Wanting to build NAS that can transcode. What hardware?

[famulor 1]

Smaller cheaper (any old machines laying around) hardware can be used and a better client experience.

• one server can be use for used all the heavy lifting
  • transcoding
  • chapter image extraction
  • image/nfo downloading
  • backups (data not just emby configs)
• One for dealing just with clients with out having to deal with any of the heavy stuff. No heavy stuff means more resources for clients. 

 

At this point emby can't restrict users to only direct play or direct stream content. So you could easily overwhelm your system with users requesting media that all needs transcoding along with the system it self trying to transcode something. Take a simple i5-3570K with it's 4 cores. 1 core is needed for the system and emby's  mediacenter.exe and then that will leave you with 3 cores for transcoding. You could take it down to 1 core PER trancoding but if your trancode say a full Bluray mkv down to a say something a roku can handle. Using only one core can lead to buffering issue. Now image 5 users all needing transcoding.  

 

Now on the flip side I've used a dual core 1.8 Ghz can direct *stream* (not play) to over 7 users with out any users seeing any buffering issues. Also having your content *all* transcoded makes it way easier to have ready for transport. You can just copy a few of the videos to X device to play in the car,plan,etc and your ready to go with having to worry about having to wait for things to transcode & sync. This happens to me from time to time as we'll have some impromptu weekend or other trips to places with little or not internet.  

So if i understand this correctly. 1 server does the heavy lifting (transcoding etc etc) and the other one quickly sends it through to the clients? is that really cheaper (i dont have any old hardware laying around atm) in power etc than having 1 server that does it all? If so i would really really appreciate it if you could give me a "shopping" list for what hardware i need for this setup. (max 5 concurrent 1080p not native blu-ray transcoded streams)

[Kent 91]

Hi, just wanted to share the one size does it all approach, using FreeNAS + Emby Plugin.  This setup would allow 4-5 transcoding streams + NAS with Raid6 redundancy (drives here provide ~9TB usable capacity with up to two drive failures supported at once). 

 

Option 1: Less expensive, less drives, less future expand-ability.  This could expand to a 18TB NAS pool.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1241 V3 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($263.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Supermicro X10SLL-F Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($159.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Crucial 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($123.99 @ Adorama)
Memory: Crucial 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($123.99 @ Adorama)
Storage: Western Digital Red 3TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($108.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Red 3TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($108.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Red 3TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($108.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Red 3TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($108.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Red 3TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($108.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Red 3TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($108.89 @ OutletPC)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 450W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($73.98 @ Newegg)
Case Fan: Fractal Design GP14-WT 68.4 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($14.99 @ Amazon)
UPS: CyberPower CP1000PFCLCD UPS  ($139.95 @ Adorama)
Total: $1624.21
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-14 09:12 EDT-0400

 

Option 2: $140 more gives you ability to expand your NAS pool to 26TB down the road. 

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1241 V3 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($263.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Supermicro X10SL7-F Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($245.95 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($123.99 @ Adorama)
Memory: Crucial 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($123.99 @ Adorama)
Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Enermax REVOLUTION X't 430W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($73.98 @ Newegg)
Case Fan: Fractal Design GP14-WT 68.4 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($14.99 @ Amazon)
UPS: CyberPower CP1000PFCLCD UPS  ($139.95 @ Adorama)
Total: $1768.75
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-14 09:00 EDT-0400

Edited September 14, 2015 by Kent

[xnappo 1593]

I will just say again that I recommend getting a processor with QuickSync capability...  Yeah, it isn't working yet, but it will be a game-changer when it does - and it will be pretty soon I think.

Edited September 14, 2015 by xnappo

[famulor 1]

Hi, just wanted to share the one size does it all approach, using FreeNAS + Emby Plugin.  This setup would allow 4-5 transcoding streams + NAS with Raid6 redundancy (drives here provide ~9TB usable capacity with up to two drive failures supported at once). 

 

Option 1: Less expensive, less drives, less future expand-ability.  This could expand to a 18TB NAS pool.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1241 V3 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($263.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Motherboard: Supermicro X10SLL-F Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($159.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Memory: Crucial 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($123.99 @ Adorama)

Memory: Crucial 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($123.99 @ Adorama)

Storage: Western Digital Red 3TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($108.89 @ OutletPC)

Storage: Western Digital Red 3TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($108.89 @ OutletPC)

Storage: Western Digital Red 3TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($108.89 @ OutletPC)

Storage: Western Digital Red 3TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($108.89 @ OutletPC)

Storage: Western Digital Red 3TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($108.89 @ OutletPC)

Storage: Western Digital Red 3TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($108.89 @ OutletPC)

Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($69.99 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: SeaSonic 450W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($73.98 @ Newegg)

Case Fan: Fractal Design GP14-WT 68.4 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($14.99 @ Amazon)

UPS: CyberPower CP1000PFCLCD UPS  ($139.95 @ Adorama)

Total: $1624.21

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-14 09:12 EDT-0400

 

Option 2: $140 more gives you ability to expand your NAS pool to 26TB down the road. 

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1241 V3 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($263.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Motherboard: Supermicro X10SL7-F Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($245.95 @ Amazon)

Memory: Crucial 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($123.99 @ Adorama)

Memory: Crucial 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($123.99 @ Adorama)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($69.99 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: Enermax REVOLUTION X't 430W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($73.98 @ Newegg)

Case Fan: Fractal Design GP14-WT 68.4 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($14.99 @ Amazon)

UPS: CyberPower CP1000PFCLCD UPS  ($139.95 @ Adorama)

Total: $1768.75

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-14 09:00 EDT-0400

Holy shiet thats expensive. i was thinking of more of a $700 build  

 

I will just say again that I recommend getting a processor with QuickSync capability...  Yeah, it isn't working yet, but it will be a game-changer when it does - and it will be pretty soon I think.

Whats the benefit of quicksync and when is "pretty soon"? im really tired of having my content on streamnation. 

[Deathsquirrel 741]

Holy shiet thats expensive. i was thinking of more of a $700 build

 

If you want meaningful advice you need to list a single, detailed use case.  How many concurrent streams, what client device(s), what is the source media.  I've looked through the thread and those aren't all answered clearly from what I've seen.

 

I've got 2-3 clients running at once very often with far cheaper hardware but my media works well with my chosen clients with minimal transcoding.

[xnappo 1593]

QuickSync benefit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Quick_Sync_Video

When: http://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/10723-gpu-transcoding-intel-quicksync-and-nvidia-nvenc/

[Kent 91]

The build i proposed is expensive, but keep in mind it's a build from scratch (no reuse of existing parts you might already have) and it's a NAS + Emby Media Server.  And the NAS aspect is using ZFS, closest thing you can get to a SAN platform without spending $100K on enterprise grade equipment. 

 

This might be completely overkill for you!  If you already have a NAS infrastructure that you are comfortable with, then your build should not include all of the NAS overhead in the build I put together. 

 

Also, the quicksync benefit xnappo mentions should not go ignored!  I have to seriously considering modifying my build to a QS enabled build, which here again might change the way i approach the FreeNAS build I have now.

[famulor 1]

If you want meaningful advice you need to list a single, detailed use case.  How many concurrent streams, what client device(s), what is the source media.  I've looked through the thread and those aren't all answered clearly from what I've seen.

 

I've got 2-3 clients running at once very often with far cheaper hardware but my media works well with my chosen clients with minimal transcoding.

Concurrent stream: 5 max

the source media is 95% mkv files and its well its many different resolutions but its never a native 1080p movie. always some sort of rip.

Clients: Well again thats a tricky one because its not all the same hardware. some use laptops and some use chromecast but if we go for chromecast as the minimum requirement then im on the safe side

 

QuickSync benefit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Quick_Sync_Video

When: http://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/10723-gpu-transcoding-intel-quicksync-and-nvidia-nvenc/

Ah that seems very nice! but it dosent seem like theres really an ETA yet on when its done 

Edited September 14, 2015 by famulor

[Kent 91]

I will just say again that I recommend getting a processor with QuickSync capability...  Yeah, it isn't working yet, but it will be a game-changer when it does - and it will be pretty soon I think.

 

Revised FreeNAS + Emby Media Server Build supporting QuickSync.  Lose a bit on raw CPU compared to a Xeon E3-1241 but picks up the quicksync feature while maintaining ECC memory compatibility (very important to me). 

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i3-4370 3.8GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($144.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Motherboard: Supermicro X10SL7-F Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($245.95 @ Amazon)

Memory: Crucial 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($123.99 @ Adorama)

Memory: Crucial 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($123.99 @ Adorama)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($69.99 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: Enermax REVOLUTION X't 430W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($73.98 @ Newegg)

Case Fan: Fractal Design GP14-WT 68.4 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($14.99 @ Amazon)

UPS: CyberPower CP1000PFCLCD UPS  ($139.95 @ Adorama)

Total: $1649.75

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-14 12:24 EDT-0400

[Deathsquirrel 741]

Concurrent stream: 5 max

the source media is 95% mkv files and its well its many different resolutions but its never a native 1080p movie. always some sort of rip.

Clients: Well again thats a tricky one because its not all the same hardware. some use laptops and some use chromecast but if we go for chromecast as the minimum requirement then im on the safe side

 

Ah that seems very nice! but it dosent seem like theres really an ETA yet on when its done 

 

I don't know the specific law in your country but the odds that what you're doing is seriously criminal there are very, very high, just as a forewarning.

 

Lapops don't require much, if any transcoding.  Almost all the PC clients can play most anything without any transcoding needed.  When transcoding is needed it's normally audio only or some remuxing to a different container format, both of which have pretty minimal hardware needs.

 

You need to confirm that the devices used will be chromecast for certain, compare that device's video and audio support to your own files' formats, and figure out how much of the material will require video transcoding.  I can easily transcode two 1080p sources to relatively limited android clients at the same time with a 4 year old i5 desktop machine.  If you only have 1-2 chromecast clients the $1700 machines quoted earlier today would be massive overkill.

[famulor 1]

I don't know the specific law in your country but the odds that what you're doing is seriously criminal there are very, very high, just as a forewarning.

 

Lapops don't require much, if any transcoding.  Almost all the PC clients can play most anything without any transcoding needed.  When transcoding is needed it's normally audio only or some remuxing to a different container format, both of which have pretty minimal hardware needs.

 

You need to confirm that the devices used will be chromecast for certain, compare that device's video and audio support to your own files' formats, and figure out how much of the material will require video transcoding.  I can easily transcode two 1080p sources to relatively limited android clients at the same time with a 4 year old i5 desktop machine.  If you only have 1-2 chromecast clients the $1700 machines quoted earlier today would be massive overkill.

I know the law about it so no worries  

 

Well atm theres 4-5 chromecasts and 2 laptops connected to the streamnation. To be honest would the easiest solution for all not be if every family member (that wanted access) just bought a NAS to have in their own house and then just sync to my server/NAS so when i upload a thing it'll automatically sync to theirs? 

[xnappo 1593]

Ah that seems very nice! but it dosent seem like theres really an ETA yet on when its done 

 

Well my point is it will certainly be soon enough for you to have buyer's remorse.

[famulor 1]

Well my point is it will certainly be soon enough for you to have buyer's remorse.

Makes sense. 

 

Just to be sure is it at all possible and viable/cheaper if i buy a server just for myself and then sync my content to the familys server/NAS every time i upload something? In my head it would be the easiest way of doing it + the only transcode i would need is 2 chromecasts at the moment (when i get some money again i will build a HTPC for myself for the livingroom and have the last chromecast in the bedroom)

[Kent 91]

Revised FreeNAS + Emby Media Server Build supporting QuickSync.  Lose a bit on raw CPU compared to a Xeon E3-1241 but picks up the quicksync feature while maintaining ECC memory compatibility (very important to me). 

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i3-4370 3.8GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($144.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Motherboard: Supermicro X10SL7-F Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($245.95 @ Amazon)

Memory: Crucial 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($123.99 @ Adorama)

Memory: Crucial 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($123.99 @ Adorama)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US)

Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($69.99 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: Enermax REVOLUTION X't 430W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($73.98 @ Newegg)

Case Fan: Fractal Design GP14-WT 68.4 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($14.99 @ Amazon)

UPS: CyberPower CP1000PFCLCD UPS  ($139.95 @ Adorama)

Total: $1649.75

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-14 12:24 EDT-0400

 

Just fyi - Apparently the supermicro sl7 mobo doesn't have the iGPU circuitry to support the i3 GPU. Sooo, i'm being told not to bother with i3 if QS is the only feature i need it for. Still trying to fully validate this but I thought I'd mention it here for others who might come across this thread.

[Dizzy49 94]

According to ark.intel.com the only XEON processors that support Quick Sync are the E3 series from 2011.  I would argue that the newer processors would be cheaper and better suited.

 

I am re-Building my media server.  I ran FreeNAS many years ago, but I was unsatisfied with the drive pooling / hardware raid requirement and moved to FlexRAID.  FlexRAID's drive pooling is great, but the parity checking and complete lack of recovery is a critical flaw.  They seemed to have abandoned the version I was using in lieu of a newer version, which of course requires a new license.  So more money for a poorly supported product with questionable real value... No thank you.

 

I actually really like the motherboard Kent suggested:

Motherboard: Supermicro X10SL7-F Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard

The only drawback I see is that it only supports 4th gen i3 series.  I was looking at the i5-4690S.

The biggest difference between them that would be pertinant for Emby is that the i5 has 4 cores vs 2 cores on the i3.

UserBenchmark shows the i5 as only 2% better than the i3.

 

I certainly like the lower TDP of the i3, but worry that the core difference may have too much of an impact on the transcoding of multiple streams to be worth it.

The SuperMicro X10SAT-O is an option that supports the i5, but you lose the ECC as well as the SAS ports (though I don't like that they are individual ports and would still require a breakout cable).

 

 

I have a nice Norco 4224 case, a dozen data drives, and a LSI 9207-8i.  I'll br running Stablebit Driverpool and Scanner for drive pooling and error checking.  If I have issues I might add SnapRAID to the mix.

I think I may replace my 3x 2TB drives with Toshiba 5TB drives.

 

Would the i3-4370 with 32GB of RAM allow for multiple transcoded streams?  I'd need 4 at the most (probably 4 tablet, or 2 cell phone and 2 tablets; all android).

 

On another note, where do you guys live that you have 30mb upload speeds?!  I'm paying for a business plan and only have 10mb.

 

Thanks!

[Dizzy49 94]

Just fyi - Apparently the supermicro sl7 mobo doesn't have the iGPU circuitry to support the i3 GPU. Sooo, i'm being told not to bother with i3 if QS is the only feature i need it for. Still trying to fully validate this but I thought I'd mention it here for others who might come across this thread.

 

Crap, that shoots my idea down.  I wonder if the X10SAT-O does as it supports i3, i5 and i7

[Kent 91]

Crap, that shoots my idea down. I wonder if the X10SAT-O does as it supports i3, i5 and i7

Check the chipset on the board for compatibility. The sl7 runs c222 which doesn't support the i3 gpu.

 

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[Dizzy49 94]

Says Intel C226 Express PCH

I pulled it up on ARK, but I don't see any mention if iGPU, or Quick Sync

 

It says "Integrated Graphics:  No" though.  Is that it?

[Kent 91]

Says Intel C226 Express PCH

I pulled it up on ARK, but I don't see any mention if iGPU, or Quick Sync

 

It says "Integrated Graphics:  No" though.  Is that it?

 

I don't think so.

 

I did a quick google search and found the following.  I would confirm with supermicro for that particular mobo before purchasing it, but it looks promising based off of below.

 

We have successfully tested Intel Quick Sync Video with the following hardware configurations:

• Intel Xeon E3-1225, E3-1245, E-1246, E3-1276, E3-1285, E3-1286 with SuperMicro X10SLH-F and Intel S1200V3RPM motherboards (C226 chipset)

http://streambuilder.pro/docs/enabling-iqsv/

 

[Kent 91]

@@Dizzy49

 

I don't know brother, this is looking really darn good. Best of both worlds: Core i7 performance, Quick Sync enabled (once fully confirmed for the mobo), 8 SATA on board (no add-on board required), ipmi, intel NICs, server based hardware...running FreeNAS (zfs Raid2z) and Emby plugin.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1246 V3 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($276.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Motherboard: Supermicro X10SAT-O ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($255.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Memory: Crucial 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($132.09 @ Adorama) 

Memory: Crucial 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($132.09 @ Adorama) 

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US) 

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US) 

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US) 

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US) 

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US) 

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US) 

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US) 

Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($88.99 @ NCIX US) 

Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($74.99 @ NCIX US) 

Power Supply: SeaSonic 450W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply  ($68.55 @ Newegg) 

Case Fan: Fractal Design GP14-WT 68.4 CFM 140mm  Fan  ($14.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

UPS: CyberPower CP1000PFCLCD UPS  ($139.95 @ B&H) 

Total: $1807.56

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-16 13:54 EDT-0400

[Dizzy49 94]

Definitely let me know once you confirm that mobo.

 

FYI, I saw in a couple reviews that the mobo can use ECC or Non-ECC ram, but then I saw in a few Newegg reviews that the ECC ram did not work.  So you may want to confirm that as well.

 

I was confused by your comment about i7 performance and then you still had the Xeon.  Then I found this...

 

Intel Xeon E3-1246 V3 vs Core i7-4790K

Winner: Too Close to Call

Straight performance wise the i7 beats the Xeon (not by much, but more than the diff between the Xeon and i5), but the Xeon has slightly lower TDP, and is $100 less.  The fact that the Xeon is built to run 24/7 also makes it quite attractive

 

 

It's funny, because then I ran across this one.

Intel Xeon E3-1246 V3 vs Core i5-4690

Winner: Too Close to Call

Straight performance wise the Xeon just edges the i5 out, but the Xeon costs a little more and has a 19W higher TDP.

 

 

Possible dumb question.  Will Windows 7 Pro run on a Xeon, or do I HAVE to install a Server version?  I remember running into issues many years ago, and I can't remember if it was because I was running non-server windows on a server processor, or if I was trying to run normal software on a server version of windows.  I've got a Win 7 Pro key that I want to use, and then upgrade to Win 10 once everything is confirmed working. 

[Kent 91]

OK, for OS compatibility, check out http://www.supermicro.com/support/resources/OS/C226.cfm .  Looks like it does support Win7.

 

I sent an email to supermicro to confirm this board supports QS.  I'm pretty positive it does considering it's 1) a workstation class board with all workstation stuff (HDMI, etc), and 2) it's running the C226 chipset which is one of the preqs from that article I linked for supporting Quick Sync on a Xeon processor. 

 

But, I have a problem with the x10SAT: It's a workstation class board and doesn't support IPMI.  I want a server class board with a dedicated IPMI port for remote management.  Also, server class motherboards are just that much more reliable, especially Supermicros.

 

So, I'm looking at the SuperMicro X10SLH-F which does have ipmi and confirmed working with quick sync (it's the one the article used), but only 6 SATAs. I would need to reduce my pool to 6 drives or buy an expensive (but high quality) LSI sata controller. I think the board looks good otherwise but still looking into it.

 

If it's not one thing, it's another. Quick Sync with all other features but more cost for a decent  LSI 9211-8i or a M1015 card (or reduce my pool to 6 drives instead of 8), or no Quick Sync but no additional controllers to purchase and 8 drive (or higher) pool.

 

Edit: oh and yes the Xeon E3-1241 or Xeon E3-1246 is comparable to an I7 based off the various benchmarks i've seen. It's a beefy CPU.

Edited September 16, 2015 by Kent

[Dizzy49 94]

Yeah the SuperMicro X10SLH-F looks nice.  I liked the C222 one because it had SAS connections as well.  I have a LSI 8i right now, and the 6 SATA will be JUST enough for the rest of my drives, but I would prefer SAS.

So, I think is the X10SLH-F and Xeon 1246 for me

 

I'm not entirely clear on what IPMI is or how it works.  I'm sure once I figure it out I'll use it since my server sits in a rack in the basement.

 

Edit: Odd, can't find that mobo on PC Parks Picker.

Edited September 16, 2015 by Dizzy49

[xnappo 1593]

Just curious - why 2TB drives vs.. 4TB?

 

[EDIT] Good price on 4TB WD Red at Amazon right now..

http://www.amazon.com/Red-4TB-NAS-Hard-Drive/dp/B00EHBERSE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1442435844&sr=8-2&keywords=wd+red+pro+4tb

Edited September 16, 2015 by xnappo

[Dizzy49 94]

Just curious - why 2TB drives vs.. 4TB?

 

[EDIT] Good price on 4TB WD Red at Amazon right now..

http://www.amazon.com/Red-4TB-NAS-Hard-Drive/dp/B00EHBERSE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1442435844&sr=8-2&keywords=wd+red+pro+4tb

 

Actually, getting those vs the 2TB would allow you to decrease the number of drives, maintain the same TB, and would be cheaper.  Should solve Ken's issue with needing a controller.

 

Actually, I guess it depends how the raid is set up.  8x 2TB with 1 parity gives you 14TB.  4x 4TB with 1 parity gives you 12TB.  If you spent a LITTLE more for a 5th 4TB, then you can get 16TB.

 

I ran across these guys last night

Toshiba 5TB 7200RPM, 128MB Cache - $140

 

Not "NAS" drives, but let's face it, most of us have been using non-NAS/Enterprise drives in our servers for many years.  The *ONLY* time I have run into issues is when the drives are all running all the time (or close to).  With DrivePool and Scanner from StableBit only the drives that are needed to read/write for the current operations are spun up.  Really, aside from having a bunch of them in a case generating more heat the usage isn't really much different than typical desktop usage.  For that cost, you could buy 5 of them, use 4 in a raid with 1 parity for 15TB, and have a spare drive on-hand.

 

In the last 12 years, I've had 4 drives die on me.  One was a 200GB drive that was like 10 years old, I had two die in an old config that had the drives spinning pretty much non-stop (within a week of each other), and since I moved from that I had one more die 2 years later (it was in the old config with the two dead drives).  I've had no major issues (knock on wood) in the last 6 years.  Closest I had was when a drive reported some smart issues.  I ordered a replacement, had it two days later, swapped it out, and RMA'd the one with issues.  Never actually failed on me, no data loss or corruption.