[massa84]

hi ,
after reading a lot for all the last week i'm now trying to build a low power nas/htpc build:

Case:
Case Fractal Node 304 o.N. Mini ITX Link

Motherboard:
Asus P8H77-I Link

CPU:
a) Intel i3-3225 Link
or
b) Intel celeron g1610 Link

RAM
2x4gb generic ram

HDD:
2x WD Red 3TB (probably i'll buy another 2 in the next year) Link

PSU:
don't know :S

NO GPU


i would like this system to be low power on idle or nas usage (torrent download etc...) but with the possibility to play video using xbmc smoothly and have more power when needed.
i have a 47'' Lg TV with 3D (Lg47La640 ) Link
but i don't really need that this box will be fully 3D compatible.

-which cpu is the best for my needs ?
-do you have some advice about the psu ?
- does someone has a similar system and can post his power usage ?

sorry for my awfull english

Thank you very much.

[solamnic]

By what you are saying I think you are going to use windows...

So for PSU
my personal favorite...

http://www.amazon.com/Seasonic-80Plus-M1...=sr_1_sc_1
Modular and Silent and with great warranty.... (always trust a good PSU )...
(silent is must for a nas, Modular - will help the air flow better (since you wont attach any unnecessary cables (for video card)

If this will be also your htpc go for the i3...

if it is only NAS i think the 610 is fine

About power usage, Harddisks do spindown when are not needed..

Btw when you can afford it by an SSD for the Operating system (if you plan to use it as htpc)...

[massa84]

yes the <ssd was in the project but i forgot to put it in the post.
30 or 60gb should be enough, right?

edited:
what about the 1610 and a "cheap" gpu ?
the power usage will increase a lot ?

edit:
i dont' know if i'll use win or linux, but i prefer linux. there is any known problem about intel build and xmb buntu ?

[cwide]

yes the <ssd was in the project but i forgot to put it in the post.
30 or 60gb should be enough, right?

edited:
what about the 1610 and a "cheap" gpu ?
the power usage will increase a lot ?

edit:
i dont' know if i'll use win or linux, but i prefer linux. there is any known problem about intel build and xmb buntu ?

You will want a 60 GB to be on the safe side.

If you don't plan on ever watching/downloading 3D files, then you don't need the i3. The G1610 will be just fine for all 2D files (including high bitrate 1080p files).

Power usage will be slightly less with the Celeron.

Linux and Intel is just fine.

[boxeman]

hi

I personnaly own the P8H77-I , 6 x 3TB WD red , I3-3220,16GB RAM for my freeBSD home server
and for power supply : Seasonic G-Series G-360 – 360W, it's a smal PSU/good efficiency/no noise/ and it had good review
but no idea of power usage

you need to take a small PSU between 250 - 350W max, as you will have few space inside your case, and your systems without video card not consume a lots...
don't take low cost PSU, has it's not designed to run 24/7 for years,
my though is avoid modular : it take a little more space, even you will save some space by not plugging all cables and it's more expensive

you may put the OS on a (decent) usb key and keep you disk for only file share if you want them to go in idle more often ( depending of you nas use) and save power..

I would say take the I3 as you may use you system for several use ( NAS, /HTPC, maybe DVB-t recording ?)
so it's higher speed and you will have hyper threading

unless noise is not important, you may think also to change the intel cooler..:-)

also you case has no place for DVD/BR drive...you won't play BR, so linux os ?

hope it help.

Brice

[massa84]

Nice psu for 50€ !
I couldn't find any low power benchmar, but i don't think that the effincency will drop under 70/75 % ...

i confirm i don't need the DVD/BR.

is the i3 idle power usage a lot higher than the celeron ?
btw the celeron is 40€ while the i3 is 120€.

[Dougie Fresh]

http://www.amazon.com/Seasonic-80Plus-M1...=sr_1_sc_1
Modular and Silent and with great warranty.... (always trust a good PSU )...
(silent is must for a nas, Modular - will help the air flow better (since you wont attach any unnecessary cables (for video card)

While I too love Seasonic, A 620W $90 PSU is as overkill as it gets for a system that won't even draw 100W at maximum load and probably never see maximum load anyway so mostly sub 50W.

A picoPSU-120 with a 120W AC adapter and few SATA splitters would run this system easily and allow a couple of more HDDs in the future if needed.

[cwide]

Nice psu for 50€ !
I couldn't find any low power benchmar, but i don't think that the effincency will drop under 70/75 % ...

i confirm i don't need the DVD/BR.

is the i3 idle power usage a lot higher than the celeron ?
btw the celeron is 40€ while the i3 is 120€.

Celeron will be maybe 5W max less. I'm willing to bet your won't be able to tell a difference in your energy bill (even over a year) between the two processors. Just get what works for you and what you can afford. I only recommend the i3 for people who want to do 3D or gaming.

[boxeman]

also I3-3220 : it's 100 €, http://www.amazon.fr/Intel-Processeur-i3...ds=inel+i3

it's a challenge finding a ATX PSU for home made NAS/HTPC with an integrated GPU under 300W

I do'nt think the power usage of theses 2 cpu is noticable, at least it should not count for the choice..both CPU have same TDP and have same comon intel power saving echnology.

anyway, the price between both can only be jusitfied if you now or later plan to do some
- 3D playback
- runs lots of different applications on your system
- use this CPU for lots of years (I3 is higher frequency), you may run newer/futur codecs more smoothly
- run somes virtuals machines in your system
- play with some videos filters

one thing, is celeron is HD graphics, i3 3220 is hd graphcs 2500, i3 3225 is hd ghraphics 4000, don't know for linux, but for windows, intel drivers are differents for theses GPU..( I own a I3-540 on Win7 for my HTPC,it's a hd graphic GPU, got issues with recent drivers, stable with an old version in my system, not get lots of intel update)
so you *may* experience mor GPU issue with the celeron on linux due to old and buggy gpu... for linux/intel gpu drivers I can't help you, just give you path to look.


good luck anyway, choose is never easy

[massa84]

i've read a lot of people that had problems running xmbc on windows with intel integrated gpu, vxva not working, deintarlacing problem etc..
are those problem resolved in the last versions of xmbc/ intel drivers or is still there.
any particular tips that i shuld follow to install xbmc smootly on both linux or windows.

sorry for all this requests, but after reding for so many days i've more question than answers.
at first I thought about buying a basic nas like synology ds213j for around 170€
then i thought that 2 disk won't be enough the next year and so i looked for a 4 bay nas.
then i thought that it would be good if it could halso do media center so qnap ts-469 with hdmi out was a good choice.
then i thought that for 400€ i could have built something a lot better.
then i got lost in the ten thousand possible build that are on this and other sites.


this build seems good dont' you think ?

[boxeman]

well, got my htpc on windows with XBMC+ anydvd HD+ TMT5 ( for playing BR with DTS-HD through aaalog audio card, other BR with XBMC), no speciall issue, I don't have dxva enabled, the cpu do the decode, but yes intel drivers sucks, but it consume few W and it's integrated,


this build seems good as it will provide what you want :
- a linux NAS (with capacity of 6 drives max for further growth)
- a htpc (without blueray/dvd support)

if money is important ( 60/80 € is always some money) just take the celeron,and use some of the money to buy a silent cooler.

also if you have issue with intel integrated gpu, you can buy a fanless gpu, as the P8H77-I has a pci-express slot...it's around 35/50 €
remember, that ther is no perfect system, every has pros and cons,and after you buy, don't have in mind " I should have buy other solution" :-)

also, how will you control your HTPC ?

a note about WD Red disks 3TB : they had ( at least when I bought my 6) a lots of Dead on Arrival
got 1 failed af first startup , other sent for replacement failed 2hours after
so take them from a correct vendor, and check them deeply,

[massa84]

well, got my htpc on windows with XBMC+ anydvd HD+ TMT5 ( for playing BR with DTS-HD through aaalog audio card, other BR with XBMC), no speciall issue, I don't have dxva enabled, the cpu do the decode, but yes intel drivers sucks, but it consume few W and it's integrated,


this build seems good as it will provide what you want :
- a linux NAS (with capacity of 6 drives max for further growth)
- a htpc (without blueray/dvd support)

if money is important ( 60/80 € is always some money) just take the celeron,and use some of the money to buy a silent cooler.

also if you have issue with intel integrated gpu, you can buy a fanless gpu, as the P8H77-I has a pci-express slot...it's around 35/50 €
remember, that ther is no perfect system, every has pros and cons,and after you buy, don't have in mind " I should have buy other solution" :-)

also, how will you control your HTPC ?

1- smartphone
2- wireless mouse and keyboard i think...
is a remote a good choice (harmony 300 or similar) ?

a note about WD Red disks 3TB : they had ( at least when I bought my 6) a lots of Dead on Arrival
got 1 failed af first startup , other sent for replacement failed 2hours after
so take them from a correct vendor, and check them deeply,

thank you.
any good test suite ?

[boxeman]

install an Os on usb key
run smart monitoring daemon to monitor your disks
and
do something like
mkdir /disk1
mkdir /disk2
cd /disk1
nohup dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/YOURDISK1 2>&1 &
cd /disk2
nohup dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/YOURDISK2 2>&1 &

when commands done ( can take a day)
check nohup.out in each of theses folders to look for errors
alos check if smart detect some importants issue

then
cd /disk1
nohup dd if=/dev/YOURDISK1 of=/dev/null 2>&1 &
cd /disk2
nohup dd if=/dev/YOURDISK2 of=/dev/null 2>&1 &

when commands done ( can take a day)
check nohup.out in each of theses folders to look for errors
alos check if smart detect some importants issue

then redo same write/read one time
id dd does not fail and smart monitoring does not detect relevant issue for criticals metrics
your disk shoudl be fine

Notes:
- I gave commands from my head, so check syntax, also theses commands means you do'nt use your disk to be part of OS that run theses commands