OT: using dual socket server motherboards

[chef 3810]

Hi guys,

 

Hardware is not my forte...

 

If I build a server machine with a dual socket motherboard and a whole bunch of RAM in it, would that benifit me, for using emby?

 

Would it be considered "over-kill"?

 

There are at least six devices in my home which I stream to currently, nothing out-side my own IP.

 

This is solely an emby server.

[fredg89 8]

Dual socket is great if you're getting pretty decently powered processors...the more power, the better.

 

Ram...8-16 Gigs should be fine....anything more than that and it's not important.

Edited June 16, 2016 by fredg89

[Vicpa 611]

Hi Chef

 

Couple of thoughts for you. Don't claim to be a hardware guru, although I played one in a former life.  , 

 

Of the six streams how many are being transcoded? Are you looking at an Intel gpu. Reason I ask is transcoding is cpu/gpu intensive. Intel quicksync seems the most mature of the hardware acceleration techniques in emby's ffmpeg

 

With a lot of streams you want the best through put. Are the devices wired or wireless. If wireless are they AC devices. How fast is the storage? Gotta have ssd's in the mix how fast is the network? Can you pair/bond multiple nics in the server. For increased through put

 

In general I have found you can never have too much memory .​   emby is getting a little better at using additional memory. Although I think Luke would agree hasn't yet been fully optimized for 64bit. Depending on the number of mem slots in the mobo, two I would go with 2 8's -16gb. Four slots 2 4's for 8 and room to go to 16 in future.

 

Just my two cents.

 

-vicpa

 

As an aside I stopped building my own boxes, I didn't find it cost effective and have cut back on my gaming which I did on the same rig. I just upgraded to a nuc6 - i5 16g w ssd's for the os and emby code and an external disk box (Mediasonic) connected via USB 3.0 The intel box has high end GPU and a great serial io driver. I don't think I could have built a comparable box. for anywhere near the cost.

[drashna 47]

I'm using a dual socket board, myself actually.  SuperMicro X8DTu, with Xeon x5660's (six core CPUs, with hyperthreading). 

 

As for RAM... I have 12GBs usable (only one CPU, ATM, so only half of the 24GBs installed is usable), and I rarely use more than ~3-4GBs of memory.  So you really don't need much.  I have a massive library, and the emby server uses ~1.5GBs of memory... but FFMPEG doesn't use much. 

 

 

As for hardware acceleration (Intel QuickSync)... while it may be the most mature... it's still a far cry away from "stable", IMO. 

 

 

TL;DR:  CPU is more important than memory for transcoding. Dual CPUs, 4-8GBs of RAM, and you're set. 

Edited June 18, 2016 by drashna

[JeremyFr79 228]

I've got a Quad Socket system (Dell R810) with (4) 8 Core proc's in it.  So no 2 isn't overkill at all.

[chef 3810]

Thanks guys!

 

I think I am going for it.

 

There are a couple different boards I watching in eBay right now.

 

Unfortunately, in the mean time I have installed a new motherboard into my case, and the bloody thing won't show a bios.

 

It seems to Post okay, I mean the fans start up, and the drives will spin, but then it shuts off.

 

Damn! I was testin my new Intel i3 chip and I fear the worst.

 

I reset all my components. Making sure the ram and CPU is inmate properly, but no luck.

 

I wonder if the CPU pins have bent somehow.

 

I haven't had a computer in over a week, since my PC blew up.

[Vicpa 611]

Hi,

 

You may have done this already... If you have more than one stick of memory. Try each one individually in each slot, might help determin if one is bad.

Also and it seems obvious, How long does it take to shut down? Is the bios in silent mode? Have you tried the keys to get you into setup anyway? using f2 or the "del" key

[overClocked! 65]

Also make sure that you have not only the power connections to the P1 connector but also any 4-pin auxiliary power connectors in place as well. There will be one or 2 on the motherboard and also one for your graphics card. If these aren't connected when powering on your machine, it will not function properly.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[chef 3810]

@@Vicpa you were right! It was the RAM slot.

 

IT IS ALIVE! Finally get to watch Emby again, until I build my super server!

 

I am relieved.

[chef 3810]

Also make sure that you have not only the power connections to the P1 connector but also any 4-pin auxiliary power connectors in place as well. There will be one or 2 on the motherboard and also one for your graphics card. If these aren't connected when powering on your machine, it will not function properly.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This was exactly right as well, the newer mother boards (or at least this one) have an eight pin power connector and a 24 pin connecter.

 

This must power the CPU.

 

As you can tell it has been a while since I built a computer.

 

Just practice for my super server.

Edited June 18, 2016 by chef

[Guest asrequested]

I've been building my own for years, but next to some of you guys, I'm an amateur, lol...... Here's a question. Why choose multiple processors instead of a 12 or 16 core server processor?

[legallink 187]

I've been building my own for years, but next to some of you guys, I'm an amateur, lol...... Here's a question. Why choose multiple processors instead of a 12 or 16 core server processor?

 

Cost can be one issue, upgrade path can be another, and depending on usage, ram can be a third (although this one less so).

[Guest asrequested]

Cost can be one issue, upgrade path can be another, and depending on usage, ram can be a third (although this one less so).

 

Are there any performance advantages with using multiple processors?

[legallink 187]

Are there any performance advantages with using multiple processors?

 

You mean multiple processors vs multiple cores?  aka 8 cores spread across 2 processors vs. 1 processor?  That is a little above my pay grade, but as far as I am aware, there can be a bandwidth issue on the ram bus (however I am speculating horribly here), which can lead to multiple processors being higher performing provided there isn't loss in the allocation of jobs, overhead, etc.  But, for most people, I think the answer is no, not really.

[MSattler 390]

I'm using a dual socket board, myself actually.  SuperMicro X8DTu, with Xeon x5660's (six core CPUs, with hyperthreading). 

 

As for RAM... I have 12GBs usable (only one CPU, ATM, so only half of the 24GBs installed is usable), and I rarely use more than ~3-4GBs of memory.  So you really don't need much.  I have a massive library, and the emby server uses ~1.5GBs of memory... but FFMPEG doesn't use much. 

 

 

As for hardware acceleration (Intel QuickSync)... while it may be the most mature... it's still a far cry away from "stable", IMO. 

 

 

TL;DR:  CPU is more important than memory for transcoding. Dual CPUs, 4-8GBs of RAM, and you're set. 

 

Hmm, been using hardware acceleration for 3 months and this is the best my system has ever run.

 

Using an i7-6770, 24GB of Ram.

[chef 3810]

Found some really useful things out while build this computer (not the dual socket one yet...),

 

I bought an Asrock motherboard, and from what I can tell, even after checking the timing on the RAM and changing the DRAM voltage, the motherboard needs to have the same (and particular name brand) dual channel RAM installed.

 

So even though I have DDR3 chips, they don't work.

 

Probably should have checked that out before I spent money on them.

 

Luckily I have an 8gig and 4gig RAM chips that work together nicely... Which is enough for now.

 

Thought I would throw it out there incase some else ran into the same issue.

Edited June 21, 2016 by chef

[legallink 187]

@@chef speaks the truth.  You can't just match timing,  Preferably buy your ram in matching kits per channel, otherwise you are asking for problems.

[Guest asrequested]

I always use Gigabyte mobos. I've never had an issue. I presently have 32GB of DDR4. I wanted plenty of overhead.

[chef 3810]

Anyone use liquid cooling?

[Vicpa 611]

Anyone use liquid cooling?

 

Was waiting for that . Don't forget about the UPS.. wouldn't want a power outage to muck things up.​

[JeremyFr79 228]

I've seen people use liquid cooling on home built servers using off the shelf consumer parts.  But you'll never see liquid cooling on any commercially manufactured Server.  Remember with servers you want as little points of failure as possible.  Liquid cooling goes against that in so many ways.  There's also research to show that servers can safely run in environments with ambient temperatures up to 85-90 degrees with no effect on lifetime of parts etc.  For instance Facebook no longer uses active cooling in many of their data centers just merely a mix of fresh outside air and recycled hot air from the DC itself to maintain the cooling.

[JeremyFr79 228]

Was waiting for that . Don't forget about the UPS.. wouldn't want a power outage to muck things up.​

Yes a UPS is a must have for any system doing constant read/write activity as is the case with many servers.  The problem is most people don't understand how to size a UPS properly and typically get one that is way too small for what they need.

[Guest asrequested]

Oh man! I'm jonesing to build a dual 8 core 16 thread XEON server, with a 16TB RAID6....and other fun stuff. I just need 6 maybe $7000 lol

[pir8radio 1312]

I've seen people use liquid cooling on home built servers using off the shelf consumer parts.  But you'll never see liquid cooling on any commercially manufactured Server.  Remember with servers you want as little points of failure as possible.  Liquid cooling goes against that in so many ways.  There's also research to show that servers can safely run in environments with ambient temperatures up to 85-90 degrees with no effect on lifetime of parts etc.  For instance Facebook no longer uses active cooling in many of their data centers just merely a mix of fresh outside air and recycled hot air from the DC itself to maintain the cooling.

 

Unless it is immersed liquid cooling!   

http://www.grcooling.com/