HP ProLiant MicroServer

stimpson · 06-01-2014 02:06PM

phantom_lord wrote: »

Is there any issue running a 4tb drive in one of these?

Once your OS supports it then you should be fine.

witnessmenow · 09-01-2014 11:48AM

Pulled the trigger this morning with dabs.ie

Which is €221 + €7.50 delivery but I was looking at the claim form:

January 2014

I noticed that there was €83 cashback on a care package so I checked the price of that on dabs, €86.50! So it made it an extra €3.50 for the care package. But even better the car package brought my order over the €300 free delivery threshold with dabs so the total cost of adding the care pacakge after cashback is -€4!

Link to N54L
Link to Micro server support

Hopefully it works out ok! Total price for server and care package should be €307 - €143 = €164 delivered

stimpson · 09-01-2014 11:50AM

witnessmenow wrote: »

Hopefully it works out ok!

You won't be disappointed - great little machines.

witnessmenow · 09-01-2014 11:55AM

stimpson wrote: »

You won't be disappointed - great little machines.

I have a N40L already and love it! I got it for my Dad, he got a smart TV recently and I had an old netbook running a plex server and it's DNLA server was working great for him, but I think the HDD kicked the bucket so I said I would put in a proper solution

stimpson · 09-01-2014 12:00PM

I replaced my with a Samsung F7000. Plex app is great, except for high bitrate MKV's with DTS audio. A real PITA - would have been a perfect solution, just leaving me with a TV, an AV receiver and a PS3 in the living room. Might invest in a 1080p Roku.

lynchie · 09-01-2014 12:17PM

witnessmenow wrote: »

Pulled the trigger this morning with dabs.ie

Which is €221 + €7.50 delivery but I was looking at the claim form:

January 2014

I noticed that there was €83 cashback on a care package so I checked the price of that on dabs, €86.50! So it made it an extra €3.50 for the care package. But even better the car package brought my order over the €300 free delivery threshold with dabs so the total cost of adding the care pacakge after cashback is -€4!

Link to N54L
Link to Micro server support

Hopefully it works out ok! Total price for server and care package should be €307 - €143 = €164 delivered

According to the T&cs you must buy from an authorized HP distributor in ROI to qualify. Anybody know if dabs.ie is one as they dont appear on HP's online list?

johnybean · 09-01-2014 12:18PM

stimpson wrote: »

I replaced my with a Samsung F7000. Plex app is great, except for high bitrate MKV's with DTS audio. A real PITA - would have been a perfect solution, just leaving me with a TV, an AV receiver and a PS3 in the living room. Might invest in a 1080p Roku.

I have the N54L with Plex server on it and I have it wired to my Dad's house (couple of doors down from me

). He has a 1080p roku and as far as I know everything is playing fine for him (I would get the call for tech support if it wasn't). I also had a Nowtv for myself but the transcoding was maxing out the cpu at 100% for the duration of my 3-4GB mkvs with DTS so I have ditched that for now and am saving for either an Ouya or hold out a little longer for an i3 Nuc.

johnybean · 09-01-2014 12:56PM

I am not hugely tech savvy so I have 1 quick question. Would it be possible to add a graphics card to the N54L and have that graphics card handle the transcoding duties of Plex and take the pressure off the CPU which is currently maxing at 100% when trying to transcode some of my files to the Nowtv. I dont want to connect anything directly to the graphics card, just wondering if I could offload transcoding duty to the Graphics card?

witnessmenow · 09-01-2014 01:28PM

Plex can't use the GPU for transcoding

ozmo · 09-01-2014 01:38PM

Why would anyone want to transcode when there are cheap popcornhour etc boxes can can read the file natively over lan?

Never understood the attraction of DNLA - is it to save 50 quid at the expense of maxed out CPUs, higher electric power usage and lower quality?

Genuine question.

witnessmenow · 09-01-2014 01:39PM

lynchie wrote: »

According to the T&cs you must buy from an authorized HP distributor in ROI to qualify. Anybody know if dabs.ie is one as they dont appear on HP's online list?

I havent checked with HP but I'd say its safe enough. Dabs.com is a preferred partner.

http://www8.hp.com/uk/en/contact-hp/e-partners/hpstore-hho.html

stimpson · 09-01-2014 01:42PM

johnybean wrote: »

I am not hugely tech savvy so I have 1 quick question. Would it be possible to add a graphics card to the N54L and have that graphics card handle the transcoding duties of Plex and take the pressure off the CPU which is currently maxing at 100% when trying to transcode some of my files to the Nowtv. I dont want to connect anything directly to the graphics card, just wondering if I could offload transcoding duty to the Graphics card?

Use Direct Stream on Plex on the NowTV box - there should be no need to transcode unless you have a really crappy wireless router.

Dravokivich · 09-01-2014 01:51PM

ozmo wrote: »

Why would anyone want to transcode when there are cheap popcornhour etc boxes can can read the file natively over lan?

Never understood the attraction of DNLA - is it to save 50 quid at the expense of maxed out CPUs, higher electric power usage and lower quality?

Genuine question.

Multiple devices. Not just one HTPC or media player.

johnybean · 09-01-2014 02:10PM

stimpson wrote: »

Use Direct Stream on Plex on the NowTV box - there should be no need to transcode unless you have a really crappy wireless router.

Nowtv wont direct stream dts files

johnybean · 09-01-2014 02:11PM

witnessmenow wrote: »

Plex can't use the GPU for transcoding

thanks for the clarification witnessmenow. back to the original plan of the Ouya/Nuc and xbmc

stimpson · 09-01-2014 02:17PM

johnybean wrote: »

Nowtv wont direct stream dts files

I was using it for a while and didn't have an issue with DTS.

witnessmenow · 09-01-2014 02:20PM

johnybean wrote: »

thanks for the clarification witnessmenow. back to the original plan of the Ouya/Nuc and xbmc

I had being using xbmc and the ouya and was working great for me, then my ouya network interfaces broke, both of them within a few weeks of each other. I should be able to get it replaced.

johnybean · 09-01-2014 02:21PM

Maybe its the way the files are encoded but if I try to play files which are dts encoded I get a message saying that the audio device cannot be detected or something to that effect. Most of the files are either ac3 or dts audio encoded mkv and mp4 files. Come to think of it, its probably the tv not being able to play dts and not the nowtv. Its a pity because when I select auto from the streaming options menu Plex decides whether to transcode or not and the CPU shoots up to 100%.

johnybean · 09-01-2014 02:24PM

witnessmenow wrote: »

I had being using xbmc and the ouya and was working great for me, then my ouya network interfaces broke, both of them within a few weeks of each other. I should be able to get it replaced.

Im just hesitating on the Ouya at the moment because of the Dts issue, I know about sbmc version from koying but I am not actually looking to passthrough audio, I just want something that will play all files through the tv. I have a pentium laptop hooked up at the moment which is playing everything fine but the fan is driving me nuts.

stimpson · 09-01-2014 02:28PM

johnybean wrote: »

Maybe its the way the files are encoded but if I try to play files which are dts encoded I get a message saying that the audio device cannot be detected or something to that effect. Most of the files are either ac3 or dts audio encoded mkv and mp4 files. Come to think of it, its probably the tv not being able to play dts and not the nowtv. Its a pity because when I select auto from the streaming options menu Plex decides whether to transcode or not and the CPU shoots up to 100%.

Is the message from the TV or the NowTV box? I was using a HDMI switching 5.1 receiver, so that might have been why it worked for me.

johnybean · 09-01-2014 02:31PM

stimpson wrote: »

Is the message from the TV or the NowTV box? I was using a HDMI switching 5.1 receiver, so that might have been why it worked for me.

The message comes from the TV. I think maybe your receiver is the key here. I was confused because when I connect my laptop to the tv i can direct play all files but sometimes I have to switch my audio output to analog, even though its connected by HDMI. I dont know why this works,it just does. My head is melted with all this

witnessmenow · 09-01-2014 02:38PM

johnybean wrote: »

Im just hesitating on the Ouya at the moment because of the Dts issue, I know about sbmc version from koying but I am not actually looking to passthrough audio, I just want something that will play all files through the tv. I have a pentium laptop hooked up at the moment which is playing everything fine but the fan is driving me nuts.

I never used the official Ouya XBMC client, I used the one you side loaded which did not have the DTS issue (thats the codec issue right?). Its a bit of fun as a console too. If they were €100 I would buy a second one no bother, they are just a tiny bit dear i think.

ozmo · 09-01-2014 02:42PM

ozmo wrote: »

Why would anyone want to transcode when there are cheap popcornhour etc boxes can can read the file natively over lan?

Never understood the attraction of DNLA - is it to save 50 quid at the expense of maxed out CPUs, higher electric power usage and lower quality?

Genuine question.

Dravokivich wrote: »

Multiple devices. Not just one HTPC or media player.

But cannot you do just that with One NAS (or file-shares on a PC/Laptop) and then a WDLive/XMBC/R PI or whatever at the tvs.

It just seems that with all the effort buying digital source, digital lcd tv, digital hdmi cables
- you are then introducing the digital equivalent of a scart cable right in the middle that is degrading resolution and bitrate from the high quality source you have to hand that you could be using directly.

And all the transcoding required on the plex/win7 server likely means it can support maybe one (maybe less) high definition client without stutter.
Fast forward/rewind and subtitles are going suffer unnecessarily too?

johnybean · 09-01-2014 02:48PM

witnessmenow wrote: »

I never used the official Ouya XBMC client, I used the one you side loaded which did not have the DTS issue (thats the codec issue right?). Its a bit of fun as a console too. If they were €100 I would buy a second one no bother, they are just a tiny bit dear i think.

That's exactly what I was thinking. I've spent the past few years buying cheap and buying twice, thrice etc etc

This is why I think I am going to hold out for either this nuc which is down to £128 at the moment with an i3 but no LAN, get a Thunderbolt to LAN adapter and take my chances
or
this nuc with LAN already when it comes down in price a bit.
or

This one which is promising to be a really cheap nuc which is shaping up to be an ideal htpc if everything pans out.

Decisions, decisions

stimpson · 09-01-2014 02:49PM

ozmo wrote: »

But cannot you do just that with One NAS (or file-shares on a PC/Laptop) and then a WDLive/XMBC/R PI or whatever at the tvs.

It just seems that with all the effort buying digital source, digital lcd tv, digital hdmi cables
- you are then introducing the digital equivalent of a scart cable right in the middle that is degrading resolution and bitrate from the high quality source you have to hand that you could be using directly.

And all the transcoding required on the plex/win7 server likely means it can support maybe one (maybe less) high definition client without stutter.
Fast forward/rewind and subtitles are going suffer unnecessarily too?

Why do you think it's degrading the resolution? With directplay/directstream you get the full resolution. It only transcodes when necessary - eg. to my iPhone over 3g. I can push 30GB MKV's over gigabit Ethernet to my Samsung Smart TV without issue.

Dravokivich · 09-01-2014 02:54PM

ozmo wrote: »

But cannot you do just that with One NAS (or file-shares on a PC/Laptop) and then a WDLive/XMBC/R PI or whatever at the tvs.

It just seems that with all the effort buying digital source, digital lcd tv, digital hdmi cables
- you are then introducing the digital equivalent of a scart cable right in the middle that is degrading resolution and bitrate from the high quality source you have to hand that you could be using directly.

And all the transcoding required on the plex/win7 server likely means it can support maybe one (maybe less) high definition client without stutter.
Fast forward/rewind and subtitles are going suffer unnecessarily too?

You asked about DNLA, I responded about it. Want to bring in hardware. It's easily expandable.

biebiebie · 10-01-2014 09:41AM

witnessmenow wrote: »

Pulled the trigger this morning with dabs.ie

Which is €221 + €7.50 delivery but I was looking at the claim form:

January 2014

I noticed that there was €83 cashback on a care package so I checked the price of that on dabs, €86.50! So it made it an extra €3.50 for the care package. But even better the car package brought my order over the €300 free delivery threshold with dabs so the total cost of adding the care pacakge after cashback is -€4!

Link to N54L
Link to Micro server support

Hopefully it works out ok! Total price for server and care package should be €307 - €143 = €164 delivered

That's a great deal if it stands. I'd be interested in one myself.

However I have a suspicion that the Dabs.ie purchase might not qualify for the cashback offer. And if not then it will end up costing the full €307.

Have you confirmed this with dabs.ie yet?

vectra · 10-01-2014 10:58AM

OK Guys.
I am thinking of one of these in the near future
I will be using it mainly to store mkv files and some music to stream as well.

I understand there are different specs between the models, but what difference would I see between the N36 ~ N40 & N54 as an end user?

Cheers

ozmo · 10-01-2014 11:08AM

Dravokivich wrote: »

You asked about DNLA, I responded about it. Want to bring in hardware. It's easily expandable.

stimpson wrote: »

Why do you think it's degrading the resolution? With directplay/directstream you get the full resolution. It only transcodes when necessary - eg. to my iPhone over 3g. I can push 30GB MKV's over gigabit Ethernet to my Samsung Smart TV without issue.

Ok - thanks - when I was testing it a few years back - there was no directplay/directstream support in the spec - everything I had was getting transcoded - and I couldn't get any what I would call acceptable results - I might give it another test see if it has improved.

witnessmenow · 10-01-2014 11:20AM

vectra wrote: »

OK Guys.
I am thinking of one of these in the near future
I will be using it mainly to store mkv files and some music to stream as well.

I understand there are different specs between the models, but what difference would I see between the N36 ~ N40 & N54 as an end user?

Cheers

I can do what you are talking about on my N40L, but you wont be able to buy a N40L or N36L for as cheap as a new N54L so you may as well get the most powerful one!

HP ProLiant MicroServer

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