Media Server Help

[zachd73]

I hope this is the most appropriate forum... I'm thinking about setting up a media server. I have LAN cable from my router to my HT room. Basically I just need to set up a server and get something on the other end to read it.

It seems a lot of people use an xbox 360. I might go that route.

Wondering more about the server though. In Maximum PC they had an article about setting up a dedicated server using some flavor of Linux I think. There was also an option of using Windows Server as well with some other software.

They didn't really say exactly what the advantage was over say.. just using an XP or Vista box as a server. I guess maybe lower processor or resource usage with a dedicated server box esp. a linux box.

My problem with linux is you run in to one thing you don't know how to do and you are basically at the mercy or trying to get help off the internet or read tons of pages trying to figure it out. Usually with Windows I can figure stuff out eventually without any help.

Oh yeah, I'd love to stream HD content like Blu-Rays from a Hard Drive. Other than that, probably some audio in the form of mp3 or flacs.

Another question is is 10/100 ethernet fast enough or should I go with Gigabit? I'm not really sure if the line I had run supports Gigabit - I hope it does!