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In Reply to: Question posted by navman on September 8, 2006 at 12:33:07:
don't want to hi-jack the thread, I think this question sort of relates..If one wants to build a dedicated file server(for music)what are the needed components? I've built a few PC's, but I'm definately no PC geek. Everytime I build one I have to do the research all over again about how to do it.
So, what exactly would one need to make a dedicated music file server? Obviously you need a tower, PSU, motherboard, and your HD with your music. How much memory? What size proccessor is adequate?
I also assume that it is possible to connect wirelessly via a SB to the file server and NOT connect wirelessly to your main-online-PC?
Follow Ups:
Regarding dedicated servers, seems like that's a whole new thread in itself.My server has a modest AMD Athlon 3000+ processor. When streaming music to the SB, processor usage is near zero with occasional bursts where it reaches about seven percent for a very short time, then goes back to near zero again. I enable the AMD "Cool 'n' Quiet" feature, which senses processor load, reducing clock frequency and processor voltage when a light load is detected. This keeps the processor running cool. With the Cool 'n' Quiet monitor software, I see that it's always at reduced voltage and frequency, even when streaming music. So the load for SB streaming is very light.
Regarding wired vs. wireless, the data path from server to SB goes like this:
server-> router-> SB
You'll want the connection from server to router to be wired if at all possible. Otherwise you'll have two wireless hops which will increase the possibility of glitches.
"You'll want the connection from server to router to be wired if at all possible. Otherwise you'll have two wireless hops which will increase the possibility of glitches."Squeezeboxes 2 and 3 both have a big buffer and since the SB always plays music from the buffer, if your wireless is any good, there will be no glitches.
...if your wireless is any good, there will be no glitches.It's not just a matter of the quality of the wireless hardware though. If you have a large home, and the router is a long distance from the SB, there may be a problem with low RF signal level. This can be fixed up with range boosters.
In the SB forums, people from the UK have reported that construction techniques used in the older homes there use materials in the walls that attenuate the RF quite a bit. So if the signal has to go through many walls, this could be a problem.
There's several discussions in the SB forums where people have given up wireless entirely, going to ethernet over power line.
I have decided to go for the computer attahed to the router by cable. I'll use an ext drive for the files so some mobility exists if I need it.
...I didn't mean to say that it's essential to cable the computer to the router. But it does introduce less variables, making any potential problems easier to troubleshoot. If you get everything working well with a cabled computer connection and later decide to move the computer so its network connection is wireless also, you'll know that before you moved it everything was working okay. But if you have two wireless hops and there's a wireless problem, it becomes necessary to first figure out which hop has the problem.
I think I got that, and while initially I was thinking of setting up a dedicated machine, I might use my current system.... as it has been reliable and is mostly on anyway.
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