Need advice on building a home media server

I've tried a few things already to make it easy and had issues with each. I bought a Seagate NAS drive, that worked great until the drive stopped working shortly before I moved into my new house. My netgear router that supports DLNA from a USB HDD doesn't broadcast the files reliably, combined with my PS3 is very picky about file formats makes watching movies a shot in the dark each time.

I want this PC to be directly connected to the TV via HDMI, so I can avoid the router entirely. I'd also like to be able to use a remote with the media server so I can just turn on the TV and watch movies without having to setup a mouse and keyboard. I plan on using an old PC and upgrading PCI cards and HDD as necessary (I want to spend as little money as possible). All of the downloading of media will be done from our laptops and stored on that PC.

Anyone have any suggestions? I've read some things online, but everyone is giving their pitch for their software, no real reviews. I'm looking for suggestions on software to use, ideas on how to use a remote, and any suggestions on how to reduce its power consumption. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

 

Although I've built a few such units, the list of parts and players is constantly changing.

Instead of creating a build list, I'm posting some general things to consider when choosing components.

* What else are you going to be using it for? Although an ITX Atom board uses very little power and is adequate as a DVR/Roku style box, it will choke under the weight of any stronger apps. If video editing (especially HD video) or moderate gaming is on the menu, an Intel i5 is the way to go. Also remember that most ITX boards have few or no expansion card slots - something to consider if you ever plan on upgrading the video card or adding a TV tuner.

* To reduce power consumption, use an 80 PLUS rated PSU - they save energy and run cooler than lower efficiency models. If going the i5 route, look for a CPU with either a 65w or 77w TDP - not a 95 watt TDP unless you're going to run the screaming apps noted above (this is one of the reasons I choose Intel, as they usually have a lower power draw than an AMD with similar benchmark scores).

* If using the unit as a DVR, you'll have to research if the DVR card can "wake" the PC out of sleep or hibernation when it's time to record something. Also remember that most DVR cards, due to copyright protection, can only record over-the-air broadcast signals. They cannot be used to directly record cable, DrecTV, etc. unless the descrambler box is attached via analog connection to the PC and it set to turn on and auto-tune to the desired channel at the same time - for this type of stuff, it's better to just get a DVR equipped box from your cable or satellite provider.

* Consider horizontal HTPC cases from companies such as Antec or Silverstone. They generally have better airflow and are quieter than cheap cases. Be sure the case is set out in the open - not in an enclosed cabinet with a door on the front.

* On the components themselves, research ratings at Newegg and Amazon. Go beyond the ratings and read the user reviews - these will often alert you to issues including what plays nice (or doesn't) with certain board chipsets and/or Windows 7.

Good luck on the build - hope these tips help.

 

Thanks, definately helpful. I honestly had not thought about using it as a DVR, which seems like a great idea. My only goal currently is to create a digital media storage and player. I more or less just need something that will reliably store my movies and music and play them, majority of the time to my 40" HDTV which will be connected directly through HDMI. It will be completely dedicated to that task as I have other PC's for anything else I decide to do.

I guess my biggest question is what software did you run? Ideally I'd like to have a smooth interface that I can sit on the couch with a remote and pick from my list of movies. It looks like Media Portal is a good option, but I also see alot of talk about just using Windows Media Center. Any experience/ preference with these?

 

I'm not familiar with Media Portal. My advice is to try Win 7 Media Center first. If nothing else, it will likely be more compatible with a remote control that's certified for Win 7 versus third party software.