[t2ffn]

Do these parts go together well, and am I missing anything? (Blu-ray drive)

I assume I will need to buy some sata cables for the hard drives (installing further 3 drives so 4 in total to begin 3. Taking them out of external drives and fitting them internally)

Any other cables and bits required? Thermal paste?

I've never built a pc. Plug it all in and it will just work...

My plan for this hardware set up is to use it as my media storage and XBMC front end. I will use this for downloading in the background, while still being able to run XBMC. No gaming. I want it to run like a normal 'set-top box'

I am undecided on whether to use Linux or Windows. I chose the NVidia card to use linux hw acceleration to take the load, but I wil need to be able to run background downloading app, and what about ember MM? Works in linux?

I have never used Linux, but will need to be able to exit XBMC, rename, move files between the internal drives & scrape them etc daily, so need it to be easy. I have ZERO linux experience

I need it to serve as a media server - I have 4.5TB and growing, and dont want a front end AND back end machine - if i have 5 hdds installed, will only the drives being accessed / used be spinning? For power saving I dont want all the drives spinning unless they are being read/written...

Other options are:

Dual boot, using XBMClive - but this wouldn't let me run the downloading apps etc.

Run it all in windows - easiest option for me. Will the setup run EVERYTHING in windows? My current windows machine cannot play 1080p, and struggles running background apps while playing 720p.

So, the hardware:

Intel Pentium Dual Core E5300 2.6GHz Socket 775 800FSB 2MB L2 Cache Retail Boxed Processor

Gigabyte GA-G31M-ES2L iG31 Socket 775 onboard VGA 7.1 channel audio mATX Motherboard

Crucial 2GB DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Memory Non-ECC Unbuffered CL6

ASUS GT220 1GB GDDR2 DVI VGA HDMI Out PCI-E Graphics Card With Free PowerDirector 8HE Download While Stocks Last

Samsung EcoGreen F2 1.5TB Hard Drive SATAII 5400rpm 32MB Cache - OEM

Antec VSK 2000 Black Tower Case with 10 Drive Bays - No PSU

Antec 430W Basiq Power PSU - Dual 12V Rails PCI-E and SATA Connectors

This comes in at £299 from ebuyer (UK).

Any comments welcome. I've never built my own machine so not sure what works together too well, and this machine has to perform perfectly every time, on every file.

Thanks

[sraue]

Intel Pentium Dual Core E5300 2.6GHz Socket 775 800FSB 2MB L2 Cache Retail Boxed Processor

Gigabyte GA-G31M-ES2L iG31 Socket 775 onboard VGA 7.1 channel audio mATX Motherboard

Crucial 2GB DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Memory Non-ECC Unbuffered CL6

ASUS GT220 1GB GDDR2 DVI VGA HDMI Out PCI-E Graphics Card With Free PowerDirector 8HE Download While Stocks Last


Thanks

why not using this board (and give it an try without the nvidia graphic card?)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...813128396&

With your CPU it is possible to run HD Video with this CPU (and you can also use VAAPI support). I have an board with Intelgraphics here and all is running fast and smooth (also without VAAPI). My system with my own small distribution (http://www.openelec.tv) boots in around 10sec. to XBMC on an normal HDD and needs much less CPU/MEM as an other OS. If you will give it a try you can download an "nighly snapshot" from http://snapshots.openelec.tv.

[poofyhairguy]

I want it to run like a normal 'set-top box'

That means you need Linux, which means you must get an Nvidia GPU.

but I wil need to be able to run background downloading app, and what about ember MM? Works in linux?

You don't need Ember MM, as XBMC's scrapers work fine. Ember MM is for people with HUGE collections to make a very specific library (and yes you usually run it on your Windows desktop, not on the HTPC).

As far as backround downloading, Linux has torrenting and usenet downloading. You should be set.

I have never used Linux, but will need to be able to exit XBMC, rename, move files between the internal drives & scrape them etc daily, so need it to be easy. I have ZERO linux experience

Two ways to do this:

1. Make it so you can access you HTPC from your normal desktop using SSH and do everything that way. (much easier)

2. Install full Ubuntu and run XBMC on its desktop- might take more time to set up but I have done it.


By the way the hardware looks good. Actually that hardware + the XBMC Live that is about to be released would be perfect.

[t2ffn]

Edited.

[t2ffn]

That means you need Linux, which means you must get an Nvidia GPU.



You don't need Ember MM, as XBMC's scrapers work fine. Ember MM is for people with HUGE collections to make a very specific library (and yes you usually run it on your Windows desktop, not on the HTPC).

As far as backround downloading, Linux has torrenting and usenet downloading. You should be set.



Two ways to do this:

1. Make it so you can access you HTPC from your normal desktop using SSH and do everything that way. (much easier)

2. Install full Ubuntu and run XBMC on its desktop- might take more time to set up but I have done it.


By the way the hardware looks good. Actually that hardware + the XBMC Live that is about to be released would be perfect.

Thanks. I use Ember because using camelot, if i add TV shows XBMC doesnt see or add them until I scrape them with ember.

I think I will stick with the above, and use XBMClive.

If I run Live, how do I add SABnzb to the Linux OS?

I think I will use SSH to manage downloads and videos rather than working inside Linux, sounds simpler. I guess this way XBMC will always be the front end, i won't have to go into the Linux OS.