Atom PC or Netbook

L

lloydkayak

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 31, 2010
Messages
159
Reaction score
0
I am looking at setting up a media/download server at my house (Newly installed ADSL line).

At first I thought of a low power Atom PC/// from which I can handle my downloads and streaming to my TV through my Xbox. However, I dont see it costing much less than R2k for everything.... Thus I am now thinking a netbook might be simpler with the added benefit of being very portable.

Any thoughts on this ? Pada, I know you just did something similar...

Any good deals on netbooks any of you know about?

Thinking

>Dual core Atom CPU
>2GB Ram
>320Gb HDD with a possible external

The Gigabyte Q2005 seems to come out tops against most brands at a retail of around R2500
 
The gigabyte will be your best bet if you want to go the notebook route, there is of course the option of building a budget pc which will allow you to add additional drives as your media library grows. An OEM mini ITX build will set you back about R2300, all you then need is a copy of windows and a large HDD.

Works well if you have a LCD tv with a pc input(VGA port) for streaming off the net
 
cbrunsdonza said:
For R1,400 + R75 delivery, get a new Proliant Server from HP - now comes with 2GB ram and 1,5Ghz CPU
Click to expand...

+1

HP Proliant Microserver N40L - Spec

I just got mine from Digital Planet for R1399, took 2 days, free delivery. Just the important specs:
- 4 HDD bays (250Gb Seagate included in 1 bay)
- 2GB RAM
- AMD 1.5Ghz Dual Core CPU
- 150W PSU
- 1 PCIe 2 x 16
- 1 PCIe 2 x 1
- Internal USB port (run unRAID, OpenMediaVault, linux off flash drive)
 
Thanks for the help... Space is a bit of an issue. I havent got a spot to setup the prolient server... Are the Intel Atom Chips that much worese than the AMD? Even the Dual Core 1.6Ghz ones?
 
lloydkayak said:
Thanks for the help... Space is a bit of an issue. I havent got a spot to setup the prolient server... Are the Intel Atom Chips that much worese than the AMD? Even the Dual Core 1.6Ghz ones?
Click to expand...

Yes. They even give issues playing HD video.
 
The Proliant server is very small. If you look at it from the top, it's like an A4 page. And about the same height off the ground.
 
The HP Proliant Microservers works just fine to play 1080p videos when you install a graphics card that can do hardware video decoding. You'll just need one with a Low Profile bracket though.
 
For a media and download server I ran an Atom based netbook for a couple of months just to determine what the practical requirements would be. The netbook was the replaced with a Proliant Microserver, which was a lot better suited to the job. This will take up the same space as a netbook if you run it in headless mode. If you want to run it with all the peripherals then the best for space saving would be a small monitor, and then a wireless keyboard and mouse that you can pack away when not in use.
 
Ok... its alot smaller than I thought.
Starting to believe this might be the answer.... It also comes in quite a lot cheaper!

My idea would be to mount this in the corner of my lounge close to the TV. the idea is to have the unit "headless" i believe. It would use the TV as a screen. then I would have a wireless mouse and keyboard setup for peripherals.

Would I be able to make the server wireless? I am loathed to run an ethernet cable through the lounge...

Lastly, can this only run MS server 2008 or Linux? Or could one put on a standard windows for simplicity (I am not the only one who will use the server)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X