I'm planning to build a 24/7 system that will run Slim Devices' SlimServer software, which will power a yet-to-be-acquired Squeezebox audio-streaming device (SPCR review), as well as act as an NAS for my Windows network. It will most likely be connected to my router using Ethernet for reliability, but I may allow for a wireless option. Having been a bit disappointed with the sluggishness of Softsqueeze (thanks, Java!) as a virtual Squeezebox, I wanted to know that the actual hardware would be better. The interface is what drove me toward a dedicated streaming solution, and in my opinion that aspect goes a long way toward satisfaction and continued use: my mother and sister will definitely not appreciate having to use a keyboard and mouse. I was thinking of trying out the SB firsthand before buying parts for this system (I have an entire FLAC music collection at the ready), but then I wanted to wait and see what the fourth-generation product would bring (or snatch up the current-gen version at a significant discount). In the meantime, I could really use a centralized storage solution to consolidate the litter of files across the five PCs on the network (one of which is running out of its 40GB of storage quickly). The so-so reliability of consumer NAS devices inspired me to build my own. I thought hard about any other potential uses, not wanting to waste hardware on idle processes, but decided that specialization was best to keep expenses down. That means that the system will run headless most of the time, and I will connect an old 15" CRT for diagnostic purposes only. My priorities are, in order of importance:
1. Obviously, very low noise.
2. High reliability, minimal maintenance.
3. Low cost.
4. Low energy consumption.
5. Small size.
6. Aesthetics.
All of these attributes are distinguishing features of VIA's EPIA-series integrated Mini-ITX motherboards, so I've settled on that platform. First, the tentative parts list:
1. VIA EPIA-5000 Mobo+CPU
2. Morex T3300 Case+PSU
3. Buffalo Select 256MB CL3 PC133 SDRAM
4. SYBA IDE-to-CF adapter (Direct Insertion Mode) + A-DATA Turbo 4GB 266X CompactFlash boot device
5. Western Digital Scorpio WD1200VE 120GB 5400RPM 8MB Cache 2.5" storage HDD
I have chosen (and already purchased) the classic and least-expensive mobo+CPU option, the EPIA-5000 (the subject of SPCR's first-ever official review!), which runs a lowly 533MHz C3 processor. The case-and-PSU combo is the only item that I really need feedback on. The Morex offering listed above is the cheapest package I have found, looks sturdy, and isn't too big. Airflow looks restricted, though, and I'm not sure about the efficiency of the DC-DC converter or AC adapter included. A serious alternative to the Morex is the M200/M300 cases from mini-box.com, makers of the PicoPSU series. These are made from light aluminum, which doesn't bode too well for strapping on a hard drive without some sort of soft suspension. On the plus side, they are obviously designed for the PicoPSUs, which have proven themselves in an SPCR review. In my case, the 80-watt version of both the DC-DC and AC-DC components should be sufficient (though the site offers a combo of 120W DC converter + 60W AC adapter for a significant discount). The combined cost ends up quite a bit higher than that of the Morex.
I've scoured eBay the last few days for these parts in an effort to minimize costs, and I think I can come in under $300 with the latter option.
I thought about going with dual hard drives (one for music, the other for other documents) to keep things separate and to minimize damage in case of a drive failure. However, a single large disk (with two partitions) will minimize cost, power consumption, and noise. I think I'll go that route.
As for the OS, I want to give Linux a try. Stability and security are advantages over Windows, and its low hardware requirements are perfect for the VIA platform. In addition, Linux compatibility with Windows networks is excellent thanks to Samba, and recent releases of many distributions have included an NTFS driver for accessing that file format. Among the few popular distros I've tried, I found file sharing to be easiest on SimplyMEPIS 6.5, which also ranks high on the usability scale. Another top contender for "most usable Linux" is PCLinuxOS, which has gotten very good reviews, but which I haven't tried yet. Ubuntu doesn't appeal to me as a server OS, or as a good desktop one, for that matter.
The amount of RAM and space on the boot drive have been sized to allow a bare-minimum installation of Windows XP, just in case I can't get Linux to work. As you can probably tell, I have no need for an optical drive.
Thanks for reading this far, and please leave any suggestions you may have.
), but now I've successfully tested MEPIS and MEPIS Lite. PCLOS simply reboots every time it gets to a certain loading stage, so unfortunately that option's out. I may try Ubuntu at a future date. Linux Mint is a candidate, too, but it appears the ISO I downloaded may be corrupt (or the CD has errors), as it cannot load successfully on any of the three machines I tested it on.