Need a case for a MediaCenter/FileServer

[TastySHeriff]

Building a computer to fill the role of a "media center pc" but am also using it as a file server for mp3s, movies, videos, etc in my house. Ive got everything figured out except the case. I have no idea what case to get. Actually, i have the exact idea of what case i want to get, i just havent found it. All of my sterio/tv components are silver, so i need a silver case. i need at lease 2 of each type of external drive bays and (heres the killer) 6 internal 3.5s as i plan on dropping a TB (terabyte... thats right) of storage in there, on top of a 37GB SATA HD. Obviously i am also concerned about keeping these drives cool, but since they wont be accessed often all i want is 1 or preferably 2 front fans and 2 rear. I know im demanding but all that was just talkin big and explaining to others who may have been in my same situation

If you dont know specific cases to meet my needs could you please list off some sites that have cases that are... different... not mainstream anyway as my demands dont fit into that category. Or sites specializing in file servers. Thanks for whatever help you can give.

Invention is wasted unless it's inventor is pure of spirit, and understands that humanity is art in itself

 

[upec]

I would recommend a Lian Li PC-6X case. They are silver and have 8 3.5 bays and 4 5.25 bays. It is great I am using it for my file server too.

I have media center PC too but I have a separate file server. I have a desktop case from Lian Li which is small and look very nice with my home theater. I access all the media file via wireless LAN.

 

[Crashman]

Look around! You can find pleanty of silver Desktop style cases...you might have to do a little work to make room for 6 drives though!

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[Crashman]

I have a great idea for you: Buy a top quality aluminum desktop, to match your home theater stuff, then pay me to make a drive enclosure to go with it. I can make it rougly the size of a thin home theater amp, screw it to the first case with feet as spacers (to make it look like separate components), and put the cable passthrough in the back so nobody sees it.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[upec]

I think it is still a better idea to build a separate file server. It is a lot more flexable. My file server have 8 120 Gig hard drives in RAID 5. All of computers on my network can access the file server. Most important the file server need to be very stable. I upgrade my MediaCenter Computer a lot more often (both hardware and software). Also install a lot of game on my MediaCenter PC.

 

[jammydodger]

The silver Lian Li cases all look great, and are supposed to have very good build quality (I dont know this from experience as I'm too poor to buy one). But with 1TB of storage you are going to need a big case and I think it will look out of place. I agree that you should get a seperate file server for storage, and then a much smaller case for your media center PC.

I know this case aint silver, but it would be brilliant for a media center PC <A HREF="http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/MSI_barebones.html" target="_new">http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/MSI_barebones.html</A>

[Insert witty comment here]