T.I.B III, evolution not revolution

My first contact with Media Portal was in begin 2008. In November 2009 I presented my first configuration Multiseat setup Media Server / Mini-iTX Client, and year of operation as it introduced the Another ION HTPC - T.I.B. It was confirmed that I was on the right way and so in May 2010 I drew on experience from the operation of the T.I.B. during facelift T.I.B. II - ION HTPC Client + Media Server. Another year has passed and so I start looking for T.I.B. III.

First, I'd likely have to answer the question, what is TIB? T.I.B. Three in Black. Which three will certainly ask about ... Not three but four. Like the Three Musketeers are T.I.B. actually four:¨

• Televison
• Remote
• Client
• Server

Few T.I.B. II pictures:

TV Samsung N40, remote control Logitech Harmony One and Client's DVD unit...


Client normally is hidden behind the books...


And as the last Server, located at the corner of my office room...


T.I.B. II works quite reliably even when I use Media Portal 1.2.0 Beta. Along with the Black Glass skin has a very high WAF (Wife Acceptable Factor), so it got used to the whole family. Several minor problems, but found. And that's why I start to think about changing to T.I.B. III. Specifically:

• Client's performance - GPU ION works perfect, HD contents plays without any problem. But I miss perfomance by other operations - large Moving Pictures, TVSeries or Music databases, HD skin content, backdrops, Web browser functions and many others, wherever ION not helping and Atom 330 is a challenge to its limits.
• Server is to big and has a big consumption. I'm planing change my office room design and I wish some more subtle solution.

T.I.B. III specification

Current technologies offer excellent solutions to my requirements. If I summarize, I need and want:

• Client motherboard format Mini-ITX
• Client solution must past to M350 case - like T.I.B. II Client
• Server motherboard format Mini-ITX or Mini-DTX
• Consumption minimize
• ...

So far, just look around. First probably change my client, so it is now a priority for me to find the optimal HW Client. Server will deal with later. My first conclusions:

Client configuration:

HW:
Case: M350
PSU: Pico PSU 120W
MoBo: Mini-iTX, Intel 1155 or AMD Llano (with Mini PCIe)
Proc: Intel i3 (i5) or AMD Llano
RAM: DDR III >1300MHz 2x2GB
HDD: SSD Mini PCIe/SATA >32GB
DVD or BR: Slim, Slot-in SATA

SW:
Windows 7 (current from T.I.B. II)
latest Media Portal Client
Event Ghost

Server configuration:

HW:
Case: NAS kind for Mini-ITX od Mini-DTX with space for 1 or 2 PCIe card, external 4xSATA 3,5" HDD, internal 1 or 2 2,5" HDD
PSU: Case proprietary PSU or Pico PSU?
MoBo: Mini-iTX, Intel 1155 or AMD Llano (with Mini PCIe)
Proc: Intel i3 (i5) or AMD Llano
RAM: DDR III >1300MHz 2x4GB
HDD System: SSD Mini PCIe/SATA >32GB
HDD Recording and Timeshifting: 1 or 2 2,5" (SSD) HDD
HDD Data: 4x SATA 3,5" >3TB (my favorit is Green Power WD)
TV Card: 1x Double DVB-T 2x single DVB-T

SW:
Windows XP Pro (current from T.I.B. II) later Windows 7 or WHS
latest Media Portal Server
MCEBuddy
Torrent client
Download agent
WebServer
...

Here are my current favorits:

• Client Mobo: Zotac H61. Wifi will go away, instead Mini PCIe SSD. H61 has 3+1 SATA lines - I do not need any. Max TDP 95W - It is fully sufficient.
• Server Mobo: Zotac H67. Wifi will go away, instead Mini PCIe SSD. H67 has 6+1 SATA lines - For case with 1 internal and 4 external HDD (CFI A7879 - see bellow) is enough. For case 1 + 6 (like Fractal Design - see bellow) on one disk does not get.
• Client processor cooler, must fit to Mini-ITX MoBo and Case M350. Here is very nice one GELID Slim Silence i-Plus.
• Server case, perfect meet my requirements (excluding 2x internal HDD) CFI A7879
• Another server cases from Fractal Design, two kinds, first fits Mini-ITX and second Mini-DTX. BTW Fractal Desing case I love very well but the price is twice higher then CFI. On the other hand, this value corresponds - design, quality, number of extension card and discs. Here is producer's info about Mini-DTX version.
• ...

Welcome your ideas, including critical

JiRo.

And finally some pictures for inspiration: