New Media Build

[Russ Uno]

I originally was looking for a low power, lower cost Xeon build but was, after a lot of research, a PIA finding all I wanted in my build with that, so I decided to bite the bullet and spend a couple hundred more and just go for a build that will hopefully last me another 10 years as my previous system did.

 

So here it is:
(FPB) = from previous build
unRAID v6.12.4 (upgraded from 6.10.3)
Case: Fractal Design Define R5 (FPB)
PSU: SeaSonic SSR-450RM (FPB), may upgrade at some point
MB: SuperMicro X13SAE-F
CPU: i5-13500
RAM: 32GB Micron DDR5 ECC
DRIVES: (FPB) WD Gold- Parity 1x 2TB, Cache 1x 1TB • DATA- Seagate Barracuda 7200 rpm 2x 1TB + 4x 2TB • 1TB Unassigned
SATA CONTROLLER: Adaptec 1430SA (FPB)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D9L Cooler

 

Power Consumption:
All 9 Drives spun down = 36w (same as previous build)
All 9 Drives spun up but idle = 63w (9w lower than previous)
I Haven't checked it under typical full load yet.

Update: Running ChannelsDVR in a Docker and Recording 4 HD TV Show Streams to unRAID and Streaming 1 HD Show to an Apple TV  from unRAID and also Transcoding 1 HD stream to an iPAD power consumption is 99w.

Without the Transcode stream consumption bounces between 63w and 72w

I suspect the bouncing maybe do to saving the recording streams to the Cache HDD.

 

IGPU & CPU Fan:

To get the igpu to work for transcoding I had to change the Primary Video in BIOS to IGFX
I also had to install IPMI Tools to control the CPU Fan so SuperMicro's Fan Sensors wouldn't complain about the fan speed being too low.
I set the Min fan speed to 31.2% in the IPMI Tools plugin so it would run at 560 RPM and SM's IPMI Fan control at Standard (before setting it in IPMI Tools), the IPMI Tools plugin seems to change it back to Full Speed so that's where I left it. I did set the Max speed in the IPMI Tools plugin to 100%

If the Fan is set to Full Speed in SM's IPMI without the IPMI Tools plugin the power consumption at idle with drives spun down jumps to 56w. The setting I have doesn't seem to affect power consumption.

 

Previous Build for ref.
MEDIA: V 6.10.3 plus • Fractal Design Define R5 • SeaSonic SSR-450RM • SanDisk Ultra FIT 16GB • SuperMicro X9SCM-F-O • i3 3240 • 4GB Kingston Value RAM • DRIVES- WD Gold- Parity 1x 2TB, Cache 1x 1TB • DATA- Seagate Barracuda 7200 rpm 2x 1TB + 4x 2TB • 1TB Unassigned • Adaptec 1430SA SATA Controller • Stock Cooler

 

I hope this info is helpful to someone in the future since it seems hard to find in one place.

Edited January 7 by Russ Uno
Corrected Fan Settings

[Mr.Slumber]

@Russ Uno Thank you, very helpful and exactly what I was looking for! 

[ByteNick]

@Russ Uno Thank you. Same mobo here.

It would be nice to have some more details on the IPMI plugin setup, especially on the fan control zone.

Mine detects an Asrock motherboard, not the X13SAE-F, and I have a hard time in setting the correct fan speeds. 

[Russ Uno]

I'm not sure why it doesn't see it as X13SAE-F, maybe there is a setting that is only visible with the array stopped, can't check that right now since there are TV recordings happening, I'll look later.

But the fan setting on the MB via IPMI is set to Full Speed (I changed that but the IPMI plug must be setting it there).

In the IPMI plug page under Fan Control > Fan Control is set to yes, A picture is worth 1k words so:

The settings below, I believe are the only ones I changed. The MB seems ok with these and the fan runs around 560 rpm except when the server is fairly active it will run around 700 rpm. I'm not sure what will happen when summer comes and the ambient temp is higher but I will have to see when it comes.

 

 

[Mr.Slumber]

Thanks @Russ Uno for your posting. I'll try this, maybe it'll also solve my problems 

[ByteNick]

4 hours ago, Russ Uno said:

I'm not sure why it doesn't see it as X13SAE-F, maybe there is a setting that is only visible with the array stopped, can't check that right now since there are TV recordings happening, I'll look later.

But the fan setting on the MB via IPMI is set to Full Speed (I changed that but the IPMI plug must be setting it there).

In the IPMI plug page under Fan Control > Fan Control is set to yes, A picture is worth 1k words so:

The settings below, I believe are the only ones I changed. The MB seems ok with these and the fan runs around 560 rpm except when the server is fairly active it will run around 700 rpm. I'm not sure what will happen when summer comes and the ambient temp is higher but I will have to see when it comes.

 

 

Thank you.

 

The motehrboard model is detected correctly. However, the json config shows that asrock thing. The developer says it's normal, so no problem with that anymore.

 

On the fan settings, I guess it all comes to the fan model one installs. I only have Noctuas', so I need to go step by step into having something optimized noise/consumption/cooling wise. 

 

Everything is a Supermicro 846 chassis, modded for noise reduction.

 

 

[Mr.Slumber]

Thanks @Russ Uno! Setup with your screenshot now everything's working just fine!