(2012-03-14, 21:09)stang725 Wrote: Would it be possible to....
Build robust Server box running either windows home server or 2011 server, using a robust quad or hex core and 3 video cards to run 3 instances of XBMC by running them on individual VMWARE machines and then going the route mentioned above about sharing the SQL DB and art/thumbnails? Would be running the outputs of each VM w/ its own card to a HDMI matrix swtich (from there going out via hdmi extendeders) to play diffferent streams on different TVs throughout the house. I would prob run the XBMC "server" instance on the actual server OS that would be fed to onboard video for admin.
Possible?
90% of my content is 1080p mkvs's between 10gb and 20gb apiece....
Would like to be able to control the VM copies of XBMC from the tablet remote apps currently available on the android market...
I am more worried about the XBMCs talking to each other properly and if anyone has put a processor through the paces of dealing with decoding streams. I know I have will network/HD bandwidth covered, as well as the the video distribution outside of the server itself.
I don't think I would run multiple VM's, but it can be done that way. Instead, I would make one VM a Win Server with Terminal Server. Let it run your Myth install. Then do separate RDP sessions into that box. Let VMWare manage the processor and you'll be better off. The problem with this solution, you have to use a mouse. Individual RDP sessions do not have their own IP address.
Let's say you go the route of building multiple VM's. VM's are not known for having amazing graphic performance. Even with their nVidia partnership, it is not up to the standard your data is.
So in the end, I see it like this. Doing it your way, you would need to purchase a dual processor server with about 16GB RAM, your choice of Win flavor (I assume), 3 high end graphics cards, adapter card for the server to handle multiple video cards. I'd say you're looking at about $9k in hardware. This might seem high, but I've been pricing servers for a few years now.
But, you could also build a barebone box to host your myth install on, then build 3 amazing client boxes. Probably closer to $4k.
If you can deal with a mouse, the first suggestion would run you about $1500
(I'd love to long term have a beefcake server backend with an iSCSI SAN, the wife is getting upset with the number of drives there are around)