Best use of hardware for client/server?

[MeInMaui]

Hi,

I could use a little help/advice in planning my new setup.

I am presently running a sageTV htpc with an Athlon64 3200+, 1 Gig ram, a 6600GT video card (1080p via DVI), 2 pvr150's, a pvr500, 2 WD 320Gb hard drives, and a hitachi 250Gb hard drive. I am planning on making the switch to a client/server setup. I have already ordered the new parts, but now I am not sure how to best leverage everything for best overall performance. Here is my planned setup:

Server
Athlon64 X2 4400+
1 Gig ram
nvidia 6200 (passively cooled)
4 WD 320Gb hard drives
1 hitachi 250Gb hard drive
2 pvr150's
pvr500
(will run headless)

Client
Athlon64 3200+
512Mb ram
nvidia 6600GT (1080p)
250GB Samsung spinpoint hard drive

I am upgrading to a gigabit network and I also have a MediaMVP extender. I will be running SA on the server and I have a number of videos in Xvid that I will want to stream to the MVP. I will also probably do some light gaming on the client. Eventually, I hope to add HD recording capability so I want to be ready for that as well.

I have two basic questions. Should the 4400+ processor go in the server or the client? And where would the 1 Gb ram be put to best use? Any other advice or comments would also be appreciated. Thanks.

Aloha,
Mike

[korben_dallas]

Put your cpu, ram, and video card horse power in the client PC(s).

Put your storage in the server.

Unless the server is the main living room machine, in which case it should have everything. Though this is not ideal because it may be loud due to case heat, fans, hard drive noise, etc.

[MeInMaui]

Originally Posted by korben_dallas

Put your cpu, ram, and video card horse power in the client PC(s).

Put your storage in the server.

Unless the server is the main living room machine, in which case it should have everything. Though this is not ideal because it may be loud due to case heat, fans, hard drive noise, etc.

Thanks. That is actually what I was thinking when I ordered the parts. Then I confused myself thinking about transcoding to the MVP, running SA, etc. But I guess as long as I'm not trying to transcode videos to 2 MVP's simultaneously while running SA in the background then the 3200+ should be plenty of horsepower for a server. I will be running the server from another room that is always air conditioned specifically to get the heat and noise out of our living room. Hopefully this new setup will be more stable. I'm pretty sure I've been dealing with a few temperature related stability issues in my existing setup.

Aloha,
Mike

[bcjenkins]

fwiw, I think the server needs the horsepower of the cpu for transcoding, etc., it is the client machine which will need the graphics card for 1080p.

My current server is a p4 2.8 which is also displaying video for my family room tv. When I run multiple SAs, MVPs, PS clients, and the client upstairs, it starts bogging down.

I guess it all depends on how you will end up using the server. In yesteryear when all you were doing was serving non-transcoded streams the server didn't need to have much umph. Now with transcoding for MVP and placeshifter, it is a whole different ballgame.

B

[dbfresh23]

I agree with bcjenkins. Normally you don't need the more powerful cpu in the server, but the second you start talking about transcoding to the mvp you do.

[MeInMaui]

I think I'm leaning toward using the 4400+ in the client. At the moment I only have 1 MVP and I know that the 3200+ does fine transcoding to that. Either way, is there agreement that the 1 Gb ram would be better utilized in the client? Does anyone know if SA would be happier with more than 512Mb in the server? Thanks for the input.

Aloha,
Mike

[dbfresh23]

SA performance will be more dependent on CPU cycles then RAM. When SA is running on my P4 1.8 it maxes out the cpu with plenty of ram to spare - i only have 512mb pc133 in that system too.

[MeInMaui]

Originally Posted by dbfresh23

SA performance will be more dependent on CPU cycles then RAM. When SA is running on my P4 1.8 it maxes out the cpu with plenty of ram to spare - i only have 512mb pc133 in that system too.

Thanks for the info.

[Jesse]

Hi,

If I am correct in assuming that the 3200+ is comparable to my p4 3.0 then I think it will have plenty of horsepower to drive one MVP. I use comskip and one mvp and have seen no problems. I do OTA HD recording and it does not seem to be any more taxing than standard hardware encoding. With HD in your future (and probably 1080p before too much longer) I would put that 4400 in the client.

Have fun.

Jesse

[bcjenkins]

Maybe I am missing the boat on this, but as I sit here now looking a utilization on my server which has

4 SD Tuners
2 HD Tuners
2 MVPs attached watching live TV
1 client attached - SD
HD stream being played on connected TV

CPU is hovering at 90% - Has 6600GT - Running 1080i
Client machine was at 20% playing SD - Has X300SE - Running 720p

Client is 3.0 GHz
Server is 2.8 GHz
Both P4 HT

Since decoding is offloaded to the GPU by the decoders, it seems that any upgrade I consider would be better done on the CPU of the server, or a new video card in the client. Both of which are in the works

B

[korben_dallas]

.. and the hard wired gigabit network.

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by MeInMaui

Either way, is there agreement that the 1 Gb ram would be better utilized in the client? Does anyone know if SA would be happier with more than 512Mb in the server? Thanks for the input.

Why be stingy? Put a gig in each.

[MeInMaui]

Originally Posted by GKusnick

Why be stingy? Put a gig in each.

Well my htpc power supply just bought the farm. So since I have to place an order anyway, might as well get another stick of ram too.
Unfortunately this pushes back the upgrades another week.

Aloha,
Mike