Media Center Server

[Naeeldar]

I've been thinking more and more about this and I think this christmas I'd like to build a Media Server PC and though I'm not entirely sure it looks like Windows Home Server would be optimal for this.

What I'm looking for is to either be able to stream music/video to my tvs throughout the house (currently one panasonic with hdmi inputs and older on it and server will be located near this tv) and a older Sony with DVI and component inputs available to me. Now I probably will have my Xbox360 on this tv so perhaps thats the best way to be able to stream video/music to the tv?

Also in the future I will be adding another plasma in the bedroom and would like to be able to stream video/music to it also.

Now the reason why I was thinking home server is because I can remote into it (hopefully using an ibook although if not I guess I'll be getting a dell laptop next notebook) and acess my files from anywhere in the house.

The thing I'm not to sure about is how to be able to stream music/video to all the tvs or is this even possible?

I'd basically would like to be able to store dvds/music on the server (I figure a 1 TB to start but need a case with at least another 2 HD space.

Anyway was curious if anybody has undertaken a similiar project or planning to? There doesn't seem to be too many resources or at least I haven't found many decent ones googling with info on setting up a media server and also Windows Home Server is pretty new.

So AnandTech Forums have always come through for me before so any thoughts/ideas or system builders already out there?

 

[Pyramix]

I am interested in knowing about this too.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: Naeeldar
I've been thinking more and more about this and I think this christmas I'd like to build a Media Server PC and though I'm not entirely sure it looks like Windows Home Server would be optimal for this.

What I'm looking for is to either be able to stream music/video to my tvs throughout the house (currently one panasonic with hdmi inputs and older on it and server will be located near this tv) and a older Sony with DVI and component inputs available to me. Now I probably will have my Xbox360 on this tv so perhaps thats the best way to be able to stream video/music to the tv?

Also in the future I will be adding another plasma in the bedroom and would like to be able to stream video/music to it also.

Now the reason why I was thinking home server is because I can remote into it (hopefully using an ibook although if not I guess I'll be getting a dell laptop next notebook) and acess my files from anywhere in the house.

The thing I'm not to sure about is how to be able to stream music/video to all the tvs or is this even possible?

I'd basically would like to be able to store dvds/music on the server (I figure a 1 TB to start but need a case with at least another 2 HD space.

Anyway was curious if anybody has undertaken a similiar project or planning to? There doesn't seem to be too many resources or at least I haven't found many decent ones googling with info on setting up a media server and also Windows Home Server is pretty new.

So AnandTech Forums have always come through for me before so any thoughts/ideas or system builders already out there?

WHS won't record, so if you want to record, you'll still want a Vista / MCE box with a few tuners in it.

WHS is good for remote access (works best with a Windows box, but you can do remote access - remote desktop, I mean - with a Mac too - get the Intel-native beta if you can.) It's also good for remote access to files, and any computer with a web browser can handle that.

WHS is good for backups - easily back up all of your (PC, 32 bit) computers on your LAN.

MCE2005/VistaHomePremium is good for capturing video from tuners and putting it into 2-8GB/hour files that can then be watched via XBOX360 or PC (or Mac with VLC, but sync isn't perfect).

What, exactly, do you want? I agree it would be nice to combine all of the above, but the tuner functionality just isn't present in WHS. You could always run BeyondTV or something similar on top of WHS.... but then you lose XBOX360 integration, unless you're happy with just browse lists.

XBOX360 can tie into MCE2005/VistaHP in two ways:
1. Browse lists - you can scroll thru lists of your media, like an iPod scrolls thru MP3s
2. The full MCE interface, with long descriptions, beautiful interface, etc.

#1 can be done with/to any Windows PC with Media Player 11.
#2 can only be done to a MCE2005/VistaHP box.