[CpTHOOK]

could you recommenad an off the shelf version? i'd rather pay well for something that'll last.

For a prebuilt server option, there are plenty out there to choose from. Ur biggest concern is not so much your equipment but the software you plan to run. Most of us in XBMC tend to lean toward unRAID due to its reliability and ease of use. This prebuilt option will run unRAID...

I can dig the fact that you feel building a DIY server is complicated, but believe me, it is far from it! The only thing you need is the time and cheddar. Prior to ultimately deciding on prebuilt just take a glance at this thread. In it Eskro will pretty much outline the advantages of DIY vs. PreBuilt with regards to cost and scalability.

Re the comment about my BU drives, i was under the impression that drives age and wear with time and heat
Do you believe/know that they just wear with age even if just packed away as a safe guard?

You are absolutely correct with regard to HD(s) lifespans. More specifically, the Drive life is usually determined by the amount of LCC's or "DrivePark's" allotted. The average drive should operate properly under normal climate conditions and placement for up to 100,000 LCC's before any concern is needed, although most drives will far exceed that amount. So your looking at about 3-5 years before drive(s) begin reaching failure concern status. With regards to your redundant 1:1 BU's....IMHO, you are wasting those drives and the money you paid for them. Using an NAS with parity is a much better option than 1:1 redundancy!