my mini itx htpc/server
Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 1:10 pm
just thought i would share my new htpc/server with you lot.
this is the build that inspired this one viewtopic.php?t=57944 my case is the same style as his , but its a couple of inches taller.
the main use for this is as a torrent slave and a htpc, server duties come in 2nd
Edit: pictures are up now a few posts below /edit
i chose the Zotac GeForce 9300-ITX-I-E socket 775 over the atom ion board because i already had socket 775 cpu, and its nice to have abit more grunt when its needed such as encoding videos etc, aslo the idle power of this board + e5200 isnt much more then a similar atom/ion build
Software:
ubuntu 9.10
xbmc
rtorrent
flexget: for auto download of tv shows from rss feeds
nfs server: for my laptop,desktop and my older sisters ubuntu nettop (acer revo)
ssh server: used for remote admin, and socks proxy.
samba server: for my little sisters mac, and windows desktop
ushare server : for streaming to the xbox360, rarley used, but its nice to have
daap server: for itunes, rarley used, but also nice to have.
Parts:
Zotac GeForce 9300-ITX-I-E (i never installed the wifi board)
Intel E5200*
mini ninja heat sink*
4gb ddr2 800*
2*samsung 1.5tb f2 3.5" drives*
Pico PSU 150xt* + dell Da2 220w power block*
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/174463 case
ipazzport hand held keyboard and track pad*
2*Artic cooling 8025 pwm fans both as exaust*
*things i already had from the original server, so its just a new motherboard and case really
Cost (when i brought the parts):
motherboard: £100
CPU: £50
RAM: £40
HDD: £70 each
Case: £35
Heat sink: £25
Pico PSU: £30 + £20 for the block
Remote: £30
Total: £470 ... ouch , i didnt relize i had spent that much lol, i wish parts here were the same price as in the usa, you lucky people
Power Usage:
Idle sittign at openbox desktop: 33-35w
running xbmc but not playing anything: 40w
playing 1080p video xbmc : 40-41w
playing 1080p video xbmc and running mprime: 72-75w
the 200w power block is abit over kill, but i already had it
all power usage measuerd from plug
i could of saved power if i didnt have 2 full sized drives in there, but they dont make laptop hard drives big enough.
has any one else noticed xbmc increasing power usage, even when just sitting at its home page, it cant take 5w of power for it to display an rss feed can it? any one knows a way to get the 5w less then it will be cool, as the pc is on 24h torrenting and unless im playin somthing then i have xbmc running for fast access.
noise:
idle: both fans spinning slow, inaudable
playing 1080p video in xbmc: both fans spinning slow inaudable
playing 1080p video in xbmc and mprime: fans spin at 50-60% speed, are quiet, but can be heard 1m away, if you listen for them.
i did try running the system fanless, playing a 1080p video and running mprime, the cpu was ok running at 50C but the chip set temp hit 99C and the pc powerd it self off, i think if you fitted a bigger hear sink on the chipset/igpu then fanless operation would probably be possible
the 3.5" hard drives are screwed in the a cadge from an old case, and mounted on polystyrine (spelling?) at the front of the case so i cannot hear them unless there starting up.
i was impressed with the case, for the price and size, the case was roomey inside, and very easy to work with, it practacly swallowed the mini ninja heat sink, and would probably take a full sized ninja if you wasnt going to have a optical drive (or had a optical drive that wasnt as deep as the place holder im using now, need to order an sata optical drive soon)
thanks for reading, any feed back or questions feel free to reply
this is the build that inspired this one viewtopic.php?t=57944 my case is the same style as his , but its a couple of inches taller.
the main use for this is as a torrent slave and a htpc, server duties come in 2nd
Edit: pictures are up now a few posts below /edit
i chose the Zotac GeForce 9300-ITX-I-E socket 775 over the atom ion board because i already had socket 775 cpu, and its nice to have abit more grunt when its needed such as encoding videos etc, aslo the idle power of this board + e5200 isnt much more then a similar atom/ion build
Software:
ubuntu 9.10
xbmc
rtorrent
flexget: for auto download of tv shows from rss feeds
nfs server: for my laptop,desktop and my older sisters ubuntu nettop (acer revo)
ssh server: used for remote admin, and socks proxy.
samba server: for my little sisters mac, and windows desktop
ushare server : for streaming to the xbox360, rarley used, but its nice to have
daap server: for itunes, rarley used, but also nice to have.
Parts:
Zotac GeForce 9300-ITX-I-E (i never installed the wifi board)
Intel E5200*
mini ninja heat sink*
4gb ddr2 800*
2*samsung 1.5tb f2 3.5" drives*
Pico PSU 150xt* + dell Da2 220w power block*
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/174463 case
ipazzport hand held keyboard and track pad*
2*Artic cooling 8025 pwm fans both as exaust*
*things i already had from the original server, so its just a new motherboard and case really
Cost (when i brought the parts):
motherboard: £100
CPU: £50
RAM: £40
HDD: £70 each
Case: £35
Heat sink: £25
Pico PSU: £30 + £20 for the block
Remote: £30
Total: £470 ... ouch , i didnt relize i had spent that much lol, i wish parts here were the same price as in the usa, you lucky people
Power Usage:
Idle sittign at openbox desktop: 33-35w
running xbmc but not playing anything: 40w
playing 1080p video xbmc : 40-41w
playing 1080p video xbmc and running mprime: 72-75w
the 200w power block is abit over kill, but i already had it
all power usage measuerd from plug
i could of saved power if i didnt have 2 full sized drives in there, but they dont make laptop hard drives big enough.
has any one else noticed xbmc increasing power usage, even when just sitting at its home page, it cant take 5w of power for it to display an rss feed can it? any one knows a way to get the 5w less then it will be cool, as the pc is on 24h torrenting and unless im playin somthing then i have xbmc running for fast access.
noise:
idle: both fans spinning slow, inaudable
playing 1080p video in xbmc: both fans spinning slow inaudable
playing 1080p video in xbmc and mprime: fans spin at 50-60% speed, are quiet, but can be heard 1m away, if you listen for them.
i did try running the system fanless, playing a 1080p video and running mprime, the cpu was ok running at 50C but the chip set temp hit 99C and the pc powerd it self off, i think if you fitted a bigger hear sink on the chipset/igpu then fanless operation would probably be possible
the 3.5" hard drives are screwed in the a cadge from an old case, and mounted on polystyrine (spelling?) at the front of the case so i cannot hear them unless there starting up.
i was impressed with the case, for the price and size, the case was roomey inside, and very easy to work with, it practacly swallowed the mini ninja heat sink, and would probably take a full sized ninja if you wasnt going to have a optical drive (or had a optical drive that wasnt as deep as the place holder im using now, need to order an sata optical drive soon)
thanks for reading, any feed back or questions feel free to reply