I'd like to start off by saying I have wanted an unRAID server for the past few years.  I was really close to pulling the trigger right before HD prices went through the roof then decided I should wait.  Now that they are more reasonable I am ready to go.  I have already purchased a Cooler Master HAF 912 case and a Corsair CX500 power supply that should arrive early next week.  I have 3 Seagate 7200 2TB drives, 1 WD Green 2TB, 1 Hitachi 7200 2TB, 1 Seagate 7200 1TB, and 4 other drives ranging from 500 to 750GB for a total of 10 drives.  My next step will be to select a MB, processor, and memory. 

 

I plan on using the server for SABnzbd, Couchpotato, Sick Beard, Headphones (maybe), and the latest version of XBMC Froyo.  I plan on having all of my clients running off of Raspberry Pi's and an aTV2.  One of the features that I believe (please tell me if I'm wrong) this new version of XBMC has is that it is going away from a mySQL database for syncing your library.  In XBMC Froyo you will have a main XBMC installation where all of your syncing is managed and you will point your other installations to it. Will I be able to install XBMC to my unRAID server?  If not should I virtualize unRAID and have Ubuntu running along side unRAID on the same machine? 

 

So I guess the purpose of this thread is to ask what kind of MB, processor, memory will I need.  I'm assuming that if I am going to virtualize I will need more hardware than if I'm not.  Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.

Go and peruse the unRaid Compulsive Design forum and look at builds like my own (in my signature), Johnm's Atlas build and others.  That will give you plenty of ideas.

I'd like to start off by saying I have wanted an unRAID server for the past few years.  I was really close to pulling the trigger right before HD prices went through the roof then decided I should wait.  Now that they are more reasonable I am ready to go.  I have already purchased a Cooler Master HAF 912 case and a Corsair CX500 power supply that should arrive early next week.  I have 3 Seagate 7200 2TB drives, 1 WD Green 2TB, 1 Hitachi 7200 2TB, 1 Seagate 7200 1TB, and 4 other drives ranging from 500 to 750GB for a total of 10 drives.  My next step will be to select a MB, processor, and memory. 

 

I plan on using the server for SABnzbd, Couchpotato, Sick Beard, Headphones (maybe), and the latest version of XBMC Froyo.  I plan on having all of my clients running off of Raspberry Pi's and an aTV2.  One of the features that I believe (please tell me if I'm wrong) this new version of XBMC has is that it is going away from a mySQL database for syncing your library.  In XBMC Froyo you will have a main XBMC installation where all of your syncing is managed and you will point your other installations to it. Will I be able to install XBMC to my unRAID server?  If not should I virtualize unRAID and have Ubuntu running along side unRAID on the same machine? 

 

So I guess the purpose of this thread is to ask what kind of MB, processor, memory will I need.  I'm assuming that if I am going to virtualize I will need more hardware than if I'm not.  Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.

 

My first though was that you should not run XBMC on your unraid server...  But if Frodo is really set up with some kind of "master" database then it becomes a nice thought really..

just curious where you are at with this. there are a few incorrect things in your thinking as well. Frodo (froyo is a version of android btw, not xbmc) uses a local sqlite database. there is an advanced tweak to have it use an external mysql database instead. however, this is not stock and not as simple as just changing some setting in the menu. however, it is not hard either. but it would be incorrect to say they are "going away" from a local database.

 

also, i wouldnt put xbmc on unraid. my file server has lots of hard drives and is loud. i do not want it by my tv making all that noise while trying to watch a video. it sounds like you want a setup similar to mine. I have a raspberry pi with xbmc on it powered by my tv's usb port. xbmc is on only when the tv is on. i have an unraid file server with all my shows on it running a mysql plugin. the pi connect to the database on unraid and plays the files from it. it is a pretty sweet setup.

 

if you need guidance on it, just shoot me a pm. ive spent a lot of time over the last few months perfecting my unraid+xbmc+raspberryPi setup.

XBMC runs client side, not server side. Share your media and database from unraid to it however you like.