Ask Engadget: What's the best home media server?

So we've asked you which HD media streamer you prefer. And we've done the same for NAS drives. But what if you're the type that's looking for the best of both worlds? Take it away, Stuart:

"We have a laptop and a desktop, with plans to add another computer in the near future. I'd like something that can primarily provide a large (1TB+) storage repository that can be accessed via our network, as well as have space for data backups and media streaming capabilities. I've read articles on Drobo and Windows Home Server-based devices, but after a certain point my brain just starts to get overloaded. Which solution out there would be best for me? I'm trying to stay below $700 if possible."

We think your task is pretty clear cut here, reader. Which home server out there is a notch above the rest? Would you recommend a pre-built device or a homegrown solution? After giving this one a whirl, toss your own inquiry over to ask at engadget dawt com - your very words may grace this space next week.

[Jesse S @ Jun 26th 2008 11:46PM]

Build it yourself. 1U rack, low-end CPU, 2 gigs of ram, FreeBSD. Just make it a fileserver, like you do with any similar server.

[Will H. @ Jun 27th 2008 12:21AM]

Build your own is the only way to go really.

[szamot @ Jun 27th 2008 1:02AM]

Why waste the money on 1U box for a home server and limit your expandability choices, just stick it in any old box.

[Bassat @ Jun 27th 2008 10:52AM]

looking for a 1To webServer+Nas+Web page GUI+no fan....
We are working on such a product for autumn and you can have a glance to our plans, unfortunatley it is in french today ( soon in english and maybe you can help ) but anyway you will understand the pictures and [e-mail].
let me know your comments or join us to define more specs you dream about.

[James Young @ Jun 26th 2008 11:52PM]

Mac Mini running XBMC connected to a tv and ethernet to your router

[Craig @ Jun 27th 2008 1:51AM]

And you can even skip the XBMC. Front Row, while not perfect, is really easy to use and does 99% of what most of us need an HTPC to do.

And anything that keeps the wife and kids from bitching about the HTPC not working is A-OK in my book.

[WilliamChe @ Jun 27th 2008 9:39AM]

You've just earmarked nearly 90% of the budget on a cool, quiet, hip little machine with... 80 gigs of drive space?

[WilliamChe @ Jun 27th 2008 9:41AM]

You've just earmarked nearly 90% of the budget on a cool, quiet, hip
little machine with... 80 gigs of drive space?

[giuliop @ Jun 27th 2008 9:47AM]

I say ditch the Mac Mini and go with the original Xbox plus XBMC.

A used Xbox is dirt cheap, and you can add a big hard disk (I know 750GB works, haven't tried 1TB) and XBMC is oh so much more flexible than Front Row; to begin with, it plays everything you could throw at it.

I've got two Xboxes (not 360), one acting as a cheap NAS and the other as a Media Center (plus gaming). Couldn't be more satisfied.

[Han Cho @ Jun 26th 2008 11:53PM]

that's easy.

ReadyNas DUO.

I have 5 mac laptops and one pc laptop... the macs run os x 10.5

the readynas duo streams to my xbox and archos 605 (wifi)... supports jumbo frame, bittorrent client built in... Xraid technology that makes redundant copies of your harddrive (but u'll need to buy that 2nd SATA drive urself). overall, it's a solid product that i would recommend with no doubt.

too many good things to write about.. you can read all of that online (very very good read and write speeds)... so i'll just spit out the negatives. currently the max SATA hard drive you can buy is 1 TB... meaning the ready nas duo will be max-ed out at 1tb... no way to get around that unless there are future drives with over 1 tb capacity. also... if you want to take full advantage of the super read/write speeds, you prob want to upgrade your home network to a gigabit network.. by upgrading your wireless router... and making sure u have cat5 or cat5e cables...

buy the readynas duo... i researched for months ... and this is the best (the bottom line for drobo is that it's SLOW AS HELL, and super expensive)

good luck!

[AJ in the East Bay @ Jun 27th 2008 12:12AM]

Seconded. I also was deciding between ReadyNAS Duo, Synology Diskstation (good software by the way) and Drobo. I then saw the performance ratings and reviews for the ReadyNAS Duo right when the stimulus check came in, and Newegg was throwing a second SATA 500GB hard drive for $50. It was almost as if the planets were aligned for me. Needless to say, the ReadyNAS Duo rocks!!

[AJ in the East Bay @ Jun 27th 2008 12:13AM]

Oh, and I use modded original Xboxes running XBMC as my front end.

[Topionic @ Jun 27th 2008 10:59AM]

Cat 6 cables!

[evandena @ Jun 26th 2008 11:54PM]

Any decent NAS paired together with a Popcorn Hour.

[Scott @ Jun 27th 2008 12:28AM]

I second that: Popcorn Hour A-100 and my Ubuntu NFS box are phenomenal. Haven't rebooted in months and the setup was easy.

[Dave @ Jun 27th 2008 10:08AM]

Third That... My popcorn hour has a 500gig drive and I've got a Jbod 1tb nas running freenas. The popcorn hour will stream and torrent and play just not all at once if it's HD content that your playing but it will do double duty for anyone around the house. Newest firmware is even better.

[Wiigee @ Jun 26th 2008 11:54PM]

build your own out of older parts. run linux, i hear Kubuntu is a home server OS. You should be able to build a decent for near $700 with used parts. Craigslist is very useful.

[Striker @ Jun 27th 2008 12:08AM]

Kubuntu is just Ubuntu that uses KDE instead of GNOME, which Ubuntu uses. It is available in a server flavor, like Ubuntu, but I'd say that Ubuntu Server Edition is the way to go.

[CraigJ @ Jun 27th 2008 12:33AM]

Yep, that's what I use. +Samba and Firefly. Works great.

[JerkfacedFed @ Jun 27th 2008 1:08AM]

yes. this is engadget, the home of non-technical know-it-alls who make idiotic comments like this all day.


Best Setup:
Cost: any old computer (free to cheap) + windows license (~$120)
OR buy a HP mediasmart server pre-built
Remote desktop
Easiest to configure
WHS (512mb ram) or WinXP Pro (128mb ram)
uTorrent + uTorrentWebGUI as service
Automatically monitors a folder for torrents, downloads files and shares to XBox 360. WebUI allows for remote management
WHS allows for automatic backups and RAIDed drives

Poor Man's Setup
Linux

Both work fine, and the Linux will be much more configurable but if you are a console gamer media guy the windows route is more compatible out of the box and requires little tinkering.



Automatically downloads

[nesor @ Jun 26th 2008 11:55PM]

I really like Popcorn Hour A-100. Or atleast I hope that I do. I'm going to pick my from my post-offcie after work today

[Jesse S @ Jun 27th 2008 12:42PM]

Enjoy your downsampled media. I was going to get it, but it, like every other media streamer, transcodes your audio and video.

[taude @ Jun 27th 2008 1:01PM]

@Jesse S, Actually, you're not correct. With Popcorn Hour, you can play all your content directly off a NAS directly via Samba or NFS. Only if you use the streaming services from a server does it resample. I play DVD ISO, HD MKV files, etc...with no problem in all their glorious HD beautify on my Popcorn hour.

[Scuba Steve @ Jun 27th 2008 3:43PM]

I also have a PCH A-100. I do not have a hard disk in it because I want 100% silent operation...and because all of the content is on my home's main server regardless, which I access via an NFS share...wirelessly via an ethernet bridge...and that works fine for SD content with two wireless hops via G WPA TKIP.

That said, I wouldn't use a PCH as a server. You can put an HD in it, but the case has no fans...and just doesn't seem like the most reliable spot in my architecture for storage.

Me? I have over a TB on the main desktop PC. Since that bad boy is on 24/7, it is my home server. Backups occur nightly to an external disk...and I also have a SATA hard drive dock connected that I use for longer term backups - drop in a drive, back up important files, pull the drive and store elsewhere.

It serves the PCH, another desktop, four laptops, and my TiVo. If I wanted a dedicated solution, I would most likely just build a Linux-based server with an eye toward minimizing power, heat, and noise.

[TopaZ @ Jun 26th 2008 11:56PM]

I've spent a ton of time researching these, and spec-wise, Popcorn Hour has me the most interested. Have they solved the overheating problem (cause by lack of active cooling)?

[Dave @ Jun 27th 2008 10:10AM]

I just put a small old CPU fan in there... 1" and taped it off the pata drive's power. Solved.

[BobTurbo @ Jun 27th 2008 12:03AM]

That axis of evil Maxtor thing a few posts below this one sounds like the best solution :) Combine it with a PS3 and then you have blu-ray, media streaming, games, internet, everything you could ever want.

[BobTurbo @ Jun 27th 2008 1:58AM]

Actually maybe a HP mediasmart server would be better as the Seagate software probably sucks and Seagate are not known for making full computers as far as I know. God there are so many ways of doing it. Another option is to build your own but you need to be an IT geek to do that. Make sure you use a low power processor.

[Guy @ Jun 27th 2008 12:03AM]

My XBOX with XBMC has been fantastic for years now, the only thing it now lacks with any High Def support. I have that with my PS3 but the media serving functionality (ie inability to connect to a shared folder etc) is very poor in comparison.

[ThatOneRussian @ Jun 27th 2008 12:04AM]

I would hop on woot.com in the next hour or so and snag that 1 TB monster with Blu-ray for $650.

[Sabi @ Jun 27th 2008 12:08AM]

Build a desktop and put Linux on it. I've seen 1TB SATAs for like 160-175 on Slickdeals.net

Create your own server, (I prefer a Linux Server) and there you

I use macs and have an extra benefit of having a Mac running the server so i built a hackintosh. However i would have used Linux if i was just doing what you were doing.

FreeBSD as the gentlemen above posted works great too if you are savvy with it. Google for tutorials.

Popcorn hour is good for Media but i don't think its that hot at Backing up your computers periodically.

[Sabi @ Jun 27th 2008 12:10AM]

By the way I see alot of posts saying XBMC this guy can't back up his hard drive with XBMC or Popcorn Hour either

[7on @ Jun 27th 2008 9:11AM]

use a usb hdd with popcorn hour and you can disconnect it and backup your computers from time to time.

[Leo @ Jun 27th 2008 12:14AM]

I have a Netgear ReadyNAS NV+ with four 500GB 32MB cache seagate drives...gives me 1.3TB usable space.

It has a great built in Bit Torrent client and supports UPnP media server that works fantastically with me PS3 which plays WMV, MPG, MPEG-2, MP4, MP3, DIVX, XVID files

My PS3 cost 399...which was the same price as the cheapest bluray player at Best Buy. For that price I get a game console, streaming media player and a Bluray player.

[Aguiluz @ Jun 27th 2008 12:15AM]

I'm using a 200 MHz Pentium 1 for my fileserver.

Windows 2000.

[travis @ Jun 27th 2008 12:16AM]

Server running Unraid.

Mac-mini running osxbmc.

[LoTekJunky @ Jun 27th 2008 12:24AM]

Are you kidding? Under $700?!?!? Just get a friggin 1TB external drive and leave a computer turned on with it shared. Then roll around in the $500 you just saved. If you don't typically leave your PC turned on, start to.

[Kyle @ Jun 27th 2008 12:25AM]

I have a Power Mac G4 with several large internal hard drives serving up movies, tv shows, music, etc over iTunes sharing. This compliments the Apple TV I purchased a little while ago very well.

[Greg @ Jun 27th 2008 12:31AM]

NAS backend (ReadyNAS NV+ in my case) with a Mac Mini as a front end. I use Front Row, and it is very wife friendly.

Happy Computing.

[ucsbguy @ Jun 27th 2008 12:31AM]

I've got the little HP Media Smart with Windows Home Server. Its really nice and it plays back on the Xbox 360 fast.

[El Taco @ Jun 30th 2008 1:43PM]

I'd have to agree, I love mine.

[octoberasian @ Jun 27th 2008 12:32AM]

If I were to build a NAS server and use it as a media server, would FreeNAS software work?

Or, is there an alternative?

[Jason @ Jun 27th 2008 1:10AM]

There may be an alternative, but it's not going to give you 95% of the functionality of the leading multi-thousand dollar top end enterprise product, and it's definitely not going to leave you all the extra storage space and operating resources that FreeNAS will.

If you're dead serious about the storage, go FreeNAS.

[Topionic @ Jun 27th 2008 11:23AM]

I think any Linux distribution would do the job

[chris.jervis @ Jun 27th 2008 12:41AM]

QNAP box. Very versatile NAS running BusyBox available in 1,2,4 drive configurations.

http://www.qnap.com/pro_detail_feature.asp?p_id=91

[Brad @ Jun 27th 2008 3:56AM]

I second that. I'm running a QNAP TS-409. It has a stripped down Linux build on it, but it has more than enough to get the job done. Three USB ports (printer share, expansion), 4 SATA slots, and supports a wide range of RAID options.

It has a built in Twonky media server, so it'll play files on iTunes, Xbox360 (or any other Windows Media Extender), PS3, and serve files anywhere else. Even has a built in web server (with SQLite) and FTP server. Built in Torrent client with web access. Web configuration is relatively easy, especially for families. I've served HD content to both my XBox360s at once with no problem.

Backing up to it is easy enough. I think it comes with some backup software, but SyncBack (freeware) does just a fantastic job if you're not on Vista. You can even do it over FTP if you're away from home and know how to configure your router.

[Harry @ Jun 27th 2008 1:37PM]

Ayup, I'm looking to get a 2-bay QNAP unit (TS-20x) soon and pop a couple of 1TBs in it. With DLNA support to my PS3, I'll be in nirvana, I'm sure of it. Much cheaper than ReadyNAS units of equivalent capability, well-reviewed, and purpose-built so convenient in a way a self-built system can't match.

[Bill @ Jun 27th 2008 12:42AM]

I run ReadyNAS NV+ with a Windows Media Center hooked to the TV getting off-air HD TV for free. Works great. For your price point, go with the ReadyNAS Duo...

Bash Windows all you want, but outside of Tivo, Windows MCE (and now Vista Home Premium or Ultimate) is the best DVR out there.

--Bill

[Jason @ Jun 27th 2008 1:17AM]

Shortness of breath, shards of glass in my hands, and my A/C suddenly isn't doing the job anymore, but I feel so much better. Thanks.

[brandon williams @ Jun 27th 2008 12:44AM]

Well, i noticed above that you said HD media streamer and my solution really depends on the compression of the media you're transmitting: The Linksys NSLU2 (modded) is pretty slow when it comes to file transfers, but it can manage streaming 300 in HD to my regular xbox and laptop with relative ease. It also runs my vpn and bittorrent client. It has two usb ports to support multiple external harddrives and it has a huge community built around modding. Most importantly (to me) is that it consumes hardly any electricity and it is completely silent/stealthy.