[lnx-user]

Hello XBMC Community,

First things first: Thanks to all the developers out there (XBMC,Skin scripts etc etc). I really enjoy using XBMC.

Since I'm not a developer, scripter or graphics designer it's hard for me to give back to the xbmc community. So I decided to try and document my set-up of it. Maybe it will help some of you out there or spark an idea.

Background:
In about 2 months from now I will be moving to a brand new appartment. Me and my girlfriend really want to do it richt so there's a lot of new stuff going in it. Since I'm in IT my home computer network needs to be done just richt. To name a few requirements:

• I want to be able to access all my from anywhere
  • Bedroom
    
  • Livingroom
    
  • Laptop
    
  • externally
    
• I want a stable system
  
• I dont want to move files around to access them (movie on disk > media center)
  

Current design:
I've setup basicly the following design:

• One server
  • Proxmox VE
    
  • 1 x 500 gb HD
    
  • 3 x 1 tb HD
    
  • intel mobo
    
• one MediaCenter pc
  • Ubuntu Server, modified with several howto's to run XBMC
    
  • Asrock ION 330 White
    
  • DvD
    
• Second MediaCenter pc (future)
  • Ubuntu Server, modified with several howto's to run XBMC
    
  • Asrock ION 330 White
    
  • Blu-Ray
    
• GB Network
  

Proxmox VE:
Proxmox VE is a virtual environment comparable in function to a vmware ESX host. I can create virtual machines on it with specific functions.
Currently it hosts 3 virtual machines:

• Windows XP Professional (workstation)
  • 768 mb ram
    
  • 10 GB virtual harddrive
    
• Ubuntu Server (storage server)
  • 512 mb ram
    
  • 10gb virtual harddisk
    
  • 3 x 1 tb software raid 5
    
  • Samba filesharing
    
  • nfs filesharing
    
  • Gallery3 G3 image gallery
    
  • sabnzbd
    
  • javaxplorer
    
• Ubuntu server (remote loggin)
  • Adito/OpenVPN
    
  • 2 gb virtual harddisk
    
  • 368 mb ram
    

Most importantly to my internal network is my storage server. My media center mounts the storage on it as nfs and it's indexed into my XBMC system.

I will update this post later with more details. It's all working pretty great for now and even my non tech girlfriend loves the system.

suggestions are welkom!

[Death-Axe]

why not just use a windows xp pc as the media server? it really does not have to be that complicated to do such a simple thing like you want.

For me, I have 1 media pc with everything in it, hard drives with movies tv etc. (also games hehe) and for others in the house, the xboxes can access it vis smb. Simples yes? :-P

[lnx-user]

Well, Generally don't use windows at home at all. The one Windows XP vm is more "because it possible" then anything else. I think it's going to be deleted sometime soon.I find installing Ubuntu easier then installing Windows. I chose nfs because it has less overhead then SMB.
I also wanted very small media centers. mini-itx generally can't hold more than 1 drive.
I also wanted a server to which I can logon safely from a remote location.

I am going to use the hardrive inside the mediacenters to backup my personal files and photos.

[lnx-user]

Oh, I forgot, I also going to be streaming dvb from my server to the media centers when I move to my new place.