TV-Server Multiseat Solution - no HTPC is located next to the TV-Set

Introduction

About 2 years ago i discovered MediaPortal. At the beginning i was using/testing it on my workstation before i decided to build my first HTPC. What a drama 

I bought a Shuttle SK43G and thought that the onboard Composite out would do its job very well..... could not have been more wrong.

So i had to install an additional AGP Video Card. Then i finaly got a quite nice Picture on the Panasonic CRT.

BUT, the noise it produces was just...... way too much.

I made an water cooling approach which was not that bad, but still, not the best solution.

After that i decided that i need a bigger case where i can fit in some big fans and more than one TV-Card.

Thats why i bought the Silverstone LC11. The noise was lower, much more space was available. but still, my target of the perfect HTPC Solution was far away.

So a few weeks later my wife asked me "Why does the HTPC has to be in the same room as the TV-Set?".......

Well..... it HAS NOT! 

So the first idea of MY personal perfect HTPC Solution was born!

Concept

My Idea was to locate all HTPC's in the basement of our house (you could use a storeroom too).

So at first i had to think about the hardware i would use.

HTPC Hardware

Because the HTPCs are located in the basement i do not have to use shiny, polished cases. I had some old Midi Towers left, so i used those.

Livingroom - HTPC

• Case: Midi Tower
• Mainboard: ASUS P5W DH Deluxe
• CPU: Core2Duo 6600
• RAM: 2x 1024MB
• PSU: BeQuite 420Watt
• VideoCard: ATI HD2600XT
• DVD-Drive: LG GGC-H20L stored inside a 5.25" external HDD-case
• HDD: 200GB SATA 7.200 Seagate
• Remote: Microsoft MCE
• TV-Set: Philips 32" 32PF9731

Kitchen - HTPC

• Case: Some noname Midi-tower
• Mainboard: Intel
• CPU: Pentium 4 - 2.8GHz
• RAM: 4x512MB
• PSU: BeQuite 350Watt
• VideoCard: ATI Radeon X700
• DVD-Drive: HP-DVD (Burner)
• HDD: 200GB SATA 7.200 Seagate
• Remote: Microsoft MCE
• TFT-Monitor: LG 17"

Server

• Case: Big Tower (Chieftec)
• Mainboard: ASUS A8N-VM CSM
• CPU: Athlon A64 3000+
• RAM: 2x 1024MB
• PSU: BeQuite 420Watt
• VideoCard: onboard
• DVD-Drive: Samsung 16x
• HDD(s):
  • Raid5 Array: 3x 1000GB SATA Samsung ?SpinPoint (stores videos, photos, music, documents)
  • OS and Apps: 1x 200GB SATA Seagate Baracuda
  • Backup: 1x 200GB SATA Seagate Baracuda (stores weekly backups of photos and documents)

Cables required to connect the HTPC's with the rooms

The challange was now to connect the HTPC's with the TV-Set(s) in the rooms and to be able to control them from there.

Livingroom - HTPC

• 2x USB 2.0 extension cable 3m long
• 1x VGA- Cable 10m
• 1x Component cable + fibre(spdif) + coax(spdif) 10m (not used)
• 1x Stereo cable with 2x cinch and 1x 3,5mm 10m
• 1x CAT5 cable for Power-LED, HDD-LED, Power Button

Kitchen - HTPC

• 2x USB 2.0 extension cable 3m long
• 1x VGA- Cable 10m
• 1x Component cable + fibre(spdif) + coax(spdif) 10m (not used)
• 1x Stereo cable with 2x cinch and 1x 3,5mm 10m
• 1x CAT5 cable for Power-LED, HDD-LED, Power Button

Setting everything up

Livingroom - HTPC

• HDD 1: 200GB SATA Seagate Baracuda
  • C: 40GB WindowsXP
  • D: 160 GB Apps
    • MediaPortal - TV-Server Client

Kitchen - HTPC

• HDD 1: 200GB SATA Seagate Baracuda
  • C: 40GB WindowsXP
  • D: 160 GB App
    • MediaPortal - TV-Server Client

Server

• HDD 1: 200GB SATA Seagate Baracuda
  • C: 40GB Windows XP
  • D: 160 GB Apps
    • TV-Server
    • TS-Buffer_Files
    • SQL-Server
• Raid5 Array 4x 500GB SATA Seagate Baracuda
  • E: 2000GB Storage
    • Music
    • Videos
    • Photos
    • Filestorage
    • Userfiles (docs ect)
    • WebServer (htdocs and inetpub)
    • SQL-Database(s)
• HDD 2: 200GB SATA Seagate Baracuda
  • F: 200GB Backup
    • Photos
    • Userfiles (docs ect)
    • OS-Images (C
    • SQL-DB backups