Plz help with optimizing the setup...

[Imrahn]

So, finally purchased a plasma for the main hall and all hell broke loose with setting it up.Given below is my intended setup and plz guide me to achieve the best in it.

Have my gaming/HT PC upstairs and have been using it all these days as download rig as well.In order to reduce the usage of the HDDs , i have decided to go for a dedicated download rig with minimal storage(say 80gb) and will be periodically uploading its files to the HTPC upstairs, so that it remains the entertainment hub.

The HTPC in turn will be connected to the main hall plasma via an HD media player like Xtreamer Pro or PlayOn HD, so that i can browse and playback the files from the HTPC.The downside of this plan is that the HTPC has to be turned ON if i want to play movies downstairs(not a deal breaker though).

I have provided a rough sketch of the intended setup below and would appreciate all ur valuable inputs on whether the setup can be optimized better.Have budget constraints as well and would be accomplishing this step by step.

Thanx and regards

 

[m-jeri]

The media player..take AC playon with N wireless adapter. first check with this and then later upgrade to wired if necessary. unless u have a empty wire duct from upstairs to downstairs. .

and the Download rig, Install WHS with Windows media server. chuck all the HDD inside this machine. Make it headless. Use the utorrent as a service. I used it and loved it. U can use the server connect software to do everything from ur laptop/desktop.

i say the above setup coz if u make the primary rig as the repository and u want to watch movies from that on ur downstairs.. u have to turn the nuclear plant on. :S.

Hey.. this is just my idea.. others can help more. .

 

[Imrahn]

Thanx a lot Jerin....so its like placing all the HDDs in the download rig and connecting it to the other 2 PCs via ethernet cable/wireless adapter via WHS?But then,all the 4 or 5 multi TB HDDs have to be alive 24x7 and thats what I'm trying to avoid. Thats why i asked about running the download rig with a small storage drive and syncing with the main PC periodically.Any other way this can be achieved?

 

[net]

better use wlan setup then using ethernet cables.

 

[m-jeri]

Thanx a lot Jerin....so its like placing all the HDDs in the download rig and connecting it to the other 2 PCs via ethernet cable/wireless adapter via WHS?But then,all the 4 or 5 multi TB HDDs have to be alive 24x7 and thats what I'm trying to avoid. Thats why i asked about running the download rig with a small storage drive and syncing with the main PC periodically.Any other way this can be achieved?

Yeas. I said this coz mostly i prefer my download rig to act like a File/Print server also.

WHS is windows Home server 2003. check the "sea" for stuff and check We Got Served - Connecting Your Digital World for more help and plugins. I have created a tutorial some time back.. check that first.

Hmmm.. well... its all about convenience. What will u do if u want to get some media from the main PC?. turn that PC on?.

And are u planning to do some TV series marathon's or Trilogy marathon's like me. ?. If so dont u think that its a waste of energy and heat?

But i do understand the feelings... multi TB's on single place.. . but i do suggest that u do that. Or else.. how about getting a seagate Dockstar for download

and just keeping that Download rig as file server?. I am just spinning stuff.. :S.

Coz a Dockstar and 500GB Seagate GO connected to it.. is like nothing else for downloading.