Building a server, need advice

[Oere]

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.
FTP-server and media. I want it as cheap and power efficient as possibly.

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
Not much more than 300$

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.
Norway

4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc, etc, etc, you get the picture.
Not really.

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
Cooler Master Centurion 534

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads.
Yes, haven't found one quite what i wanted.

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
No.

8. WHEN do you plan to build it?
In a couple of weeks
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I was thinking something like this:

AMD Sempron LE-1200 2,1GHz, Socket AM2, 45W, 512KB
Crucial DDR2 BallistiX PC6400 2048MB CL4 ,Kit w/two BallistiX 1024MB's, E.P.P
Chieftec Power Supply ATX 400W, 120mm Fan, A-PFC, 2xSATA, PCI-E, 20/24pin
MSI K9N2GM-FIH

+ some hard drives.

Do you think this will work good together? Will the power supply be sufficient and stable? I know the integrated sound probably wont be much, but how about the video card, will it be able to play HD-movies smoothly?

Any help appreciated.

 

[videogames101]

Dell outlet at that price...

http://www.dell.com/outlet

you can get servers for about $330

(dual-core e4600 for 369!)

 

[Zap]

Your intended uses are mostly I/O heavy, so the actual CPU and RAM performance will have minimal impact.

My suggestion would be the Intel BOXD945GCLF2 with a dual core Atom 330 processor (if you can find it in Norway). Get one stick of the cheapest DDR2 you can find in 512MB or 1GB size. The board has the processor integrated so you're good to go. Comes with gigabit ethernet and two SATA II ports so you're good on that. It will be a lot more power efficient than a Sempron because while the TDP of the Sempron is 45W, the Atom is in the single digits!!! The board size is mini ITX, but should bolt into an ATX case just fine.

I would recommend another power supply. The Atom board with one hard drive will probably never go over 50W. Power supplies are most efficient at around half their true output, meaning most power supplies are very inefficient putting out 50W. The Chieftec may be drawing 75-100W from the wall when outputting what you need for such a setup. Ideally you would use something like a picoPSU (the 90W kit I linked to is the best one for such a setup because it puts out more than enough power plus already has a SATA connector and the +12v 4-pin while the other ones may need adaptors). These tiny PSUs are probably the most efficient commercially available units that money can buy. You will probably save at least 20W from the wall over that Chieftec.

rough pricing with shipping
Atom 330 mobo/CPU $95
RAM $15
picoPSU $60
=$170 plus hard drives

 

[DaveSimmons]

> but how about the video card, will it be able to play HD-movies smoothly?

If you want the server to be a high-definition home theater PC too then the CPU power and the video hardware do matter.

The main AnandTech website has motherboard chipset articles where they compare blu-ray playback, or do you mean p2p divx/xvid movies?