Build A Cheap Home Media Server

Popular Mechanics claims that it's not necessary to buy a brand new machine. Instead, use cheap (or salvaged) parts to build your own box, as media server hardware doesn't have to be top-notch. The biggest hurdle is choosing what operating system to use. For free and fully functional, the article suggest Ubuntu. The catch: it's not that easy to configure. The other option would be to go with the expensive, albeit easy OS (Windows Media Server).

Read more HERE.