[Garog]

Hello

i would like to here your idea for a optimal setup for my components

atm i have 4x3GB NAS HDD paired with a Gigabyte D525 Motherboard in a small ITX case. installed is a linux system with software raid 5.
it's my backup system for data, my network storage, media server and more. software i installed : twonky media server (for my lg smart tv to watch movies und hear music), samba (self-explanatory), logitech media server for my three squeezboxes, jdownloader headless, mysql as a slave for replication (webserver) and therefor apache is installed too.

The Intel Atom D525 has the disadvantage of TDP 13W usage so that it comes with an activ cooling solution. Not a problem in the past, but things change, now it has to be a quiet solution

Because of that, i ordered a AsRock N3700-ITX Board (6W TDP and passiv cooled). Actually it should just replace the Gigabyte board, but.. and here is why i'm asking, from time to time i have the problem that movies have multiple dubs, my nativ language is german, so i need to rebuild some mkv with mkvtoolnix because twonky can't switch the dub, same with subtitles.
Other Movies doesn't work, i don't know why, on all pc's there work, but twonky says "invalid movie"
to get rid of this problems, i thought about using a media center software like kodi. the N3700 has hardware decoding for h264 and h265 and a strong graphic core integrated.
my thoughts here : use the new board, install kodi on my actual linux system and put my little system in my living room, so far so good. But then i read a website about advantages of separating HTPC and NAS.
Oh did i forgot to mention that i also have an unused Qnap T412.
And now i don't know what i should do or whats the best setup. Build the 4 HDDs back into the Qnap and use the system just as a storage machine and build a HTPC for all the other tasks or build one "NAS HTPC" system like i have now.

what do you think, where do you see advantages or disadvantages ?

thank so far for reading

(btw. in the end i would like to use all services plus kodi, i also thought about using windows, what do you think about that ? )

[shabuboy]

full blown HTPCs are not popular these days anymore, unless you have specific requirements.

These days a NAS + media player (set-top-box or mini PC) is the popular choice.

Advantages:
If you get the right the right NAS, it can be years before you have to touch it again
You can place the NAS somewhere where noise it not a concern
Plenty of options for media players from $40-$200USD,spend a little as possible on this device again, depending on requirements, since these are changing quite rapidly and you might want to upgrade in a year or less.
No noisy device next to TV
Can upgrade/maintenance hardware/software individually

Cons:
Expensive the 1st time setup, assuming you have to get a NAS
More devices to manage

Also, check the sticky threads on top of the first page

[Soulbind]

Have you already purchased the AsRock N3700-ITX or can you still cancel your order? . If you have it, build a HTPC around that board and use your current server as it is, if not cancel your order and purchase something like a Wetek CORE , AsRock BeeBox, Nvidia Shield , Rpi2 etc and use that as the media player and just use your old server for storing the content on it.

See this thread for good purchases : http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=252916