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Author Topic: HP Microserver - what to do with it?  (Read 29885 times)

HP Microserver - what to do with it?
on: April 16, 2013, 13:21:23 PM
Before I embark on the expensive PC build I've linked to in the other thread, I need to explore cheaper options.

So far I've built my N40 microserver with ubuntu server (waste of my time!) and freeNAS (good product, but try getting anything to run inside a jail!).
And then I found an article telling me DLNA would always be a compromise.

So I've got this here N40 and I want it to be:

a point to which I can back up our lasses laptop
a point from which i can stream
a general network storage area.
hidden in the office, not sitting in front of the TV.

is ubuntu and plex a good way forwards? or xbmc?
pair either of those with an apple tv or maybe an xbox?
theres already a ps3 in front of the telly, but that might move into the office so i get more COD time.

anyone seen how much apple tv2's are fetching on ebay? 180 quid plus!!!

theres some android set top boxes, anyone played with any?

anyone got any other info to wade in with? cos i've never messed qwith this sort of things really and im open to all suggestions.
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  • Offline Clock'd 0Ne

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Re: HP Microserver - what to do with it?
Reply #1 on: April 16, 2013, 13:37:16 PM
Mine is configured with unRAID so its primarily a backup device, but I use PS3 Media Server running on my PC to stream to the PS3 via my the data fed off the microserver. It's a bit inelegant and PMS can be ropey, I get a lot of DLNA errors cropping up sometimes. The worst thing about it though is waiting ages for it to feed across all the films, etc when you boot up the PS3, listing a big directory of files takes aaaaaages. So long that I'm now considering dropping everything into A-Z directories.

If my priorities were the other way round I think I would sooner follow the Guide on configuring XMBC and use that. I've thought about not trying to make the box a jack of all trades and instead buy one of those cheap HDMI media server boxes for £20 or whatever, then simply feeding it the files from the server, but I gather most of those type of boxes simply aren't very good.
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Re: HP Microserver - what to do with it?
Reply #2 on: April 17, 2013, 07:40:11 AM
mine runs xbmc, a dump machine & newsbin.
I then stream to my TV via a raspberry pi running xbmc.
However the Pi can be painfully slow with a large library.
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Re: HP Microserver - what to do with it?
Reply #3 on: April 17, 2013, 12:31:46 PM
is xbmc stand alone of does it sit on an o/s? think i'll go look at this and look for a cheap xbox to sit on the other side of this arrangement. i have the pi lying around but i also found xbmc on it to be slow.
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Re: HP Microserver - what to do with it?
Reply #4 on: April 17, 2013, 12:35:06 PM
ignore that last question. im going to spend my lunch hour rereading leons thread. I think i'll stick to ubuntu for now.
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  • Offline Adrock

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Re: HP Microserver - what to do with it?
Reply #5 on: April 17, 2013, 12:56:40 PM
Why not go with lubuntu? Less grunt needed for stuff you won't be using. I'm gonna be using it once I finish my current project at home.
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Re: HP Microserver - what to do with it?
Reply #6 on: April 17, 2013, 20:16:50 PM
I use windows 7 pro, no restrictions no hassle and I got it at a bargain price.

I know it's not free, but to be honest I'd sooner pay a bit of money to save the hours I'd waste trying to get ubuntu to do what I wanted, it does everything you want and a lot more and it's never fallen over.

Obviously if you know your *nix then it's less of an issue, but every time I have tried, I come across problems that should be really simple to fix and either took hours or have never managed to fix.

By the way this isn't a which is better thread, so lets not start that debate please :) Just thought I'd post my reason for paying for Linux
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Re: HP Microserver - what to do with it?
Reply #7 on: April 17, 2013, 20:55:26 PM
you pid for linux? ;)

im not a big fan of windows these days. im building a fancy assed 7 box in another thread, so the ubuntu box is to get the most out of the lowly n40 processor and to keep my hand in with linux. which i doubt it will.


news ust in, xbmc wont stream across the network the way i want it to, so im installing plex as we type.
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Re: HP Microserver - what to do with it?
Reply #8 on: April 18, 2013, 08:22:50 AM
Quote from: bytejunkie on April 17, 2013, 12:31:46 PM
is xbmc stand alone of does it sit on an o/s? think i'll go look at this and look for a cheap xbox to sit on the other side of this arrangement. i have the pi lying around but i also found xbmc on it to be slow.

i used to use the linux XBMC, but have now moved to win7 as I use it as a download box as well. I dont use XBMC on there, except to manage the media, artwork, etc. & then when happy, I let the Raspberry Pi update the library from the win7 xbmc. I am prob going to ditch the Pi in time for Ion based system & then use the Pi for Asterisk.
As you say, the Pi is slow - hence I do everything on the win7 xbmc & then transfer. All the drive shares are setup as SMB & im also running SQL
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