PC & Media Centre...Common network drive?

[djglenn]

Hi,

I have a 1TB drive on my PC, that has my movies and music, photos, etc.

I am seriously contemplating building a media centre computer for my TV, so I can watch films etc.

Whats the easiest way to access these files "without" my main PC being turned on.

BTW, i want to access them from my main PC as well.

Any tips are much appreciated.

[PeterStoba]

Either buy a NAS but that's overkill for a 1TB drive, although would allow for more storage

or just buy a caddie and link it to the router

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Sumvi...)-RJ45-and-USB

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/IB-NA...-USB-interface

[djglenn]

Either buy a NAS but that's overkill for a 1TB drive, although would allow for more storage

or just buy a caddie and link it to the router

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Sumvi...)-RJ45-and-USB

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/IB-NA...-USB-interface

Ok..so this caddy takes my HDD and it plugs directly into the router?

What about transfer speeds? Will it be slow to transfer files to and from?

If I am transfering files will my internet be super slow?

Thanks for the help.

[PeterStoba]

1. It will be slower, but if you're linked to the router on your main pc via a cable it wont be as bad as wirelessly, but still not slow.

2. I've never noticed a difference, the bandwidth routers provide is nowhere near what you use transferring files and browsing the internet simultaneously.

[spiral out]

I was just thinking about getting one of these, but what sort of backup solution do you have? 1TB is a lot of data to lose.

[djglenn]

According to Sumvisions website you get the following transfer speeds:

Transfer RateFAT32 3.2MBps/up 4.4BMps/down, NTFS 630KBps/up 3.4MBps/down

Does that mean on a FAT32 system, it will take 4mins to drop one 700MB avi onto the Network HDD??? (700/3.2 = 218sec = 3mins 37sec)

That is crazy slow...I was planning to drop at least 10avi's onto it at any given time..

[CaptainCrash]

Couldn't you just put the 1TB drive directly in the HTPC, and create a share which can be accessed by the "main" PC?

If you're using the HTPC for scheduled TV recordings, it'll need to be powered up anyway most of the time (but presumably allowed to go into S3 mode when not in use), so why not keep things simple?

[djglenn]

Couldn't you just put the 1TB drive directly in the HTPC, and create a share which can be accessed by the "main" PC?

If you're using the HTPC for scheduled TV recordings, it'll need to be powered up anyway most of the time (but presumably allowed to go into S3 mode when not in use), so why not keep things simple?

Because I dont want a situation where I have to turn on one PC to access information on the other PC...

[CaptainCrash]

The point I'm getting at is that HTPCs tend to be low-power designs which need to be permanently on *anyway* (at least if they're used for TV recording duties), just as an independant NAS enclosure would be. You'd be saving the cost and clutter of another box, as well as getting the speed of the HTPC's GigE interface (assuming the rest of the network can keep up).

Obviously I don't know how you intend to design and use your own HTPC, but surely it's worth considering?

[djglenn]

The point I'm getting at is that HTPCs tend to be low-power designs which need to be permanently on *anyway* (at least if they're used for TV recording duties), just as an independant NAS enclosure would be. You'd be saving the cost and clutter of another box, as well as getting the speed of the HTPC's GigE interface (assuming the rest of the network can keep up).

Obviously I don't know how you intend to design and use your own HTPC, but surely it's worth considering?

I dont plan to have the HTPC on all the time, but only for when it is to be used.

I am not planning at present to have the ability to record TV.

I do agree it is more money that doesnt need spent, but if I cannot have a setup where both computers can access a HDD without the other having to be turned on, I will not build the HTPC as it will only annoy me.

Is there any other way to have a common standalone network drive, that has decent transfer speeds???