Are servers the new media?

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by rlpiii

Yeah, I could definitely manage a one at time as I acquire them thing, that's not so painful.

Are you planning to set-up your new house to have the HTPC run both the media room and whole house?

I have whole house completely separated from the media room. I am still on the fence about that decision.

The HTPCs (3) are supplying the house with the Film Collection. The Media Room itself can have either the HTPC or the Player provide the information. For serious viewing I'll be using the BD itself.

I'm using a combination of Key Digital products (this allows multiple HDMI and Component units for full home distribution), Control 4 products, and HTPCs to controll the whole house and Media Room. Control4 has some new controllers that are pretty good (fast), but I went with HTPCs using the Control4 software (which I'm sure is against warranty). So I can control lighting, security, HVAC, sprinkley systems, etc. all from the Control4 master unit which is a HTPC.

The music server will be the new Arcam FMJ music server. I'm using a NAD Master series 7 channel amp to provide music to 7 different pairs of speakers. I'm also using Acoustic Zen wiring in the house to all the speakers. I'm using Martin Logan Source speakers in the Living Room, and PSB in ceiling in the kitchen, game room, etc. I'll be using Sonus Faber Guarneri Momento speakers in my office.

So I'm going to try and see if Audiophile quality can be done in full home audio distribution. I'm supervising the wiring pulls to make sure that they're of matching lengths in the pulls amongst other things.

If you want full home automation and distribution Control4 combined with Keg Digital products can get you a system at about 1/3rd the cost of a Crestron system. I'd definately suggest it if you can afford it. It's worth it.

[kennyt]

Lotus,

What did it cost you to have someone upload all your content? That must take a long time to do but be really nice once it's done. I know from my own personal experience uploading all my music took ~ a month of spare time a disc at a time.

[rlpiii]

Originally Posted by kennyt

Lotus,

What did it cost you to have someone upload all your content? That must take a long time to do but be really nice once it's done. I know from my own personal experience uploading all my music took ~ a month of spare time a disc at a time.

I was wondering that too. A/V installers charge soo much per hour for labor, it would be hard to let them do it.

[deacongreg]

Originally Posted by kennyt

Lotus,

What did it cost you to have someone upload all your content? That must take a long time to do but be really nice once it's done. I know from my own personal experience uploading all my music took ~ a month of spare time a disc at a time.

That is a while kenny. I don`t know if I`m ready for that yet. One unit to have all my music and video? Hmmm, I would want backup as well. It would require a whole change in my thinking.

[faberryman]

I have a HTPC that ... has 18TB of HD space (and growing).

How is it configured - 36 500GB disks? What sort of RAID array are you running? Can you tell me how you have all of those hard disks physically set up?

[rlpiii]

Originally Posted by Lotus

The HTPCs (3) are supplying the house with the Film Collection. The Media Room itself can have either the HTPC or the Player provide the information. For serious viewing I'll be using the BD itself.

I'm using a combination of Key Digital products (this allows multiple HDMI and Component units for full home distribution), Control 4 products, and HTPCs to controll the whole house and Media Room. Control4 has some new controllers that are pretty good (fast), but I went with HTPCs using the Control4 software (which I'm sure is against warranty). So I can control lighting, security, HVAC, sprinkley systems, etc. all from the Control4 master unit which is a HTPC.

The music server will be the new Arcam FMJ music server. I'm using a NAD Master series 7 channel amp to provide music to 7 different pairs of speakers. I'm also using Acoustic Zen wiring in the house to all the speakers. I'm using Martin Logan Source speakers in the Living Room, and PSB in ceiling in the kitchen, game room, etc. I'll be using Sonus Faber Guarneri Momento speakers in my office.

So I'm going to try and see if Audiophile quality can be done in full home audio distribution. I'm supervising the wiring pulls to make sure that they're of matching lengths in the pulls amongst other things.

If you want full home automation and distribution Control4 combined with Keg Digital products can get you a system at about 1/3rd the cost of a Crestron system. I'd definately suggest it if you can afford it. It's worth it.

Lotus,

It looks like your going to get a bunch of questions about your impressive HTPC PC set-up. You might want to start a "I have a very cool HTPC set-up" thread. . .