooth streaming.
04 March 2010, 09:05 PM
#12
Forget Windows server or WMS for home use its a bag of nails.
Take a look at Amahi Home Server - Making Home Networking Simple, install and configure amahi and then install and configure Jinzora - all your audio and video media available in one location. You can also store your media away on your nas, mount the path as an nfs share and away you go. There are also some other decent apps available from amahi. It's a fairtly powerful bit of kit.
Take a look at Amahi Home Server - Making Home Networking Simple, install and configure amahi and then install and configure Jinzora - all your audio and video media available in one location. You can also store your media away on your nas, mount the path as an nfs share and away you go. There are also some other decent apps available from amahi. It's a fairtly powerful bit of kit.
05 March 2010, 12:22 PM
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I don't actually mind what software I use as long as it will work with streamers like WD TV Live.
I might register on the forum and ask about compatibilty with WD TV Live.
I might register on the forum and ask about compatibilty with WD TV Live.
05 March 2010, 05:24 PM
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Edd, some guy on AV forums did his whole house in this fashion. The the members gallery I believe. maybe try hunting it down. Looked impressive.
edit: This was it.
http://www.avforums.com/forums/membe...n-bedroom.html
edit: This was it.
http://www.avforums.com/forums/membe...n-bedroom.html
Last edited by STi wanna Subaru; 05 March 2010 at 05:27 PM.
06 March 2010, 10:18 AM
#15
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I've seen that before - quite an immense setup!
Our TV is on the wall on the breast like that but its not enclosed. I've been thinking about a projector for a while too. I don't want to start hacking the breast to fit wires and suchlike because we still have a back boiler.
My plan is to have a full wireless system so no need to make holes and build fancy enclosures. It would be nice to have it all intergrated into the walls and what not but our house isn't very big and it only just fits 2.5 adults and 2 cats let alone a state of the art AV system.
Yesterday I received the following:-
Intel I3 system pre-clocked to 4GHz
Corsair H50 watercooled CPU cooler (this is likely to be modded so the rad is actually underneath the shelf.
ATI 5770 XFX card
Razor Keyboard and mouse
So thats most of the living room PC sorted. Just need case, PSU and decide waht size SSD I'm going to get.
The living room PC as it is now is going to be taken out of its silverstone HTPC case and put in a coolermaster case I moddified ages ago with additional 120mm fans. The system will be put into the coolermaster case and in there will also go two 1.5TB hard drives. One will back up to the other.
Not sure on OS so we may need two PCs in the our spare room - one as the server and one that we use to run my wifes hair salon. The software required to run my trains isn't too taxing on the loft PC so that can also be connected so I can listen to tunes - need tunes when I'm playing trains.
Before I've got all the parts I need to run the system properly I may get a WD TV now to make sure its going to do what I want it to do. I don't really want PCs in every room (we have enough already!)
Our TV is on the wall on the breast like that but its not enclosed. I've been thinking about a projector for a while too. I don't want to start hacking the breast to fit wires and suchlike because we still have a back boiler.
My plan is to have a full wireless system so no need to make holes and build fancy enclosures. It would be nice to have it all intergrated into the walls and what not but our house isn't very big and it only just fits 2.5 adults and 2 cats let alone a state of the art AV system.
Yesterday I received the following:-
Intel I3 system pre-clocked to 4GHz
Corsair H50 watercooled CPU cooler (this is likely to be modded so the rad is actually underneath the shelf.
ATI 5770 XFX card
Razor Keyboard and mouse
So thats most of the living room PC sorted. Just need case, PSU and decide waht size SSD I'm going to get.
The living room PC as it is now is going to be taken out of its silverstone HTPC case and put in a coolermaster case I moddified ages ago with additional 120mm fans. The system will be put into the coolermaster case and in there will also go two 1.5TB hard drives. One will back up to the other.
Not sure on OS so we may need two PCs in the our spare room - one as the server and one that we use to run my wifes hair salon. The software required to run my trains isn't too taxing on the loft PC so that can also be connected so I can listen to tunes - need tunes when I'm playing trains.
Before I've got all the parts I need to run the system properly I may get a WD TV now to make sure its going to do what I want it to do. I don't really want PCs in every room (we have enough already!)
Last edited by EddScott; 06 March 2010 at 10:19 AM.
11 March 2010, 10:38 AM
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How does this sound for best use of storage?
I have the following:-
128GB SSD
250GB HD
500GB HD X 2
1.5TB HD X2
And am thinking of doing this :-
128SSD in my gaming PC.
500GB X2 in RAID 0 also in the gaming PC.
1.5TB X2 in my home server - one 1.5TB backs up to the other 1.5TB
Keep the 250GB for another PC (I need to build another small PC for the wifes business)
How does this sound?
I also decided to go for Windows Home Server. I've got nearly all the bits now just need a decent router, the cabling (not going to do it wirelessly) and the media players - was going to go for WD TV Live but now these Mede8ter things have just come out so will look into which will be best. Also need a KVM as the server and the business PC will share the same screen/mouse/KB.
I'm even contemplating re-decorating the living room whilst all the AV stuff is being moved about.
I have the following:-
128GB SSD
250GB HD
500GB HD X 2
1.5TB HD X2
And am thinking of doing this :-
128SSD in my gaming PC.
500GB X2 in RAID 0 also in the gaming PC.
1.5TB X2 in my home server - one 1.5TB backs up to the other 1.5TB
Keep the 250GB for another PC (I need to build another small PC for the wifes business)
How does this sound?
I also decided to go for Windows Home Server. I've got nearly all the bits now just need a decent router, the cabling (not going to do it wirelessly) and the media players - was going to go for WD TV Live but now these Mede8ter things have just come out so will look into which will be best. Also need a KVM as the server and the business PC will share the same screen/mouse/KB.
I'm even contemplating re-decorating the living room whilst all the AV stuff is being moved about.
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