Ongoing Overbuilt HTPC system (1 Viewer)

[JSchuricht]

Been working on getting a HTPC system up for many years, but never found the right combination of software and hardware to do everything. The time has come for my build, and here is what I have so far.

Client 1 (hardware finished, customizing software)
Name: HTPC1
Case: CAI 4U EATX Rackmount chassis
PSU: PC Power and Cooling PPCS500 500w
MB: Intel DG45ID
CPU: Intel Q8200 2.33GHz quad core
RAM: 2X 2GB Kingston DDR2 800
Optical: LG 22X DVD SATA
HDD: 100GB 7200RPM Seagate 2.5"
Network: 1Gb
OS: Vista ultimate X64
I/O: Logitech DiNovo Mini
Monitor: Sony KF-50WE610 (50" LCD RPTV 720p)
Reciever: Kenwood VR4090B
Amplifiers X5: Kenwood KM-X1000
Front speakers: M&K S150
Rear speakers: M&K SS150
Sub: M&K MX350

Storage/DNS/DHCP Server (finished)
Name: BT1
Case: Supermicro SC846E1 (4U, redundant 900w PSU, SAS expander backplane)
MB: Supermicro X7DWN+
CPU: 2X Intel Xeon E5420 (2.5GHz quadcore @ 3.0Ghz)
RAM: 4X 2GB FBDDR2 667 Kingston
Optical: none
HDD: 2X 150GB Western Digital Raptor RAID 1
HDD: 6X 500GB Western Digital RE RAID 5
HDD: 14X 1TB Western Digital RE2 RAID 6
Network: 2X 1Gb bonded
OS: Windows Server 2008 X64
I/O: Supermicro IPMI 2 remote management card

TV Server (needs tuner Hauppauge 2250??, install HDD and load software)
Name: TBD
Case: CAI 4U EATX Rackmount chassis
MB: Supermicro PDSME
CPU: Intel Pentium D 820
RAM: 2X DDR2 667
Optical: LG 22X DVD SATA
HDD: TBD
Network: 2X 1Gb bonded
OS: Windows Server 2008 X64

 

[Bagal]

HDD: 6X 500GB Western Digital RE RAID 5
HDD: 14X 1TB Western Digital RE2 RAID 6

Nice!

 

[Marcusb]

Just bear in mind that there may be some work required to get the TV server to record to network storage. I think it is a matter of rights. the TV service needs to be able to write to network files and by default the service doesn't have network access. Just something to remember if you have issues.

I know it's not recommended to install TV Server on a server OS, but it seems a waste to have a second server running to record shows to the first server.
You could two servers into one if you think that wouldn't put too much strain on it. I doubt it would thouh.

Marcus.

 

[JSchuricht]

The separate server for TV is mainly for stability. I would do it on one system if I could separate the TV functions into a virtual machine, but I doubt I could get a capture card to function properly in an isolated virtual environment. The permission issue for network storage shouldn't be an issue, but if it is I can move to ISCSI which I am about to start experimenting with for remote boot purposes. Hoping to get the HTPC client and TV server to be diskless soon.

 

[eetaylog]

wow that is an impressive setup, especially the specs on your server!

Just bear in mind that there may be some work required to get the TV server to record to network storage. I think it is a matter of rights. the TV service needs to be able to write to network files and by default the service doesn't have network access. Just something to remember if you have issues.

Marcus.

so are yousaying that its not recommended to install a TV card in a server, for streaming to various clients on a network? is it better to have a tuner in each client?

i currently have a server running XP that handles all my media files (films, music & photos) over a wired network, but i was thinking of installing a tv card into it soon, so that i can add a second client in my house that shares a tuner over the network.

 

[JSchuricht]

I believe he is referring to the TV server saving data to a network share rather than a local drive.

 

[eetaylog]

right, so if i put a tv card in a server, there wont be problems saving recordings to the server, and the clients could then access tv recordings remotely?

 

[JSchuricht]

That's my understanding of it. Good luck.

 

[Lotsofjazz]

wow that is an impressive setup, especially the specs on your server!

Just bear in mind that there may be some work required to get the TV server to record to network storage. I think it is a matter of rights. the TV service needs to be able to write to network files and by default the service doesn't have network access. Just something to remember if you have issues.

Marcus.

so are yousaying that its not recommended to install a TV card in a server, for streaming to various clients on a network? is it better to have a tuner in each client?

i currently have a server running XP that handles all my media files (films, music & photos) over a wired network, but i was thinking of installing a tv card into it soon, so that i can add a second client in my house that shares a tuner over the network.

No, what Marcush means is that the TV server with TV cards is on one PC and connected to another 'storage' PC using the network.. This might cause read/write(timeshift, recording) problems from the TV server to the storage PC because the TV server might not have the rights to do so.. but he allready said that will not be a problem.

Its a pretty hefty system JSchuricht has, I wonder what his goal is to have such an overkill, what is the need to have 17000GB of storage?, why would you need 2x Xeon Quad cores in one server?. If this is only for Mediaportal with one client, One TV server and One storage server..to me it seems like wasting a lot of money...

@JSchuricht: You must have other things in mind, beside mediaportal, right? Like Raw HD Video edditing or something, 3D design studio with Autodesk Inventor or whatever.. and just playing with mediaportal as a sidestep to that.. right?

Lots

 

[JSchuricht]

I just don't like waiting around on slow systems. It is also the reliability factor, I generally have less headaches when running quality hardware.

My old server was a dual 1GHz PIII running on a Supermicro 370DE6 w/ 8 120GB Westerndigital SE drives. It served me for many years, running 24/7 but it was just a dog. 64/33 bus for the RAID controller and 64/66 for the dual port Pro 1000 NIC and the best I could sustain was 30MB/s over TCPIP. With the new server, I can max out the bonded Gigabit NIC's. Space has always been an issue for me, currently I have just under 1TB free on the new system and I haven't even started to rip my 3000 DVD's. True, 8x 2.5GHz cores @ 3.0GHz and support for 128GB RAM is a bit overkill for a server primarily used for storage, but I shouldn't be running into any major bottlenecks with speed for a few years. It's not a total waste tho, I am managing over a 9000 RAC on SETI from just the server.