Hi.

I want to build a pc for a friend to act as a server for the family DVD and
CD collection.

This is so that we can used a wireless media server thing in the main other
rooms to pipe CDs and DVDs around the house.

They don't want to play games or anything of that nature.

What I'm figuring, is that a fairly mediocre processor (maybe a Sempron
2600), plenty of ram - 1GB+ and lots of HD space (4 x 250GB 7200rpm SATA)
should do it. Couple this with the USRobotics wireless ADSL adapter plus a
booster somewhere around the middle of the large detached house.

I'm not sure about skimping on the processor and motherboard - but this will
save a lot and I figure that this will not affect the performance if just
serving DVDs etc to the wireless media server.

What do you all think?

Excellent idea, I had built one a few years ago. Here's another tip...
You can add 4 more HD's using one of those PCI RAID Cards, you'll just have
to make some modifications to handle the 4 more HD's (i.e. power cable
splitters and HD moutings) to make more room. There is a way to to "make 4
Hard Drives to look like 1 HD" or a single Volume that'll span several
disks.

Dave


"Schrodinger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:2cbsf.145342$%(E-Mail Removed)...
| Hi.
|
| I want to build a pc for a friend to act as a server for the family DVD
and
| CD collection.
|
| This is so that we can used a wireless media server thing in the main
other
| rooms to pipe CDs and DVDs around the house.
|
| They don't want to play games or anything of that nature.
|
| What I'm figuring, is that a fairly mediocre processor (maybe a Sempron
| 2600), plenty of ram - 1GB+ and lots of HD space (4 x 250GB 7200rpm SATA)
| should do it. Couple this with the USRobotics wireless ADSL adapter plus
a
| booster somewhere around the middle of the large detached house.
|
| I'm not sure about skimping on the processor and motherboard - but this
will
| save a lot and I figure that this will not affect the performance if just
| serving DVDs etc to the wireless media server.
|
| What do you all think?
|
|

"Schrodinger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:2cbsf.145342$%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi.
>
> I want to build a pc for a friend to act as a server for the family DVD
> and CD collection.
>
> This is so that we can used a wireless media server thing in the main
> other rooms to pipe CDs and DVDs around the house.
>
> They don't want to play games or anything of that nature.
>
> What I'm figuring, is that a fairly mediocre processor (maybe a Sempron
> 2600), plenty of ram - 1GB+ and lots of HD space (4 x 250GB 7200rpm SATA)
> should do it. Couple this with the USRobotics wireless ADSL adapter plus
> a booster somewhere around the middle of the large detached house.
>
> I'm not sure about skimping on the processor and motherboard - but this
> will save a lot and I figure that this will not affect the performance if
> just serving DVDs etc to the wireless media server.
>
> What do you all think?

How do you plan on playing the served media? Unless it
is only to other computers, you are going to need a Wireless
Media Player(s). You might want to be sure that your setup
is compatible with those also.

Check out: www.buffalotech.com http://snazzistore.com
www.dlink.com

I use a Buffalo Wireless HD "LinkTheater" that I have connected
via wire to my LAN and one of their "TeraStation" NAS with a
built-in media server. With this setup I can play media off the NAS
without having to have any PCs turned on. All the networkable
media players come with software to have a PC function as a server.

Luck;
Ken

> "Schrodinger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:2cbsf.145342$%(E-Mail Removed)...
> | Hi.
> |
> | I want to build a pc for a friend to act as a server for the family DVD
> and
> | CD collection.
> |
> | This is so that we can used a wireless media server thing in the main
> other
> | rooms to pipe CDs and DVDs around the house.
> |
> | They don't want to play games or anything of that nature.
> |
> | What I'm figuring, is that a fairly mediocre processor (maybe a Sempron
> | 2600), plenty of ram - 1GB+ and lots of HD space (4 x 250GB 7200rpm
> SATA)
> | should do it. Couple this with the USRobotics wireless ADSL adapter
> plus
> a
> | booster somewhere around the middle of the large detached house.
> |
> | I'm not sure about skimping on the processor and motherboard - but this
> will
> | save a lot and I figure that this will not affect the performance if
> just
> | serving DVDs etc to the wireless media server.
> |
> | What do you all think?
> |
> |
>
>


"Dave" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:TKbsf.47675$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Excellent idea, I had built one a few years ago. Here's another tip...
> You can add 4 more HD's using one of those PCI RAID Cards, you'll just
> have
> to make some modifications to handle the 4 more HD's (i.e. power cable
> splitters and HD mountings) to make more room.

Good point about HD mountings. Not thought about that aspect and I guess a
full size tower is overkill given that there'll be sod all else in the box.

>There is a way to to "make 4
> Hard Drives to look like 1 HD" or a single Volume that'll span several
> disks.

Is this RAID 0? I worry about using this in case one HD goes down taking
the lot with it?. Knowing my friend he will never ever back up.

> Dave
>

"Ken Maltby" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Schrodinger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:2cbsf.145342$%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Hi.
>>
>> I want to build a pc for a friend to act as a server for the family DVD
>> and CD collection.
>>
>> This is so that we can used a wireless media server thing in the main
>> other rooms to pipe CDs and DVDs around the house.
>>
>> They don't want to play games or anything of that nature.
>>
>> What I'm figuring, is that a fairly mediocre processor (maybe a Sempron
>> 2600), plenty of ram - 1GB+ and lots of HD space (4 x 250GB 7200rpm SATA)
>> should do it. Couple this with the USRobotics wireless ADSL adapter plus
>> a booster somewhere around the middle of the large detached house.
>>
>> I'm not sure about skimping on the processor and motherboard - but this
>> will save a lot and I figure that this will not affect the performance if
>> just serving DVDs etc to the wireless media server.
>>
>> What do you all think?
>
> How do you plan on playing the served media? Unless it
> is only to other computers, you are going to need a Wireless
> Media Player(s). You might want to be sure that your setup
> is compatible with those also.
>
> Check out: www.buffalotech.com http://snazzistore.com
> www.dlink.com
>
> I use a Buffalo Wireless HD "LinkTheater" that I have connected
> via wire to my LAN and one of their "TeraStation" NAS with a
> built-in media server. With this setup I can play media off the NAS
> without having to have any PCs turned on. All the networkable
> media players come with software to have a PC function as a server.
>
> Luck;
> Ken
>

Thanks for the info and links. I was thinking of using the Pinnacle Show
Center 200 - only because ComputerShopper gave it 5 stars. I am taking it
that I need one of these for each room in the house?

"Schrodinger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:kxdsf.146327$%(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Ken Maltby" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>
>> "Schrodinger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:2cbsf.145342$%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> Hi.
>>>
>>> I want to build a pc for a friend to act as a server for the family DVD
>>> and CD collection.
>>>
>>> This is so that we can used a wireless media server thing in the main
>>> other rooms to pipe CDs and DVDs around the house.
>>>
>>> They don't want to play games or anything of that nature.
>>>
>>> What I'm figuring, is that a fairly mediocre processor (maybe a Sempron
>>> 2600), plenty of ram - 1GB+ and lots of HD space (4 x 250GB 7200rpm
>>> SATA) should do it. Couple this with the USRobotics wireless ADSL
>>> adapter plus a booster somewhere around the middle of the large detached
>>> house.
>>>
>>> I'm not sure about skimping on the processor and motherboard - but this
>>> will save a lot and I figure that this will not affect the performance
>>> if just serving DVDs etc to the wireless media server.
>>>
>>> What do you all think?
>>
>> How do you plan on playing the served media? Unless it
>> is only to other computers, you are going to need a Wireless
>> Media Player(s). You might want to be sure that your setup
>> is compatible with those also.
>>
>> Check out: www.buffalotech.com http://snazzistore.com
>> www.dlink.com
>>
>> I use a Buffalo Wireless HD "LinkTheater" that I have connected
>> via wire to my LAN and one of their "TeraStation" NAS with a
>> built-in media server. With this setup I can play media off the NAS
>> without having to have any PCs turned on. All the networkable
>> media players come with software to have a PC function as a server.
>>
>> Luck;
>> Ken
>>
>
> Thanks for the info and links. I was thinking of using the Pinnacle Show
> Center 200 - only because ComputerShopper gave it 5 stars. I am taking it
> that I need one of these for each room in the house?

That should have been http://snazzishop.com

I would be reluctant to suggest any "Pinnacle" products, but who
knows they could have got it right this time, I'll check it out. It
appears to use the same chipset as the Buffalo product, but looks
to have a neat integration with their PCTV cards, also. The
Buffalo "LinkTheater" has a special integration with their NAS.
Both are at the $300 price point.

What you'll need will depend on how and to what you will be
playing the served media. Where you want to use a HD display
device, (projector, HDTV, Plasma, whatever...) you would need
a HD Media Player. Where you will be using a normal TV, the
much cheaper Media players will do fine.

Luck;
Ken

"Ken Maltby" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:Gs6dnbW4h80-5izeRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Schrodinger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:kxdsf.146327$%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>
>> "Ken Maltby" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>
>>> "Schrodinger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>> news:2cbsf.145342$%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>> Hi.
>>>>
>>>> I want to build a pc for a friend to act as a server for the family DVD
>>>> and CD collection.
>>>>
>>>> This is so that we can used a wireless media server thing in the main
>>>> other rooms to pipe CDs and DVDs around the house.
>>>>
>>>> They don't want to play games or anything of that nature.
>>>>
>>>> What I'm figuring, is that a fairly mediocre processor (maybe a Sempron
>>>> 2600), plenty of ram - 1GB+ and lots of HD space (4 x 250GB 7200rpm
>>>> SATA) should do it. Couple this with the USRobotics wireless ADSL
>>>> adapter plus a booster somewhere around the middle of the large
>>>> detached house.
>>>>
>>>> I'm not sure about skimping on the processor and motherboard - but this
>>>> will save a lot and I figure that this will not affect the performance
>>>> if just serving DVDs etc to the wireless media server.
>>>>
>>>> What do you all think?
>>>
>>> How do you plan on playing the served media? Unless it
>>> is only to other computers, you are going to need a Wireless
>>> Media Player(s). You might want to be sure that your setup
>>> is compatible with those also.
>>>
>>> Check out: www.buffalotech.com http://snazzistore.com
>>> www.dlink.com
>>>
>>> I use a Buffalo Wireless HD "LinkTheater" that I have connected
>>> via wire to my LAN and one of their "TeraStation" NAS with a
>>> built-in media server. With this setup I can play media off the NAS
>>> without having to have any PCs turned on. All the networkable
>>> media players come with software to have a PC function as a server.
>>>
>>> Luck;
>>> Ken
>>>
>>
>> Thanks for the info and links. I was thinking of using the Pinnacle Show
>> Center 200 - only because ComputerShopper gave it 5 stars. I am taking
>> it that I need one of these for each room in the house?
>
> That should have been http://snazzishop.com
>
> I would be reluctant to suggest any "Pinnacle" products, but who
> knows they could have got it right this time, I'll check it out. It
> appears to use the same chipset as the Buffalo product, but looks
> to have a neat integration with their PCTV cards, also. The
> Buffalo "LinkTheater" has a special integration with their NAS.
> Both are at the $300 price point.
>
> What you'll need will depend on how and to what you will be
> playing the served media. Where you want to use a HD display
> device, (projector, HDTV, Plasma, whatever...) you would need
> a HD Media Player. Where you will be using a normal TV, the
> much cheaper Media players will do fine.
>
> Luck;
> Ken

Aha! Why didn't I remember that the most buggy piece of software/hardware I
have ever used is Studio versions 1 thru 8 by Pinnacle Sys!

Thanks for the headsup - no way am I touching anything by them again - I
can't believe I didn't link the 2 given the amount of time and effort I
spent with that software/hardware combination - now ditched for Sony.

There will be no need for HDTV for at least some years. As with many
subjects, I can see this subject being as easy to get a hold of as wet
blancmange!

"Schrodinger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:nMfsf.370334$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Ken Maltby" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:Gs6dnbW4h80-5izeRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
>>
>> "Schrodinger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:kxdsf.146327$%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>
>>> "Ken Maltby" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>>
>>>> "Schrodinger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>>> news:2cbsf.145342$%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>>> Hi.
>>>>>
>>>>> I want to build a pc for a friend to act as a server for the family
>>>>> DVD and CD collection.
>>>>>
>>>>> This is so that we can used a wireless media server thing in the main
>>>>> other rooms to pipe CDs and DVDs around the house.
>>>>>
>>>>> They don't want to play games or anything of that nature.
>>>>>
>>>>> What I'm figuring, is that a fairly mediocre processor (maybe a
>>>>> Sempron 2600), plenty of ram - 1GB+ and lots of HD space (4 x 250GB
>>>>> 7200rpm SATA) should do it. Couple this with the USRobotics wireless
>>>>> ADSL adapter plus a booster somewhere around the middle of the large
>>>>> detached house.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm not sure about skimping on the processor and motherboard - but
>>>>> this will save a lot and I figure that this will not affect the
>>>>> performance if just serving DVDs etc to the wireless media server.
>>>>>
>>>>> What do you all think?
>>>>
>>>> How do you plan on playing the served media? Unless it
>>>> is only to other computers, you are going to need a Wireless
>>>> Media Player(s). You might want to be sure that your setup
>>>> is compatible with those also.
>>>>
>>>> Check out: www.buffalotech.com http://snazzistore.com
>>>> www.dlink.com
>>>>
>>>> I use a Buffalo Wireless HD "LinkTheater" that I have connected
>>>> via wire to my LAN and one of their "TeraStation" NAS with a
>>>> built-in media server. With this setup I can play media off the NAS
>>>> without having to have any PCs turned on. All the networkable
>>>> media players come with software to have a PC function as a server.
>>>>
>>>> Luck;
>>>> Ken
>>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks for the info and links. I was thinking of using the Pinnacle
>>> Show Center 200 - only because ComputerShopper gave it 5 stars. I am
>>> taking it that I need one of these for each room in the house?
>>
>> That should have been http://snazzishop.com
>>
>> I would be reluctant to suggest any "Pinnacle" products, but who
>> knows they could have got it right this time, I'll check it out. It
>> appears to use the same chipset as the Buffalo product, but looks
>> to have a neat integration with their PCTV cards, also. The
>> Buffalo "LinkTheater" has a special integration with their NAS.
>> Both are at the $300 price point.
>>
>> What you'll need will depend on how and to what you will be
>> playing the served media. Where you want to use a HD display
>> device, (projector, HDTV, Plasma, whatever...) you would need
>> a HD Media Player. Where you will be using a normal TV, the
>> much cheaper Media players will do fine.
>>
>> Luck;
>> Ken
>
> Aha! Why didn't I remember that the most buggy piece of software/hardware
> I have ever used is Studio versions 1 thru 8 by Pinnacle Sys!
>
> Thanks for the headsup - no way am I touching anything by them again - I
> can't believe I didn't link the 2 given the amount of time and effort I
> spent with that software/hardware combination - now ditched for Sony.
>
> There will be no need for HDTV for at least some years. As with many
> subjects, I can see this subject being as easy to get a hold of as wet
> blancmange!

You can sometimes find a good deal on the SMC EZ-Stream
Wireless Multimedia Receiver (SMCWMR-AG) for ~$100.
You might decide which wireless protocols you will have available,
802.11(a,b&g) are the most common and work with most media
receivers.

Luck;
Ken

I saw it today at Fry's, Best Buy and CompUseless (CompUSA).

Its a little card that plugs into an empty PCI slot on the MB for IDE
drives(iffen you'replanning on using IDE drives - I didn't see one for
SCSI). From there you can plug 4 more devices into it i.e. HD's DVD drives
and CD drives.

here is some info on this link:

http://www.nowdirect.com/direct/part...b?partid=16456


Dave


"Schrodinger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:Psdsf.31669$(E-Mail Removed)...
|
| > "Schrodinger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
| > news:2cbsf.145342$%(E-Mail Removed)...
| > | Hi.
| > |
| > | I want to build a pc for a friend to act as a server for the family
DVD
| > and
| > | CD collection.
| > |
| > | This is so that we can used a wireless media server thing in the main
| > other
| > | rooms to pipe CDs and DVDs around the house.
| > |
| > | They don't want to play games or anything of that nature.
| > |
| > | What I'm figuring, is that a fairly mediocre processor (maybe a
Sempron
| > | 2600), plenty of ram - 1GB+ and lots of HD space (4 x 250GB 7200rpm
| > SATA)
| > | should do it. Couple this with the USRobotics wireless ADSL adapter
| > plus
| > a
| > | booster somewhere around the middle of the large detached house.
| > |
| > | I'm not sure about skimping on the processor and motherboard - but
this
| > will
| > | save a lot and I figure that this will not affect the performance if
| > just
| > | serving DVDs etc to the wireless media server.
| > |
| > | What do you all think?
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
|
|
| "Dave" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
| news:TKbsf.47675$(E-Mail Removed)...
| > Excellent idea, I had built one a few years ago. Here's another tip...
| > You can add 4 more HD's using one of those PCI RAID Cards, you'll just
| > have
| > to make some modifications to handle the 4 more HD's (i.e. power cable
| > splitters and HD mountings) to make more room.
|
| Good point about HD mountings. Not thought about that aspect and I guess
a
| full size tower is overkill given that there'll be sod all else in the
box.
|
| >There is a way to to "make 4
| > Hard Drives to look like 1 HD" or a single Volume that'll span several
| > disks.
|
| Is this RAID 0? I worry about using this in case one HD goes down taking
| the lot with it?. Knowing my friend he will never ever back up.
|
| > Dave
| >
|

another:

http://www.krex.com/index.asp?PageAc...ROD&ProdID=125



"Dave" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
newsIisf.40862$q%.(E-Mail Removed)...
| I saw it today at Fry's, Best Buy and CompUseless (CompUSA).
|
| Its a little card that plugs into an empty PCI slot on the MB for IDE
| drives(iffen you'replanning on using IDE drives - I didn't see one for
| SCSI). From there you can plug 4 more devices into it i.e. HD's DVD drives
| and CD drives.
|
| here is some info on this link:
|
| http://www.nowdirect.com/direct/part...b?partid=16456
|
|
| Dave
|
|
| "Schrodinger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
| news:Psdsf.31669$(E-Mail Removed)...
| |
| | > "Schrodinger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
| | > news:2cbsf.145342$%(E-Mail Removed)...
| | > | Hi.
| | > |
| | > | I want to build a pc for a friend to act as a server for the family
| DVD
| | > and
| | > | CD collection.
| | > |
| | > | This is so that we can used a wireless media server thing in the
main
| | > other
| | > | rooms to pipe CDs and DVDs around the house.
| | > |
| | > | They don't want to play games or anything of that nature.
| | > |
| | > | What I'm figuring, is that a fairly mediocre processor (maybe a
| Sempron
| | > | 2600), plenty of ram - 1GB+ and lots of HD space (4 x 250GB 7200rpm
| | > SATA)
| | > | should do it. Couple this with the USRobotics wireless ADSL adapter
| | > plus
| | > a
| | > | booster somewhere around the middle of the large detached house.
| | > |
| | > | I'm not sure about skimping on the processor and motherboard - but
| this
| | > will
| | > | save a lot and I figure that this will not affect the performance if
| | > just
| | > | serving DVDs etc to the wireless media server.
| | > |
| | > | What do you all think?
| | > |
| | > |
| | >
| | >
| |
| |
| | "Dave" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
| | news:TKbsf.47675$(E-Mail Removed)...
| | > Excellent idea, I had built one a few years ago. Here's another tip...
| | > You can add 4 more HD's using one of those PCI RAID Cards, you'll just
| | > have
| | > to make some modifications to handle the 4 more HD's (i.e. power cable
| | > splitters and HD mountings) to make more room.
| |
| | Good point about HD mountings. Not thought about that aspect and I
guess
| a
| | full size tower is overkill given that there'll be sod all else in the
| box.
| |
| | >There is a way to to "make 4
| | > Hard Drives to look like 1 HD" or a single Volume that'll span several
| | > disks.
| |
| | Is this RAID 0? I worry about using this in case one HD goes down
taking
| | the lot with it?. Knowing my friend he will never ever back up.
| |
| | > Dave
| | >
| |
|
|