Best choice for new installation?

[cmbat]

Hi-

I'm interested in creating a Subsonic server at home. I don't want to use my main computers, even though they have room and power, because I don't want to leave them on when I travel for a week. My NetGear NAS Duo doesn't cut it, evidently. I'm trying to figure out the best-priced option that will make this work (I will be streaming in the house and to Android devices out of the house). I can't find a thread that just suggests the best current hardware. I have set up a small server through GigaPros and it works great, but I have 180 GB of music and it will take forever to upload, not to mention long term costs. I am not that familiar with Linux stuff.

So, with that said, is there a standalone Linux hardware solution that I should use that is easy to set up (have a Cisco E3500 router), or will something like this work:

HP StorageWorks X310 Intel Atom Dual Core (1.6GHz) 2GB Memory 1TB Data Vault 3 open bay, Windows Home Server

Thanks for the help in advance, I just don't want to go marching down a path that either gets too complicated or doesn't work at all.

[GJ51]

http://www.newegg.com/Store/Category.as ... -Computers

[utopian]

build a virtual machine...???

[cmbat]

build a virtual machine...???

Understood, but I'm just asking, I can get the HP StorageWorks X310 for $399. Is there really an options that's much cheaper and gets better results? Or does the X310 not work well for this?

[GJ51]

I'll try to make a long story as short as I can. I'm using SS today as a result of the miserable experience I had with the HP ex485 MSS. Subsonic actually does what Twonky Media was supposed to do on the HP Media "Smart" Server.

The ex485 burned out 3 hard drives in less than a year. In my opinion, the form factor does not allow enough space around the hard drives to allow for adequate cooling. Since switching to an Antec 300 case I haven't lost any hardware.

I will never by another HP product. They are all marketing, low price, over-hyped features, and lousy quality.

A lot depends on your individual level of expertise when you're trying to figure out the best option for a Subsonic server. I often recommend a cheap refurb or starter DIY kit like are often advertised on Tiger Direct. You can ocassionally find Corei3 systems with 500gb - 1TB drives in a cabinet with room to grow for under $400, often reasonable foundation systems can be had for $199.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... t%2015-_-n

The other consideration is your budget. I spend way to much on my systems, but as I tell my wife, I don't drink or smoke - it's my vice.

I enjoy building from the ground up with the "Tim Allen" approach Har,har,har...

I currenly use Antec 300 cases and in my servers I now have Antec 380 Earth Watts power supplies. MY WHS build has an MSI 890FXA-GD70 mobo with a 65W AMD quad core 910e Deneb CPU with 8GB ram and 4 2TB drives.

I like using quad core low power consumption CPU's as my servers are on most of the day. My Server 2008 R2 box is on 24/7 running a 65W Xeon CPU with 8GB ram. That's what hosts my public server in the link below in a VM install of WHS 2011 in a 2GB VM. My WHS 2011 on the AMD box uses the Lights Out addin to put the server to sleep when no one is using the network.

You also need to understand that lower powered solutions may not do a very good job for video. If that's a priority, you need some power. What are your storage needs? 3TB drives are becoming affordable, if you only need to host SS for music, an itx Atom CPU with one big hard drive might just fill your needs.

There are thousands of "right" ways to go. The wrong ones you learn from experience. After every build, I realize what I should have done differently.

Good Luck

[GJ51]

Just got an email from Tiger Direct - check this out for a DIY starter.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... remail2682

[flicker87]

If all you want is a machine to be a subsonic server, I'd say try Craigslist or the local want ads. Older computers that are just fine are virtually a dime a dozen. Maybe you even have an old computer that you no longer use.

I have an old Dell that I bought in 2000 that was no longer being used. It's a Pentium III 866 with 512MB of RAM (that's maxed out for this computer).

I gave it a clean install of windows XP, put in a PCI card that gave it the needed interface for those big cheap SATA hard drives. I put in two identical 1.5TB hard drives (they were about $100 each at the time, even cheaper now).

I put all my music (about 250GB) onto one of the hard drives, and set up a free program that backs up that music collection to the other identical hard drive. That's my way of ensuring I don't suffer in the case one of the hard drives crashing.

I installed subsonic on it, put it in a dark corner in my basement, ran an ethernet wire to it from my router, and it's great. It serves up music just fine. It's just me and my wife and a couple friends that use it, but even with all of us connected at once that old computer doesn't struggle one bit.

Also, it has a 200 watt power supply. I see that most new PCs, even the el cheapo ones, have 400 watt or higher power supplies. I don't know what that means in the real world in terms of $$.... but for a computer that I leave on all the time I like knowing it's not a huge power draw.

Good luck!