So atm most things in my house use plexTheatre and stream from my PC, I dont really like the fact that everything is stored on my PC and it has to be on all the time to host files for the devices using it, I'm looking for the cheapest possible way to replace my PC as the center of media streaming, how could I do that? preferably still wireless!
Home Media Streaming helps!
- Thread starter ins0mn1ac
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Plex is really only because it's side loaded onto NOWTV boxes on other TVs in the house for streaming.
I use a Gen7 for serving the plex library. It works brilliantly across a multitude of devices.
Added benefits are the microserver can run other software depending on your home requirements. Room for plenty of drives and pretty quiet.
Added benefits are the microserver can run other software depending on your home requirements. Room for plenty of drives and pretty quiet.
Thanks for the suggestions guys but slightlyyyy out of my price range really 
I was looking for something cheaper just so my SSDs arent always on with this PC so the GF can watch crap like Pretty Little Liars etc.
How would a wireless HDD work in this situation?
I was looking for something cheaper just so my SSDs arent always on with this PC so the GF can watch crap like Pretty Little Liars etc.How would a wireless HDD work in this situation?
Thanks for the suggestions guys but slightlyyyy out of my price range really
How would a wireless HDD work in this situation?
I think the problem comes from your first post where you suggest you've got multiple locations that you watch content - although it's not clear what devices you've got to do this with?
If you've got one location you want to watch things from then fine, set up a Rasp Pi with Kodi and plug in a USB hard drive for an OK setup on the "cheap".
Just remember that you'll need to buy other Kodi capable boxes for each room you want to watch content from.
The costs just add up when you remember how bare bones a Rasp Pi is:
Pi2 - £25
Memory card - £5
Power adapter - £5
Case - £5
WiFi adapter - £10
IR receiver and remote - £10
External USB HDD Caddy - £15
500GB HDD - £35
£135 total. Obviously this price reduces the more you don't need. Some don't need WiFi, some will make do without a remote and just use a phone app.
Or, you set up a server:
HP ProLiant Gen8 G1610T MicroServer - £185
500GB HHD - £35
Install FreeNAS as an operating system
£220 total.
Coming from many that have done this before, the most cost effective solution (if you've already got the network infrastructure and devices to watch content via Plex from multiple locations) is to spend the money on the hardware to provide the content effectively.
For about £100 more you're getting an completely flexible setup that will form the best backend to support you longer term.
Understandably £100 is a lot to some people though.
My sons PC upstairs streams Plex using my PC as the media server, my TV upstairs streams Plex with a NowTV box, SMART TV downstairs uses the Plex app.
They're the locations that use the media mostly, I do like the rasp pi option, is that viable with what I need it for?
They're the locations that use the media mostly, I do like the rasp pi option, is that viable with what I need it for?
Well then - no.
A Rpi won't act as a server to allow you to stream over your network.
(Edit: actually, that's not strictly true as it will let you probably di a network share. Maybe others can comment how well the Rpi handles multiple users running video though?)
In addition two of your locations can't run Kodi and you'd need to buy additional hardware for those rooms (~£60 a pop for each room to get another Rpi set)
So this is my point, the cheaper Rpi option will now mean you need a Network Attached Storage (NAS) rather than a simple HDD caddy.
So now your costs become:
2 x Rpi @ £60 = £120
NAS ~£150
Total £270
I stand by my point - the single most cost effective place to put your money is in a real nice server setup. Go look up FreeNAS as well, the OS that a lot of people will recommend. It's a cracking bit of software and has plugins for loads of stuff - including Plex Server.
A Rpi won't act as a server to allow you to stream over your network.
(Edit: actually, that's not strictly true as it will let you probably di a network share. Maybe others can comment how well the Rpi handles multiple users running video though?)
In addition two of your locations can't run Kodi and you'd need to buy additional hardware for those rooms (~£60 a pop for each room to get another Rpi set)
So this is my point, the cheaper Rpi option will now mean you need a Network Attached Storage (NAS) rather than a simple HDD caddy.
So now your costs become:
2 x Rpi @ £60 = £120
NAS ~£150
Total £270
I stand by my point - the single most cost effective place to put your money is in a real nice server setup. Go look up FreeNAS as well, the OS that a lot of people will recommend. It's a cracking bit of software and has plugins for loads of stuff - including Plex Server.
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I dont think you have any other option than getting a NAS.
Does anyone know how much power they consume?
At the moment electricity is about 15p /KwH.
if the NAS consumes a lot less power, over a year the savings on electricty will offset some the initial cost and reduce 'wear' on your pc.
PC 150 watts = £195 a year
NAS 50 watts = £65 a year
Does anyone know how much power they consume?
At the moment electricity is about 15p /KwH.
if the NAS consumes a lot less power, over a year the savings on electricty will offset some the initial cost and reduce 'wear' on your pc.
PC 150 watts = £195 a year
NAS 50 watts = £65 a year
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if you go to the trouble of encoding all content to that it is direct play compatable with all devices, you can get away with a cheaper box.
a for purpose PC being used for watching 2 hrs a day, would not average 150W imo...50W Idle, 125W in use.....that said the NAS would come in lower too in idle probably..
a for purpose PC being used for watching 2 hrs a day, would not average 150W imo...50W Idle, 125W in use.....that said the NAS would come in lower too in idle probably..
I'm also looking at building a NAS box with a Plex Plugin.
I've plenty of systems sitting spare around the house, and plenty of hard drives to use, although I am tempted to pick up a couple more identical drives to the ones I currently have.
I'd be using an AMD 2 Phenom 2 X2 3.1 GHz, 4 gig of RAM system (matx in a Silverstone SG08 case) as the server but just wondering if perhaps thats a little OTT and could get away with using something a little slower. I was reading the RAM requirements for Free NAS and it said min RAM was 8 gig.
I may have read that wrong though.
I've plenty of systems sitting spare around the house, and plenty of hard drives to use, although I am tempted to pick up a couple more identical drives to the ones I currently have.
I'd be using an AMD 2 Phenom 2 X2 3.1 GHz, 4 gig of RAM system (matx in a Silverstone SG08 case) as the server but just wondering if perhaps thats a little OTT and could get away with using something a little slower. I was reading the RAM requirements for Free NAS and it said min RAM was 8 gig.
I may have read that wrong though.
Slighty off topic..
Yep thats the way I read it 8Gb min.
And for comparison with your system, I'm running openelec on an AMD x2 64 4200 2gb with an nvid 210, stable running with playback it uses about 55w, CPU appears to be on the lowest multiplier, ie not boosted.
Mine will have a Radeon 4350 as the on board video appears to be dead. In all the time I've owned that board (3 years now) I've never tried the on board VGA till recently.
Of course I do have a Shuttle P4 but that really would just suck electric like a its going out of fashion.
Of course I do have a Shuttle P4 but that really would just suck electric like a its going out of fashion.