Good starter bundle, just add drives - $200

[Rajahal]

Cooler Master RC-310-BKR2-GP, ASUS P5G41C-M LX, Intel BX80571E6500, Kingston Technology Corp. KVR800D2/2GR

 

$196.99

 

$186.99 after MIR

 

Pretty decent started kit for a basic unRAID server.  The motherboard only has 4 SATA slots, but it also has a PCIe x16 slot though which you could add an additional 8 drives.  The case comes with a 420W PSU (though I doubt it is 80+ certified).  The CPU is a bit overpowered for unRAID, but it could be sold and replaced with a Celeron 430.

 

Just add drives and an unRAID flash drive!

[klipsch]

could even add this for $45 after rebate:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811144231

 

pop in a decent video card for another $100

Add a small OEM HD for $50

 

And you could have a great HTPC rig along with a decent light gaming rig for your home theater area

[Rajahal]

True, but for $200 even you can have an Acer Aspire Revo that will work as a much better HTPC (see the link in my sig).

[BRiT]

That combo doesn't need a video card. It has one built into the chipset -- Intel GMA X4500. It works perfectly fine with Linux and even Slackware X11 libraries.

[Rajahal]

For a server, that is correct, no separate video card needed.  But if you wanted something with HTPC capabilities, then a separate video card may be needed.  Again, I don't think this would make a very good HTPC compared to the Revo.

[BRiT]

That Intel chipset (X4500) is HD capable with 8 channels HD LPCM (7.1) audio. It might not offload as much acceleration as the ION or Radeon cards, but with the cpu it has, it's plenty fast enough for HTPC duty.

 

Here's some info from AVS on the X4500 chipset - http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1063410 .

 

It is perfectly capable. It just isn't as cheap or compact as a Revo.

 

[Rajahal]

Good to know, thanks BRiT.

[BRiT]

It doesn't seem to be a popular choice, but it's suitable. Here's the conclusion from TomsHardware review: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/avivo-purevideo-clearvideo,2408-15.html

 

However, if you do want the flexibility of eight-channel LPCM and the best integrated video quality possible, then you have to choose the GeForce 9300/9400 or Intel G45. Just pay attention to the driver you're installing and PowerDVD's hardware de-interlacing settings, respectively.

 

Either way, I can say without hesitation that if you choose the 780G/790GX/785G, GeForce 9300/9400, or Intel G45 IGPs for home-theater use, then you won't be disappointed.

 

Personally, I don't want my fileserver doing double-duty as a HTPC front-end, not when there's so many viable options out there. I'd rather go with an AspireRevo or a Zbox/Mag sytem with XBMC.

[queeg]

True, but for $200 even you can have an Acer Aspire Revo that will work as a much better HTPC (see the link in my sig).

 

Does that Revo come with a remote?  What's the best way to run XBMC on it? 

[Rajahal]

No, the Revo doesn't come with a remote.  I use a Microsoft MCE remote which I purchase for about $40 a few years ago.  You can also get a generic model for around $20.

 

I run XBMC Live installed onto the Revo's internal HDD.  See the link in my sig for a link to the full instructions.  It is very easy, takes maybe 15-30 minutes.  The performance is great, too.  Even without using an SSD, the Revo boots XBMC in about 30 seconds.  Then sometimes I'll encounter some lag as XBMC waits for unRAID to spin up a disk.  Sometimes it will even time out and I'll have to select 'Movies' or 'TV' or whatever a second or third time.  Minor annoyances, though.  In general the Revo/XBMC HTPC is everything I've always wanted.

[klipsch]

You cannot game on a REVO ... pick up an old 8800GT and you can play 720p Crysis maxed around 30fps with this machine or dirt 2 or fifa10 or pop or whatever you are in to ... worth the extra $150-200 IMHO especially if you already have gaming and / or HTPC in another part of your home ... you can now have multiplayer local LAN

[chanders]

^^ spam?

 

The motherboard only has 4 SATA slots, but it also has a PCIe x16 slot though which you could add an additional 8 drives.

 

is there a   PCIe x16 card that has 8 sata ports?

[WeeboTech]

The motherboard only has 4 SATA slots, but it also has a PCIe x16 slot though which you could add an additional 8 drives.

 

is there a   PCIe x16 card that has 8 sata ports?

 

There is a cost effective PCIe X4 card that supports 8 sata ports.

Other then that you start to get into more expensive raid card territory.

The Areca goes up to 24 ports in an x8 slot.

[Rajahal]

^^ spam?

 

The motherboard only has 4 SATA slots, but it also has a PCIe x16 slot though which you could add an additional 8 drives.

 

is there a   PCIe x16 card that has 8 sata ports?

 

Yes, the SuperMicro AOC-SASLP-MV8, the same hardware that LimeTech uses.  Keep in mind that you will also need special breakout cables for this card, and whether you order forward or reverse cables depends on your setup.  See this thread for all the details.

 

The card runs about $100 and the cables run $15-30 each (and you'll need 2).