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Hi guys,
As per the title, I am looking to setup an HTPC, NAS and Steam Cache server as a single box and could do with some advice on how best to set this up from a back-end perspective.
I’m a proficient Windows user and while not so comfortable with Linux, I’m more than happy to watch a few YouTube vids on getting to grips with the basics but I’m at a loss as to know where to start with regards to what primary OS I should be using and any VM’s that I might need.
As the unit will be housed in my AV shelving rack, my choice of chassis is limited by dimensions so while expensive, the Lian-li O5 looks like it fits the bill given its comparatively large 3.5-inch drive capacity for an enclosure if its size and it has a slimline 5.25-inch optical drive bay that ticks my UHD disk playback box.
It will be powered by a Core i7 7700k, 16GB DDR4, Z370 ITX Mobo and an ITX sized Nvidia GPU that I have yet to decide on.
With regards to the storage configuration the following will be installed:
1 x 8TB 3.5 Drive
3 x 4TB 3.5 Drives
1 x 480GB 2.5 SSD
1 x 250GB NVME
The HTPC side of things is straightforward but as I mentioned earlier, I need to be able to playback protected disks in 4K with HDR and TrueHD / Atmos as well as ripped MKV / M2TS content stored on the NAS side.
And lastly, while not a must, I would like to use one of the disks for Steam cache storage. I live in a rural area where smoke signals and carrier pigeons would be quicker than my broadband connection so it would be useful to have my gaming library stored locally to speed up installs.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I have yet to purchase the chassis so happy for alternatives to be suggested but space is tight, and the optical drive support is a must.
Thanks in advance.
Chris |
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