Issue 137 - Home Media Hardware - really liked it!, Best place to buy the parts in NSW? Options

[g__day]

Folk,

I really liked the in depth article in this months issue by Justin Robinson on the Home Server Hardware. My main thoughts are where can I buy this gear at those prices? Would love a follow through on the best place for a Sydney lad to acquire the parts described!

I had been planning a NAS for a while now, but a micro media server seems a better idea.

I'd also be interested know why Windows Home Server 2011 over a normal Windows 7 option ("I've never played with Windows Home Server version so just the high lights would be great to know). I usually control remote PCs using VNC (e.g. my astronomy lab PC - cause its chilly outside at 3am!).

Finally after you swapped the thermal paste of the CPU (and added fans) what load temperature did your rig achieve (and was that before or after you added the extra hard drives)?

I'd also be interested in what media server software you are using (if that's not a part of the Windows O/S). I typically usiver TversityPro v1.9.7 (as 2.1 blows - can't see most file formats), where the old version shows everything, to my Xbox360, PS3, SOny Blurray DVD players and iPads via safari url link to the server on a specified port.

Now reading www.atomicmpc.com.au/137_HS_Extras

Truly a great article!

Matthew

This post has been edited by g__day: May 25 2012, 01:30 PM

[hawkeye]

I'll point Justin to this ASAP :)

[TheFrunj]

I really liked the in depth article in this months issue by Justin Robinson on the Home Server Hardware. My main thoughts are where can I buy this gear at those prices? Would love a follow through on the best place for a Sydney lad to acquire the parts described!

I had been planning a NAS for a while now, but a micro media server seems a better idea.

I'd also be interested know why Windows Home Server 2011 over a normal Windows 7 option ("I've never played with Windows Home Server version so just the high lights would be great to know). I usually control remote PCs using VNC (e.g. my astronomy lab PC - cause its chilly outside at 3am!).

Finally after you swapped the thermal paste of the CPU (and added fans) what load temperature did your rig achieve (and was that before or after you added the extra hard drives)?

I'd also be interested in what media server software you are using (if that's not a part of the Windows O/S). I typically usiver TversityPro v1.9.7 (as 2.1 blows - can't see most file formats), where the old version shows everything, to my Xbox360, PS3, SOny Blurray DVD players and iPads via safari url link to the server on a specified port.

Now reading www.atomicmpc.com.au/137_HS_Extras

Truly a great article!

Matthew

Thanks Matt! As I replied to the email you sent, I used MegaBuy for the server, and PCCG for the other components. There aren't many local stores that have big ranges and good prices, but there's nothing dangerous about shopping online for tech :)

WHS2011 is better as it's designed to run for weeks without a reboot, and to run without a monitor attached. It's got a lot of tweaking - and it's MUCH cheaper than a standard W7 license. In terms of look and feel, if you've any experience with W7 you'll be totally comfortable in WHS2011.

Load was roughly 34 (iirc), and all temps were with four hdds in the caddies.

I use the WHS2011 add-on Serviio that works great, iPad uses Buzz Player HD via SMB (~$5, but worth it), and on android devices I use BSPlayer Lite to access files via SMB.

[g__day]

Very neat - thank you!

BTW - how loud is the box - before and after insulation? Would you keep it in your lounge room near your tv or bury it away in your house somewhere cause it's just that bit too loud?

[TheFrunj]

At stock it gets a bit loud under heavy load, but with the PSU and front fan it's not too bad. I'd rate it as no louder than a PS3 slim playing a bluray, and if you've got a movie going or music you shouldn't notice it.

At idle in a quiet room it's pretty ignorable.

Shouldn't need the foam if you're sitting it on carpet, because hard surfaces are the killer. Of course you'll get dust if it's on carpet - so it's a bit of a toss-up.

You could chuck a graphics card in it and run W7 as a media center pc if you were so inclined, but I reckon a network streamer device and having the server somewhere else is a better solution.

[mudg3]

Very neat - thank you!

BTW - how loud is the box - before and after insulation? Would you keep it in your lounge room near your tv or bury it away in your house somewhere cause it's just that bit too loud?

Its not loud Im surprised we hadn't had a article before about the HP micro servers N36l and the N40l's. I've owned 2 of them put together well and to even buy the SAS controller these guys have installed would be over $200 just for the card so the 200ish your spending on these units is very good. If your a magician you can fit 6 drives in the unit I've even seen someone with 7 fitted with a little modding. One thing Justin missed is about how much of a dust magnet these guys are If you do get one make sure you get some really fine filters or mesh so that its not filled with dust after 3 months of 24/7 use.


Come into tech talk and building and troubleshooting some time and we will show you the ropes. I'm currently thinking of starting up a Storage Super thread for people to post questions or their setups etc as home servers / NAS's are become increasingly popular due to the demand for large amounts of accessible shared storage at home.

[g__day]

Thank you - I think I will visit the tech forums soon!

God has it been that long since I've been in the tech forums I get invited in!?! I think I was one of the original founders of that place! Until the old guard handed over the reins to the new blood about five years ago there was never a day without thirty posts from me in there! This really brought a smile to my face!

[meowkitty]

I wish to add to the praise of this article. I am very keen to see the next installment in the story.

3 thumbs up.

[g__day]

Well Shopping Express had them on sale for $256, - so I bought one yesterday adding a 2TB Seagate drive (I'll buy some this week) and 2 * 4 GB of ECC RAM.

The HP website seems to say this Server comes pre-loaded with Small Business Server 2011 on the 250GB HDD? Does that sound right to anyone (maybe I have confused model codes)? Otherwise I'll pop into Chatswood and pick up Windows HMS 2011 from ARC computers for $45.

Finally I see Windows Home Server 2012 is due out right about now! Anyone heard much about this - worth anything to wait for it?

Cheers and thanks all,

Matt

This post has been edited by g__day: Jul 4 2012, 12:59 AM

[mudg3]

Hey G_Day, Iamthemaxx just got one as well, If you have any queries about the N40L configuration or how to do anything make sure to post it in this thread.

Windows home server does not come with these machines unless you order it additionally.

http://forums.atomicmpc.com.au/index.php?showtopic=50329

[TheFrunj]

Only one model comes with the OS, just grab 2011 and call it done :)

[g__day]

Went that path, picked up OEM version - but I remember reading online a moth or two ago that there are some strange pecularities to the set-up, and its a must to read the read me manual else you'll fall into these mistakes. I can't remeber the details - but the boxes arrive in a day or two, so it'll be add DVD and HDDs and RAM, then install OS, configure data and media server etc and start testing.

Does one need to install say the K-lite codec set on the Server?

Do folk recommend installing VNC server so its easy to remote configure too?

Many thanks,

Matt

[mudg3]

I dont know why people bother with windows home server. And it was killed off today too.


http://www.wegotserved.com/2012/07/05/micr...rver-era-close/

[TheFrunj]

Because not everyone is a system admin :P

[mudg3]

Because not everyone is a system admin :P

Since when was being a sysadmin installing Ubuntu and clicking 10 times to setup a SMB share?

btw windows 8 drive expander is back. I stand next to Windows home server being a waste of space to a market that does not really exist. :)

[TheFrunj]

Agree to disagree :P

[mudg3]

Why?

[scruffy1]

i'll chime in here and say that i run a nas (venerable qnap ts-109 pro) and an htpc (am3 with an athlon II 250)

each to his own, but the nas is a completely no-brainer for storing and streaming media, using any of the inbuilt server options, or twonky media - i am not a nerd in the sense of having a clue about network admin stuff, but i confess to having a house with a computer and (at least one) laptop for all 4 members, a thin client cafe bowser and htpc in the living room, and a chumby, along with the qnap

a 2nd hand qnap can be had for ~$50 at times :) and although i only have 2tb storage, i am hard pressed to fill it (although i am working on that as time goes on)

but i love a server that sleeps at 5w draw, and maxes out at 17w

for the $ windoze as a server is madness - you could own several qnap's for the licence fee alone

[Devilsmurf]

The WGS forums are an INVALUABLE source of information if are going to use either of the WHS OS'es. I had a play with the first WHS and managed to wipe a huge chunk of my data with drive expander and not understanding how to manually back up the data. I always thought it wasn't a bad idea, but a little clunky in execution.

[g__day]

Well my server is up and running now! But I am trying to determine a few things after I ran Microserver/connect and had Dashboard up an running.

Backups

Previously I instructed Windows7 PCs to backup their critical data to a local drive on each PC. Now I have a MicroServer with 6TB of storage do I
1. Create a directory or directories on one of its drives and simply point each Windows7 PC to that area or
2. Use Dashboard on each Windows7 PC and use Home Server functionality to do the backup (and correspondingly turn off the Windows7 backup on each PC

Which is prefered and why?

Home Media Server

So I loaded alot of TV and Movies to the server - what is the best way of making this visible to smart TVs, smart Bluray DVD players (Sony 580), PS3 and Xbox 360? I loaded TversityPro 1.97 and the 32 and 64 bit K-lite Codecs - is this the optimal way to go?

Many thanks to anyone who is capable of assisting me on these two queries!