An idea, feedback would be appreciated

What did you have to do to set it up, and how easy/hard would it be to do?
I just setup a simple Samba file share so Windows would have no problem seeing it. Be sure to change the name from localhost to something else. Windows will actually try to go to localhost. Worked great with my Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X machines. Then I setup remote desktop and a torrent client on the server so I can download torrents directly to the shared directory. Made my life so much easier. Plus I can leave it running 24/7 since it was low powered and located in my basement.
 
I think when all of this takes place I will make another thread so I don't bring up an older one and most likely I will ask in steps for what you did haha.

But if it wouldn't be too much work could you write out the steps of what there is to do and send them to me so I can print them and save it for use later?

I am starting to do all the research for this now so when it comes time I am completely set and can do this as quick as possible without messing anything up.
 
I'm going to be setting up Fedora 13 sometime tonight so I'll probably be able to post the steps soon. It's mostly graphical if not all. I don't know how familiar you are with Linux. Sorry to hijack your thread so much. Anyway, I dug up a picture of the server where I had it up. It ran mostly headless unless there was something seriously wrong. :)

2089797713_cc2350ba03_z.jpg
 
The thread is all yours, I asked what I needed for now lol

But that is pretty sweet how you set that up, I would most likely just use an old case that is easy to store.

And I have used Linux, mainly to see what it's like. But I know almost nothing about it. I have been a Microsoft fanboy as you could say since my first computer. I am not against using Linux at all, I just would be lost on what to do. Once it is all set up I would imagine I could manage it quite easily though.
 
I should probably elaborate why I chose to build a PC rather than get a NAS. I was originally shopping for a NAS with gigabit ethernet. The setups I liked were in the $200ish range. Then I started to think about it, I can build a PC for around that much and it can do so much more.
 
Ya, when I started this thread for the past few months not very much, but when I did think about this whole thing I wanted to get a server that would just be there for me to access anywhere and be able to copy/stream and content on the server.

But now it seems that I will just go the same way you did with assistance here and there lol.

I was thinking about spending $400-450 on a server, but now this may be able to be done a lot sooner if it's under $200.
 
Here is a quick build I did on NewEgg.

Case with 200w PSU- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811128052
$34.99

Memory 1gb 800mhz DDR2- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104193
$22.99

Motherboard and 1.66ghz Intel Atom CPU- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121399
$79.99

Approximately $140 without hard drive.

Then add whatever size hard drive you want with reliability in mind. Usually around $100 for a 1tb.

Approximate investment cost: $240.

Or you can get a nice NAS for around the same price. It seems that prices dropped a lot since I shopped around and they have a lot more features now. It might be better to go with a dedicated NAS.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822219003
$139.99
 
If I did go for the server would I be able to access it the same way and as easy as remote access for a computer?

Pretty much I am not worried about the cost as long as it's under $400, I am just looking for what is the easiest way to access it when not home.

I would access this thing on a daily if not hourly basis when not home. I would put all and any media on there so I don't use up space on my computer. I would probably only keep games on my laptop, so I would need the easiest way possible.
 
I've got a media device.

it's made by a company called Emprex, and is called an ME1, I got mine off ebay for £50.

in it's normal setup it just plugs into a TV, and lets you play movies from either it's local hard drive, an attached USB hard drive, or a remote location such as from a PCs shared folder. or record TV to it's local hard drive. and with that recording comes the ability to pause live TV.

but it runs linux as an OS, which means as a geek it's really like my duty to mess about with it and make it do more.

I've now got it setup so that it's go a web server so that I have external access to the content that's on the box,
I've got it setup with samba (as internally it runs linux) so I can share documents and copy stuff to it whilst I'm at home.
I've also got gmedia server and mediatomb running on it, (still trying to make a descision as to which is best).

Also, when the box is recording TV, if I use a capable media player (like mplayer) I'm able to stream near TV to my laptop, when I had a windows mobile phone I could stream TV to that too. (there's no player for the file type on iphone :()

as far as efficiency goes, it's pretty brilliant. it's got something like a 9watt power supply, I guess I have to factor in the USB disk that hangs off the back, which probably adds about another 5 - 10 watts... (inside it's got a 200MHz MIPS processor, and a dedicated graphics chip for makeing HD video (only 720p though :()

I've got a few hundred GB disk sat inside the device and a 1.5 TB disk hanging off the back. I could ut a hub in there and connect other devices too.

don't get me wrong, a PC is great, and a PC will do more, but a PC will be noisier, cost more to opperate due to a larger power draw, and be more expensive to start with. (I paid less for the media server device than I paid for the external hard drive).
or to put it another way, £50 is about as much as you'd expect to spend on a nothing too special case that comes with a power supply.
 
The power cost of it won't be an issue, and also with my this current rig I have gotten used to my room being loud, so probably about 24/7 music is playing in my room.

I think a PC setup seems pretty good right now, but my mind could change.
 
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