Buy Or Build A Media Server

I've taken the approach of NOT putting all of this into a single "server".

In particular, I want the *appliance* to be unobtrusive (not a box sitting someplace with fans whirring and BTUs heating up a closet, etc.). I *don't* want a "computer" repurposed as a "media server" any more than I want to watch TV on a PC, etc. (an appliance is an *appliance*!)

I stress the "unobtrusive" nature -- I don't even want an STB (and associated cabling) cluttering up the place!

Addressing your comments in a different order:

Network connectivity is a given. You have to decide how many concurrent clients you want to support in order to determine bandwidth, latency, etc. issues. As well as the processing power needed in the media head.

I've opted to do away with transcoding -- pick a format(s). and keep everything *in* that format(s). This cuts down on processing requirements at "play time".

Being able to rip a DVD/CD means you need convenient access to that box. I.e., the box is now "obtrusive". And, it needs a fancy user interface (are you planning on telling the box *how* to rip the disc, what to title each track, whether to strip out "other language tracks", etc. from your "menu remote"??). Let something *else* be used to get media into the "server" (e.g., are you going to use your remote to visit iTunes store, purchase and download songs, etc.??)

[media server is geared toward *picking* things from a list of choices; not more general user input activities]

Instead of handling "N" inputs (video or audio), I prefer an architecture that handles *one* input and makes it available to the network. If you want *two*, use two of them. Otherwise, you will eventually decide you want/need "just one more" and either won't be able to support it architecturally *or* will find yourself paying far more for that feature than it is proportionately worth.

The "build your own" approach will typically result in a mangled PC sitting someplace making noise, wasting power, etc.

24/7. If it works for *you*...

I've opted for a (RF) wireless remote. In particular, WiFi enabled PDAs talking to a web-based interface (from the media server). These are small and portable -- the size of a typical "IR remote". One drawback is the fact that you can't just point it at *the* screen and implicitly tell the system "that's what I want to control" (which you can do with an IR remote).

OTOH, this is also an asset. It, for example, lets you walk into another room and command the system to have your audio (or video) programming "follow you" there.

My advice: think *really* hard about what you want. If you just want a toy, get a spare PC and hack together whatever features you want (or, that you can steal from other folks' work -- if you are incapable of that level of development expertice). WHEN YOU GET TIRED OF IT, you will have lost very little -- besides time.

If you don't have the time to spare, *buy* something and live with its limitations (buy *two* if one doesn't support the "N" you desire).

Wait for the next holiday season. Maybe someone will have something closer to what you want.

look at

You can record ATSC and burn it to dvd. Requires a turner card like wintv. The conversion to dvd was slow in earlier releases, maybe the fixed that. Supports the Wintv remote. But forget about the audio sources.

Cheers

I've pretty much concluded going the opposite way. We have 9 video and audio boxes in our family room. A do-it-all box will reduce that to 4 1/2 (DVR gets reduced to a decoder box). I am a woodworker so hiding it in a pretty box is an option.

Overcomplicating it. Plug in a dongle and let the OS take care of it.

On further thinking about it - if the server becomes the CD player and I plug an FM card into it that leaves only the turntable as a frequently used audio source. If I need something else I can always swap cables.

Noise and power true. A "green" PC with partial or full power down might be acceptable. Moving some functions from my power hungry desktop might be a gain,.

I won't start on the server until my PDP-1 is done. Maybe by then.

Thanks for your input, Gary

I plan on having *none* in *any* room of the house! (I'm hiding them all inside 1G J-boxes) The only evidence will be the audio/video cables snaking up to the TV, speakers, etc.

Huh? If you want to feed N different audio and video streams concurrently, there's no "dongle" that's going to solve that bandwidth/processing issue for you -- short of "yet another server".

Move all of the vinyl to MP3's. Whenever you "listen" to an LP (45, 78, etc), route a copy of the data stream off to permanent media, someplace. Put a sticker on the LP indicating "never need to play this again".

Or, bite the bullet and do them all "batch" style.

Screw all of that 'digitize this' and digitize that' crap.

I just DL ANY video I want ALREADY done up.

If I want the recent Warehouse13, I DL it. Why waste my time trying to grab and 'digitize' it, when there are folks out there that already have.

Hell, it is hard to name a video, film, etc. that cannot be found out there in a file already.

So, *my* "media server" is nothing more than an Acer Revo "nettop" computer that was $200 ($350 after the upgrades).

I upgraded it to 4GB RAM and put a 7200 rpm laptop drive in it, and then split that drive up and put XBMC on the new partition.

So If I want a real media server, I watch the XBMC (Linux) boot, which is a real nice media server device in itself, OR I boot the Windows XP, and run the Power DVD that came with my BluRay/HD-DVD/DVD player if I want to watch a movie.

That save me the price of a stand alone, single function player, and this little PC is cool!

I drilled out all the vent holes in it and it runs 10 degrees cooler now.

Here is all the upgrades I did to make it faster, cooler, and capable of doing the task.

The photos show a solid state drive being used, but I went back to the

7200 rpm drive at 320GB. I almost got the 500GB job. That doesn't matter though, since it has eSATA and USB ports, and works just fine that way too.

XBMC is better than windows in many ways. Mainly how it starts up and shuts down within seconds of making that choice.

The XP seems pretty solid too. I still kept the recovery partition in place though.

It is also small enough to mount onto the VESA bracket on the rear of most modern FPDs these days too.

Archi, Archi...you stupid, ignorant THIEF. Mind you, I'm not surprised, you're just a reflection of your parent's morals.

While we're here, WHY do you need 90+ Usenet identities when the vast majority of the other users can get by with ONE?

mike

The Apple Mac Mini is possibly the best option. Small, silent, attractive, low-power (current model uses 10W), available 2nd hand for little $. Plug in an external TB USB drive with auto powerdown, and a dual-channel DTV receiver, and perhaps one or two Behringer UCA202's for audio in/out, hardware done for $600. That's how I plan to roll, anyhow.

Choice of operating systems, BTW, you don't have to run OSX.

Clifford Heath.

Go back and look, you top posting, Usenet idiot. I WAS posting about the topic, HE was doing nothing more than his typical stalking baby bullshit.

That is why his mother is a criminal, and why he is known as SCAT in the hat!

How's that 1080p working in the mac mini?

Wait for the DLink Boxee box.

If Apple is the solution, it must be a really funny question.

My Acer Revo with XBMC is pretty nice. Nothin' special, but the price was right.

Your comment is not what I hear from fanboi extraordinaire Leo Laporte.

Just fine. Standard HDMI cable, up to 1920x1200 res. Run dual screen if you want, 2560x1600 on the DisplayPort. I don't care about brands, I think I have one of everything, but for what the OP requested, the mini is a good option.

On a sunny day (Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:35:59 -0700 (PDT)) it happened " snipped-for-privacy@sushi.com" wrote in :

Exactly. Jobs was (is?) a great salesman. Many years ago I did some project for a movie company that used one of the early Apple computers to control some camera movement. They were like hypnotised by Apple, almost bowed to that thing. Mac mini is way too expensive for what it can do, too little for the heat it generates, not expandable in a real way. Get a 50$ mobo, 50$ case, 50$ supply, 50$ RAM, 50$ harddisk, 50$ processor, some

50$ PCI[e] cards, and a 50$ DVD burner. Makes eeeeeeeehhh 10 x 50$ = ? Most onboard graphics chipsets these day can do 1080p. And if something breaks down, it costs no more then 50$ to replace that part. Plus a screwdriver if you do not have one.

I top posted for a reason. If you go back a look at the message quoted there was no point in giving it precedence by bottom posting.

Gary

e early Apple

it generates, not expandable in a real way.

r, some 50$ PCI[e] cards, and a 50$ DVD burner.

art.

I still think the server in one room and the stripped down HTPC in another room is the way to go. I do this now with the Logitech Squeezebox for music.

D-Link's Boxee should do the trick. There is also the Shuttle XS35 coming on line soon. I'd really like the box in the living room to be diskless and fanless.

One of my linux boxes runs on the Asus M3n78 mobo that does HD via graphics on the mobo. I chartered this box to be low power, so I opted for on-board graphics.

On a sunny day (Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:24:46 -0700 (PDT)) it happened " snipped-for-privacy@sushi.com" wrote in :

Yes, one can wonder though, with capable netbooks at 300$, if you may not just as well buy a netbook for each room, and send the data via WiFi as .ts or .mpg. That is what I do, and then you have an extra screen on top of that.

Actually there are a few mobos on the market with Atom processor that use passive cooling. I posted a link to one here for Joerg long time ago.

It sure is an impressive mobo, lots of PCI slots.

One thing I overlooked was on-screen schedule. With our DVR we can display the schedule and select what to record from that. I don't know if there is a way for a media player to do that. How do any of you handle it?

Gary