# Home Media server computer recommendation



## Maui (Feb 17, 2009)

I'm trying to set up a home network with the main purpose being to take advantage of mediasharing. I need to replace an old desktop and want to set something up like a home server. I'd like to see some suggested set ups. I don't necessaril want to watch video on the desk top but I do want to use it to send signals to and from the receivers. I would like to share a hard drive and printer through the server.

I currently have a linksys DIR-825 gig router with cat 6 connected to a netgear 8 port gig switch. My directv receivers, HR21-700 and H21-200 are connected via cat6. PS3. Internet connection is Verizon. 

I intend to build the PC but would like some suggested setups, CPU, video card, memory, etc.

Thanks


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

The server itself usually doesn't need to be anything special unless you'll be doing a lot of transcoding. Otherwise, it's just serving files to the network, which doesn't take a lot of horsepower.

What are the specs on your old desktop?


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## Maui (Feb 17, 2009)

IIP said:


> The server itself usually doesn't need to be anything special unless you'll be doing a lot of transcoding. Otherwise, it's just serving files to the network, which doesn't take a lot of horsepower.
> 
> What are the specs on your old desktop?


Pent 4 1.6 with 512 ram. Pretty accent system running XP.


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## deltafowler (Aug 28, 2007)

What kinds of media are you trying to share?

Just about any old networked slug of a PC will share pictures and music with a DTV HR series through their slow and buggy Media Share interface and WMP11 or higher.

If you want something that will play movies (including DivX, XviD, H.264, and ripped DVD's with full menus) pictures, photos, in just about every conceivable format and codec, then lose the PC idea and have a look at the Popcorn Hour Networked Media Tank.


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## wilbur_the_goose (Aug 16, 2006)

Maui,
My suggestion - forget the D* products - they're like high school compared to Windows Media Center extenders. I use a Vista Home Premium PC with an XBOX360 using its Windows Media Extender. It's awesome.

But I also have my PC connected directly to my HT reciever and HD TV. That works great too.

The PS3 is also a good option (especially for BluRay), but it's interface to Windows PCs isn't very good compared to the XBOX 360.

You'll be much happier if you don't try to integrate the HR20. I'm a 20 year IT guy (software side) and I never could get it to work to my satisfaction. Honestly, I wish D* would drop media sharing (it's still "beta", no?) and concentrate on things like HD GUI and DLB.


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## Galaxie6411 (Aug 26, 2007)

I second the Vista extender. I tried and tried to do what you want with XP and when I got a new comp. with Vista it was all just automatic. MY 360 and PS3 both recognize Vista and they all play nice and share together.


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## tcusta00 (Dec 31, 2007)

wilbur_the_goose said:


> Maui,
> My suggestion - forget the D* products - they're like high school compared to Windows Media Center extenders. I use a Vista Home Premium PC with an XBOX360 using its Windows Media Extender. It's awesome.
> 
> But I also have my PC connected directly to my HT reciever and HD TV. That works great too.
> ...


Sadly I'm coming to the same conclusion here. It's way too clunky and unpredictable. I think once the programmers realize that their DVRs aren't going to be everything to everyone they'll pull ahead of the pack.


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## deltafowler (Aug 28, 2007)

tcusta00 said:


> I think once the programmers realize that their DVRs aren't going to be everything to everyone they'll pull ahead of the pack.


Do you think they'll be able to make it work like a DVR, at least?  :lol:


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## Maui (Feb 17, 2009)

Galaxie6411 said:


> I second the Vista extender. I tried and tried to do what you want with XP and when I got a new comp. with Vista it was all just automatic. MY 360 and PS3 both recognize Vista and they all play nice and share together.


I have Vista Home Premium on my laptop and I can get some video to work on my HR20 but it's very clunky and unreliable. Maybe I just need to wait for D to finish their tweaks on their media server. I also have a PS3 but I can't get Hulu to work on it and Tversity runs really bad.


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## Hansen (Jan 1, 2006)

As others have stated, the HR20 as a media extender is not a good solution.

I'm using a solution that I really like and it works great. I picked up a HP Media Smart Server. It's small headless computer that runs Windows Home Server as it's OS. I have it loaded, at the moment, with 3.5 TB of storage and will eventually add more. I have all my media stored on there...ripped DVD movies, home videos, music, photographs. Now, I just need extenders and went with SageTV. I installed Sage Media Center software on the HP media smart home server and have a Sage HD200 extender at the TV. It's a small box, no noise at all...no fan, connected to my network and connected to the TV. The box itself is not pretty but boy is it powerful. It can play just about any video format you throw at it, and outputs HD...it can even output blu ray qualility..1080P...if your original source is 1080P. It's very customizable using SageMC interface. In a nutshell it acts as a mini-HTPC computer located at the TV but without the fan noise, heat and power consumption of many HTPCs and the cost is very reasonable. Here's a good review by Geektonic that shows screenshots and other information. There are not too many screenshots of what it can do in extender mode but it's a lot like XBMC in that it can have cover art all set up for all movies and can do the cover flow is various ways. I'm really pleased with it and it's very family friendly. Everyone can use it easily once set up.


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## wilbur_the_goose (Aug 16, 2006)

Hansen has what I think is the most elegant solution.

If money isn't a concern, the original poster should check out Apple's offerings too. A lot of folks are in the Apple cult and LOVE their computer.


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## deltafowler (Aug 28, 2007)

Maui said:


> I have Vista Home Premium on my laptop and I can get some video to work on my HR20 but it's very clunky and unreliable. Maybe I just need to wait for D to finish their tweaks on their media server. I also have a PS3 but I can't get Hulu to work on it and Tversity runs really bad.


I've been through all of those same time wasting trials.
Waiting for DTV to make Media Shar work may be an exercise in futility. I've been waiting for a year or so and they've made nearly no progress.

The HP box seems OK, but it's big, clunky, and runs Windows.
As a central server in the home, it's not a bad concept, but I don't think that's what you're looking for, based on your initial post.

Hardly elegant.
Note Hansen's comment, "It can play just about any video format you throw at it".
Why handicap yourself right out of the gate?
Besides, it's HP (aka-destined to break soon).
Here's a more detailed description and review of the HP
http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/accessories/0,39100115,49295167,00.htm

What you want is something that works the way Media Share is supposed to work.

I'm telling you as plainly and clearly as I possibly can, PopcornHour is your device of choice, based on what you're trying to get done here.
One piece of slim and unobtrusive hardware with 1080P output, HDMI 1.3a, Optical audio, DTS, wired or wireless networking, and full support for every conceivable video and audio codec you'd have on your PC.
No clunky software, no clunky box, no clunky add-on to attach to the TV. it's all in one neat little package.

With the PopcornHour box, you can leave your media on your home PC and stream it to the device, or you can install a SATA hard drive and store everything on the box itself, or any combination of the two.
Need quick access to media files?
Plug your USB flash drive into the front of the PopcornHour and off you go.

http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/accessories/0,39100115,49298605,00.htm


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## Hansen (Jan 1, 2006)

deltafowler said:


> I've been through all of those same time wasting trials.
> Waiting for DTV to make Media Shar work may be an exercise in futility. I've been waiting for a year or so and they've made nearly no progress.
> 
> The HP box seems OK, but it's big, clunky, and runs Windows.
> ...


I have to disagree with you to suggest that the HP server is a handicap but in any event, the HP MSS is merely a server and any computer can handle that end. The real meat is the extender you use that connects up that server's shares. You suggested Popcorn Hour, which is a fine extender box. I suggest Sage HD200 as the extender box. Each does some minor things that the other doesn't do but in the end they accomplish the same thing. I think the Sage HD200 is faster and moves through menus better and the Sage MC software is slick once set up and fine tuned. Nonetheless either one is a good choice.


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## wilbur_the_goose (Aug 16, 2006)

I think we all agree that using the HR* is NOT a recommended solution, right?


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## deltafowler (Aug 28, 2007)

wilbur_the_goose said:


> I think we all agree that using the HR* is NOT a recommended solution, right?


Right.
I'm still waiting for mine to work well as a DVR and do everything the manual says it will.


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## dave29 (Feb 18, 2007)

deltafowler said:


> Right.
> I'm still waiting for mine to work well as a DVR and do everything the manual says it will.


You must have a bad HR2x. I have 6 HR2x's and while they may be a little clunky in the media share department, they are excellent DVR's.


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## deltafowler (Aug 28, 2007)

dave29 said:


> You must have a bad HR2x. I have 6 HR2x's and while they may be a little clunky in the media share department, they are excellent DVR's.


Interesting.
How does "Channels I Get" work on yours?


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

deltafowler said:


> Interesting.
> How does "Channels I Get" work on yours?


Doesn't have anything to do with media center there's other posts about this.

I'm going to be building a media center PC and I really haven't done much reading about it. Seems to me like they really don't need a lot of horsepower with processing and video.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Shades228 said:


> Doesn't have anything to do with media center there's other posts about this.


Someone challenged that the HR2x was a reliable and robust DVR. Failure to completely implement CIG is one example of a reason it might not qualify as such. When everyone recognizes that it isn't working out (and this is in no way an indictment of DIRECTV's efforts to date; they have a moving target that isn't where it was supposed to be in ViiV) and DIRECTV can concentrate on solid implementation of DVR fundamentals, almost everyone will be happier.


> I'm going to be building a media center PC and I really haven't done much reading about it. Seems to me like they really don't need a lot of horsepower with processing and video.


The amount of power you might need depends on what you're going to be streaming and what devices you're going to stream to.

Some clients are pretty stupid and require the server to do everything. Others are substantially smarter and really only need a simple file server. If you've got dumb clients, you won't survive a wimpy server.


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## deltafowler (Aug 28, 2007)

Well said, harsh. That was exactly my point.


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

harsh said:


> Someone challenged that the HR2x was a reliable and robust DVR. Failure to completely implement CIG is one example of a reason it might not qualify as such. When everyone recognizes that it isn't working out (and this is in no way an indictment of DIRECTV's efforts to date; they have a moving target that isn't where it was supposed to be in ViiV) and DIRECTV can concentrate on solid implementation of DVR fundamentals, almost everyone will be happier.


We'll just have to agree to disagree. I don't think it's a real example of how the DVR's are not reliable. I would say that it's a failing of D* priority of what needs to be fixed. While that is not working it really has little to do with the reliability of the unit itself and to some it's not something that is cared about where others would really benefit. Personally I would have used the tuner 2 error as a better example.



> The amount of power you might need depends on what you're going to be streaming and what devices you're going to stream to.
> Not to get OT but really that's not a good example of the DVR not
> 
> Some clients are pretty stupid and require the server to do everything. Others are substantially smarter and really only need a simple file server. If you've got dumb clients, you won't survive a wimpy server.


I have a 360 so it seems to me that would be the starter I would stream to and then if I really get into it then I would just build a dedicated media PC.


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## deltafowler (Aug 28, 2007)

Shades228 said:


> While that is not working it really has little to do with the reliability of the unit itself ...


Apparently you've never had a blank recording because your search results included channels not in your subscription package.
That goes directly towards reliability.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Shades228 said:


> While that is not working it really has little to do with the reliability of the unit itself and to some it's not something that is cared about where others would really benefit. Personally I would have used the tuner 2 error as a better example.


The tuner 2 problem comes and goes but getting failed recordings from a not right CIG has been going on from the start and only recently seeing substantial improvement over being largely non-functional.


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## wilbur_the_goose (Aug 16, 2006)

back to the original poster - simple suggestion - DO NOT use the HR* machine as a home media server. It's still a beta product that should probably be labeled "alpha". Certainly not ready for prime time.


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## durl (Mar 27, 2003)

One of the great things about Popcorn Hour is that it will stream just about anything you throw at it and it doesn't require any software to be loaded onto your server. Plug it in, connect the ethernet cable, set up links to folders on your server, and you're basically done.

The basic model is under $200 and it will do pretty much everything the average user requires, including 1080p.


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## Maui (Feb 17, 2009)

Well, I ended up building a home server and installing Microsoft Home Server on it. This is a new adventure for me but I'm looking forward to setting it up and learning a little more about servers and configuration.


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## deltafowler (Aug 28, 2007)

Keep us posted on the progress!


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## djlong (Jul 8, 2002)

A good site for news and tips on Windows Home Server is www.wegotserved.co.uk


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## Maui (Feb 17, 2009)

The server appears to working quite well after a few hickups. I've got playon and tversity both working.

Now I'd like to rip my DVD's to the server. What's the best software?


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## durl (Mar 27, 2003)

I use DVDFab HD Decrypter. Easy to use, lets you extract the main movie, and generates ISO format (to preserve chapter marks). Oh, and it's free.


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## MikeW (May 16, 2002)

The biggest downside to using the HR20/Media Server combo is the lack of trick play. If for any reason, the movie you are watching bombs out, there is no way to restart a movie at the point you left it. You cannot fast forward to any point either.

I was very enthusiastic about Media Share on the HR20 when it came out TWO YEARS ago, and I'm disappointed that it remains in its current state. I agree with others that this is simply not well implemented.

Here's something I learned "the hard way" about the Windows Home Server backup system. It doesn't backup any files stored in a folder named Temp. I created a Temp folder on the root of my XP installation and moved all of my Pics/Music and other files to it with the expectation that I was going to be methodical about placing these files in folders that made sense and get rid of some old stuff. Well...I hadn't gotten around to doing that, forgot that my important files were in there and deleted the folder. Two days later, I realized what I had done and when I went to the backup on the Home Server, I found that those files hadn't been backed up as "Temporary Files" are not backed up. Longer story short...don't use a folder named "Temp" for important files !!!

Aside from that quirk, the Home Server itself is pretty decent.


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## dave29 (Feb 18, 2007)

Maui said:


> The server appears to working quite well after a few hickups. I've got playon and tversity both working.
> 
> Now I'd like to rip my DVD's to the server. What's the best software?


What are the specs of the server that you built? (if you have time to post them)


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## Lee L (Aug 15, 2002)

Excellent post. I see the HP machine is a Celeron 2.0. The computer I have right now is the exact same processor I think (running XP as the main system, but I have been using Windows 7 beta just fine). I have 2 gig ram and 2 400 gig PATA hard drive, but the MB will accept SATA. This machine sprung from a P4 2.0 gigahertz Dell 4550 that was about 6 years old and the MB died due to bad capacitors. I bought a cheap MB and processor just to get the system back up and running again. Kind of funny as over the years I upgraded the hard drive, the ram, then had to replace the Power supply, then the MB and Processor, then the case (the new MB would not fit the dell case) THe only original dell parts are video card and the CD RW drive I still have in there.

I have been holding off buying a new machine for the Core i7 processors to come out and also now because Windows 7 availablilty seems so close. It would seem dumb to have to pay twice for the OS when waiting 4 or 6 months will get it for free. 

Anyway, I might just repurpose this machine as a Windows Home Server. It seems that the only thing I would really lose versus the HP machines is the Hot swappable drives? All the actual system is part of the Home server software, correct? That would allow me to spend more on a new machine or add some devices. I use the Xbox 360 in one location, I have an old Dlink DSM-320 that works decently well in another and have used the HR2x occaisionally for other stuff, but I agree they are far from ready for prime time. 

In one location the rec room, we hook a laptop up to the TV to watch games on ESPN 360 or a couple of other sources. Being able to watch streaming content like this is a must there as it is th e only way to get some of games we want. (My wife is a huge University of Tennessee fan). Ideally, I would like to have a small, low powered HTPC there full time to avoid the laptop thing. I am assuming that the popcorn hour and other devices will not allow me to go to say ESPN or somethign using Silverlight or flash player and stream directly from there? OR will they?


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

I have my Win Home Server on an older PC (AMD Athlon 64 3800, 2 GB RAM), and it does just fine. It backs up all of my PCs automatically (and I've been able to swap harddrives and do a full restore), and I back up the back-ups on a USB drive once a month or so. You don't need a whole lot of hardware for a Home Server, as you can see from the specs of the HP.

Also, if you want trayless hot-swap drives, Kingwin has a number of models. I use the 3-in-2 model in one of my PCs. It converts 2 5.25" external bays into 3 3.5" SATA bays. They also make a 4-in-3 version:

















Open the door, slide in a bare SATA drive, and latch the door shut, and it's ready to go. Open the door and a lever pops the drive out.


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## Maui (Feb 17, 2009)

dave29 said:


> What are the specs of the server that you built? (if you have time to post them)


Antec Piano black case
MSI N1996 Mother board
Pentium 4 2.8
I gig Ram
Two Seagate Barracuda 500 gig hard drives
Pioneer DVD
Windows Home Server OS

Both my directv receivers and PS3 are hard wired with CAT6 cable

I've installed the following software:

Playon
TVersity
Decripter
Handbrake


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## dave29 (Feb 18, 2007)

Maui said:


> Antec Piano black case
> MSI N1996 Mother board
> Pentium 4 2.8
> I gig Ram
> ...


Nice, thanks!


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