I recently acquired an old G4 DP500 (2gb ram, ATI9200, running leopard!) that I initially planned to use as a video server but now I’m reconsidering because of electricity costs. So that concern has led me to think about a MacMini. My plan is to eventually have a couple of networked minis as playback devices, (right now I’m using a Macbook) but wondering what would be best for the “server” end. Right now I’m using my G5 that has a 500 GB main drive, a 1TB drive dedicated for video and a 1TB external USB2/eSATA for TimeMachine. I’d like to eventually move to a device I feel ok about leaving on 24/7. Right now the G5 costs about $18 a month. Because the Macbook is working out ok for now, I have been holding out for a new mini or even waiting for the next generation for the playback ones. But the old G4 got me wondering if and old single core mini would work for the server end and would external USB drives work or should I be looking at firewire or faster? I know technology is always a moving target but it seems like overkill for a brand new machine to be sitting in the basement if an older one could do the job just fine. Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

Brad

I think that would depend on what your video needs are. An old Mini would be ok for standard def but NOT hi-def video, for example.

An old Mini would be ok for standard def but NOT hi-def video, for example.

He's talking about a mini to manage and store files--why wouldn't it be OK for hi-def?

wondering what would be best for the “server” end.

I'm not sure there is one "best," since we're all going to have different priorities, budgets and values.

Right now I’m using my G5 that has a 500 GB main drive, a 1TB drive dedicated for video and a 1TB external USB2/eSATA for TimeMachine. I’d like to eventually move to a device I feel ok about leaving on 24/7.

I'm in somewhat of a similar situation--for years now my file server and EyeTV recording end consists of two dual G4 MDDs full of drives on our gigabit network and two Airport Disk drives over USB on our Extreme basestation. One MDD I leave on 24/7 (and don't care about the electricity cost,) the other I wake with WakeOnLan only when needed, and the Airport Disk drives stay mounted and spin down when not in use. I tend to store high def so it's accessible over gigabit, and leave the slower USB AirDisk drives for less demanding video files, but even they're fast enough for typical EyeTV HD playback. Besides electricity cost, I think the other disadvantages going this route are 1) noise, 2) size and 3) lack of centralization--you can mitigate the noise to a certain extent with a gigabit network by tucking them out of the way and you can get used to having storage all over the house--but there's nothing you can do about the PowerMac bulk.

an old single core mini would work for the server end and would external USB drives work or should I be looking at firewire or faster? I know technology is always a moving target but it seems like overkill for a brand new machine to be sitting in the basement if an older one could do the job just fine

Even a 2006 Intel mini, since it has gigabit, would do just fine for your server needs--small, quiet and inexpensive.

I know technology is always a moving target but it seems like overkill for a brand new machine to be sitting in the basement if an older one could do the job just fine

Hanging on to my Macs, passing them on to family and buying used ones on Craigslist has always appealed to me. I'm actually considering swapping an old mini in for one of my MDDs as we speak. But, I think in your case, you also want to look at what's been going on in the small office/home storage NAS space--where previously there was little choice in terms of network storage and everything was pretty expensive now there's a staggering amount of choice, plenty of options, and the entry price points keep dropping. And as I mentioned previously, an Airport Extreme can handle multiple drives over USB just fine for a poor man's NAS (and if this doesn't work out for you you can always move the drives back to direct attached storage on one of the Macs in your house.)

Chefklc thanks for the response! Right now I'm only doing std def dvds but don't want to invest in a solution that can't handle HD in the future. I figured an old mini with a few more of the fantom green drives (USB 2.0/eSATA 1TB $80) would work for std def but have worried that they could not handle HD going forward. I have wondered about a FW800 DROBO but thought the cost was a little steep and if it was fast enough as well. I have even wondered if I should just put up with the electricity costs and use a machine with eternal sata. I have a pretty decent network closet/room so space and sound are not a problem. I want to make sure I have a decent solution without going way overboard -little overboard is ok. Are there any NAS solutions you would suggest looking into?

Thanks!