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Cost Effective Alternative to QNAP - Plex

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  • 21-09-2016 5:27pm
    #1
    Mister-M5
    Registered Users Posts: 225 ✭✭


    Hi guys,

    For the past couple of years, I've been running my Plex Server from my desktop.

    I only usually access it from different rooms in the house, smart TV, tablets, laptops etc. In the last number of months, I've set up a library for my niece to watch Disney films and such from her house, so I just pop on the desktop whenever she wants to watch something.

    I've always knows that I'll have to make the move to a dedicated server eventually and as more people in the family are accessing files, I don't want to have to keep my desktop running around the clock.

    I need something that will be able to run Plex natively, streaming 1080p (720p is OK as a second choice) and a friend has a QNAP TS451. It is great but by the time you buy the box itself and pop a few HDDS into it, you're looking at serious money for what is essentially home viewing.

    I was just wondering if anyone could suggest an alternative. Plex provide a Google Sheet list but I think it's outdated.

    Any advice would be appreciated.

    Cheers


Comments

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    #2
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,167 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    Depends on your transcoding needs.


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    #3
    tazzzZ
    Registered Users Posts: 462 ✭✭tazzzZ


    basically if you look at passmark cpu benchmarking it is recommended you have 1500 points per 1080p stream. bare in mind this is just for transcoding. inside your home its likely your just using direct play of the file through plex and its using very little resources to do so.

    Basically just think about roughly how many ppl will have access to the files outside your home network. and how many you realistically expect to be drawing from your server at any given time.

    Are all your files on your desktop pc? If you have a NAS already that holds all your files then a nvidia shield tv is a great cheap alternative that supports up to 2-3 simultaneous transcodes but you will have to have the media stored in your NAS. If you dont have a NAS its likely to be a fair bit more expensive to get what you want going.


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