My initial problem
My previous ISP (Free) provided me with a nice triple-play ADSL set-top box (aka « Freebox »). It has an internal 40GB hard disk drive accessible using FTP and was able to play content streamed through UPnP. I recently switched to a new ISP (Numéricable) because they were offering FTTH (100mbits downstream, 5mbits upstream) in my place, but unfortunately they’re not offering any kind of set-top box. I just got a classic Netgear modem and Netgear DVB device, which is unable to play any video content from the network.
As it turns out, I’m missing the HTPC-kind functionalities a pretty damn lot. Playing my video content on my living room’s TV is important in my eyes. Sadly, my computer is too far from the TV to link both using an HMDI cable. That’s how I decided that I’ll be building an HTPC.
What’s an HTPC?
What is exactly an HTPC (Home Theater Personal Computer or Home Cinéma & Media Center in french):
It’s a standard computer, running a standard operating system, plus all the needed softwares that allow playing video and/or audio content on a TV. Because it’s just a standard computer, it does not have to be limited to a content streaming role, but can instead serve other purposes.
What kind of other purpose? Let’s see:
- NAS: making some storage available on the network can be nice. This could be used for some backuping for your personal files and your family vacations films (that’s what they make those 2TB hard disk drives for, isn’t it?), so they can be played on your TV. This role is kind of related with the HTPC one.
- Webserver: you may want your website/blog to be hosted at home, as long as you have enough bandwidth.
- Remote desktop: it’s sometimes useful to have a desktop computer accessible via the Internet. This could save you a lot of time when you’ll be trying to open this damn Microsoft Word document at your friend’s place where he doesn’t have Microsoft Office installed, for example.
- VPN server: from those often working from remote location it could be useful to be able to connect to your home LAN. A VPN server may also help bypassing a restrictive firewall as long as you can connect to it and have it configured as a gateway.
I’m probably forgetting some possible roles, but I didn’t mean to be exhaustive anyway.
My plans
The HTPC I’m planning to build should just have the HTPC & NAS roles. For now on I’ll be looking for the right hardware, with the following in my mind:
- It must be as quiet as possible. This thing is supposed to lay on the floor of my living room, where I sometimes have people sleeping.
- It must be as energy efficient as possible. I won’t be defining energy efficiency here, but the server will be running 24/7, so you can probably imagine that a 140W CPU isn’t gonna do the trick. Also, I’ll probably go for a 80Plus Bronze PSU, or Silver if I can afford it.
- It should be able to handle at least 4×3,5″ hard disk drives. One for the system, plus three more for a RAID-5 array, or ZFS RAID-Z pool (I’ll see what fits best).
I’ll make another post as soon as I’ll decide which hardware I’m going to buy.
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Hey wanna build a HTPC (with remote) with NAS. I have a small group that i will be providing the HTPC to. The network is a Private LAN where the HTPC will not have access to the internet but will download updated media files from the NAS server. I am hoping to use xbmc on the HTPC which will be on the client end. Please get intouch with me if you will like to take on this project. Please email me @ [email protected]