Critique this home pc/dvr/media streamer/semi-quiet build
07-03-2012, 09:37 PM
#1
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Critique this home pc/dvr/media streamer/semi-quiet build
Using Newegg sales, have built up the following list of parts for a home pc/media streaming/dvr/etc box.
Thoughts?
Newegg.com - Once You Know, You Newegg
Thoughts?
Newegg.com - Once You Know, You Newegg
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07-03-2012, 10:09 PM
#4
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Thinking i get more space for more drives later and more room for cooling gear if desired. Isn't going to be by the tv, I'll live in the den/office, so size isn't a big deal.
Bigger box, better mobo/cpu also gives me space to grow a gaming rig if desired.
Bigger box, better mobo/cpu also gives me space to grow a gaming rig if desired.
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07-03-2012, 10:35 PM
#6
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I do like that CPU fan. I have the exact same one on my "big" computer- it's utterly silent and seems to do a fine job of actually cooling.
A lot of this rig is massive overkill for a media server. Frankly, recording video just isn't a very demanding task by modern standards. You could cut the RAM / CPU / motherboard budget in half (or less) and redirect that money into more storage space. Depending on how much you think you may be archiving and/or utilizing the torrent scene, hard drive space gets chewed up quickly. Now that I've upgraded my own playout system to support full HD, my 2TB drive is getting pretty close to full.
Also, some personal experience with SSDs. I have owned three of them in total: one Intel, one OCZ, and one Samsung. The Intel and the Samsung have been working flawlessly for 2+ years. The OCZ failed completely after about 6 months with total loss of data.
Again, I'd spend this money differently. If you insist on segregating the boot volume from the data volume, just get the cheapest hard drive you can find as the boot volume and use the leftover money to upgrade the data drive to 2TB.
Also- you have two dual TV tuner cards in that basket. Was that intentional?
Sidebar: consider abandoning cable / antenna TV entirely. I haven't used it in over four years.
A lot of this rig is massive overkill for a media server. Frankly, recording video just isn't a very demanding task by modern standards. You could cut the RAM / CPU / motherboard budget in half (or less) and redirect that money into more storage space. Depending on how much you think you may be archiving and/or utilizing the torrent scene, hard drive space gets chewed up quickly. Now that I've upgraded my own playout system to support full HD, my 2TB drive is getting pretty close to full.
Also, some personal experience with SSDs. I have owned three of them in total: one Intel, one OCZ, and one Samsung. The Intel and the Samsung have been working flawlessly for 2+ years. The OCZ failed completely after about 6 months with total loss of data.
Again, I'd spend this money differently. If you insist on segregating the boot volume from the data volume, just get the cheapest hard drive you can find as the boot volume and use the leftover money to upgrade the data drive to 2TB.
Also- you have two dual TV tuner cards in that basket. Was that intentional?
Sidebar: consider abandoning cable / antenna TV entirely. I haven't used it in over four years.
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07-04-2012, 01:11 AM
#7
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that said, something like an apple tv which does photo video and airplay music stuff could be fun
whats the OP use case?
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07-04-2012, 08:36 AM
#8
I bought a WD box (as suggested by forum members) and haven't looked back. Small, no noise, upgradeable firmware. No need to record anything if you just use torrents and store them on a server. Surfing the web is not possible and youtube streaming is kind of clunky but for $50 you can't beat it for video/mp3/picture streaming. Save your money and a year from now there will be better/cheaper options (as is always the case with technology).
Oh, it chokes on playing .vob files from a DVD. Not something I do very often so it really doesn't matter to me.
Oh, it chokes on playing .vob files from a DVD. Not something I do very often so it really doesn't matter to me.
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07-04-2012, 09:59 AM
#10
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Went overkill on the cpu/ram/mobo so it has room to grow in uses. Isn't going to just be a server. Well become the main house computer, and being a room away... i was aiming for silent running.
Other than that, no missteps here right?
Removed extra tuner card, kept dual one with encoding chips.
will also reconsider the ssd brand, i would just like the fast boot and 0 sound they offer for the main drive.
Other than that, no missteps here right?
Removed extra tuner card, kept dual one with encoding chips.
will also reconsider the ssd brand, i would just like the fast boot and 0 sound they offer for the main drive.
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07-04-2012, 11:14 AM
#12
From https://www.miataturbo.net/gaming-91...r-build-66830/
Or is 7 3.5 and 1 2.5 hard drive not enough hard drives for yo, bro?
I'll link my system I just built. I am extremely happy with it, I did not have high hopes initially, but good god did it ever come together.
Newegg.com - LIAN LI PC-Q25B Black Aluminum Mini-ITX Tower Computer Case
You can get this type of case for as cheap as $40, but I only buy Lian Li due to extremely good experiences with the guys - and this case is unspeakably awesome. I have fit and ran 7 3.5" and 1 2.5" hard drives in it at once!
Newegg.com - CORSAIR Builder Series CX500 V2 500W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
This is an upgrade from my 420w or 430w version of this - I paid $20 for mine ( Newegg.com - CORSAIR Builder Series CX430 V2 (CMPSU-430CXV2) 430W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply ), that one is available for $25 atm. The one I picked up is $5 cheaper right now, but I'd have gone with the first one in a heartbeat if it was on sale at the time.
Newegg.com - AMD A8-3870K Unlocked Llano 3.0GHz Socket FM1 100W Quad-Core Desktop APU (CPU + GPU) with DirectX 11 Graphic AMD Radeon HD 6550D AD3870WNGXBOX
Newegg.com - ASRock A75M-ITX FM1 AMD A75 (Hudson D3) HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Mini ITX AMD Motherboard
Used DDR3 1600 RAM: A few bucks plus cost of shipping.
I'm shocked at the pure awesomeness of this combo. I've had it running Dolphin @ 1080P, some Diablo 3, and you name it. BTW, this includes USB 3.0 integrated into the mobo as well. It's a bit more expensive than your proposed system, but it hits all that you want, and good lord does it ever make me go "OMGWTFYESSSSSSS!" for what I got for my buck.
Total cost of my system, minus a TV Tuner card, came to $278.39* after rebates, promo codes**, etc.. I've had it running everything I've managed to throw at it, including D3 and Dolphin, as well as running as a Linux server/home router/etc. etc. etc., and yet I still can't speak highly enough of it. I am shocked at how great of a deal it was overall.
*: Edited in total cost yo!
**: Disclaimer: This actually took several months to piece together this cheaply for all the right promo codes and deals to hit at once.
Newegg.com - LIAN LI PC-Q25B Black Aluminum Mini-ITX Tower Computer Case
You can get this type of case for as cheap as $40, but I only buy Lian Li due to extremely good experiences with the guys - and this case is unspeakably awesome. I have fit and ran 7 3.5" and 1 2.5" hard drives in it at once!
Newegg.com - CORSAIR Builder Series CX500 V2 500W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
This is an upgrade from my 420w or 430w version of this - I paid $20 for mine ( Newegg.com - CORSAIR Builder Series CX430 V2 (CMPSU-430CXV2) 430W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply ), that one is available for $25 atm. The one I picked up is $5 cheaper right now, but I'd have gone with the first one in a heartbeat if it was on sale at the time.
Newegg.com - AMD A8-3870K Unlocked Llano 3.0GHz Socket FM1 100W Quad-Core Desktop APU (CPU + GPU) with DirectX 11 Graphic AMD Radeon HD 6550D AD3870WNGXBOX
Newegg.com - ASRock A75M-ITX FM1 AMD A75 (Hudson D3) HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Mini ITX AMD Motherboard
Used DDR3 1600 RAM: A few bucks plus cost of shipping.
I'm shocked at the pure awesomeness of this combo. I've had it running Dolphin @ 1080P, some Diablo 3, and you name it. BTW, this includes USB 3.0 integrated into the mobo as well. It's a bit more expensive than your proposed system, but it hits all that you want, and good lord does it ever make me go "OMGWTFYESSSSSSS!" for what I got for my buck.
Total cost of my system, minus a TV Tuner card, came to $278.39* after rebates, promo codes**, etc.. I've had it running everything I've managed to throw at it, including D3 and Dolphin, as well as running as a Linux server/home router/etc. etc. etc., and yet I still can't speak highly enough of it. I am shocked at how great of a deal it was overall.
*: Edited in total cost yo!
**: Disclaimer: This actually took several months to piece together this cheaply for all the right promo codes and deals to hit at once.
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07-04-2012, 08:13 PM
#15
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Its user interface is great. Simple, easy, fast. It's quiet and reliable. And the MCE remote is very well designed, intuitive, and robust.
But it simply doesn't understand the concept of H264 or MKV, which have become the dominant formats today.
If anybody wants to buy an Xbox 360, I have one that I'll never use again. The controller is still in the original wrapping.
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07-05-2012, 12:47 PM
#19
Because the Xbox 360 sucks ***** as a media player.
Its user interface is great. Simple, easy, fast. It's quiet and reliable. And the MCE remote is very well designed, intuitive, and robust.
But it simply doesn't understand the concept of H264 or MKV, which have become the dominant formats today.
If anybody wants to buy an Xbox 360, I have one that I'll never use again. The controller is still in the original wrapping.
Its user interface is great. Simple, easy, fast. It's quiet and reliable. And the MCE remote is very well designed, intuitive, and robust.
But it simply doesn't understand the concept of H264 or MKV, which have become the dominant formats today.
If anybody wants to buy an Xbox 360, I have one that I'll never use again. The controller is still in the original wrapping.
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07-05-2012, 12:48 PM
#20
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To be quite honest, I'm WAY out of the loop on this. My HTPC is so old it can't even play bluray rips.
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