Ready to Go(With your help)

[super]

see answers below

Hey Super. Nice to see you join this thread!

Looks like were going to have similar systems. I'm happy to see someone with a similar system.

What LCD T.V are you going with? I've been looking at many of them. Hard to decide!
Sharp Aquos TV

Have you got a Core System planned out?
This is my Core system

HDMI does pass both sound and video over one cable. But your idea with SPDIF should be equivalent.
This works out better since my sound goes directly to receiver. I don't have a receiver with HDMI yet and most receivers with HDMI don't upscale to 1080p etc. (some expensive ones do). Until then, my dvd player will have to do!

[super]

Super. Have you looked at this board?

Gigabyte GA-73UM-S2H

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=26926&vpn=GA-73UM-S2H&manufacture=Gigabyte

I wanted a video card that can offload the graphics decoding from the CPU completely. The 8600GT does that well. There is not much difference between the GT and GTS for this chipset, so this is pretty good value for the money (card is around $139)

[blackoper]

Why?
GPU decoding only works in Windows and OSx for anything other than basic XVMC in nvidia cards. Whether you have a 6200 or an 8600 the cpu usage will be the same

[desmarch]

Why?
GPU decoding only works in Windows and OSx for anything other than basic XVMC in nvidia cards. Whether you have a 6200 or an 8600 the cpu usage will be the same

Actually, I was told that it was possible to get Linux use GPU decoding and therefore have a cheap mobo as a base? Am I wrong about this?

[Sparkie]

Well guys. Everyone's Input so far has help guide me along my decisions. I am open to any suggestions as far as how I should Handle and store my data. I am flexible. I'd spend up to $2000 to setup My core and storage system. My data is very important. Worth the investment.

I like to keep things simple. I think the best engineering practices have been the simplest solutions. I'm open to NAS,RAID...whatever.

Here's my intentions. maybe this will help with the suggestions:

I want to store my data in a central location in the house.
I want a "Storage" directory where all my personal documents/files etc reside.
I want a "Video" directory where all my DVD's are ripped to. (And T.V. show's stored)
I want an "Audio" directory where all my Music reside.
I want an directory for "sharing" (public uploads etc)

The Video directory will always tend to be twice as large as the Audio directory due to the size of DVD's and television shows.

I am making direct copies of my DVD's without compression.
I will be ripping my Audio Discs in the FLAC format.

I will have various PC's in the house. Some running wireless. All the PC's share data through the server.
The server has to be easily upgradable in size.
The server's data has to be able to be readable/writable from a windows or linux PC.

Data transfers have to be FAST. I want to be able to stream a DVD or 2 while downloading/uploading and talking on VOIP.
----------------
Here is what I currently have for equipment

PC1:
Motherboard:Gigabyte GA-P35-DQ6
Cpu:Intel Dual Core 6600"
2 Gigs RAM
Gigabyte GeForce 8600 GT (dual DVI)
2X 500 gb seagate drives
1X 320 gb seagate drives
Silverstone Grandia Case.
Linksys WRT54GL router
VOIP
Cable modem


Here is what I want setup in my home:
PC1 hooked up to a large HDMI T.V. and 22" LCD Monitor
PC1 boots into LinuxMCE for media and general applications
PC1 also boots into Windows to work on Audio/Video Projects and anything else linux doesn't do.
PC1's Processor (6600) will be swapped into the Core Server.
I am purchasing a Quad Core to put into PC1.

So if you notice, my core system mobo needs to be Intel LG775 based so I can put my PC1 dual processor into it and put a new Quad-core into PC1.

I am in no rush to run out an buy all this equipment . I want to make the right purchasing decisions. I am by no means rich, so I have to stretch my dollars.

So what do you think?