60 GB OCZ Agility SSD - $89.99 after MIR

[Rajahal]

OCZ Agility Series OCZSSD2-1AGT60G 2.5" 60GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

 

$109.99, $89.99 after MIR.

 

Also, I believe this may qualify for the 10% off any HDD over $100 coupon that you should have gotten in your email if you are a Newegg eBlast subscriber.  That should bring the total down to around $80.

[chanders]

Got me one of these for my Revo 3610. Cant wait to install it and see this new speed poofyhairguy speaks off 

[Rajahal]

I recently installed an SSD in my ZBOX (a 30 GB OCZ Agility).  While it does boot faster, the actual interface feels about the same to me.  The menus are fairly fast, but as soon as I start browsing my actual media there's always the requisite lag from the server while it spins up disks and servers the directory information.  Basically, I'm underwhelmed.  Maybe I should install cache_dirs, not sure...

[queeg]

I recently installed an SSD in my ZBOX (a 30 GB OCZ Agility).  While it does boot faster, the actual interface feels about the same to me.  The menus are fairly fast, but as soon as I start browsing my actual media there's always the requisite lag from the server while it spins up disks and servers the directory information.  Basically, I'm underwhelmed.  Maybe I should install cache_dirs, not sure...

 

I've got SSD envy   The problem with being a cheapskate like me is everyone else gets stuff first. 

[tabish121]

Once I started usning cache_dirs I noticed a significant improvement in my XBMC responsiveness.  For me another compelling reason to switch to SSD is that there's now one less thing making noise in my HTPC.

 

 

[queeg]

Once I started usning cache_dirs I noticed a significant improvement in my XBMC responsiveness.  For me another compelling reason to switch to SSD is that there's now one less thing making noise in my HTPC.

 

 

 

Currently I'm booting xbmc from flash drive.  It's pretty fast actually.  Upping the ram from 512MB to 2GB really helped.  

 

I want the SSD to run my virtual machines on.

[chanders]

I recently installed an SSD in my ZBOX (a 30 GB OCZ Agility).  While it does boot faster, the actual interface feels about the same to me.  The menus are fairly fast, but as soon as I start browsing my actual media there's always the requisite lag from the server while it spins up disks and servers the directory information.  Basically, I'm underwhelmed.  Maybe I should install cache_dirs, not sure...

 

My disks on the server dont start spinning up UNTIL I press play. I dont see why your disks need to spin up when you browse movies or TV shows on XBMC because all of the fan art and movie/TV show info are on the HTPC and in this case it would have been on the SSD! The database is also on the HTPC. Something is not right..

[Rajahal]

I recently installed an SSD in my ZBOX (a 30 GB OCZ Agility).  While it does boot faster, the actual interface feels about the same to me.  The menus are fairly fast, but as soon as I start browsing my actual media there's always the requisite lag from the server while it spins up disks and servers the directory information.  Basically, I'm underwhelmed.  Maybe I should install cache_dirs, not sure...

 

My disks on the server dont start spinning up UNTIL I press play. I dont see why your disks need to spin up when you browse movies or TV shows on XBMC because all of the fan art and movie/TV show info are on the HTPC and in this case it would have been on the SSD! The database is also on the HTPC. Something is not right..

 

Do you have cache_dirs installed on your unRAID server?  I don't, and by default unRAID has to spin up disks to present a directory listing of the disk contents.  Considering that most of the listings my HTPC cares about span multiple disks (I think my Movies share actually spans nearly all of my 7 data disks), there's a significant (maybe 5-10 second) lag the first I chose to view movies, TV, etc from the HTPC (I assume as the server spins up).  Actually, the first time I try to access one of these shares the HTPC often returns a 'network timeout' error, since the server takes too long to respond.  I can then immediately choose the share again and it will work normally and without lag.

 

Whenever I tell it to start playing a movie, song, etc. there's a 2-3 second lag as well, but that doesn't really bother me.

 

Another confounding factor is that my latest HTPC build is fairly new, so every time I turn it on it is still working at populating it's library with new media off the server and thumbnails, fan art, etc. from the online XBMC databases.

 

I do have the HTPC set to scan for new media and to scan recursively (not exactly sure what that means) every time it turns on, maybe that's causing a lot of unnecessary network traffic?

[queeg]

I have my cache_dirs set to ignore some folders because they are deep and it takes a very long time to run over them.

 

/boot/cache_dirs -w -u -d 4 -a '-noleaf \( -name "ftproot" -prune -o -name "lost+found" -prune -o -name "iTunes" -prune -o -name "Music" -prune \) -o -print'

 

[poofyhairguy]

I do have the HTPC set to scan for new media and to scan recursively (not exactly sure what that means) every time it turns on, maybe that's causing a lot of unnecessary network traffic?

 

Ouch, no wonder it feels so slow. Every scan will tie up the CPU and the network. I think its prefferable to use a downloading program that notifies XBMC when its added stuff (aka "Why aren't you using sickbeard yet?").

 

Where a SSD shines (I mean outside of boot times, heat, etc) is when your movie collection gets over a few hundred. The cover art for the movies rips off that SSD so fast that the second you select a movie BLAM there is the fanart. Prior to a SSD when I even tried to open up my movie collection (I have over 1000 Hd movies like many here) it would take a while. Now its speed, speed, speed.

 

 

[Rajahal]

I do have the HTPC set to scan for new media and to scan recursively (not exactly sure what that means) every time it turns on, maybe that's causing a lot of unnecessary network traffic?

 

Ouch, no wonder it feels so slow. Every scan will tie up the CPU and the network. I think its prefferable to use a downloading program that notifies XBMC when its added stuff (aka "Why aren't you using sickbeard yet?").

 

Where a SSD shines (I mean outside of boot times, heat, etc) is when your movie collection gets over a few hundred. The cover art for the movies rips off that SSD so fast that the second you select a movie BLAM there is the fanart. Prior to a SSD when I even tried to open up my movie collection (I have over 1000 Hd movies like many here) it would take a while. Now its speed, speed, speed.

 

 

 

Thanks for that, I'll look into sickbeard.  I've always liked the name, but I never really knew how it would help me.  Now I know.

[chanders]

Raj, something is not right here. If you have your HTPC spearate from your unraid server which is what you have, you should be able to turn on the htpc with the server OFF and still be able to view the list of all of your movies/tv/shows that you have. This is because the database that has the movies/tvshows catalog is on the HTPC. You should be able to flip through the entire list etc.

 

ONLY when you select play, it now brings the actual file from the server to be shown.

 

Is this how it works for you?

 

(I am assuming you are using XBMC and have Library mode set in it)

[Rajahal]

Huh, didn't know that.  Yes, I am using XBMC (Live) and library mode.  I must have some setting wrong somewhere.  Would you mind telling me how you have yours set up?  Sorry, I know that's kind of a pain as there are a LOT of settings.  Maybe just the ones related to networking, database management, scanning the library, etc.

 

As it is, my HTPC doesn't seem to behave as you have described.  If my server is turned off, the HTPC returns a 'network share not available' error if I try to choose movies, TV, music or whatever.  I can't see the file listing if the server is off (or if the network is down, or whatever else).

 

I have the HTPC read from unRAID's user shares using a read-only guest account.  XBMC remembers the login/password, so as long as the server is fully booted up and the disks are spun up, I can turn on the HTPC and start browsing/playing media nearly immediately.  The main issue it seems is that the servers disks are usually spun down, and the lag trips up XBMC and makes it return errors.

 

When I have some time to play with it, I'll try turning off the recursive scans on boot and using sickbeard as poofyhairguy suggested.

[bigdog66]

I am far from a pro here so my response may not mater so dont make fun....lol

but I think the question is do you have XBMC do the scrape for fan art and such or do you use something like media companion and have it scrape the info for you movies and such and store it right with the movie/tv files

 

Now whenever i get everything built i have chosen to use media companion to scrape the info into the folder with each movie so it resides on what will be my unraid server with the movies rather than have XBMC scrape the info and hold it in the htpc

 

Now even if you scrape the info with standalone software like that but XBMC still does some sort of scrape to still have the info itself then I would be a big dummy and my point would be useless but i don't know enough to say for sure....so someone with more knowledge may shed light whether what i said was important or not....lol

[Rajahal]

I let XBMC scrape the info.  I prefer that option, since I my HTPC's 30 GB SDD would otherwise be completely wasted (XBMC Live takes up 2 GBs or less).  Also, it means that the fanart and such can be pulled up faster from the SSD than it would from the unRAID server.

[JustinAiken]

Old setup: XBMC running off a 5400 RPM drive, media on local 5400 RPM drives

New setup: XBMC running off SSD, media on unRaid

 

The new setup is far, far faster browsing.

[chanders]

Huh, didn't know that.  Yes, I am using XBMC (Live) and library mode.  I must have some setting wrong somewhere.  Would you mind telling me how you have yours set up?  Sorry, I know that's kind of a pain as there are a LOT of settings.  Maybe just the ones related to networking, database management, scanning the library, etc.

 

As it is, my HTPC doesn't seem to behave as you have described.  If my server is turned off, the HTPC returns a 'network share not available' error if I try to choose movies, TV, music or whatever.  I can't see the file listing if the server is off (or if the network is down, or whatever else).

 

I have the HTPC read from unRAID's user shares using a read-only guest account.  XBMC remembers the login/password, so as long as the server is fully booted up and the disks are spun up, I can turn on the HTPC and start browsing/playing media nearly immediately.  The main issue it seems is that the servers disks are usually spun down, and the lag trips up XBMC and makes it return errors.

 

When I have some time to play with it, I'll try turning off the recursive scans on boot and using sickbeard as poofyhairguy suggested.

 

Raj, I wish I knew what was causing your HTPC to seek the actual media instead of its library. I'll think a little more about it but at lease now, you know how it is supposed to work. My setup is the same exact thing like yours so I'm stumped for now. There a lots of XBMC users here so I am sure we will find an answer.

 

Old setup: XBMC running off a 5400 RPM drive, media on local 5400 RPM drives

New setup: XBMC running off SSD, media on unRaid

 

The new setup is far, far faster browsing.

^^

Thats exactly me!

[Rajahal]

Like I said, it is probably some setting I'm using.  Are you using XBMC with completely default settings?  I could try that.

[kizer]

I don't have a SSD yet, but other than boot time my machine is pretty fast with a 120GB 2.5" drive.

 

I have all my videos on unRAID. I use Ember to scan all of my videos and of course create .nfo files. I have my HTPC setup to use folder information when I setup the scan types. I don't allow XBMC to scrape since I have my HTPC and 3 other machines in the house that do the samething so my library is the same across all my machines with everything centrally scraped and ready to go.

 

I use cache_dirs and told my HTPC to update the library on every startup. I can scan through 600movies, 1400 or so Tv episodes in aproximately 90seconds, which of course doesn't include boot time. Basically as soon as I turn on my HTPC, turn on the tv. Go and grab a drink or whatever my machine has finished booting up, scanned through the entire library and even if it hasn't finished scanning I just poke around in the Movie or TV section for what I want and since its all in a library and since I don't allow XBMC to scrape its loaded up as fast as it possibly can.

 

I click on a video and since my drives have not yet spun up it takes aprox 3 to 5 seconds for a video to start.

[queeg]

I wish one of you XMBC pros would help me get mine updated so the power button would wake it up from s3.  I asked over on the XMBC site and the response was to vague for me to act on.

[chanders]

^^ What machine are you using for XBMC?

[queeg]

^^ What machine are you using for XBMC?

 

A homebuilt one.  I think the problem is that I need to update the kernal but I'm not actually able to figure out the post from the other site.  Someone over there said the answer is in http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?t=76944 but it's a bit too greek for me.

[chanders]

^^ I would use one of xbmcfreak.nl prebuilt ISOs to perform your install. Thats what I did and I have no configuring to do. Its already configured. Keep in mind this is a live install so there is no Gnome or KDE.

 

On another note, on Friday my OCZ Agility was delivered. I installed it in the Revo yesterday and all I can say is WOW. This thing is freaking fast. Using a graphic intensive skin like Aeon65 is blazing fast (not without a few lags on some views due to the skin and not the drive). I can only imagine the speed with a less texture intensive skin!

 

Well

 

 

worth

 

 

it!

 

 

[poofyhairguy]

Well

 

 

worth

 

 

it!

 

I have convinced at least 15 people on the XBMC forums to use SSDs as their HTPC OS drive, and everyone has said its worth it too. That is why I recommend them so whole heartedly.

 

Welcome to the club....

[poofyhairguy]

Like I said, it is probably some setting I'm using.  Are you using XBMC with completely default settings?  I could try that.

 

Without cache_dirs TV will hit the server when you pull up individual shows. Only movies won't touch the Unraid box till they play. You need to end that initial scan. Its what is slowing you down.