WHS DIY vs Pre Built

There is much debate out there as to if buying the HP Mediasmart Server is better than a DIY WHS server.  I did a little digging and there really is not a lot of difference between the two options except that the HP solution is a generally more appliance like design in nature and it is pretty much plug and play.

For the average consumer, I would strongly suggest the HP server as it is designed for setup by the average user.  A DIY solution is a bit more involved and more of an entire weekend project.  Typically, a DIY choice is made due to spare/extra parts lying around.