new plex server: NUC plus external storage?

[Buster]

My current server is built in a full size 4u case in my rack. I've been thinking of upgrading as my Plex server is getting hit a little harder nowadays (thanks entitled family), and I'm going to be upgrading to telus fibre soon. My current server is an i3 from, I think, 2012? So I'm due.

Recent plex server googles indicate that the new intel CPUs are extending their quicksync capabilities, and so I was thinking of getting a Tiger Lake NUC and figuring out how to rackmount it.

Then I think I could add rack-mountable eSATA hard drives in a separate unit?

Does this make sense?

[gpomp]

Are you transcoding 1080p or 4K content? A cheap G4900 machine is good for ~20 transcodes with quicksync.

[Asian_defender]

I would consider upgrading the clients rather the server. A good client wont require transcoding from the server
I use Nvidia Shields for my clients and my old ass synology 1812+ handles it just fine. I'm sure even a cheap google tv dongle would handle it. That is unless you stream anime which I find does require some transcoding as the plex client sucks at handling those codecs

[ExtraSlow]

Need to get those tentacle renders just right.

[Xtrema]

That is unless you stream anime which I find does require some transcoding as the plex client sucks at handling those codecs

That and once a while I do have cheap tablets lying around that needs a hand.


Need to get those tentacle renders just right.

It's just a government censorship law creating a new art form. Just like Pachinko isn't "gambling".


Back on topic,

Nvidia Shield TV Pro + external hardware would also do the same thing if you need to transcode. But NUC would be more flexible/future proof but you have to maintain windows.

[rage2]

I have a NUC and run all my "servers" in a VM under VirtualBox. Even my network monitoring tools with the mirror port interface hooked up to the VM. When I need more power and upgrade, I get a new NUC, move the VMs over, and done.

UniFi, Plex, AirVideoHD, all my transcoding servers all virtualized. The media is stored in a 10TB QNAP array that's synced and backed up to google cloud and mapped as a drive in the VM for Plex to access.

[taemo]

I have a NUC and run all my "servers" in a VM under VirtualBox. Even my network monitoring tools with the mirror port interface hooked up to the VM. When I need more power and upgrade, I get a new NUC, move the VMs over, and done.

UniFi, Plex, AirVideoHD, all my transcoding servers all virtualized. The media is stored in a 10TB QNAP array that's synced and backed up to google cloud and mapped as a drive in the VM for Plex to access.

+1 but I'm using a HP desktop with i5 4590 CPU and 32GB of RAM to host 3 Win VM and 1 Unix. Use only AirVideoHD though.

I purged most of my movie collections except some favorites since most are available on Netflix/Amazon/Disney+/Crave.

Movies that I've kept have also been converted to mp4. I'm just using the built-in Plex service on my QNAP NAS

[rage2]

I haven't added to my movie collection in 8 years (since I started buying digitally). I haven't added any RAW photos from my DSLRs in 4 years since I shoot mostly on iPhone. 70% of my old movie collection has been repurchased digitally. Shit's just running to keep old shit around for the 3x a year I wanna watch old shit and can live with DVD and Satellite HD DVR potato quality haha.

I do have some 4K home/vacation videos that I've added so the kids can watch, but there's no transcoding on Apple TV. Only transcoding to non 4K devices, and there's some buffering every minute, so yea I think it's time for me up upgrade that decade old NUC soon.

The other VMs are just there to run windows shit as we're mostly a MacBook household these days and need Windows specific stuff. How times have changed.

[Buster]

I have a NUC and run all my "servers" in a VM under VirtualBox. Even my network monitoring tools with the mirror port interface hooked up to the VM. When I need more power and upgrade, I get a new NUC, move the VMs over, and done.

UniFi, Plex, AirVideoHD, all my transcoding servers all virtualized. The media is stored in a 10TB QNAP array that's synced and backed up to google cloud and mapped as a drive in the VM for Plex to access.

This looks like the perfect solution. I'm a lot more media heavy on my plex for a variety of reasons - mostly simplicity and the ability to maintain favorites for my family or get TV shows that aren't always available on the normal streaming channels.

I usually just maintain a full Windows install on my server. What's the advantage of doing the VM thing? I've never done it.

[rage2]

This looks like the perfect solution. I'm a lot more media heavy on my plex for a variety of reasons - mostly simplicity and the ability to maintain favorites for my family or get TV shows that aren't always available on the normal streaming channels.

I usually just maintain a full Windows install on my server. What's the advantage of doing the VM thing? I've never done it.
Portability. I don’t want to reconfigure and reinstall all the services on the new machine. So new machine just runs the VM and away we go.

It was a bigger deal back in the day when I upgraded the NUC more frequently. I guess it still applies today because I’d have to relearn how to backup and restore all the historic data of the old services, if it even runs. The network monitoring software sits on top of windows 2003 VM. The new version UI is terrible compared to my legacy version haha.

[ipeefreely]

My current server is built in a full size 4u case in my rack. I've been thinking of upgrading as my Plex server is getting hit a little harder nowadays (thanks entitled family), and I'm going to be upgrading to telus fibre soon. My current server is an i3 from, I think, 2012? So I'm due.

Recent plex server googles indicate that the new intel CPUs are extending their quicksync capabilities, and so I was thinking of getting a Tiger Lake NUC and figuring out how to rackmount it.

Then I think I could add rack-mountable eSATA hard drives in a separate unit?

Does this make sense?

Maybe check out a Synology NAS if you want a small form factor. I have a hardware raid card so I updated my server to an AMD 3700X from a 2500K.

Mkc6Yu1772w



The network monitoring software sits on top of windows 2003 VM.

Running Windows XP as your windows VM too? :rofl: (I have XP as in a VM...) :D

[rage2]

Maybe check out a Synology NAS if you want a small form factor. I have a hardware raid card so I updated my server to an AMD 3700X from a 2500K.

Mkc6Yu1772w




Running Windows XP as your windows VM too? :rofl: (I have XP as in a VM...) :D
My current NUC runs windows 7 haha.

[benyl]

I’m still running Windows Home Server. Haha

[Asian_defender]

I have a NUC and run all my "servers" in a VM under VirtualBox. Even my network monitoring tools with the mirror port interface hooked up to the VM. When I need more power and upgrade, I get a new NUC, move the VMs over, and done.

UniFi, Plex, AirVideoHD, all my transcoding servers all virtualized. The media is stored in a 10TB QNAP array that's synced and backed up to google cloud and mapped as a drive in the VM for Plex to access.

Baller! how much does that google cloud cost if you don't mind me asking? Don't you get killed for Egress fees if you ever need it?

[rage2]

Baller! how much does that google cloud cost if you don't mind me asking? Don't you get killed for Egress fees if you ever need it?
Well I'm on the G suite business account for my beyond email. Unlimited storage is included as part of that.

My work email is also gmail, so I actually have 2 unlimited storage accounts haha.

The bad news is google's renaming of g suite to workspace, the new plans don't have unlimited anymore. Fuckers.

[benyl]

NUC 10 are avaialble at costco. Decent price.

https://www.costco.ca/CatalogSearch?dept=All&keyword=Intel1102&EMID=CA_EN_2020_1102_1525_COSTCOCA

95081