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Wanna build an unRAID server to stream video to my PS3

post #1 of 9
4/11/09 at 3:31pm
Thread Starter 
After investing many hours in reading a lot of information on the web, I have finally decided to build myself an unRAID server. I'm also planning in installing PS3MediaServer on my server. I will use it to transcode my movies on the fly for my PS3.

Here is my problem. I'm a real noob when it comes to hardware. At this time, I'm thinking of using the following main components:

Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-MA74GM-S2
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400 Brisbane 2.8GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core black edition Processor
Memory: Transcend 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit

You will notice that those are quite inexpensive components but I'm on a really tight budget so that's what I'm looking at at this time. I also know these components work with unRAID which is another important factor at this point.

I have never done on the fly transcoding for 720p content so I really don't know if the above mentioned components can do the job. At this time, I only have a 720p plasma TV and I don't intend to upgrade for a while. However, I'd like to know if I would also be able to transcode 1080p content with this machine. You never know when Santa is going to bring a 1080p projector for the basement !!! My main goal, is to stream 720p content but I'll more than thrilled if it can also do 1080p.

You input would really be appreciated.
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post #2 of 9
4/11/09 at 4:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ve2jpt View Post

After investing many hours in reading a lot of information on the web, I have finally decided to build myself an unRAID server. I'm also planning in installing PS3MediaServer on my server. I will use it to transcode my movies on the fly for my PS3.

Here is my problem. I'm a real noob when it comes to hardware. At this time, I'm thinking of using the following main components:

Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-MA74GM-S2
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400 Brisbane 2.8GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core black edition Processor
Memory: Transcend 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit

You will notice that those are quite inexpensive components but I'm on a really tight budget so that's what I'm looking at at this time. I also know these components work with unRAID which is another important factor at this point.

I have never done on the fly transcoding for 720p content so I really don't know if the above mentioned components can do the job. At this time, I only have a 720p plasma TV and I don't intend to upgrade for a while. However, I'd like to know if I would also be able to transcode 1080p content with this machine. You never know when Santa is going to bring a 1080p projector for the basement !!! My main goal, is to stream 720p content but I'll more than thrilled if it can also do 1080p.

You input would really be appreciated.

Did you spend any of those hours reading here http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=26, because that's really where you should be posting (after you do some reading).

CD
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post #3 of 9
4/11/09 at 4:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ve2jpt View Post

After investing many hours in reading a lot of information on the web, I have finally decided to build myself an unRAID server. I'm also planning in installing PS3MediaServer on my server. I will use it to transcode my movies on the fly for my PS3.

Here is my problem. I'm a real noob when it comes to hardware. At this time, I'm thinking of using the following main components:

Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-MA74GM-S2
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400 Brisbane 2.8GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core black edition Processor
Memory: Transcend 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit

You will notice that those are quite inexpensive components but I'm on a really tight budget so that's what I'm looking at at this time. I also know these components work with unRAID which is another important factor at this point.

I have never done on the fly transcoding for 720p content so I really don't know if the above mentioned components can do the job. At this time, I only have a 720p plasma TV and I don't intend to upgrade for a while. However, I'd like to know if I would also be able to transcode 1080p content with this machine. You never know when Santa is going to bring a 1080p projector for the basement !!! My main goal, is to stream 720p content but I'll more than thrilled if it can also do 1080p.

You input would really be appreciated.


unless your a linux guru or they have adapted ps3media server to unraid then I dont beleive unraid will run on minimalistic linux distro that unraid runs on...... make sure you understand this before moving forward.

for HW read the unraid forums there is lots of discussion on known good setups and HW components to avoid.

chances are if your scared of the HW aspect of this project you should look elsewhere because getting ps3media server running on unraid without building unraid in a full blown slackware is slim.

google confirms this. I cant find any reference of anyone suceeding in doing this... highly not reccommended unless you are a hard core geek. maybe my info is out of date as I have not been following the unraid forums lately.....

EDIt: was just reading over at the unraid forums and it sounds like someone has hacked this to work.... great news for you....
HW choices seem fine... unraid does not need that kind of memory. I have that much in mine and 95% of it is wasted... the PS3media server will chew a little more but 2x1GB should be more than adequate....

have fun with yours.... I certainly enjoy mine....

Sean
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post #4 of 9
4/12/09 at 5:22am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by CDLehner View Post

Did you spend any of those hours reading here http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=26, because that's really where you should be posting (after you do some reading).

CD

I guess I should have but I didn't I thought I had done a pretty good job in researching this topic but I did miss this great topic. I'll have to look into it. Thanks for pointing that thread to me.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sean_w_smith View Post

unless your a linux guru or they have adapted ps3media server to unraid then I dont beleive unraid will run on minimalistic linux distro that unraid runs on...... make sure you understand this before moving forward.

for HW read the unraid forums there is lots of discussion on known good setups and HW components to avoid.

chances are if your scared of the HW aspect of this project you should look elsewhere because getting ps3media server running on unraid without building unraid in a full blown slackware is slim.

google confirms this. I cant find any reference of anyone suceeding in doing this... highly not reccommended unless you are a hard core geek. maybe my info is out of date as I have not been following the unraid forums lately.....

EDIt: was just reading over at the unraid forums and it sounds like someone has hacked this to work.... great news for you....
HW choices seem fine... unraid does not need that kind of memory. I have that much in mine and 95% of it is wasted... the PS3media server will chew a little more but 2x1GB should be more than adequate....

have fun with yours.... I certainly enjoy mine....

Sean

Thanks Sean for the information. I was just about to point you toward the PS3MediaServer thread and saw that you had already been there.

My son is currently studying IT and he's pretty good already with Linux. I've also got a friend who is a Slackware guru so I'm not really worried about getting this media server thing going. I just want to make sure the hardware is powerful enough for my needs. I've already upgraded my network to a gigabit switch so that the network can handle the extra bandwidth required. When I'll get the hardware all figured out, I'll start the build and take it from there.
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post #5 of 9
4/13/09 at 7:10am
Enjoy....

that looks to be plenty of CPU to for transcoding....

SEan
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post #6 of 9
4/13/09 at 7:19am
The hardware sounds good. I use a ECS 740G based board and it's fast and low power. The processor may be a little under powered. I have not tried doing that before so I really don't know. But then that processor should be able to play most 1080p sources (especially more compressed such as 10G or less movies) with software decoding so I'd expect it could also transcode fine.

Peter
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post #7 of 9
4/13/09 at 8:04am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoshDorhyke View Post

The hardware sounds good. I use a ECS 740G based board and it's fast and low power. The processor may be a little under powered. I have not tried doing that before so I really don't know. But then that processor should be able to play most 1080p sources (especially more compressed such as 10G or less movies) with software decoding so I'd expect it could also transcode fine.

Peter

What processor would you recommend that has more power (just in case I want to put more gutso under the hood) ?
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post #8 of 9
4/13/09 at 8:24am
If your content (at least the video stream) is already PS3 compliant, then it should be easy enough for PS3MediaServer to remux it on the fly.

If it's not compliant, then it would depend on what codec and complexity level PS3MediaServer transcodes to.

For the most part, though, I think all you need is on the fly remuxing and not transcoding.

If you're not aware of the differences:
remux (re-multiplex): use original audio and video stream and place in new container (e.g. avi, mkv, vob)
transcode: convert original audio and/or video stream to a different codec (e.g. video: h.264, xvid, divx; audio: ac3, aac, mp3) -> CPU intensive (at least the video portion, transcoding audio is barely a blip on the radar)

Remember, when you're transcoding, your CPU is doing twice the work - decoding the original video and encoding to a PS3-compliant video stream.

You might want to look at the following benchmark:
http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=520#data
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post #9 of 9
4/15/09 at 9:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ve2jpt View Post

What processor would you recommend that has more power (just in case I want to put more gutso under the hood) ?

I'd just recommend you read info on the transcoding and see what it takes or what is recommended.

You already have one positive response. Thinking about it more, I'm guessing that if the CPU can convert it in less time than it takes to play it you would be OK. I don't do enough of that to be able to recommend something. I didn't see any hardware recommendations on the PS3MediaServer web site.

Peter
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