[mordaq]

Hello everybody.

I want to build a small project with xbmc , but i am not sure if my plans are going to work and how.
My plan is to build a HTPC with an SSD drive for the OS , i have a raid controller with 4X 2TB ( working now under windows 7 with XBMC ) for storage .
SO the HTPC should contain : LINUX with SAMBA( file sharing) , drivers for RAID controller ( i have them )
On this HTPC i want to install the SQL -Server and also XBMC so this htpc is placed as primary viewing point .
I wil equip this with 2 network cards ( GigaBit) . To this XBMC Server ( lets call it this ) will connect 2 apple tv"s and 1 windows xp machine all 3 equipt with xbmc.

I have found a lot off "how to" guides , but not sure if everything will work if i combine them:

My plan :
Install UBUNTU 11.10 on the HTPC
Install Samba on HTPC
---> share my existing folders from my raid controller
Instal SQL Server on HTPC
--->remove the Binding from the cnf file so local and remote XBMC can access the database.
Install XBMC on the HTPC
---> install new drivers for sound / vga
Hardware to use :
Asus mainboard E35m1-m ( with 6310 ati onboard )
4 GB ram
30 GB SSD for OS / database
Raid Controller Megaraid 8408E
case MSTECH 0380 with MCE remote





My apple TV's are already equipt with XBMC and the advancedxml has been changed
Apple tv's will work as a "slave" for only viewing not updating.

Do you guys think i need to think of something else, my primary worries go the the SQL so that a local and remote machines can access the database.

[rickx]

There are threads about using a central database, search for them. (I guess postgresql or mysql). Certainly not sql server which is Microsoft's and will not work with other operating systems. So, your description is a bit confusing. If you use windows for the HTPC, you may use any kind of database (don't know if MS SQL server may work...but that would be a huge overhead anyways) but you don't need samba.

Anyways, what I would do (and partially have here btw):
-HTPC with all the data and metadata, using linux as os.
- Appletvs or others (laptops, ipads/iphones, whatever) get the data streamed using upnp.
- end of story.

This will work (upnp may be a problem...guess on what os?) and you'll avoid samba and database hassles.
For me making a sort of simulation that you have the same data on every device using samba and a database
does not bring any true advantage compared to the complexity of the setup.