Marty Server

[Shlomart Ben Yisrael]

This is where the magic happens.

Operating System - Xubuntu (Ubuntu Linux 64bit w/XFCE desktop)
4 GB DDR2 RAM
4-Core AMD Athlon II 640 @ 3.0Ghz
Gigabyte GA-MA785GM-US2H motherboard
Antec 430 watt power supply
NVIDIA 8400GS low-power graphics card
No optical drive attached (not necessary)

320GB SATA drive - operating system
640GB SATA drive - movies, available from streaming as a Samba service or DNLA server (MediaTomb backend)
1.5TB SATA drive - additional movie storage and network backup location for laptops
2.0TB SATA drive - local backup drive for all data on the server
250GB eSATA drive - externally connected drive...backup of music files on main workstation...approximately 210GB so far


Main server, headless, sitting on a shelf in the basement


To run headless, I needed to "trick" my motherboard into thinking a graphics card was installed. Otherwise it will error-out on boot


Processor cooled with a "Scythe Mini Ninja". Tiny heatpipe cooler for silent operation. A nice touch


Trying to manage cables as best as I can


Top view


4 1GB sticks of DDR2 RAM. More than enough for a file server


TV capture card and graphics card beside it. I do OTA digital TV captures on this machine, as I have an ATSC antenna mounted on my roof. I added a low-power graphics card as it's an NVIDIA card and ATI cards are notoriously shit with Linux drivers


Rear view


Homemade DVI/VGA "trick pin jumper



This is a screenshot on my workstation. Normally, all function of access to the router are done through SSH connection or SFTP with Filezilla. Sometimes I need to "see" what's going on, so I remote desktop into the server with xtightvnc



RAM usage on the server. Try that in Windows! HAH!


All files to and from the server are sent with SFTP (that's FTP with authentication).
The server also stream via SAMBA video and music to other computers, XBOX, Android phones, Android tablet and Apple TV on my network.
I have a DNLA server backend that can send movies to my networked Bluray player, but I rarely use that feature.

[Mikey]

Why?

[Shlomart Ben Yisrael]

Because DNLA sucks compared to using SAMBA shares over a device that can do it.

My jailbroken Apple TV box has XBOX Media Center installed, so that's all I use as a front-end.

[Mikey]

Allow me to clarify.

I didn't mean,

The server also stream via SAMBA video and music to other computers, XBOX, Android phones, Android tablet and Apple TV on my network.
I have a DNLA server backend that can send movies to my networked Bluray player, but I rarely use that feature.

Why?



I meant,

This is where the magic happens.

Operating System - Xubuntu (Ubuntu Linux 64bit w/XFCE desktop)
4 GB DDR2 RAM
4-Core AMD Athlon II 640 @ 3.0Ghz
Gigabyte GA-MA785GM-US2H motherboard
Antec 430 watt power supply
NVIDIA 8400GS low-power graphics card
No optical drive attached (not necessary)

320GB SATA drive - operating system
640GB SATA drive - movies, available from streaming as a Samba service or DNLA server (MediaTomb backend)
1.5TB SATA drive - additional movie storage and network backup location for laptops
2.0TB SATA drive - local backup drive for all data on the server
250GB eSATA drive - externally connected drive...backup of music files on main workstation...approximately 210GB so far


Main server, headless, sitting on a shelf in the basement


To run headless, I needed to "trick" my motherboard into thinking a graphics card was installed. Otherwise it will error-out on boot


Processor cooled with a "Scythe Mini Ninja". Tiny heatpipe cooler for silent operation. A nice touch


Trying to manage cables as best as I can


Top view


4 1GB sticks of DDR2 RAM. More than enough for a file server


TV capture card and graphics card beside it. I do OTA digital TV captures on this machine, as I have an ATSC antenna mounted on my roof. I added a low-power graphics card as it's an NVIDIA card and ATI cards are notoriously shit with Linux drivers


Rear view


Homemade DVI/VGA "trick pin jumper



This is a screenshot on my workstation. Normally, all function of access to the router are done through SSH connection or SFTP with Filezilla. Sometimes I need to "see" what's going on, so I remote desktop into the server with xtightvnc



RAM usage on the server. Try that in Windows! HAH!


All files to and from the server are sent with SFTP (that's FTP with authentication).
The server also stream via SAMBA video and music to other computers, XBOX, Android phones, Android tablet and Apple TV on my network.
I have a DNLA server backend that can send movies to my networked Bluray player, but I rarely use that feature.

Why?

[Shlomart Ben Yisrael]

Opening up the discussion for home theatre video and audio streaming.

I figured this was the appropriate forum.

[Mikey]

Fair enough. It looks like you have a nice playroom where you can fuck around with your hobby, which is cool. For me, if I want home theater it has to look good in the living room or it won't get through the front door. Hence I have a fairly cheap but decent sound bar with wireless subwoofer (visible wires are not allowed).

If I had the time (or the private space) to let the audiophile in me out I wouldn't even mess with streaming. First thing I'd get is one of these (or something equivalent):



I already have the power amp to anchor a pretty decent system:




It's about 25 years old but it still kicks ass.

Then I'd have to replace the piece of shit little Bose speakers I have now with something like this:

[Shlomart Ben Yisrael]

Do you ever get any noticeable hum on the Denon amp? Is it dead silent?

[Mikey]

It's very clean. I think I remember having a problem like that some years ago. If I remember correctly it was because my turntable wasn't grounded properly. I've heard that a common problem some people have is getting the polarity reversed on the speakers.