[rkariff]

I'm in the planning stages of building my first HTPC.

I am not sure if I should build a separate server to house my media to avoid noise issues in the living room. Or if I should just house it all in one box.

If anybody can guide me through this, that'd be awesome. I'm just so overwhelmed. I've read all the guides and I have a feeling.

Again, all help is appreciated.

[charlie0440]

In my opinion it depends on how much media you have and how you will consume it.

It you have 100 of blurays to rip I would say set up a separate server as its going to take up a few hard drives. If your just using the HTPC for streaming from the internet then you don't need a server.

[rkariff]

I don't have Bluray, as I cannot fathom purchasing movies I already own.
But I would be using the machine for watching 100+ DVDs & possibly Netflix/Hulu (hopefully).

As I said, I'm just perplexed.

[BORIStheBLADE]

Maybe just get a external HD and have it plugged into the HTPC.

[TeKo]

Imo for anything thats below 4tb its not worth it to get a Server/NAS as long as you only have 1 HTPC.

[charlie0440]

But I would be using the machine for watching 100+ DVDs & possibly Netflix/Hulu

Neflix is just streaming no need for a server.

100 DVD @ 4.3gb each = 450gb of hard drive space. If you will only have 1 xbmc PC in the house no need for a server. If you want multiple clients it might make more sense but there is no need.

I would say start with just a HTPC. If you decide further down the line you want a server then you can just pull the large hard drive out and put it in your server

[rkariff]

Okay. Thanks guys.

I just wasn't sure, as it was my first build. I don't want to be trying to enjoying a movie and hear nothing but the system itself.

[RuneRuler]

If you are gonna do it do it right.

I started with a 4 TB server, thinking it would be plenty.

Now I have 12 TB, running a web server, an ftp server, even a COD MW3 server.
I`m now backing up my most important files on a separate server.

Now I`m not saying you need to do this, and I certainly was not planning to, but if you build a scaleable and expandable solution, you are:

Future proof
You can run additional services like backing up other computers
Its amazing how fast you can fill up 4 TB - so scaleable is important.
Noiseproof - these muthas make a lot of noise - they are in a separate room

A few years ago, not everybody thought they needed a PC at home, Cloud or no cloud, next step is a server in every home.

[1QWK510]

i built my htpc a few weeks ago, with a 2tb internal. i added a 2tb external last week and am ordering another his week. After this one im gonna build a unraid setup when funds allow. space goes to quick. i have about 500 dvds and around 70 blurays plus tv seasons. i havent got everything transfered yet . i expect the fill the first external by tomorrow. i also have setup up live tv with dvr functions yet. go as big as possible.

[Orclas]

100 DVD @ 4.3gb each = 450gb of hard drive space. If you will only have 1 xbmc PC in the house no need for a server. If you want multiple clients it might make more sense but there is no need.

100 ripped-to-mkv DVD's wont take up more than ca 150Gb though. Sure, the ripping will take some time, but so would the whole process of copying the DVDs.

To OP:

Well, how do you want to watch your movies?

Old fashioned style, getting up, finding the DVD, putting the DVD in the tray, wait for load, get by trailers and copyright parts, wait some more, choose play, wait, watch?

or

Browse through your entire movie selection from your sofa with the remote, press play and start watching?

The latter would take a few days/weeks (depending on available time and CPU power) to rip all the movies, but once that's done...

Ergo and on the actual topic: I'd say get a server or NAS if you can. You will then have a single media/file repository which can be reached from any computer within your network, with the added benefit of the possibility to build/buy a really silent HTPC.

[Jetster]

I cant imagine using 12 Tb. I have 2 Tb now and 350 movies and its not even 75% full. Maybe someday

[blank]

Take into consideration: do you want to be redundant..

if you have ripped or downloaded (legally) 100's of movies, and spend 100 of hours doing so, and the harddrive crashes, then you will loose everything, and will need to do everything again..
I would never recommend using a single harddrive, because of this..
I have ripped about 500 movies, and spend many many hours doing so.
I have my movies on 5 drives running raid 5 on a Synology 1511+ (at the moment I have it in my living room, and it is very quiet, and not at all noticeable)

[wiz561]

I'm on the same track as everybody else here, but nobody has talked about money. What kind of money do you want to invest in it?

If you have absolutely nothing and no experience with this, I would just start with a HTPC/XBMC box and go from there. If you run out of space (or if noise is an issue), look at a NAS or server. Many people here like FreeNAS. I tried it, didn't like it. I just went back to the 'server' version of Ubuntu and setup my shares manually. One device, that the previous poster talked about, is from Synology. I don't have one; I bought one for work, and absolutely LOVE it. It isn't cheap, but it's power efficient and FAST.

Good Luck!

[madigan82]

I'm on the same track as everybody else here, but nobody has talked about money. What kind of money do you want to invest in it?

If you have absolutely nothing and no experience with this, I would just start with a HTPC/XBMC box and go from there. If you run out of space (or if noise is an issue), look at a NAS or server. Many people here like FreeNAS. I tried it, didn't like it. I just went back to the 'server' version of Ubuntu and setup my shares manually. One device, that the previous poster talked about, is from Synology. I don't have one; I bought one for work, and absolutely LOVE it. It isn't cheap, but it's power efficient and FAST.

Good Luck!

I spent the extra money on a Synology DS411. Was able to convince my fiancée that it would save us money from energy cost. Before I would leave my desktop on 24/7 and it acted like the storage server. I need to pull out my kill-a-watt and figure out how much it pulls normally cause it might be a few years before the NAS pays for itself.