Slashdot Mirror
Ask Slashdot: Building a Home Media Center/Small Server In a Crawlspace?
An anonymous reader writes "I've decided it's time for me to build a separate machine specifically for use as a Media Center/Small Home Server. My wife and I haven't had cable TV in years, instead relying entirely on Netflix, other streaming sites, and hard copies we've bought over the years. Having just finished ripping our entire media collection (CDs, DVDs, and even our vinyls and VHS with the help of a capture card and some sweet digital voodoo) to a couple HDDs, I'm feeling froggy. Up until now we've been using WDTV Live, and it's been pretty snazzy, but I want to upgrade to a dedicated media machine instead of piggybacking off of my office computer. It'll be a Windows based machine utilizing Plex, and it's going in the crawlspace of the house. The crawlspace in question is unfinished, but I do have a dry concrete slab down there where I can put/mount/assemble something. Cooling won't be an issue obviously, and I am keeping a close eye on hardware specs with regards to moisture. It is still a crawlspace though. What would be a good setup to to house the hardware? Priorities being to safeguard against moisture, vermin, and dirt. Modified PC Tower? Rack? Build an enclosure? Something I haven't considered?
Please assume I'm stubborn and absolutely dead-set on putting it in the crawlspace to avoid the discussion devolving into the 'best' place to put a media machine." Do you have a question to Ask Slashdot? Fire away, with details, using our submissions form.
Please assume I'm stubborn and absolutely dead-set on putting it in the crawlspace to avoid the discussion devolving into the 'best' place to put a media machine." Do you have a question to Ask Slashdot? Fire away, with details, using our submissions form.
the humids will git cha if ya don't watch out.
Just build yourself an HTPC machine in an HTPC case and hook it to your TV setup. You have ZERO environmental control in a crawlspace. So something like a computer is going to suck up dust by the megaton, and have humidity issues all the time.
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
"Please assume I'm stubborn and absolutely dead-set on putting it in the crawlspace to avoid the discussion devolving into the 'best' place to put a media machine."
reads like
"Please assume I'm a useless inflexible idiot"
Over traditional linux kernel for crawlspace media center?
Bottom, far corner, that impossible area to get to.
In summer, unfortunately due to 7200rpm disks (not my choice) they hit 134f, so I've had to add a fan pointed directly at it which will run for about 5 months solid.
It's actually mounted there for noise, I've got quite a small apartment.
I'm also running FreeNAS on the server, I use a dedicated HTPC with Kodi (XBMC) on it for playback. Quite a nice, quiet, good looking one too.
I routed wires there with cable ties, drill, hanging hooks etc, it's all a pretty neat install, considering it's in a back corner with my spare blender next to it.
I've only once had to hook up a monitor to it, due to a poor upgrade from the FreeNAS crew, that should be fixed now. I'd recommend, if you can somehow - at least dangling a very long VGA cable off it or something or a very long USB cable. Even if you almost never use them, that one time you do, could really save hassles.
I run Plex at home and running a Plex-based media server in a confined space is going to be a pain in the ass for two reasons:
1. Heat
2. Maintenance
Your pirate, sorry "media backup" collection, is going to grow the more you start using this box for household entertainment. 4 terabytes turns into 8 etc, etc. Having easy access to your drive array is important, not to mention disk failure, and general maintenance (like dusting your near-constantly-in-use array).
And our old friend airflow, again, always spinning drives, CPUs running near peak to push the limits of decoding that hi-def content we all love, if it doesn't reboot like a drunken sailor walks then it's going to have a high rate of failure and you're gonna be cursing the day you stuffed everything in the smallest crevice possible
Get a decent tower with plenty of low RPM cooling options and buy a hot-swap disk array enclosure with a minimum of 8 drive bays
Something to keep errant critters from getting to it. And probably something to deal with the occasional bug.
You should also sleeve any cables you have in use, or conduit them if feasible.
One option you may try is utilizing an Intel NUC computer in an industrial fanless chassis (something similar to this: http://www.logicsupply.com/com...). The NUC should be fine for a HTPC and the chassis is designed for usage in harsh environments.
Seal all the hardware up in an aquarium filled with mineral oil - stays cool and don't have to worry about what's moving in and out of the case.
+1 the humids AND:
Put it in a metal cage and/or mount on a vertical surface. There are creatures you may not have in attendance now that will be drawn to the warmth, the sound, and -oh good grief- to eat the soy based plastics of the cabling insulation*. Put it on a separate surge suppressor / battery backup/ circuit breaker if you can.
*My friends wife had $5000 damage done to a weeks old Lexus when a rabbit crawled up into the engine compartment and ate all the insulation off the accessible wiring loom. I've had rats chew through my modem cables. Not the power mind you, which would have fried them, the modem...
But I have to ask, are you set on Windows? I recently transfered mine over to a linux VM(windows 7 vm previously) and i have a bit of a performance increase. I can direct play at home while a friend or family member transcodes 1-2 streams at once for watching remotely.
Please assume I'm stubborn and absolutely dead-set on putting it in the crawlspace to avoid the discussion devolving into the 'best' place to put a media machine."
Actually there is no need to devolve into that. We don't need to discuss which places are better as you have literally chosen one of the worst places in your house for this. You will have issues with dust. You will have issues with humidity. You will have issues with small animals. There is absolutely 0 chance you will successfully protect your machine from these issues, and the fact that you have already discounted even the discussion of it proves you not only don't really want our help, but that you won't listen to it if we give it.
All I am going to say is have fun.
"My last media server was installed in the crawl space, but it only survived for a couple of months. Any ideas what other unsuitable places for a PC exist in an average home?"
That said, at least use something that can be cooled passively (i.e. low power), so that you can put a sealed case with a heat exchanger to the hostile environment around it. Put a lot of fresh desiccant in it before you seal it up. Make sure your fire insurance is adequate and paid for.
Look into encapsulating the crawl space. I bought 20 mil plastic for the purpose, insulated the perimeter, and sealed all the vents. Humidity levels are now the same as inside the house, almost always cooler than the house too. The only issue I have at all is that by the middle of winter any areas that are tile feel a bit chilly over the cold ground, but not that bad. Feels really nice in the summer too which takes up more of the year here than winter.
If you're dead set on putting it in the crawlspace, then either:
1) Go cheap enough that it's essentially disposable and you can replace it when it dies.
or
2) Go expensive with SSD storage and passive cooling in a totally sealed case. (To minimize environmental issues.)
...the roof?
That's where I keep my firewall and two web servers. Have done for nearly 10 years now...
Just maybe. If we really try.
The conversation can devolve into seeing if we can possibly find a worse place to put it......
I keep picturing my cat discovering it, deciding it is 'bad', and deciding to bury it :O
Tower computer, wire mesh, lots of conduit, filters and humidity control.
Save some time and start with 2 down there initially as a hot spare will probably be quite handy.
While I don't have a server in my crawl space yet I do keep several other components down there. This includes my wireless router, HDHomeRun tuner, VOIP, and a small switch. They've been in the crawl space for about 4 years now. I live in a dry climate and haven't worried about humidity or corrosion. Here's what I've run into:
-dust: We live near some farms and their is always a layer of dust in the crawl space. My devices are fanless and I haven't noticed problems.
-spiders: Webs everywhere. I hope they don't get inside any equipment.
-power: We have an existing light fixture in the crawlspace so I installed a GFCI outlet tied into that. I'm not an electrician so I just hope I don't burn the house down.
-access: It is a nuisance to get into the space. The access is just a hole in the floor in a closet. I have to drop down and crawl in the dust to get physical access. But I rarely have to do this.
-network: I wanted my devices hardwired on my Gbit router and so I ran my own Cat 5 wiring and install ports in the walls, etc.
Dust and access are what have made me hesitate to put a server down there. I have enough dust problems with the desktops in the house that having to go down into the crawlspace to periodically clean or otherwise get physical access isn't appealing.
In the next house I'm making sure I have a switch closet!
OK, granted I know nothing about where you live, but there's those things to consider.
First, info: What kind of crawl space is it? To me, crawlspace brings to mind everything from the enclosed space under a prefab home to interior unused space (or only used for wiring) in large structures.
1) Do you know what the year-round temperatures are in the crawlspace? Depending on type, they can have a lot of variation.
2) Ventilation. If you're sticking a heater down there (which is what this is going to be) it's going to warm up a bit.
3) Insects: Some sort of metal cage to keep out insects would be highly recommended. Something along the lines of a server cage, but with mosquito sized mesh.
4) Small mammals: This is probably best handled by a medium grade wire. Chicken coop wire sort of stuff.
5) Humidity: sorry, can't think of anything, other than be careful.
6) Dust: How are you going to dust it? Or prevent it from getting dusty?
Ideas:
- First off, for keeping it safe, probably be best to have some kind of dual-mesh cage to keep it safe. Outer layer made out of chicken mesh (something like a guinea pig cage would work well too) with a mosquito mesh netting inside it. Should keep the bugs and small animals out, but you'll need to do something to protect the cables.
- As far as heat goes, I'd recommend two things: Firstly, use a fan-less cooling system. Less dust build up, fewer moving parts to break, and less maintenance. Secondly, I'd recommend using a heat sink rated for a lot more heat than you planned. More surface area to dissipate heat. Then you won't have to worry so much about the dust.
Z
Treat it like a tiny room add-on. Frame it and drywall it, sealing it from the crawl space. Ventilate into the house to share the inside weather.
You should seriously consider a small NAS. Windows is not an ideal media server OS. I'd almost argue that Linux isn't even that great for the purpose, considering the horsepower you need to give it to serve video. Better to get hardware that's purpose-built to do what you want it to do. Plus most NASs have remote, web-based admin. Easy peasy. Easier to expand drives on-the-fly while running instead of having to tear apart a PC tower or box or whatever, keep a keyboard and monitor in your attic, etc.
I'm partial to Synology, and they make a couple devices that hit the sweet-spot when considering drive bays, drive sizes, media capability and cost.
Note that Synology runs Plex (as well as other media servers), as well as a wealth of other useful stuff that takes close to zero configuration (file shares, cloud backup, use it as a Time Machine target, etc.)
I've built a MythTV box. It was fun, but ultimately I decided that my time was worth more than what I was spending maintaining the thing and fixing things that broke when I upgraded and whatnot.
It's funny. In my 20's I'd spend 10 hours of my time to save 20 bucks on some stupid little project. Now in my 40's I'll spend that 20 bucks to have 10 hours of free time instead.
Since a NAS is essentially a box with drives in it, there's fewer things to break due to the dust that it'll suck in. I have mine in my livingroom and I have to clean it out about once a month. In an attic, you'd have to build some kind of acrylic box with a ventilation system in it, one would guess. If you live in a cooler climate you probably won't have to worry about heat so much, but it's the dust that will kill you in any environment. Maybe get the parts to an old hood (like in your kitchen, the ventilation thingy over your stove) and modify that to suck the air/dust away from whatever device you end up with, and blow it out your roof.
If you're OK with doing some minor renos, how about building a sunken cabinet that extends into the floor? You could seal it off from the rest of the crawlspace to keep out the vermin/moisture. And you could also build something to hang some rackmount cases from so that the front panels would be facing up. This way you could get a 1U to run your OS with Plex on it, and then have a 3U case for your NAS. Oh and probably room for a batter backup too! You'd be able to put some sort of a cover over and put carpet on it so it would be hidden. But when you need to replace a drive or upgrade your system you'd have relatively easy access. This sort of setup might make cabling easier for you as well.
Some suggestions:
1. the crawlspace needs to be moderate in temperature and relatively dry. Deserts, tundras and saunas are best avoided.
2. You'll want a UPS if this thing's going to have a RAID storage setup. A RAID is not a backup. If it is very large, you'll want some way of storing at least one backup offsite that doesn't involve your internet connection. A safety deposit box works well. I know someone who just duplicates his array to a second set of disks once a month. If he's not doing the backup the disks are in the safety deposit box.
3. Hi res media? You'll want wired gigabit connectivity (or better for the backbone) if you plan on a lot of simultaneous HD. Some here will state that wireless 11ac/ad is good enough for everything but that really depends on the area you live and how your home is constructed. Firmware,driver and hardware combinations can also be issues. Plan for both, but a wire provides much more consistent performance which is important when viewing is the primary activity (ie the big screens).
4. You might consider two separate boxes, one for the system and one for the drives depending on the size of your space. This would make the backup plan a lot easier. Typical connectivity is done with e-sata. I suppose usb3 would work alright too.
I didn't cover every detail but this is how I'd approach it generally.
I realize you're dead set on keeping it your media center in the crawlspace.
But have you considered moving your TV and couch into the crawlspace as well?
If it's warm and the crawl space isn't, it will draw bugs like the dickens. Maybe research those blue light LEDs and see if they really kill arthropods as well as they claim. Then you'll have mice. If the humidity doesn't kill the machine, all the mouse urine will.
http://www.stealth.com/Waterpr...
Product description for those too lazy to click:
Sealed to IP67/NEMA 6 specifications The new Stealth WPC-525F is a rugged PC that is completely water-tight, surviving liquids, chemicals, dust and dirt intrusion and meeting IP67/NEMA 6 environmental specifications. Designed without cooling fans the rugged aluminum chassis acts as a heat sink to dissipate internal heat and provide noise free operation. The durable small form PC operates from a wide range of DC input power (6 - 36VDC) making it a perfect fit for mobile and transportation based applications. Stealth products are ideal for demanding applications within the Industrial, Commercial, Scientific Research, Military, Public Safety, Utility, Marine, Transportation, mining and Telecommunications markets
If it were me, I'd probably just plug a 2.5" external HDD into a raspberry pi and huck it into a sealed 5 gallon bucket. But then again, I wouldn't be putting my computer in the crawlspace to begin with, so good luck.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
While I think the basic premise is a little silly, I imagine a $200 fanless laptop is powerful enough to run Plex (I run Plex Server off an old Mac Mini, and never have had any problems).
Depending how much space you need, get a solid-state SSD or even SD card, put some kind of basic protection about it (a cheap laptop bag?) and throw it in your crawlspace.
My Plex server runs fine over wifi (with the router right next to it), but I still have it connected to Ethernet. I imagine that could be a problem with higher bitrate movies.
Slashdot: providing anti-social weirdos a soapbox, since 1997.
...cuz them Russian nukes and emp's are coming :D
I'm honestly not as worried about the humidity and dust as I am about the accessibility. I don't care what server you are running, eventually you are going to want to hit the reset button (especially during setup). Make sure you can easily access it for a quick reset, dedusting, upgrade etc..
Buy an inexpensive ARM single board computer, there are some good quad-cores out there. Use an external usb hard drive. Total power consumption will be 10-15 watts. Install it in an old school metal lunch box. Seal the holes for the cables. There will be enough surface area to cool the box by convection without any vent holes.
I am assuming that your stuborness also applied to inability of using a Linux based server with Plex as more reliable, secure and just as easy to use and configurable alternative to Windows. Afterall most all media equipment nowadays is either Android or Linux based for very, very good and sensible reasons. One hardware sugestionwould be an industrial space Linux based already installed, designed for harsh environments. Thy also are very reasonably priced. is
I'd suggest getting one of the little miniature solid state fanless machines with a big solid state external drive. Less holes for gunk to get into, you can enclose it more tightly.
Of course, if you take that route, you lose most of the reason you'd need to put it in the crawlspace to begin with, like noise and heat. If the big reason you want it down there really is space instead of noise...try the attic instead. Crawlspaces get more water than you'd expect, no matter how sure you are that they're dry (and a settling / cracking foundation can challenge your expectations in a hurry). If your attic floods, you've got bigger problems. Yes there's temperature issues...but they still might be better than your crawlspace's problems. Attics are expected to have wiring anyway. And depending on your attic, it might be a lot more accessible.
If you really are dead set on putting it under your floor, extend your room downwards to encapsulate the server. You need it clean, dry, and as insect/rodentproof as anywhere else in your house. Hell, I'd be leery of putting a server in a finished workshed that has lots of mice and spiders and no temperature control, and that's better conditions than your crawlspace by far.
Need space? Get one of the 5TB external Seagate drives for $130 bucks and find a way to hide the drive behind the TV.
I understood the OP was asking for a way to destroy an HTPC install by putting it in a place where no reasonable one. I don't recall him asking for advice on how to destroy the data quickly as well...
Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
What type of climate do you live in? If you experience a spring snow melt, you may also want to invest in a sump pump to avoid submerging your efforts - also set up a moisture alarm. Perhaps also consider a sealed case filled with mineral oil, (Google it - there are lots of folks who have accomplished this). If you are worried about corrosion, consider using zinc anodes - you can get them from a marine supply - yes, aluminum will corrode. Don't supply power from below, keep the power line elevated, consider hard wiring instead of using a plug and strap it to the floor joists with minimal droop on a dedicated 15A circuit with GFCI protection. Consider using something to circulate the oil internally - you want to keep heated oil making contact with the chassis surface. Peltier junctions attached externally can help on warmer days. Use heat sinks and brush off spider webs as necessary. You could even set the junctions up to run with some sort of thermostat. Consider suspending the case from the floor joists and well off of the ground in case of possible sump pump failure. Consult a qualified electrician with your design considerations - you don't want to negate your homeowners/renters insurance with an install that isn't up to code or inadvertently lose life and/or property.
Everyone is telling to not to use the crawlspace, but I wonder if they've tried. I've had a Linux file/music server in my crawlspace for over five years. Just a tower case with some fans. No problems whatsoever.
I love my Mac Mini's! Just mount a little cage behind the tv and wire up the hdmi! Only issue with it has been lack of 3d support on my latest tv but the 4k modes look awesome on it. Add external firewire, USB3, or NAS and now you can play anything you've got in your library. Probably all fit behind the wall mount for your tv just like mine does.
Qybix ----- I do not have a belief system; I'm an Anti-theist and proud of it! Saying that not believing in anything i
I enjoy the editorial trolls: "I'm planing to deploy a media server in the contaminated nuclear power plant -- please don't try to talk me out of this, but what would be the best bluetooth keyboard for this application?"
Or, "My boss is a jerk, but he's asked me to design a new $5 million data center. I've never done this before, so what kind of comfy furniture should I get?"
Once in a while they throw in an argument about programming languages, chumming the waters.
I don't have a crawl space, but I have a similar question. What is the best way to install a server in my shower? thx.
None of them can see the clouds; The polished wings don't care.
Well, to do an honest assessment, you've still left a number of things out.
1. Is this an open crawlspace or an enclosed one? My current house has a 'crawlspace' with a dirt floor that isn't considered a basement because it's simply not high enough. Meanwhile, down in Florida most are relatively 'open', only protected by a veneer.
2. Where do you live? What's the high temperature? Low temperature? How much ventilation?
Generally I don't worry about condensation for running equipment - it'll be slightly hotter than ambient, so stuff will tend to condense elsewhere. It doesn't take much heat to prevent it.
Do you need to worry about heat or cold more? Crawl spaces will tend towards cooler than outside, out in the open, but they'll also be warmer in the winter, even if they're relatively open. So you get "some" climate control.
Don't forget that you will want it OFF the ground, pretty much in any situation. Corrosion resistant materials are good - go with stainless steel, aluminum case, etc... Put it on wooden blocks, a plastic rack, something. Just make sure that if there's anywhere for water to collect, that you either eliminate that or put non-rusting materials there. If you don't have to worry about heat too much, I might even make a outside case of outdoor quality plywood, preferably painted. Not so it looks nice, but because the paint provides an additional barrier. Make sure it fits *tight* - bugs and other things that like heat & shelter will try to get in. This is where sizing comes in - if the box is big enough, it'll still be able to radiate sufficient heat to keep the PC inside at acceptable temperatures. Also, the more material involved, the more steady the temperature will be. Remember, if it's always a little warmer inside, you don't have to worry about condensation as much. If you're still worried about heat - consider a temperature controlled fan with a tight grill on it. You might(probably should) have to clean it occasionally.
That's really the important thing - check on it monthly or so, make sure it's not turning into an animal nest, corrosion is within acceptable limits, there's not evidence of overheating or freezing, any fan ports aren't clogged with dust, etc...
I don't read AC A human right
How did this get promoted up to the point where it makes the slashdot front page?
Slow news day, Timothy?
The question is utterly ridiculous. What a waste of time.
there are 3 kinds of people:
* those who can count
* those who can't
Get an ammo box for 20mm or 40mm shells. They're airtight, satisfying the outdoor requirement, and large enough to fit a full ATX board. You can hack up an old/cheap ATX case to put it in.
Ammo box: http://www.amazon.com/NRS-Surplus-Rocket-Box-20mm/dp/B004FQ6ENW/
There are some obstacles though.
Temperature. You'll need to use fanless-grade equipment so it doesn't overheat, but probably will still need a fan to circulate the air internally. Other possibilities are water cooling with airtight fittings on the case or devising some sort of heatsink attached to it.
Connectivity. You'll have to drill holes in the lid or side and install weatherproof connectors.
Power: http://www.amazon.com/NOCO-Genius-GCP1-Black-125V/dp/B009ANV81S/
Ethernet: http://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-CAT5e-RJ45-Feed-Thru-Coupler/dp/B00CULLAWE/
Add RTV Silicone to make sure they're airtight: http://www.amazon.com/Permatex-82180-Maximum-Resistance-Silicone/dp/B0002UEN1U/
I'd put some silica gel packets inside to soak up any moisture that might be in the air while assembling, too.
Put the unit in a totally sealed enclosure, like maybe a plastic storage bin with a good gasket. Go water cooling for everything (power supply and HDDs too). Cut a hole and run the cooling out of the enclosure (power and networking come out here too, seal the hole with RTV silicone or something) to a radiator (like a small car radiator or AC condenser), probably with a low speed fan on it. Add it to your home maintenance schedule to go down and clean out the radiator/fans every month or three. This is only for the very stubborn -- it'd be cheaper and easier to find a cubby hole somewhere in the house and ventilate it, or reevaluate your needs and see if you can't get by with a lower powered fanless device.
Real programmers use "copy con program.exe"
I originally built it to serve audio to my squeezeboxes, but recently started using it to stream video via Plex. I used a Shuttle XS35 V2 (I built it a couple years ago when that was a current model) with 4GB ram and a 1TB HDD (for now). The Shuttle box is fanless- a good idea in a dusty crawl space, and completely silent. It is also very small and light, so you might even find room for it in the house. It can be mounted behind a TV easily. Total investment $300.
Vortexbox is a media server specific linux distro that works very reliably and is designed for remote management via a web server. It includes Logitech Media Server, Plex, and a bunch of other useful apps.
I have it connected to the network by ethernet, and it streams to two PS3s (with paid app) and one Roku. My wireless network (820.11g) is too slow for 1080p streaming but handles 720p just fine. One PS3 is in my theater system and is wired to the network and 1080p streams fine.
I'm a little surprised that nobody has mentioned using a decent NAS instead of a PC for your hardware already. A 4 bay NAS from QNAP or Synology would store your media and serve it up via Plex or some other DNLA server. The footprint is small enough that all of the good points about not putting expensive electronics in a crawlspace become moot. HTH
Take off every 'sig' for great justice.
I'm using a TS-119+ with a 2TB disk inside. It's sitting in my wiring closet.
It's running MythTV for my TV/UPnP server, MythWeb for programming, Mediatomb to serve photos/videos via UPnP, and mt-daapd as an iTunes Music Server. I use PS/3s for the TV front-ends, and Roku Soundbridge 500s, 1000s, and 2000s for the music players.
It's about as close to silent as you get - I think it's fanless (you can see I'm not concerned enough about noise to find out). And it uses about 6w when it's idling.
I got into NAS solutions after I figured out running my MythTV system 24x7 was like leaving a 100 watt lightbulb on all the time, even when I didn't need it. I measured my old beige-box PC with a watt meter: a continuous 95 watts. And loud fans.
The QNAP delights me. All I could ask for that it doesn't do well is transcoding. There's just not enough CPU for it. But that'll come in time with some other NAS unit, or with offloading it via scripting to a full PC or Mac, when I get around to it.
1) If you are stuck with windows, consider getting one of these:
http://www.microcenter.com/pro...
2) If you are willing to use an android based solution, perhaps a raspberry pi 2 would be plenty for you and only costs $35 plus whatever shit you have around in your house
I use a Zotac mini PC, mounted on the wall directly behind the TV itself. USB hub zip tied to the unit, with a 2TB 2.5" USB powered HDD, USB connection for the remote IR pickup and USB dual TV tuner. Runs Windows 8 media centre. Job done. No mess. Works perfectly. I use this model: http://www.zotac.com/products/...
Boots from off to fully functional in a few seconds (SSD OS drive). Self records series by itself, the kids can use it, the wife can use it, even the babysitter can use it. Plus it has full Windows, so I can use RDP to do work while the kids eat breakfast.
Look at unraid forum for some ideas on how to build a system.
Everyone is going off on the humidity - that's the least of your problems. Assuming that it's a non-condensing atmosphere (i.e. fog), the warmth in the box will keep any additional condensation from happening and the box will run fine.
High temperature may be an issue. I live in Phoenix, and putting a server outside is, well, not the worlds best idea. If you live somewhere where the high temps in summer are less than 90 degrees, you're probably fine from a temperature standpoint.
Bugs and dust will be the big problems. Solve those, and you'll be good to go.
I've built boxes before that housed computers in my garage. I made'em out of plywood, made them reasonably airtight, and put muffin fans on one end, pulling outside air through a high-quality air filter (http://www.amazon.com/20x30x1-19-5x29-5-Filter-Furnace-Filters/dp/B00GBJIENE), and put exhausts (wire-covered) on the other side. Worked fine through several summers where the garage got up into the high 90's, didn't have any problems with bugs or dust or component failures.
The two or 4 disk NAS boxes are a great size for this kind of thing. My current home server is an ancient 4-bay Buffalo Terastation case, that I ripped the motherboard out of and replaced it with a low-power 12-volt motherboard (ASRock Q1900DC-ITX) and installed FreeNas on it. Works great, and something like that would work remarkably well for your needs.
Good luck, and don't listen to the crybabies.
And the worms ate into his brain.
A crawl space is not computer friendly what-so-ever. You have humidity, dirt, dust, a water pipe leaking or busting wide open, critters, bugs, possible flooding during a heavy rain storm that can happen in a crawlspace. I would highly suggest you put the computer in a closet, a purpose built cabinet, in a different room and have it networked to a NUC that connects to the TV. The ONLY way I can see any computer surviving a crawlspace for any length of time is if the case is hermetically sealed. Which isn't easy at all because of wires and the need for cooling of the CPU, GPU, Chipset, Hard Drives and Power Supply. Keep it in the house in area that you can control the environment.
I've done something similar for years (going on 6 years) with a lower powered one.
It works great. sits above my furnace (not on it). Auto restarts on a power failure, etc.
My crawl space isn't dusty nor wet as a lot of posters suggest to protect against -- and after 6 years, it doesn't owe me anything -- still going strong.
https://www.asus.com/ca-en/Com...
I have a pair of WD TV Live boxes in my house and love the little gadgets. I've used them for four or five years and have yet to see a video file they wouldn't play so for me, transcoding is not a requirement. My media server is an HP Atom N270 netbook with 2GB RAM running Debian Unstable and I use minidlna to serve up video and audio; I also use this machine to manage network backups to an external hard drive. Works like a charm.
Although the netbook has a GUI installed I never use it, preferring to manage it over an SSH session.
If you're committed to the crawlspace thing (and it appears that you are), as others have mentioned as long as you can keep water, dust and critters out of the machine you should be fine; but with the WD box you really don't need anything fancy to act as a DLNA server. You seem to be committed to running a Windows machine as well, so I'm not gonna debate that point :)
I think the biggest challenge you'll have is keeping critters out of the machine while still maintaining reasonable airflow; so I'd think that a low-power box that didn't require much in the way of cooling would be the way to go; I think your biggest issue will probably be keeping bugs out of the thing.
we see things not as as they are, but as we are.
-- anais nin
My server setup in our crawlspace has never had a problem due to any of these issues, therefore your "absolutely 0 chance" is actually absolute, utter, and total BULL. Even a single case of it working completely disproves your pulled-out-of-your-ass theory that it's somehow beyond the realm of possibility.
The OP obviously knows the potential issues, and actually even over-estimates them based on my own experiences. I hope he/she does NOT listen to people like you because you have no clue what you're talking about, nothing worthwhile to say, and approximately no knowledge of the subject at hand so you just make false blanket statements and try to insult the OP instead of answering the question, providing constructive suggestions, or keeping your uninformed and completely fabricated comments to yourself.
In my case, my servers and drive enclosures and UPS systems happen to be loud as hell, and putting them in the crawlspace has been great. Tons of storage and compute capacity, no unsightly boxes in the living space, and no complaints about the noise.
Hardly seems worth the bother of going to all the trouble that would be necessary to put the media server in one of the worst possible and least accessible locations one could choose.
I'd almost rather put it in the attic. It would need more cooling, but at least you could get to it.
Is your crawl space accessible from inside the house?
I see even classic Slashdot is now pretty much unusable on dial up anymore.
While I do not recommend going this route, as there are vendors that make enclosures for electronics exposed to uncontrolled weather conditions, but at one point in my life I wanted a TV on my back patio. Not only did I want it at the far edge of the patio, practically in the middle of the back yard, but I wanted it to be stored in a metal enclosure out of which it would rise on electric actuators when it was in use. When the TV was not in use, it would be lowered back in the box. I welded this whole thing up, including a very loose cover that rested over the top of the box with a lip that went down the side about an inch. Air could move in an out of the box, as there was no seal. The put a 37 LCD, cable box, actuator, and DC power supply in the box. I was told in other forums that I would have to have this thing designed as if it "was mounted to the deck of an ocean-going ship" 3 years later, everything still worked perfectly, through the baking Florida sun, torrential daily down pours, sprinklers, and morning fog. I think once secret to the setups longevity was the cable box. It stayed warm enough to keep the interior of the box relatively warm and dry. It still worked when I sold the house. YMMV. Check L-com for some enclosures.
"A 'person' is smart. 'People' are dumb, panicky animals and you know that."
The best way around that is not putting it on the concrete. Instead, cut a hole your floor down into the crawlspace. Then mount a solid metal box to the underside of the floor covering the hole and put the computer inside. Cover the hole with an easily removed vent (you'll need to get at it), but be sure to stick a filter under it, because dirt and dust is going to pour down onto your hardware. Cut what you need from an air filter.
If you're running your cables through the crawlspace, you'll need to cut a hole or three in the box. Be sure to put a tight seal around the cables.
The only other option I see is to build an airtight case with everything water cooled via an external radiator.
I recommend a rubber enclosure such as a very large Rubermaid tub or 55 gallon plastic drum, adjust the top so it fits to the floor line where you will have to put a low cost venting system to keep the temp consistent with dry air. You can use a modified vent fan and just have it watch the enclosure if needed pump air in from the house.
I recommend a rubber/plastic tub because I've had basements flood a few times now, and everything stored in that type of tub was untouched by the water line and moisture. I've even had them float one time, oddest thing ever.
55 gallon blue plastic tub modified for access to the top would be best I think.
I'd have mirrored USB-3 based drive sets or a raid5 soho storage device for the dvd's/media.
I would also suggest a 3rd set of drives/mirrored that you can take offsite every so often in case of housefire/massive issues where you lose all your work, 300$ bucks is chump change compared to losing all the family pictures/movies. This you would bring back to the network, resync, then take back to the bank or grandma's house for safe keeping, off prem.
Otherwise, good cabling and UPS with network management is the final part and your all set.
Critters love to go in crawl spaces. Some fine chicken wire would keep the mice out, but I'm not sure what you're going to do about the bugs. Raising it up on a platform on some slippery thin metal legs might help a bit, but anything that flies will go straight into the intake vent. Or how about hanging it from the floor boards at the ceiling of the crawl space?
Are you really that cramped for storage space that you have to put a computer into the crawl space? Can't you put something else in there in sealed up containers, like all those out-of-style clothes you're afraid to donate to the poor?
I'm just thinking that anything you do here is going to make this machine a pain to maintain. You will occasionally have to reboot it, even repair it. If it were a Linux machine, maybe you could go headless, but since it's a Windows machine, you pretty much have to have a monitor and keyboard or else get a server machine with IPMI. And if I were going to spend that much money, I wouldn't be caught dead putting it in a place where it's going to be subject to all manner of environmental hazards.
The climate control and critter isolation work you'd have to do isn't worth the time and effort. Sealed wires, conduit, and pipe go under a house - maybe a sump pump, too, but that's it. A server? What possible benefit would there be putting it there? Frankly, if I had to crawl under my house every time I needed to fix a computer, I wouldn't have any working computers.
That is all.
If this house is made of wood then you are creating a high fire risk. The space you put the system in should be sheathed with drywall, ideally doubly, since computers burn and can then catch nearby wood on fire burning down the entire house. Most houses are built of 2x construction which is basically a tinderbox. This is the reason the interiors are sheathed with sheetrock. It's not to look nice, it's to stop fires.
A better idea would be to build of concrete or stone.
I use a Cirago NUS1000. Simple, tiny, but does run warm. Bonus: it's a print server.
I have to reboot it 5-6 times a year. That's the extent of my "maintenance". But it's not in a crawspace.
You may also consider that many consumer network backup drives can act as media severs such as the Buffalo LinkStation 220
If you can seal your crawlspace, not that difficult, and if you have heat and AC ducts also in the crawlspace, you can insert a dump valve in the crawlspace (that's a weighted valve that will allow some air movement in the ducts to leak out) you have in essence made your crawl space part of your home. It will be heated and cooled as is the remainder of the house. It will not be as warm or as cool, but it will be better than being left to the changes in the weather. To do this, you install plastic on the floor and at least 12 inches up the wall. Insure you seal what is on the wall with adhesive. Then put insulating reflective plastic on the wall, leaving some room at the top for inspections. Be sure to seal all vents from the outside into the crawlspace. You heating system and cooling system will condition the crawlspace, control humidity and support your server.
In warm humid areas they now air condition the encapsulated crawl spaces. As I recall it actually increases efficiency to condition the crawl space. I believe it has something to do with the temperature difference causing condensation.
In any case, encapsulation can make a big difference. My parents had their crawl space encapsulated when they bought their house. A few years later Terminex cut through all the side insulation to spray for termites. We realized what had happened when we started seeing cockroaches. Temperatures and humidity in the living areas increased. After they repaired the barrier the insect problem significantly decreased. We now see the occasional roach entering around drain pipes. Before the repair they had to run a dehumidifier inside the house almost constantly. Last summer they only used it a few days.
Last year my sister and her husband had to spend thousands of dollars repairing damage to their floor joists from mold. They had their crawl space encapsulated and the mold is now gone.
My parents spent about $5k getting their encapsulation redone. There were enough method and material improvements in the 5 years between projects that it was worthwhile to replace rather than repair the barrier. While encapsulation is expensive it protects your property investment and reduces utility expenses. It also can have significant health benefits.
I do not block ads. I do block third party scripts.
Please assume I'm stubborn and absolutely dead-set on putting it in the crawlspace to avoid the discussion devolving into the 'best' place to put a media machine."
Why do expect us to help you if you start out by saying and let me paraphrase "I insist on doing it wrong"
Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html
http://techreport.com/news/279... Maybe nail it to the floor beams.
Think of the fire hazard when insulation dust fills that server. Save yourself the headache and just get a NUC or something similar and put it on the bookshelves. If fire doesn't scare you, think of all the water pipes down there. I came home one day to find that my pressure regulation valve has broken and sprayed the whole crawl space with water. It was such a mess, and I was glad nothing valuable was down there.
We did the same thing as you want to do except we put our servers in the attic. We had the same concerns: dust, moisture, bugs, etc.
I bought a 12U rack, added two rack-mount batteries, a 48 port switch, and 3 Dell R510s with 24TB each. I built a wooden enclosure around the rack with plexiglass windows on the front and rear and detachable covers with draw-bolt latches so we could service the servers. I bought a hydroponic blower from eBay and some ducting from Lowes. The blower sucks 70 degree dry air from the house and forces it through the front of the 12U rack. During the summer, the exhaust is vented to the attic. During the winter, the exhaust side is ported back into the home to help heat the house.
Everything has been running squeaky clean for 2 years without issue.
Let's make like a bird... and get the flock outta here.