Quote:
Originally Posted by
djtoodles 
The noise factor with the HTPC working as a file server to is the main issue I can think of as well. My roomate has a few year old i7 that is loud as hell. my c2d dell laptop is also pretty damn loud. however I know the c2d series in general ran hot so they were pretty loud. Is the computer itself going to be the sound issue or the hard drives spinning? I saw some HTPC cases that look like receivers that will fit in my entertainment center.
- What advantage do I get from running WHS over w7/8? they can run the same raid software right? WHS might be an unnecessary license cost if I can run the same software.
- Will I use more or less power doing a synology with a rasperry PI type solution vs an HTPC/server all in one? and if all electronics are off but the HTPC/server will i hear it in the living room all the time humming along?
- Also will the home built NAS solution only running unraid or freenas use more power and be louder than a synology or will it be about the same?
Your roomates i7 makes noise because it was built poorly by an amateur. It's clearly set up wrong. I have an i7 that is whisper quiet. As is my HTPC with i5. It's in my bedroom and not far from my head. I can't hear thing. I sit right next to my desktop.
Noise is all about HDD's, and fan speed. Quiet fans (yes you can actually buy these) and tactics to reduce fan speed result in near silent operations.
For me- I like having a server with tons of fans and HHD's and being able to put that in a place where the noise doesn't matter. Then my SSD only HTPC is whisper quiet. My HTPC is in an ANTEC300 case. Asrock Z77 + 3570k. Single MAX IOPS 120SSD.
I run the fans on low- and use the motherboard fan controller to keep RPM low. You can't hear a thing.
With my server- It looks like my HTPC has locally installed 20TB hard drive (my server) with a mapped network drive. So I have unlimited storage with no noise.
Combining things into one- or making sacrifices out of fear and ignorance is a mistake.
Your PC does not have to be loud. The advantage to having a server is you can remove much of the noise from the PC.
Your advantages of WHS was listed clearly earlier in this thread- and there is a thread running on that now. There is much WHS offers over W7, including a lower price.
Your power draw is related to your hardware- so while an all in one is going to use more power than a NAS box- if your already running the HTPC all in one anyways- the additional HDD's and software settings are going to use much less than a seperate NAS box.
NAS box vs HTPC/PC/SERVER = NAS USES LESS POWER.
but,
Assuming your going to have a PC/HTPC/SERVER running anyways--- the additional power draw of adding the HDD's and using that machine for the storage too is much less than a NAS BOX.
HDD's might add 10 watts each. It's not very much until you start to get into 10+ HDD's I would not worry about that much. HDD's use the same power if they are in a NAS box or a PC. So the only difference is the PC uses a little more power simply because it's much more powerful and can do much more.
You'd be surprised how little power a WHS server needs with only a few drives. I would guess (4) 3TB (9TB POOL + PARITY) on a simply Sandy Bridge would amaze you how little power it ran with a single CPU fan on cool and quiet and one single 120mm cooling fan on low speed RPM.
The difference in power is insignificant. It's almost nothing. It might cost you a few dollars. Who cares ??? It's a small price to pay for the advantages you get if you desire them.
Assassin actually put that GOLIATH SERVER on a killawatt and measured the power draw. As did Flocko. But since you insulted him I doubt he will share with you that information. That just goes back to the point of why would you not value the advice of someone who actually does this all the time and tests it out first hand ???
or else I would go there. Amazon seems the cheapest place for everything minus case. And I picked a green psu assuming it should cut noise down will the power supply be enough watts?
