config ideas for MythBE/NAS + Myth/XBMC/Boxee FE

**jalyst** · January 23rd, 2010, 07:03 AM

Myth Back-end + NAS (already own the parts; cept 3x 1/1.5TB HDD)
This machine will do all video capturing/transcoding.
It will also be the Backup Server/NAS....

1x Old Lian-Li midi-Tower or Chen Mei FT
1x Gigabyte 8600GTS .................................... [take transcoding load off CPU w/VDPAU or is this def. not doable?]
1x Hauppauge HVR-2200 .................................. [may eventually add a 2nd one]
1x GA-P35-DQ6 (ATX form-factor)
1x TWIN2X4096-8500C5DF ................................. [2x2GB DDR2 1066; 4GB enough?]
1x Core2Duo (conroe) E6420 2.13Ghz ..................... [may underclock/volt slightly?]
1x Antec True Power 3.0 650W ........................... [Less wattage possible?]
Storage Sub-sys:
1x 1TB WD Black ........................................ [video capture disk, can it handle 4 simultaneous HD streams?]
1x 150GB 10k RPM Raptor ................................. [boot/system volume?]
3x 1/1.5TB 7.2k RPM HDD ....................... [For content storage & BU, may not bother w/RAID till get hw controller?]

********************************************
Myth/Boxee Front-end (don't have the parts; cept where mentioned)
This will be the media player & MAME PC...
Later (6mth) I'll buy a top-end GPU that'll be swapped-in sometimes for gaming.

1x mATX H57 or Q57 mobo. ......... [make/model?]
1x Intel Core i3 530
2x DDR3 1GB ...................... [make/model?]
1x 30GB SSD or USB Flash*? + 74GB 10k RPM Raptor? (for local storage; already own)
OR
1x 1TB WD Black or Samsung F3? [innermost sectors -20GB?- for OS, outermost for local storage]
1x Xonar Essence ST (PCI; already own)
1x H6 (Essence daughterboard; already own)
1x PSU ................................ [perhaps BE PSU is best here if I intend to use strong GPU sometimes; make/model?]
1x Case ............................... [make/model?]
1x nV GT220 ....................... [only if IGP+CPU not enough; make/model?]

For the back-end I was thinking of doing a minimal Ubuntu install & only adding what is needed.
For the front-end I was thinking of starting the same way and gradually adding MythTVFE, Boxee, and maybe a lightweight DE like crunchbang etc.
Interested in peoples thoughts on what I'm missing hardware or software wise or just some general advice.
Thanks!
________
discarded:
********
74GB 10k RPM Raptor ....................... [very old -not used much- slightly damaged connector so connection always a bit loose]
*4GB USB flash ................................ [aside from the fact that 4GB is too small, is USB flash too much of a poor alt to SSD?]
80GB 7.2k HDD, make/model YTBD.

**jalyst** · January 24th, 2010, 10:33 AM

Also would ya'll agree with this? ...
http://forums.overclockers.com.au/sh...4#post11370174

As much as I'd like a shiny new Clarkdale-based FE :lol:
I'm starting to think it might make more sense to do an AIO?

**jalyst** · January 25th, 2010, 10:27 AM

I think I'm going with an AIO, but with the FE I outlined as the platform base.

So that means I'll sell most of the parts outlined for my proposed back-end.
This will give me a little cash towards the new build, whilst allowing me to move to the newer/sexier Intel platform

It'd be cheaper to go with the BE as the base for an AIO (& it'd be plenty of horsepower), but I prefer this approach.
I'll outline the new machine I have in mind soon....

As figrin mentioned Core i3-xxx VA-API support for acceleration is getting there, but still pretty rough.
If I find it's not good enough after a few months, then I can always chuck in a GT220 to be used w/VDPAU.

I do have plans later this year to build a Core i7-based native VMM (baremetal hypervisor).
So this could become the BE & "jack of all" server, and the AIO could revert to a FE/occasional gaming machine.

In the meantime I'll have my XBOX360 & soon a PS3 which can be used as FE's of sorts.
PS3 in particular, now that it's "apparently" been fully hacked...

Any thoughts/opinions greatly appreciated!?!

**jalyst** · January 26th, 2010, 12:27 AM

Here is the rough outline I have in mind...
Underlined = I've decided on the part, bold = I own it.

1x Intel Core i3-530
1x mATX H57 or Q57 mobo?
2x 2GB DDR3?
1x Asus Xonar Essence ST (PCI)
1x Asus H6 (Essence daughterboard)
1x Hauppauge HVR-2200
1x Antec True Power 3.0 650W
Storage Sub-sys:
1x 1TB WD Black ..............................[capture disk, can it handle 4 simultaneous HD streams?]
3x 1/1.5TB 7.2k HDD? .........................[For content storage & BU, may not bother w/RAID]
_________
Low priority (won't buy this time round, but suggestions welcome)
*********
1x 30GB OCZ Vertex SSD? ................... [approx $219]
1x nV GT220? .................................... [only if IGP+CPU proves to be not enough]
1x HTPC Case? ................................... [Have crappy old Lian-Li (PC-60?) mid-tower]

Make/model recommendations greatly appreciated!

**jalyst** · January 28th, 2010, 07:14 AM

Alas there's no Q5x/H5x mATX mobo's with SATA6G & USB3.
So it comes down to these three:

GA-H57M-USB3 $174.0 [may be able to get for this price]
P7H55D-M EVO $179.3 [definitely can get for this price]
P7H57D-V EVO $292.6 [definitely can get for this price]

The last is ATX....
It does have SATA6G & USB3 but is substantially more than the other two.

I've realised that SATAII's "real world" limit is about 300MB/s anyway.
I'm not aware of any 30-40GB SSD's that could reach that limit, even at sustained read speeds.
So it's no big loss, when S6G does filter-down to H5x mATX boards, I can always sell & upgrade.

I'm leaving SSD's for now, there's so much happening in the next 6mth, there'll be far better options later.
And there's the fact that I don't hugely benefit from SSD for the intended application.

So these are my finalist parts:
************************
approx $154 1x Intel Core i3-530
approx $179 1x GA-H57M-USB3 or P7H55D-M EVO
approx $145 G.Skill 2x 2GB DDR3 1600Mhz (PC-12800)
Storage Sub-sys:
approx $312 3x 1TB Samsung F3? ........................... [content storage & BU, may not bother w/RAID]
___________
Total = $790
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Would you slot something different in? Can I get some thoughts please!
N.B. I updated my earlier post which outlines all my parts.