Fw: OT(ish) - spec for new server

[Gareth Cook <g@xxxxxxx>]

Graham

Get yourself a GeForce 4 video card (40 quid upwards) with TV OUt - they use NVidias own tv out chips and the quality is outstanding - you wont
notice the difference between a dvd player or the tv out

With nvidias twin view technology, you see the desktop, media player etc on the monitor, but the overlay (ie film) is chucked out to the tv out
port in full screen - nice and easy.

G.

Gareth Cook
Technical Consultant
IBM Early Deployment
Lotus Park, Staines, TW18 3AG
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----- Forwarded by Gareth Cook/UK/IBM on 30/01/2003 12:37 -----

Discussion
Main Topic

"Graham Howe <graham@xxxxxxx>"
Today 11:54

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Subject:
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[ukha_d] OT(ish) - spec for new server
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Category:



I have just sent off my server for an insurance claim (the raid card
appears to have been damaged in a recent storm, but they will almost
ccertainly write off the whole thing) so I will need to put together
a new one.

I am expecting to have somewhere in the region of =A31500 ex vat to
play with (but could donate a little more myself) but I am quite out
of touch with the current technology trends.

The intention is to use the server as a media server, but NOT as my
main file/e-mail/web server. I want to rip dvds to the hard disk and
play them from there.

I will almost certainly run XP Pro or W2K Server on it as I want to
access it remotely using remote desktop/terminal services. However, I
*could* be convinved to go down the Linux route if it really makes
more sense for this type of application.

I want to have raid-5 with probably 6 large disks (minimum 120Gb
each), hot swap caddies for all disks, fast processor(s) and DVD rom
for ripping DVDs, possibly a DVD-RW for achiving off movies and for
general back up. I have no requirement for a monitor, floppy disk, cd-
rom or parallel port. It will not be connected to HA systems
(Homevision/Comfort etc) and so doesn't require much in the way of
serial ports.

What I'm looking for is recommendations on the following:
- case with 8 5.25" bays to take the caddies and dvd rom and rw drives=
- motherboard capable of taking todays (and tomorrows) fastest
processors (not sure about dual and not sure about AMD/Intel)
- processors(s)
- psu capable of powering 8 drives and fast processors
- graphics and sound cards for play back of movies to remote
TV/Projector and AV amp. This *must* give s-video quality pictues and
5.1 digital sound.

I am happy to wait for a few weeks before ordering to take advantage
of any expected price drops (for example Intel processors are due to
drop next month) but I am hoping to get the system built before the
end of April.

Any suggestions?

Graham


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