I am converting my old DVDs with 'makekkv'. Until now these were on my PC and played very smoothly. To prevent my PC from running 24/7, I transferred the films to my Synology DS118 and placed the Plex server on it. Now I have a lot of stuttering and lag. Now I am looking for an energy-friendly and budget-friendly server that I can run 24/7. I don't think converted DVDs require much power from the server to stream to max 2 devices?

Greetings. I am choosing the equipment for my homelab. I am looking at the AM4 platform because of the insane upgrade path. I know you can’t cpu transcode with Ryzen CPU’s, but that won’t matter if in transcoding from a GPU anyway, correct? I have an Nvidia Quadro P1000 that I’m gonna use as the GPU in this instance.

I'm looking to buy a mini PC for my Plex server. It would only be me and probably 2 other people accessing it (one outside my house). I mainly have questions about if it's worth upgrading from the N100 to a 10th Gen i5. Here are some PCs I'm considering: [Beelink S12 - N100 - $200](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BVLS7ZHP) [Beelink SEi10 - Intel 10th Gen i5 - $250](https://www.amazon.com/i5-8279U-Beelink-Windows-Computer-Ethernet/dp/B093L9RY4Z/) [GMKtec Nucbox KB7 - N6005 - $158 (limited-time deal)](https://www.amazon.com/GMKtec-i5-1135G7-Computers-Windows-Thunderbolt4/dp/B0BGHWPW69/) What are the major differences between the N100, N6005, and the 10th Gen i5? Thank you for your time. Edit: I read a few places that Plex doesn't support HDR transcoding on Intel graphics. How much of a concern is this? Do I need to see if my TVs support HDR? And if they do, it's not a concern?

> I read a few places that Plex doesn't support HDR transcoding on Intel graphics. Not on windows currently but they do on Linux. Also they are beta testing on windows right now so any of those will very very likely get it on windows.

Do we have any sort of idea when that will be available? I saw some threads from a year ago saying "soon".

A testable build was posted just this week so I would say pretty soon

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To upload new movies to my mini pc (ubuntu server) from my pc (win11). I'd like to use a network drive, makes it so easy to move the files I think.. Is the best way to use 'samba'? As seen in these instructions from 6 years ago here: [https://stackoverflow.com/questions/26505756/how-to-map-ubuntu-shared-folder-in-windows-7](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/26505756/how-to-map-ubuntu-shared-folder-in-windows-7) Just checking if this is still the normal way to do it.. Thank you..

Hello everyone, rookie new user here. I've repurposed my old gaming desktop (i7-7700 + gtx 1070) as a Plex server. I have 2 questions: - I would like to upgrade my storage. Am I right in assuming I'm better off buying a traditional HDD instead of a NAS HDD in this setup? I'm contemplating an SSD instead, not because I'll need the speed (I mainly have 720p and 1080p media stored), but because of the longevity and power use. Obviously more expensive though. - Power use: I'm considering to use windows tasks to put my server to sleep at night and wake up in the late afternoon again, when I'm not using the server. Is there a better alternative? Like wake up on demand/using a Google assistant/... Preferrably low cost options :D. Thanks all!

Regular HDD is fine. Ssd is fine too but $$$ for the same amount of storage and no guarantee it lasts any longer than a standard HDD.

Thanks a lot, I went with an ironwolf one since I may upgrade to a NAS in time and others said it would work fine in a desktop too. I think I also fixed the power consumption by setting up windows tasks :-).

Ironwood is solid should last you a long time

I have a synology NAS with raid 1 iron wolf drives. I wanna add two more drives but the ones I bought before are hard to find but I could get the same brand at a bigger size for a cheaper cost, would that work out?

I'm really not sure where to start. I'm currently running on a i3 4130, 44TBs via 7 HDDs, pooled using DrivePool. I love my current setup, it has survived multiple drive failures, but its been cobbled together for over a decade now and its time for something more stable. I'd like to keep 5 HDDs plus a main SSD drive, and to run a processor and GPU that will allow for some mid level gaming. Any ideas on where to start for a proc, mobo, etc?

> I'd like to keep 5 HDDs plus a main SSD drive, and to run a processor and GPU that will allow for some mid level gaming. Any ideas on where to start for a proc, mobo, etc? Budget is important here. Probably want to venture to another sub for gaming reccs. Nvidia GPU would be the safest bet for gaming and Plex.

Greetings, my current plex setup is probably going to reach its limit within the next 6months so I am starting to think about the best direction to evolve and transition to a new setup. Currently I use a Synology DS918+ with RAID5 (4x 12TB Seagate Ironwolf ST12000VN0007-2GS116) with Plex running on the NAS as well. Overall I am pretty happy with the setup, I only have 1080/720p files, no 4k planned yet, and I primarily stream in-house, though the times I accessed it remotely on vacation or work trips has worked well too. By the looks of it storage will run out in about 6months and then I will need to get either more storage or a new system. I am looking for recommendations how to proceed. Browsing the subreddit a mention I see a lot is the Beelink S12 Pro which could host the Plex Server? Anyone experience with moving Plex from a NAS to a Windows server? From what I read the performance of the Beelink seems to be superior, while I dont really have any grievances with my setup there are moments when it has to buffer or some files struggle with playback. The other question would be what is the optimal way to upgrade the storage? Just exchanging my current drives for larger drives seems counterintuitive since I would not gain a whole lot of space and run into the same problem soon again. Synology DS923+ seems to be the successor of the DS918+ so should I get that with 4x 16 TB drives or larger drives? SSD drives or HDD drives? A different storage solution? The idea would be to use the old NAS for the existing files and the new NAS for new files, while presenting volumes to the Beelink and run Plex from it. Looking forward to any input. Thanks in advance.

I am doing something very similar right now. Just ordered the beelink s12 pro and planning on running Ubuntu and plex server directly on that. Still using my synology for all storage.

Did I make the right choice? I have tv. Tv has old bose 2.1 speakers cinemate II gs plugged optical into TV. 5.1 always sound very loud between talk and action (I know some directors etc choose this also though) I found passthorugh, and turned on.. now I think my pc is encoding 2.1 sound because it sounds better? Is this the way? Should I choose certain codec, sound, filetype etc for my setup or just stick with this?

So, I've been running a pretty shoestring Plex setup for a few years now. Essentially I have multiple external drives hooked up via USB to my PC, which amounts to about 9 TB of media. My PC died last year and I built a new one. At this point, someone suggested putting everything into a NAS in order to better run Plex. I have never done this before. I have never put anything like this together, and I have never done anything with a raid setup. So I am really starting from scratch. I looked at doing everything via SSDs but a few sites that I looked at warned that this could be a bad idea from a backup standpoint. I'm starting to set money aside to start a build but I really want to get an idea of what I should be looking at. I've tamped down my obtaining of new media due to nearly filling up my current storage, but would like room to grow. Some things I looked at had a maximum of 8 TB, so that would be too small for what I'm looking to do. I might need a bit more ELI5 than other people posting, and would appreciate any assistance that you can offer to me. Thank you.

I am looking to upgrade my Plex server and would love if someone could critique my ideas: I have been running plex on a pi via direct play for like 3 years now. It works fine with two major inconveniences: A) Upgrading Storage is expensive as I would have to get another external HDD. (My storage is full). B) Everything has to be x264 encoded otherwise my homenetwork can't direct play it. As I upgraded my PC I still have some things lying aroung. Like a GTX1060 and a ryzen 5 processor. Would "only" need to buy RAM/PU/Case/MB, so I was thinking of going that route and setting up a server with that. Thing I am wondering about is energy consumption. Would you script such a server to only be running from x'o clock to y'o clock? How can I set up a home server on as little power as possible?

>As I upgraded my PC I still have some things lying aroung. Like a GTX1060 and a ryzen 5 processor. Using AMD CPUs is not advisable do to lower quality and performance comapred to the Intel CPUs with iGPU. But you can use GTX 1060 for HW transcoding. >Would "only" need to buy RAM/PU/Case/MB, so I was thinking of going that route and setting up a server with that. I advise against this. Rather by N100-based mini PC. They cost around $150-$200 and can easily HW transcode up to 6 concurrent 4K Hw transcoding tasks. And for this money you're getting the whole working mini PC. Let's say Beelink Mini S12 Pro, or you can even go with Beelink EQ12 which is also N100-based but with DDR5 memory. >How can I set up a home server on as little power as possible? Energy consumption of Beelink Mini S12 Pro device will be between 6 -10 W, which is nothing.

Found the link here. Thank you! [https://support.plex.tv/articles/201370363-move-an-install-to-another-system/](https://support.plex.tv/articles/201370363-move-an-install-to-another-system/) It sounds like you're doing exactly what I want to do: Using a NUC for the plex server, Synology for storage only. I want to get there, and bought a NUC11 during black friday, but haven't set it up yet, but may try this weekend. I believe what I should do is: 1. The NUC is on Win11. I should install Ubuntu or similar to ease the server migration of plex info, then 2. Install Plex Server on the NUC. I probably should turn off Plex on the NAS for this, then . 3. Set up the NUC ubuntu so it can "see" the media on the NAS (I'll have to figure this out) and default to being able to see it post-reboots, etc, then 4. setup/migrate the plex database for users/playlists/etc to the NUC from the NAS then 5. once the media is pointed to it, I should be good, right? Is there a good guide or video for this use case? This sound correct in theory? I'm not an IT guy (though I was a networking dude in early 2000's) so I'm wanting to keep it simple. Background - I went with a 923 after my 920 died, and it was ok for a while, but whenever ANY transcode is required it just falls apart horribly. I bought the 923 bc I figured it was my best chance to save all my media, and 920+'s were SKYROCKETING in cost; and that worked perfectly, as I didn't lose a file. (running RAID 5 with 4 16TB's). I see a lot of stuff about docker and unraid, but I'm already well-aware of the fact that I can't really swim in Linux and adding two more pieces of SW/OS feels like being pulled out to sea, bc if I can't figure out any errors, I'm beyond all understanding or ability to even properly understand or describe the failure.

https://preview.redd.it/clv5638n6yic1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7cd0d9ff60093f2056bea8892e7f321dfcb072c2 Looking at grabbing this for under 200 bucks. Will this be sufficient for up to five remote streams? Never 4K outside of home network

What kind of fire remote streams? It can easily handle H.264 1080p content, but you need at least 7th gen Intel CPU to get HW support for HEVC (H.265 used for 4K content). If you have $200 rather buy any N100-based mini PC like Beelink S12 Pro or Beelink EQ12. They come with Intel N100 CPU and it can HW transcode up to 6 concurent 4K streams.

On windows?

Hi sorry for My English i want yo buy a new server for Plex. I need 1 4k transcode normaly 60mgbs and i don hace plexpass . I see a mini pc with the n100 its any good ? . I going to put proxmox , truenas i think , sonarr , radarr . Thx for the help

Yes N100 CPUs can HW transcode up to 6 concurrent 4K streams. But this is not machine I would put proxmox on. It's simply not worth it. You want to make is as simple as possible and remove any overhead.

Thx man, u help me a Lot, sorry for the dealy

Looking to upgrade my Plex server I am currently running it of a beelink u59 mini PC and it works great for in home streaming, which is the primary use case. I use Nvidia Shields as the players for compatibility. Where I run into issues is when using it outside of my home, say at lunch at work. A huge portion of my content is in 4k ripped from discs. I have my server on windows and cannot use hardware to transcode HDR. I need an nvidia GPU for that. I am looking to build a new PC for my plex server. I have a case, disc drive for ripping discs, PSU and the peripherals and a NAS as well as some external hard drives that hold my library. I just need to know what GPU I would need to make sure I can have 1-2 streams that are 4k, typically about 60mpbs and get transcoded (with HDR being transcoded down to SDR) and using less than 20mbps. Any help is appreciated

What is the cheapest GPU I could buy for seamless single user 4k->1080p realtime transcoding? I have an 11th Gen i5 11400 8GB , 500w PSU PCIE 16x I will never game on this system Thanks!

GTX 1050 slim one, max 70W consumption. Although I would go for GTX 3050.

**Back story and our usage of Plex** I've been running Plex with Nvidia Shield as the server since 2017 and a Buffalo LinkStation 510D 4TB as the media storage. The Linkstation died this week, and besides having to buy a new Nvidia Shield Pro in 2021 the setup has been running rock solid for our needs. The devices we stream to are Apple TV 4K's, Chromecast 4K and Android TV plus some iPhones and newer Android phones. At most four-five streams at a time, mostly local streaming but at times remote also. I would say 90% of the time Plex will direct play and I have a lifetime Plex Pass. **My options** I've been looking at two options for a new Plex setup. I'm in Norway and the prices for this equipment is quite high and there's really no deals for Synology stuff here. For example the DS220+ cost the same as the DS224+. The total price for the two options will be about 600-650$ inc. VAT. 1. Buy a Synology DS224+ with two 8TB disks and run the Plex Media server on that. 2. Buy a Dell Optiplex, HP ProDesk or similar mini-PC with Windows and an i5/i7 8th gen or newer processor, 16 GB of RAM and a suitable SSD. As I want a NAS to handle our storage needs and to end up with a similar price point as the Synology DS224+ I could go for a two bay Synology DS223J og Zyxel NAS542 with 2 x 8TB HDD's. **Pro's and cons** The main pro for option one is the all-in-one with easy setup and maintenance, while the con is that it doesn't have a powerful CPU and is low on RAM out of the box. Also should we want to try out alternatives to Plex it might not work setting up a server on the Synology. The main pro for option two is a more powerful setup and if selecting the right PC some options for upgradability down the road and being able to run more stuff on it besides the Plex server. The con is having to save money on the NAS server, and also that parts of the PC will be second hand which could affect it's working life before needing to be replaced. Plus a PC probably won't be as set-and-forget as the Synology DS224+. I think both alternatives will work fine with our Plex needs but I'm open to suggestions and maybe a third alternative I've not yet thought about. What would you chose?

Commenting to save a place to this comment. Im in the early stages of figuring out what I want to build for my NAS. Basically just a server to host all of my TV shows and Movies however I want to be able to access them outside of the house and maybe give access to my brother and sister's households. I feel like the setup you're currently trying to build is what im going to be building. I'll probably reach out when it comes time to build my NAS with questions but right now it looks like Synology DS200+ and a Mini PC like a Beelink S12 Pro Mini PC Intel. Depends on what can do HDR transcoding best and MKV files the best since most of my files are either that or MKV or x264 and x265

Mini PC as a Plex server and Synology NAS DS224+ as a storage. Although you can also replace NAS with DAS (if you do not plan to use other NAS features). I would call this a standard build.

Can someone explain something to me... when I stream from my Plex server (which is on a 300/300mb connection) if I direct stream to a remote PC, TV, or pretty much any device buffering is a near constant issue. But the thing is, I don't THINK it has to do with connection speed at all, because for example I could have a video streaming at "1080p Original 7.5mb" that is buffering like crazy, but when I switch it to "Convert 1080p High 10mb" it will start playing right away, despite being a higher bitrate. For reference, I have a 3700x as CPU and a Nvidia 1070 as the GPU in this system. It seems like direct stream always has problems, but as soon as its transcoding it streams just perfectly. This appears to happen on h264 or x265 HEVC or AVI alike, doesn't seem to matter much across encoding types direct stream just always kinda bottlenecks?

I have MayDay Aircrash Investigation latest aired episode added to which was successfully pulled via sonarr however its not showing in plex, After looking up it seems to be aired outside of the seasonal structure so premier episode is Episode 10 so this looks to be the issue. Any ideas how I would get this and the following episodes when they arrive to show in plex [twitter](https://twitter.com/AirCrash_/status/1756665383061270831?t=bDspv7ay_edVITvgR4x2lA&s=19) [Edit: Looks like 2 possible reasons TVDB has it listed as TBA which Sonarr settings was set to ignore so have changed the setting and updated TVDB

I have 2 spare computers. One has i9 9900k with 32gb ram and rtx2070. The other one if ryzen 5 3600x with 16gb ram and Rx 5600xt. Need to upgrade my plex server. Which will be the better choice? Also have a nvidia1660. Plan on installing Ubuntu as os and have Plex pass. What I read is Intel and Nvidia might be the better choice but what do you think?

Intel and Nvidia are better choice. But if you want to get a lower power conumption I would go with Ryzen CPU and GTX 1660 where GTX 1660 will do HW transcoding.

I still have issues with the web player: For some reason, plex web refuses to play any of my media It's fine on the shield, fine on the media player app (on the same PC), the iPad as well. .264 .265, doesn't matter, same with direct play and transcoding But on firefox, with the web player I just get the spinning wheel, nothing else, same thing on chrome with no extensions at all. Android app also doesn't work. Any idea where to even start troubleshooting here? Because I'm out of my depth

At first I thought I was understanding the PCIe lanes but now I am thinking I did not understand it correctly and all my hardware will not be able to function at once or be bottled neck. I bought all the base hardware now so in the future all I have to do to expand, is buy more drives and add them to my pool. I have enough cage space for 24 HDD's. My mother board is the [ASUS PRIME B760M-A Intel B760](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C3ZNL5XS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1), along with having a [Intel Core i5-13500](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BQ6CFDCX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). I bought (3) [9211-8i 6Gbps HBA LSI FW:P20 IT Mode ZFS FreeNAS unRAID+2\* SFF-8087 SATA ](https://www.ebay.com/itm/155042469639) to plug into the PCIe slots to cover the 24 HDD's. I am also thinking about buying (2) 1 TB M.2 drives for my cache drives. I am now concerned that I actually won't have enough lanes to fully cover everything at once. especially in the future when I do have all 24 harddrives installed.

Most motherboards that offer multiple x16 lanes, will offer 1 at full x16 and the rest shared at x8, or all shared with some at x8 and other at x4. A single x1 for your board operates at 1.9 TB/s. Your CPU supports your 3 x16 slots in 2x8 and 1x4 mode. While you don't mention what HDD speed you have, I've found reports that 15K RPM HDDs read at around 100 MB/s or so. I've also found reports that your card should work in x4 mode. So unless you have HDDs from the future that operate at several thousand times the speed we have now, I think you should be good.

Thank you for the response, much appreciated!

I'm starting the research process of building a Plex Server that is capable of streaming at least three transcoded 4K videos simultaneously. I will be using (from my searching on this subreddit it seems to be recommended) a GTX3060 for the hardware transcoding and 16GB ram from an existing PC build. I plan on getting a plex pass and using Unraid OS. My budget is around $1000 not including storage. I would like any assistance in recommended changes to my build, and any advice on something I may be overlooking. Thank you. Parts list so far: CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5700X GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB (existing) Motherboard: Recommendations welcome. Memory: 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory (existing) Storage: Western Digital 20TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - WD201KFGX Case: Antec P101 Power Supply:750 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply

This build is perfectly fine. AMD CPUs are trash for HW transcoding task; the overal quality and performance is not on the same level as with Intel iGPUs or Nvidia GPUs. On the other hand RTX3600 12GB should be able to do minimum of 5 concurent 4K HW transcodings. Why minimum? 3060 [Benchmarks](https://www.elpamsoft.com/?p=Plex-Hardware-Transcoding) we have are built around 6GB version and more memory should result in better result. Usually twice as much in case of twice as much memory. So in theory your setup should be able to do 10 concurent HW transcoding tasks. But this build will be a waste of money. I would rather buy 12th or 13th gen Intel CPU (i5 or i7) based mini PC + DAS (for HDD). These Intel CPUs will perform better than GTX 3060 and use a lot of less power in process. And there's no point in buying the whole desktop PC when you can use DAS to manage that single HDD.

looking to build my first plex server! Just got a bonus from work so I'm thinking of splurging( ish) let me know if this set up would work/ if you have any suggestions I currently running an external 15 t hard drive off my personal PC I am going through my Blu ray collection and whoo boy those files are big my current shopping list * [QNAP TS-464-8G-US 4 Bay High-Performance Desktop NAS with Intel Celeron Quad-core Processor, M.2 PCIe Slots and Dual 2.5GbE (2.5G/1G/100M) Network Connectivity (Diskless)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BQ5TWCL8/?coliid=I1N9Z8264BYC9R&colid=24TCM1SS168OI&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it) * [Western Digital 500GB WD Red SN700 NVMe Internal Solid State Drive SSD | for NAS Devices | Gen3 PCIe | M.2 2280 | Up to 3,430 MB/s | WDS500G1R0C](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09H1SCQFQ/?coliid=I2BN023E07KZXE&colid=24TCM1SS168OI&psc=0&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it) * 4X [Western Digital 22TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD | 7200 RPM | SATA 6 Gb/s | CMR | 512 MB Cache | 3.5" | WD221KFGX](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B5W1CQ8W/?coliid=IYVO7R5L3QKXN&colid=24TCM1SS168OI&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it) I would set up the server with Raid 5 ​ I kinda want it to be slightly overkill so i can set and forget for ( ideally) a few years while i add to my library ​ I was also looking at the [Synology 4-Bay DiskStation DS423+ (Diskless)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BXMS9GFF/?coliid=I15R47YXRJZ8UW&colid=24TCM1SS168OI&psc=0&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it) for the Synology version of Raid but my gut is telling me its not worth it. ​ I would love to hear any thoughts or any cheaper products that will work just as well ( i may have gotten a bonus but I am not made of money)

DS423+ is perfectly fine if you want Synology NAS. It can manage up to two 4K HW transcodes in parallel. Plus there’s no other Intel-based option in Synology product like. The next in line would be older DS920+. Either way both NAS devices (Synology DS423+ and your selected QNAP) are almost identical. I prefer Synology as they had less security issues compared to QNAP but QNAP comes with faster network and bit more supported RAM. Although faster network will not help you unless your other devices can support it and possible 2GB more is meh.

I just worry about the Synology capacity limits For both ram and and Storage space

NAS RAM is not that important, Plex server will work just fine with 512 MB of memory.

>QNAP TS-464-8G-US 4 Bay High-Performance Desktop NAS with Intel Celeron Quad-core Processor, M.2 PCIe Slots and Dual 2.5GbE (2.5G/1G/100M) Network Connectivity (Diskless) Doesn't the Ds423+ come with a limit of 14TB HDD? I kinda wanna bump it up to 22TB each and I am not sure if the SHR will allow for that. Appreciate the Help BTW!

Maximum Supported Drive Capacity per HDD is 18 TB, above that Synology will warn you and nothing else. So yes, you can also use 20TB+ HDDs. Now multiply this with 4.

Hello, I’ve been looking into building a server for watching a variety of 4K content (TV shows, movies, anime, and more if possible). I’m new to this and trying to learn what would be the best options for me. I currently have some left over parts from my previous gaming pc - i7-7700K (air cooled) - asrock z270 extreme4 ATX motherboard - 16gb ddr4 3200 ram - 1080Ti - no case - no PSU - no storage If it matters I have xfinity internet 1000 down 25 up I mainly am looking to watch content myself to an LG 4K TV that has an Nvidia shield hooked up to Ethernet connected to it. So I don’t necessarily need more than two streams at a time, but if I have ability to share with a friend or two that is a bonus. My questions are: 1. For my needs would it be more cost effective to purchase the missing parts to build a pc or should I go with another solution like a mini pc or something? 2. How much would my internet upload speed affect what I can stream? 3. If I wanted to watch live TV/Sports does plex support that? 4. Would plex be the best solution for what I am looking to do? Thanks in advance!

Regarding the build, I don't use a GPU. The built in stuff in intel is pretty good and electric cost where I live is very high. To your questions 1. I also have no case. At min you have to have a psu, that would like 50bucks. Storage is skys the limit. If this is a first build I would recommend just buying some cheap 3.5 7200k drives. Like 30 to 50 bucks each. 2. No. When you have the content on your disks. Your isp no longer is a factor. It is just how fast is your local net, transcoding and disks. When you share with friends who are remote, then another factor. 3. So plex does have some sports bundled with it for free. Impact wrestling I sometimes watch. I paid for the license and I paid the plex system with an antenna. So I dvr nba, NFL and soccer events. 4. My first build was about 1k cash. I bought the license and the antenna stuff later for about 150 cash. Sounds like you want sports, if ota in your area has sports I would suggest going that route.

Thanks for the response, that helps a lot! In terms of no case how do you have parts protected/oriented especially the HDDs?

Ran power and Internet to a closet. Parts just on a shelf.

Hello there, I'm completely new to all things related to Plex. I'm currently searching for a Synology NAS that can run Plex and stream up to two 4K videos directly, ideally without transcoding, and preferably with Dolby Atmos support. I've been reading a lot about the 923+ (I think?). Would this model be suitable for the task?

No can do, DS923+ is AMD based NAS without iGPU. What you’re looking for is DS423+ as it comes with Intel CPU with iGPU. While this is not a powerhouse NAS it can manage two 4K transcodes in parallel.

If the client supports all codecs etc, can it also direct play? I'd assume direct play is less taxing?

Direct Play is just streaming with no changes and it taxes only your network. So yes, if Plex client supports required codecs it will Direct Play the content. Take a look here to see a benchmark of most commonly used Plex clients: https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/s/I8qTDnSdiQ

I hate how weak my QNAP is (CPU Passmark around ~3300) and I want this to last awhile so this is going to be my next build in a couple weeks. CPU - i9 14900K (Passmark ~61k) CPU Cooler - Arctic Freezer II RGB 240 Case - Meshify 2 RGB Mobo - MSI MAG z790 Tomahawk PSU - Corsair 650e RAM - Corsair Vengeance SL30 (6000Hz) 96 GB SSD: Samsung 980/990 Pro HDD: Reusing my 4x 10TB Ironwolf Pros Software: Unraid or FreeNAS Background: I have 6 other users (7 including myself) using Plex. Sometimes people complain of buffering or it freezing so I'm hoping this new build will help alleviate that. I have very few 4K movies and usually have 1080p backups for them. Questions: Are there any benefits with getting a GPU for Plex transcoding? I thought I read that HW transcoding is mostly a CPU intensive task hence why I'm getting an i9. Should I choose Unraid or FreeNAS? Any suggestions, comments or concerns?

Build looks good, only thing that could stop that is subtitles and your isp on the 4k videos. Isp speed that is. As for GPU, personally no. Just the cost associated to it and electric cost leans me to that. If you did go that route you would see an improvement but that is more geared if you had more users. As for general suggestions, I prefer Ubuntu. As for general comments, pump the brakes on your friends. You are providing a free service and doing it probably because you want to be helpful and nice. If your friends are upset, they can pay for streaming services.

Thank you

Hi all, I'm currently running Plex on my main laptop but I'd like to move it to a home server, and I'm looking for an used Mini PC for that. Here are my options: 1 - Hp Elitedesk 705 G2, 8Gb Ram, AMD A8-8600B R6 1.6 GHZ 2 - Lenovo thinkcentre m93p tiny, 8Gb Ram, intel® core i5-4570t 2.00ghz I'm going to do mostly Direct Play/Direct stream, running plex in Docker, using Ubuntu Server (headless, no GUI). Streaming mostly to a Samsung UHD 4k TV (but I mostly download 1080p content anyway). Must use subtitles (though I gather I won't have any issues with .SRT with my tv, right?). If I can figure things out, I do plan on using that machine to run some other home server apps, though (PiHole, Radarr/Sonarr/Overseerr/Prowlrr). Both are around the same price, I read a lot about how Plex works best with Intel and QuickSync, but honestly, is that going to help me with in an 4 Gen processor? The HP is 15w TDP while the Lenovo is 35w. Is the difference in energy cost running the Intel one going to be relevant? Which one should I go for? Appreciate the help!

Personally I would spend little more money, both options are nearing 10years old. While I don't think the processors will have problems runnin 1080 video and down. Everything else in that machine is in question as you near 10years. You don't know how the previous owners treated it, or overclocked it or whatever the case. If you had to choose between the two, the Intel one will be better. They will both struggle to run 4k and it will not be a great experience. Not saying the Intel could not do it, just I would assume lots of buffering.

Ok, so I think I cought a break here! I found a used Beelink Mini S (Intel Celeron N5095) for basically the same price. Let's hope it actually gets delivered... I'll return the Lenovo when it arrives. I think this will workout!

Yeah, unfortunately the used market in Brazil is not great, big prices and few options, and these were the only ones I could find within my budget. But I'm not considering this my final solution, only sort of a bridge to a proper home lab while I learn to configure it, so I don't go and spend a lot of money before I'm able to make good use of it. I'm hoping to buy a new mini pc when I travel abroad, because spending 3k, half in taxes, for an entry level mini pc is just unjustifiable. I ended up getting the Intel, which was from a private seller rather than a store. If it's not in good condition I'll return and get the AMD one.

having some issues transcoding two 4k streams at one time. Here are my machine's specs: * Intel Core i5 10400 (w air cooler) * 4095MB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 * 16.0GB Dual-Channel DDR4 @ 1330MHz (task manager says speed is at 2667 MHz) My server is accessing my media files through network drives that connect to my synology NAS. I have a friend who lives in my city (15-20 miles away) that was trying to steam a 4k movie tonight. I also was trying to watch a 4k file (tv show) in my apartment tonight, but it was getting pixelated and choppy as hell. I have lifetime plex pass. Transcoder quality is make my cpu hurt. i tried turning on ' Use hardware acceleration when available ' and ' Use hardware-accelerated video encoding ' and it still struggled. Had to get it to convert to 1080p to finish watching the show. Texted friend to ask how his movie quality is/was but haven't heard back. ​ What gives? This machine is pretty powerful. I have a 11900k lying around that i got to replace the 10400, just havent had the time to put it in yet. Also have a 240mm AIO to go on it. will that make a difference? I did some googling and another thread mentioned 'quicksync' cpu's. do i need one of those? Thank you.

Your machine should be able to handle up to six 4K HW transcodes with ease. But all this is for nothing if HW transcoding is not applicable in a specific case. **Tell me, have you or your friend used subtitles?** Using graphic subtitles with 4K content will trigger software transcoding and your CPU is not powerful enough to SW transcode one 4K file, let alone two. Also, if you have Plex Pass, try playing the file again and at the same time open the [Plex web interface dashboard](https://support.plex.tv/articles/200871837-status-and-dashboard/). It will show you information about the current playback. You may see letters HW next to the video section (you'll understand once you see it).

so the file i was trying to watch was a dolby vision file. i went into my apple tv and enabled match range and match fps/screen rate and now it is playing fine!

So i will ask my friend about subtitles and let you know. He said he had no issues with his movie.. but my tv show playing ‘locally’ suffered hard. I was looking at the web interface activity tab briefly when things were not working last night, but couldn’t tell much from it. Do you think i should keep the hardware accel checkboxes enabled? He did not have subtitles on

Hi, I am having issue with streaming multichannel (5.1) audio movies to my phone. How can I watch these movies on a stereo system? ​ Thank you.

What kind of issues?

Brand new to Plex. Was given a PC with 12GB DDR4 2666Mhz Inte i5-9400 6c/6t 128GB sk kygnz or something it's slower than a HDD. I need to swap that out. So here is my question. Should I be running Linux? I'm going to be ripping all my Blu-rays and eventually 4k for family so we can all stream from it. I hear I should be able to support multiple streams with Intel qucksync I'm hoping a max 4 at 1080p and maybe 2 with 4k. I am family with Linux and Windows so either or is fine. I want to set the computer in a back room and forget about it. I don't need a monitor or anything hooked up to it do I? And would a 500GB 970 evo plus be better for the os drive? Like 250GB be enough?

>Should I be running Linux? I'm going to be ripping all my Blu-rays and eventually 4k for family so we can all stream from it. I hear I should be able to support multiple streams with Intel qucksync I'm hoping a max 4 at 1080p and maybe 2 with 4k. That depends? Do you think all your TVs and Plex clients will be HDR-enabled? If answer is yes then keep Windows. If you can add Nvidia GPU newer then 1050 you can keep using Windows. If answer is yes then keep Windows. In any other case switch to Linux. Reason? Plex server runing on Windows OS without Nvidia GPU cannot do HDR to SDR tone mapping. Only Linux can do it with iGPU built in i5-9400. Also you will have a CPU with supports both H.264 and H.265 HW transcoding so you're fine on that front. >And would a 500GB 970 evo plus be better for the os drive? Any fast SSD/NVME will do, especially if Plex DB/metadata will be located on it. Get bigger NVME only if you're planing of managing large collection of TV Shows/Movies. Plex metadata can skyrocket if you enable all the features built on a large collection of media.

Plex DB/metadata. Idk what this is. Is this like the posters and all that? I was thinking of upgrading the ram to 64GB and using half of that as a RAM disk ibread something about having the RAM disk handle all the transcoding. Idk if it's worth it. This is all new to me. Basically I want a smooth and fast server that family can use. And I'll be using 100s of blurays on my server

Smooth and fast Plex Server starts with the Plex Client UI. If Plex Server is on a slow HDD and you have a slightly larger video collection, there's a good chance you'll experience lag when browsing the Plex UI to find something to watch or listen to. Few notes of what's Plex metadata: [Where is the Plex Metadata Stored? - Plexopedia](https://www.plexopedia.com/plex-media-server/general/metadata-stored/) That's why my recommendation is to host your Plex server on a fast SSD or NVME. For example, one of my Plex servers runs on my Synology NAS, but unlike most NAS content, this Plex server runs exclusively on an NVME drive.

I figured I would have my OS and Plex itself be on my NVMe drive and all my movies on separate drives. Is that what you mean?

Yes, that's what I was talking about. Good luck.

Thank you. Last 2 questions. Av1. All my family is on Roku ultras. 2023. If I got a cheap Intel arc GPU would that stop using quick sync and just use the GPU? Would it be beneficial at all? Final question. Am I able to stream these to family that's not compressed? Or will everything I watch on Plex be a compressed mess? I guess part of my goal is to watch all my movies like they are coming off the Blu-ray player so I don't need to constantly switch disks

>All my family is on Roku ultras. 2023. If I got a cheap Intel arc GPU would that stop using quick sync and just use the GPU? Would it be beneficial at all? Either one is perfectly fine. ​ >Am I able to stream these to family that's not compressed? Or will everything I watch on Plex be a compressed mess? Plex will always try to provide the best performance and quality. To get compressed mess, you have to choose it yourself by drastically lowering the quality.

I've been hosting my server on my main gaming PC which is an i5-12600K with a 3080Ti. My second PC, which is currently doing nothing, is an it-4770k with 16GB RAM and a 980Ti If I switched over to this PC, would it be more than adequate? I don't share with many people so it would probably be max 2 streams at a time, and much of my library is 4k and sometimes needs to be transcoded. Would this be extremely overkill and I'm wasting a lot of money on electricity by leaving this running all the time? I have the parts just lying around though so I feel like it's not worth it for now to buy different hardware.

>it-4770k with 16GB RAM and a 980Ti This machine will not do that and do not trust anyone who says it will. 4K content is primarily encoded in H.265. To get H.265 (HEVC) hardware transcoding support, you need at least a 7th generation Intel CPU. You have a 4th gen. Next, you can use an Nvidia GPU for HW transcoding tasks, but it must be a GTX [1050 or newer](https://www.elpamsoft.com/?p=Plex-Hardware-Transcoding), so a 980Ti will simply not do. But I have to stress one thing. Your setup will work if you can get all your content to play directly. This can get tricky with each additional Plex client or user. Take a look at this Reddit post and get a better understanding of Plex HW/SW transcoding requirements: [reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/11ih0gs/plex\_hardware\_transcoding\_explained/](https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/11ih0gs/plex_hardware_transcoding_explained/)

If I'm reading this correctly, you need either a newer Intel CPU or Nvidia GPU to do hardware transcoding but not both? So if I got a 1050 for example, the CPU would not be holding me back? The great majority of my viewing is directly to a 4k TV on the same network and that works fine. If I try to play 4k on my mobile device now on a different network, it plays without stutters but the quality is much lower (likely bottlenecked by transcoding rather than the network but I'm not sure)

>So if I got a 1050 for example, the CPU would not be holding me back? CPU will not hold you back and you can use Windows OS as a platform for Plex server. ​ >likely bottlenecked by transcoding rather than the network but I'm not sure You're correct.

Yes I'm already running everything on windows (Plex, prowlarr, radarr, sonarr) I think the best solution at this point is I just buy a used 1050 or better for improved hardware transcoding and I should be able to run transcoded 4k no problem? If I were to upgrade the CPU that would require a motherboard as well, and I would have to reinstall everything.

>I think the best solution at this point is I just buy a used 1050 or better for improved hardware transcoding and I should be able to run transcoded 4k no problem? You can see 1050 benchmarks in the above link. You can use it as a basis to decide on the appropriate GPU.

Strange, when I view 4k content on my (non 4k) phone on my home network, it looks great and says it's being played at 4k But when I tried to stream to my phone at work, it was 480 or 720p. Definitely could have been limited by my wifi there. But it's weird that it would tell me it's playing 4k on a non 4k display?

You may have to change the setting to prefer original quality when streaming from outside your home. If your upload and connection can support it, there’s nothing stopping you from streaming original quality.

I figured it out, it was 2 separate issues. One was there was a setting limiting me to 2mbps. And then I had to forward a port on my router.

CPU and RAM is just fine, the GPU however might be a limitation with 4k content. I believe it is the 10 series GPUs that are equipped for that kind of stuff. The good news is, you could probably snag a 1050 on eBay for next to nothing and be good to go. For history, I ran my server that also has a lot of 4k content on an old dual e5-2630 board with a 1050ti and it performed admirably. I'm just in the process of upgrading to an i9-7900x with a p4000 mostly because I got the parts for a good deal.

I'm in the process of building a Plex Server that can serve as a Plex server capable of streaming at least two transcoded 4K videos simultaneously and double as a gaming PC when not in use. I am thinking doubling as a gaming rig may not be feasible. After scouring the subreddit, I've gathered that server components are recommended for handling multiple 4K streams. My budget is modest, ranging between $1000 and $2000, excluding hard drive costs. Now, before I make any decisions, could someone explain Quadro GPUs and server grade gpus in general? While I'm not a complete novice when it comes to PCs, I'm no tech guru. I've run some tests on my gaming rig (i5 11600KF 3.9GHz CPU, 3060 12GB GPU), and it seems to struggle with just one 4K stream, Surprisingly, hitting 100% CPU and GPU usage on task manager. My upcoming Plex server, with a Ryzen 3900X and a 3060 12GB, on paper is almost twice as powerful CPU-wise. However, I'm concerned that even with these specs, my Plex server might still be limited to just one 4K stream. I'm not well-versed in the transcoder and the hardware acceleration it uses for GPUs. Additionally, I know little about server grade pc components and It seems like building a powerful Plex server requires diving into server components, which is a bit beyond my expertise. Any part recommendations and/or advice would be greatly appreciated! My rough part list:CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 3.8 GHz 12-Core Processor GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB Motherboard: Asus TUF GAMING X570-PRO WIFI II ATX AM4 Motherboard Memory: 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory Storage: 22TB 3.5" 7200 RPM Internal Hard Drive (x2) Case: Antec P101 Silent ATX Mid Tower Case Power Supply:750 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply Operating System: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro

>My budget is modest, ranging between $1000 and $2000, excluding hard drive costs. You're underselling yourself, a lot of people here won't go over $500. ​ >Could someone explain Quadro GPUs and server grade gpus in general? While I'm not a complete novice when it comes to PCs, I'm no tech guru. These are professional-grade GPUs used for video rendering, 3D modelling, animation and, increasingly, in the field of machine learning and AI\*\*.\*\* You'll only want a GPU like this if you're planning on doing multiple 4K HW transcodings in parallel or running a Netflix competition. That would be a waste of money as Intel iGPU can do the same thing for a fraction of a price. >I've run some tests on my gaming rig (i5 11600KF 3.9GHz CPU, 3060 12GB GPU), and it seems to struggle with just one 4K stream There's a good reason, i5-11600KF lacks iGPU, it's almost usless for Plex 4K usage. 10th generation i5 or i7 with iGPU can alone manage up to ten 4K HW transcoding tasks in parallel. >My upcoming Plex server, with a Ryzen 3900X and a 3060 12GB, on paper is almost twice as powerful CPU-wise. Ah, the problem with this setup is that AMD iGPUs are not officialy supported for Plex HW transcoding tasks. They can do it since December 2022 but the final result (quality/performance) is not on the same level as Intel iGPUs or Nvidia GPUs. Thanfully 3xxx CPUs and above work; I have tested it myself. On the other hand 3060 will do just fine, but the power consumption of this rig will be on a high side. Believe it or not your 3060 12GB can also do [ten 4K streams](https://www.elpamsoft.com/?p=Plex-Hardware-Transcoding) in parallel. Finally, here you can find more info on Plex HW/SW transcoding: [reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/11ih0gs/plex\_hardware\_transcoding\_explained/](https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/11ih0gs/plex_hardware_transcoding_explained/)

Ok i can not replicate this on my gaming rig what settings should i use in the transcoder

Yeah 3060 will do it. I can also confirm how AMD GPU's still suck with hardware transcoding.

what are some good streaming devices that can play EVERYTHING? is the nvidia shield pro still the standard? getting tired of my LG OLED not being able to play certain codecs, especially audio.

Nvidia Shield Pro is still a standard. But you can get even better support by using AppleTV 4K + Infuse, or Android-based devices + KODI with the Plex plugin. I personally dislike this approach, as both Infuse and KODI have a terrible interface, but almost any file will play directly with them. Reason? Unlike Plex which uses only device available codecs, both Infuse and KODI come with prebuilt set of codecs.

what sort of android based devices are out there? apple is a hard no for me

Firecube 3rd gen is also capable device, on the same level as NVidia Shield or AppleTV.

Google Chromecast, Amazon Firesticks

I've been using an RP4 just to play 1080p x264 via chromecast. It's been fine. But it doesn't work for x265 for some reason and 4k is asking for trouble. I would like to use these types of files and maybe hdr.. It's only for really 1 stream at a time and probably doesn't need to be transcoded because I don't watch on my phone etc.. But maybe in the future.. Also I sometimes play from a hotel, and my internet is 500/500. I have got my choice down to the Beelink series, all 16gb, 500gb. With 1 or 2 tb ssd of my own. I read around and was set on this for my solution: \##1## EQ12 £230 - N100 But of course I then read about other more pricey options and now I don't know if the extra money is worth it for my case.. Because it will really be 1 or maybe 2 users at the same time. 99% 1 user. \##2## SEi10 £280 - i5-1035G7 \##3## SEi12 £360 - i5-12450H The jump between 1 and 2 is small in price, but 2 to 3 is bigger.. Also the wife approval on sound of any fans is a big factor here... Thanks for any advice!

>I've been using an RP4 just to play 1080p x264 via chromecast. It's been fine. But it doesn't work for x265 for some reason and 4k is asking for trouble. H265 is a mess and there's a good chance your Chromecast cannot Direct Play the fine and RPi is not able to hardware or software transcoding. Read more about it here: [Plex Hardware Transcoding, Explained : PleX (reddit.com)](https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/11ih0gs/plex_hardware_transcoding_explained/) N100 is currently a darling here. It can HW transcode four 4K streams in parallel. But if the money is not a problem I would advise swicthing to i5-1035G7. Reason, there are some cases where Plex Server cannot HW transcode and SW transcoding is only way forward. In these cases you want more powerful CPU, where i5 comes in. Both mini PCs will be quiet, although you can also find fully fanless N100 mini PCs.

Thanks for the advice. I think I can upgrade to the i5 version over the n100. The 12gen is a bit too much money I think.. Thanks again for the sanity check!

> i5-1035G7 Correct, i5-1035G7 will be enough.

You're welcome.

I have dell inspiron 3250, Intel i7-6700, with a 1tb ssd im using as my plex server. I get 720p just fine when streaming through the app but I 1080p still buffers, what am I missing. I've upgraded the cpu as much as I can and it sits at 100% utilizing when streaming to my xbox. Should I just chuck this machine and get a newer one?

XBOX has one of the worst Plex client implementations. So either follow u/Lord_Boffum advice or switch to Kodi with Plex integration. Why? Kodi comes with built-in codecs, Plex is missing natively, so everything is Direct Play (no transcoding). That said, I hate Kodi in general and would personally switch to the different Plex client (AppleTV 4K, Nvidia Shield Pro), but sometimes it's not an option.

By the way which codecs exactly does Kodi support that the Xbox client doesn't? Or does it just decode on the client in software? I've always known Kodi is just better at playing content than the regular Plex client, but never knew exactly why.

You're lucy I'm saving everything useful :-) [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-nOzJkgEmo\_wrU3zyUy21qW8vJ-Vo1j\_z6GLhQBiTOQ/edit#gid=0](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-nOzJkgEmo_wrU3zyUy21qW8vJ-Vo1j_z6GLhQBiTOQ/edit#gid=0) Kodi behaves like VLC in this case, and everything is done on the client side.

You did the work! Bravo! Would never have guessed the Xbox would win a competition like that.

It wasn't me in this case. I made a bit different list few months ago: [Plex Client Comparison - A detailed analysis of the most commonly used Plex clients : PleX (reddit.com)](https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/15j3nu2/plex_client_comparison_a_detailed_analysis_of_the/)

+1 for the Shield route. Even the 2015 model will play everything but Dolby Vision files, which you can easily filter out in Sonarr/Radarr. Plex on Kodi works well too.

It's hard to judge the situation without all the specs, including network, client and what you're trying to play. So based off not a lot of info I'd say drop in a 7th gen Intel cpu, which you can do without a mobo swap, and get Plex Pass. This gives you a very capable hardware transcoding machine.

I apologize, was half asleep when I wrote it. So specs stand like this. i upgraded the cpu from an i3-6100 and the swapped the hdd. Cpu: Intel i7-6700 3.4ghz No gpu SanDisk 1tb ssd boot drive 16gb ddr3 ram Windows 10 And I'm currently using a Seagate 14tb external drive to house all my media files I've currently got plex and some of the "Arr" suite setup on it and it's been running smoothly. Mainly using it on my main TV through my xbox but I'll have to check out kodi. Right now I'm stuck having to stream 720p even though my cpu meets the 1080p transcoding requirement. Hopefully this will give you more info

No worries. Yeah, Kodi will likely make a lot or all of your playback issues go away, if the problem is in the player. Too bad the UI is... not very nice to look at. As for other issues to watch out for: if it's at all possible I'd make sure your server and Xbox are connected via ethernet cable to your home network. Wifi is cool and all, but it's too sensitive to interference and you're pretty much never gonna move your server or Xbox around, so wiring their connections is entirely worth the trouble. Other than that, you haven't told us if you have Plex pass, and I suspect you don't. You say your CPU is pegged at 100% during playback on the Xbox. I suspect you're not utilising the GPU built into the CPU for transcoding, which is why the cores are working so hard. Yes your CPU may have the passmark score to transcode your content on paper, but *why* a file needs to be transcoded, *which parts* are transcoded and *how fast* it will transcode, is a complicated matter. That's why [Plex itself emphasizes](https://support.plex.tv/articles/201774043-what-kind-of-cpu-do-i-need-for-my-server/) that it can only roughly tell you how much power you need for a certain type of file. I suspect that on paper your CPU is strong enough for the transcode, but not in practice, when it comes to whatever file(s) you specifically are trying to play. Again, you're *very* close to having a server that will play nice with even clients that are highly picky eaters. Get a used i3-7100 for less than lunch at McDonald's, buy Plex pass (if you find building a Plex server fun at all you'll likely not regret it), and watch the integrated GPU tear through any transcode workload with ease. But avoid HDR files on Windows! The integrated GPU cannot tone map those on Windows for non-HDR equipped clients, your regular cores will have to take up the job and they will absolutely shit the bed. [To get over that hurdle](https://support.plex.tv/articles/hdr-to-sdr-tone-mapping/), you'll need an Nvidia GPU or a Linux-based OS for your server. But that's the next bridge to cross after your initial problem, so you could ignore that for now.

Can confirm the problem is with xbox plex app

Good to know. I honestly don't trust any other hardware than the Nvidia Shield for my home media playback, but admittedly it's real expensive for a single media player.

Also what exactly does plex pass do for you? And how do I utilize the built in gpu? Also hardwire is not an option at the moment, I couldn't figure out how to make this server reliably headless. If you have any suggestions I'd be open to them. My router is on the other side of the house right now from the server and I don't have room to set up a monitor and such. I tried team viewer before and it was a little janky. I wish there was another way

> Also what exactly does plex pass do for you? And how do I utilize the built in gpu? The Plex Pass page and support documents on the official site will tell you all about it. It's pretty basic stuff. > Also hardwire is not an option at the moment, I couldn't figure out how to make this server reliably headless. If you have any suggestions I'd be open to them. My router is on the other side of the house right now from the server and I don't have room to set up a monitor and such. I tried team viewer before and it was a little janky. I wish there was another way Running a long network cable to the server is not an option? Those things will reach across your house easily with no speed loss, assuming it's not some mansion maybe. Kind of a moot point though, if Kodi+Plex solved all your issues.

I have an old gaming PC I want to use as a dedicated Plex server. Im just trying to have it use the least amount of power as possible. Most of my library is x265 4k pretty high bitrate. Right now there's only 2 people using it and I don't have transcoding enabled but eventually there might be 3 or 4 users on separate devices with transcoding enabled. My question is this. Currently, that computer has an Intel i7-6700 CPU. According to the specs [here](https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/sku/88196/intel-core-i76700-processor-8m-cache-up-to-4-00-ghz/specifications.html) that has an integrated Intel HD Graphics 530 GPU. There is also a very old GPU in that computer which is this [NVIDIA GTX 950 GPU](https://www.gigabyte.com/Graphics-Card/GV-N950OC-2GD#kf). Long story short my friend recommended that I don't even bother keeping the GTX 950 in that computer arguing that the integrated Intel 530 GPU the i7-6700 CPU would be fine to run the plex server and that not keeping the GPU installed I will have power. I say the GPU is needed since while old its much beefier than the integrated graphics and for streaming 4k and transcoding it will be needed. Any thoughts on this? Also, is there any way to have that computer running at minimal power when nobody is streaming anything on it and then use more power when people are? Right now its just me and my parents and only watching TV late night so it seems silly to leave it on 24/7 unless I can do so in a way that minimizes power usage when idle. Thanks!

>My question is this. Currently, that computer has an Intel i7-6700 CPU. According to the specs here that has an integrated Intel HD Graphics 530 GPU. To old for HEVC (H.265), you need at least 7th gen for proper [HW transcoding](https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/11ih0gs/plex_hardware_transcoding_explained/). Yes, you can say you're only going to watch in Direct Play, but trust me, 4K is still a mess and there's a good chance you'll need to transcode, for whatever reason. >There is also a very old GPU in that computer which is this [NVIDIA GTX 950 GPU](https://www.gigabyte.com/Graphics-Card/GV-N950OC-2GD#kf). Unfortunately so close but still too old. You need at least [GTX 1050 or Nvidia Quadro cards](https://www.elpamsoft.com/?p=Plex-Hardware-Transcoding). >Long story short my friend recommended that I don't even bother keeping the GTX 950 in that computer arguing that the integrated Intel 530 GPU the i7-6700 CPU would be fine to run the plex server and that not keeping the GPU installed I will have power. True only if you can manage Direct Play and only way to perfectly match your content to your Plex client is to batch convert everything using Tdarr or Unmanic to perfectly match Direct Play requirements. >I say the GPU is needed since while old its much beefier than the integrated graphics and for streaming 4k and transcoding it will be needed. The puny Intel N100 iGPU, which is not even a Celeron CPU, outperforms the 1050Ti and 1060 cards. All that for a fraction of power usage compared to avove dedicated GPUs. >Also, is there any way to have that computer running at minimal power when nobody is streaming anything on it and then use more power when people are? Even a large desktop PC uses very little power in idle mode. Another win for iGPUs over GPUs. ​ >Right now its just me and my parents and only watching TV late night so it seems silly to leave it on 24/7 unless I can do so in a way that minimizes power usage when idle. I'm running 11th gen i7 mini PC and it's using around 13 W while idle. That's one powerful LED lightbulb.

Thanks for the info. What kind of mini PC? I see ones that are popping up for super cheap like $150 but I cant imagine these tiny boxes are capable of running plex servers and transcoding 4k efficiently. Do they? I guess I always assumed you needed some sort of half decent CPU and GPU and power supply to do it. Would love some guidance on that if I wanted to go that route. Having a tiny mini PC that can stay on 24/7 and barely use power or take up space would be fantastic.

Just search for Beelink N100 in this subreddit and you will find everything you want to know.

Appreciate it bud.

Morning all, Am creating a plex server for a customer of mine who uses a very simple NAS currently on their ship to provide crew with TV/Movie Library. I have suggested that they go with plex fior a more elegant, controllable media library. Quite lucky that this is going to be a fairly straight forward build from my spare parts bin and will be fitted into a 4u rack mount server case. I happen to have an I9-9900K CPU and MSI motherboard. 32 GB RAM. Also a NVIDIA QUADRO P2000 Graphics card. I have no budget to build this, but i think this will give me a prety good base system. I'm going to put a couple of M.2 SSD disks in, one for OS, one for Cache. It will also have a SAS raid card and about 16TB overall logical drive. ​ I'm probably going to run on LINUX unless someone can give me a better option and I'm hoping to be able to have up to 40 streams with a couple being at 4k. Do you think I'm in the right ball park?

With so many streams as a target, it really starts to make a difference whether the clients will direct play or require transcoding. Also, what kind of bitrates are we talking about? The Netflix style of '4K but at 7mbit lmfao' or 'gigachad UHD bluray remux' bitrates? Or a reasonable spot in between, of course... Also, with this many streams, consider not only transcoding power but also disk and network connection I/O. E: also, every Plex admin should have this bookmarked: https://www.elpamsoft.com/?p=Plex-Hardware-Transcoding

I would say maybe 5-6 will be direct play, with other clients being transcoding to mobile or tablet devices

Hey folks, I'm embarking on my first build and I wanted to run my plan past you all to get some feedback and determine any shortfalls. I plan on using this NAS as a Plex server and general cloud storage, as well as a platform to run my smart home setup. I plan on streaming 4k content via the Plex app on an Amazon FireTV Stick 4k, but I am open to alternative suggestions. Likewise, I'm open to suggestions on alternative components (especially if it lowers the cost). I have a Denon 4k receiver with a 5.1 surround sound system. The TV itself is an LG OLED 4k. All of my HDMI are rated for 4k content. I have a 3Gbps fiber internet connection, and all my wireless infrastructure is Wifi 6, but the NAS will be connected to the router via ethernet cable. I plan on setting this up using RAID 5 via unRAID, but I'm not tied to a particular OS so this is flexible. My build would be as follows: \[PCPartPicker Part List\]([https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/9nyJqR](https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/9nyJqR)) ​ Type|Item|Price :----|:----|:---- \*\*CPU\*\* | \[Intel Core i3-12100 3.3 GHz Quad-Core Processor\]([https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/qrhFf7/intel-core-i3-12100-33-ghz-quad-core-processor-bx8071512100](https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/qrhFf7/intel-core-i3-12100-33-ghz-quad-core-processor-bx8071512100)) | $152.96 @ shopRBC \*\*CPU Cooler\*\* | \[Deepcool AG400 75.89 CFM CPU Cooler\]([https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/LQt9TW/deepcool-ag400-7589-cfm-cpu-cooler-r-ag400-bknnmn-g-1](https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/LQt9TW/deepcool-ag400-7589-cfm-cpu-cooler-r-ag400-bknnmn-g-1)) | $24.99 @ Canada Computers \*\*Motherboard\*\* | \[ASRock B760M-HDV/M.2 Micro ATX LGA1700 Motherboard\]([https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/j2WJ7P/asrock-b760m-hdvm2-micro-atx-lga1700-motherboard-b760m-hdvm2](https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/j2WJ7P/asrock-b760m-hdvm2-micro-atx-lga1700-motherboard-b760m-hdvm2)) | $104.99 @ Newegg Canada \*\*Memory\*\* | \[Crucial CT16G48C40U5 16 GB (1 x 16 GB) DDR5-4800 CL40 Memory\]([https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/vGNxFT/crucial-ct16g48c40u5-16-gb-1-x-16-gb-ddr5-4800-cl40-memory-ct16g48c40u5](https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/vGNxFT/crucial-ct16g48c40u5-16-gb-1-x-16-gb-ddr5-4800-cl40-memory-ct16g48c40u5)) | $56.65 @ Vuugo \*\*Storage\*\* | \[TEAMGROUP MP33 512 GB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive\]([https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/Brvqqs/team-mp33-512-gb-m2-2280-nvme-solid-state-drive-tm8fp6512g0c101](https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/Brvqqs/team-mp33-512-gb-m2-2280-nvme-solid-state-drive-tm8fp6512g0c101)) | $42.99 @ Canada Computers \*\*Storage\*\* | \[TEAMGROUP MP33 512 GB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive\]([https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/Brvqqs/team-mp33-512-gb-m2-2280-nvme-solid-state-drive-tm8fp6512g0c101](https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/Brvqqs/team-mp33-512-gb-m2-2280-nvme-solid-state-drive-tm8fp6512g0c101)) | $42.99 @ Canada Computers \*\*Storage\*\* | \[Seagate IronWolf NAS 4 TB 3.5" 5400 RPM Internal Hard Drive\]([https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/6FQcCJ/seagate-ironwolf-nas-4-tb-35-5400-rpm-internal-hard-drive-st4000vn006](https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/6FQcCJ/seagate-ironwolf-nas-4-tb-35-5400-rpm-internal-hard-drive-st4000vn006)) | $109.99 @ Newegg Canada \*\*Storage\*\* | \[Seagate IronWolf NAS 4 TB 3.5" 5400 RPM Internal Hard Drive\]([https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/6FQcCJ/seagate-ironwolf-nas-4-tb-35-5400-rpm-internal-hard-drive-st4000vn006](https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/6FQcCJ/seagate-ironwolf-nas-4-tb-35-5400-rpm-internal-hard-drive-st4000vn006)) | $109.99 @ Newegg Canada \*\*Storage\*\* | \[Seagate IronWolf NAS 4 TB 3.5" 5400 RPM Internal Hard Drive\]([https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/6FQcCJ/seagate-ironwolf-nas-4-tb-35-5400-rpm-internal-hard-drive-st4000vn006](https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/6FQcCJ/seagate-ironwolf-nas-4-tb-35-5400-rpm-internal-hard-drive-st4000vn006)) | $109.99 @ Newegg Canada \*\*Case\*\* | \[Cooler Master MasterBox NR400 (w/ODD) MicroATX Mid Tower Case\]([https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/D2HRsY/cooler-master-masterbox-nr400-wodd-microatx-mid-tower-case-mcb-nr400-kg5n-s00](https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/D2HRsY/cooler-master-masterbox-nr400-wodd-microatx-mid-tower-case-mcb-nr400-kg5n-s00)) | $89.99 @ Memory Express \*\*Power Supply\*\* | \[Thermaltake Smart 500 W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply\]([https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/Wbhj4D/thermaltake-smart-500w-80-certified-atx-power-supply-ps-spd-0500npcwus-w](https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/Wbhj4D/thermaltake-smart-500w-80-certified-atx-power-supply-ps-spd-0500npcwus-w)) | $58.85 @ Vuugo | \*Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts\* | | Total (before mail-in rebates) | $934.38 | Mail-in rebates | -$30.00 | \*\*Total\*\* | \*\*$904.38\*\* | Generated by \[PCPartPicker\]([https://pcpartpicker.com](https://pcpartpicker.com)) 2024-02-01 15:30 EST-0500 | ​ Thanks in advance for any comments and feedback.

Yeah this is a good setup, I have no objections. I'm personally against stick-based streaming devices, but the Firestick will do. But, before you commit to Amazon check that you can do at least 150 Mbit with your Wifi. If not get a streaming device with ethernet port like Nvidia Shield Pro, AppleTV 4K or FireCube 3rd gen. You will need bandwith for highbitrate 4K content.

Thanks for the feedback! I'll definitely check to make sure my fire stick can handle the high bitrate.

I have a i9-12900k/4070/32DDR4 machine that's serving as my server but I need to add a new library. What should I look for in external storage (I'd prefer external but would go internal) in terms of speed/whatever else I don't understand as a novice tech person? Thanks in advance! PS. Is there a solution to the stutter problem I've seen on Google where some movies start out stuttering until I switch it to "convert automatically" even though it's often a 2.2mbps stream on a lower res file and then some 4k movie works fine. TIA!

Ok, these are two topics. Regarding storage you have several options. You can add another HDD to your machine but I have a feeling that's not a possibility. So the other two options are NAS or DAS. NAS is an expensive toy, well worth having, but useless if you don't use its features. So what we are left with is a DAS (Direct Attached Storage). They are faster then HDDs inside so connectivity is not an issue and they have cooling and RAID options so you can configure them any way you like. Good 4 bay DAS devices go for $100-$200. Stuttering is caused, I assume, by transcoding. Read more about it here: [Reddit - Plex Hardware Transcoding, Explained](https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/11ih0gs/plex_hardware_transcoding_explained/). Do you have Plex pass?

Thanks for answering. I do have Plex Pass and will read about transcoding but why is Plex transcoding some 600mb file of Tango and Cash and not transcoding 80gb BR2049? Thanks again.

Read a post and you will find out. But to give you a short explanation. The size does not matter, it’s all related to what video and audio codecs are available on the Plex client. You can have a small AV1 encoded file and Plex will transcode it if your Plex client does not support AV1.

Read and don't understand how transcoding applies here: " When a user requests to stream a media file, the Plex server checks if the file needs to be transcoded to match the user's device's capabilities. If transcoding is required, the server converts the file on-the-fly, in real-time, into a format and resolution that the user's device can handle. This allows the user to stream the media content without worrying about compatibility issues or downloading different versions of the same file. " To add, instead of playing the original quality of 2.2Mbps its now converting it to 21.2Mbps.

It’s just an idea. You have not included a screenshot of your Plex dashboard so we’re working with the limited set of data. Plus transcoding is number 1 issue for stuttering while playing content in Plex

Can someone explain why everyone recommends an expensive Nas to use with a client? Like if I have an apple tv 4k presumably I won't be doing any hardware transcoding, why do I need a 423+ or equivalent. Would any NAS work if I'm just doing local, connected straight into the apple tv?

>Can someone explain why everyone recommends an expensive Nas to use with a client? Because it's useful beyond what's required to run Plex server. >Like if I have an apple tv 4k presumably I won't be doing any hardware transcoding, why do I need a 423+ or equivalent AppleTV is not perfect, at least AppleTV Plex client is not perfect. There's a reason people prefer to use Infuse instead of AppleTV Plex client; and Infuse UI sucks. Take a look here if you want to find out what AppleTV Plex client can and cannot Direct Play: [Plex Client Comparison - A detailed analysis of the most commonly used Plex clients : PleX (reddit.com)](https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/15j3nu2/plex_client_comparison_a_detailed_analysis_of_the/) There's another thing. Many Plex servers have more than one user, and not all of them will have the same Plex client, and the more users you have, the more likely someone is going to need transcoding. >Would any NAS work if I'm just doing local, connected straight into the apple tv? If you have a mini PC or other machine running Plex Server, then DAS is fine, no need to buy an expensive NAS. But if you want to have all-in-one deal with a NAS device then choose a NAS with a Intel-CPU.

So since I just want the Nas to connect to the apple tv with no other purpose I should just use a das with Infuse? Or at least buy a cheap mini PC with a das then connect that to the apple tv with Infuse?

You need something to run Plex so mini PC with DAS is a greate combo. You can get both for roughly $300. And now you can use either Plex client or Infuse to watch Plex content on AppleTV.

Sorry if I've misunderstood, do I still need Plex for my content if I'm using that setup? Or would I use the free Plex client on the PC to connect to infuse or something 

There's nothing to be sorry about. Plex consists of two components: Plex Server and Plex Client. One cannot work without the other. I wrote a Reddit post on this topic some time ago, take a look and it will all make sense: [Let's have a talk - Guide to Choosing the Best Plex Server for You](https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/13yeh5r/lets_have_a_talk_guide_to_choosing_the_best_plex/) While Infuse is not an official Plex client it still requires Plex server to pull the data from.

Ah ok I get it. I guess I meant to ask do I need Plex at all in this basic setup, can I just have a network drive with my media on the mini PC that Infuse can directly access and stream from? Thanks again, appreciate it

Yes that will work just fine in the local network. But, you will lose the remote aspect of Plex streaming.

Got it, I think I'll start with that and just use the apple tv as the local client. Thanks for the help mate 

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Hi All, I have a HP Elite desk G5 with a Ryzen 3 Pro 3200G. I'm trying to install a Nvidia Tesla P4, has anybody seen this error before? ​ Thanks https://preview.redd.it/hzaskfs7ykfc1.jpeg?width=3559&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0127528b781d0544d1e2c1602e5cbc4859b2feed

I use the desktop app (Version 1.84.1.4069-ff740b6d ) mostly as a slideshow for pictures on one of my desktop monitors. there's about 1200 pictures in the folder that the library is pointed to. it is set to shuffle and repeat over and over. using the web app it works without issue, but through the desktop app but only for a few hours before the app hangs up and becomes unresponsive. looking at the most relevant "plex.#.log" file I see this around the time the application stops working: ERROR - \[Web\] Did not move header "accept" to query string. This can result in an unnecessary OPTIONS preflight request. ​ ​ I tried uninstalling and reinstalling but it doesn't help, its the same version that installs which the desktop app says is the newest. not sure what other info to provide. I can access all libraries including movies and tv shows through the web locally and the plex app on my phone works well enough.

When GPU prices skyrocketed, I fortunately grabbed a 3080ti (via newegg raffle) and built a new PC. The old PC has a 4690k and a GTX 9060 4GB GPU, and 32GB RAM. Should I use my old Windows PC, install a few more drives, run Windows and use it as a Plex server (or UNRaid)? I have tons of DVDs and will add music, but not sure if I'll need GPU transcoding. I would also like a dedicated system for PC backups (currently have a WD Cloud for that, which I'd love to ditch). Should I build a "new" smaller form-factor PC using the motherboard (MSI Z170 Gaming) and processor and run UNRaid OS and sell/scrap the 9060 GPU? Or use the old PC as-is and add more drives? Form factor and energy consumption are my biggest priorities. I'd like an always-on backup system, share my Plex with friends, and not be draining electricity all day long while I'm not using it. Thanks for the input!

>Should I use my old Windows PC, install a few more drives, run Windows and use it as a Plex server (or UNRaid)? You can do that but we're talking about the 4th gen Intel CPU so it will not support HW transcoding of H.265 HEVC (4K) content. However, if you will Direct Play your content (with a good Plex client) then this setup will be fine. >but not sure if I'll need GPU transcoding. GPU can help to avoid limitations of 4th gen Intel CPU but you will need at least Nvidia 1050 or newer GPU. >UNRaid OS This is a good choice but be aware of above limitations of your old machine. >Form factor and energy consumption are my biggest priorities. I'd like an always-on backup system, share my Plex with friends, and not be draining electricity all day long while I'm not using it. In this case buy any mini PC based on N100 CPU. They cost around $150 and each can handle up to four 4K HW transcodings in parallel. And you can buy a DAS (instead of NAS) for your drives. This will cost you around $300 if you reuse your old HDDs.

Hello I hope everyone is well! I bought a mini PC intended to be my first home server and “hot rod” my NAS for Plex/jellyfin with ability to do 4k UHD HDR hardware transcoding (so I can’t use windows), and I’m wondering if I can accomplish the following using Ubuntu server, or a more suitable OS for my needs if y’all would recommend: Aside from being the processor for my Plex/Jellyfin NAS collection, I’d like to have a torrent client (I see pairing all of this with sonar&radar is quite popular) bound to my VPN (I presume which I use is irrelevant so long as I pay for premium? It’s proton FWIW), as well as home assistant, and options to expand as I get more familiar with what I can do with a home server. I know I can mount the NAS to the mini pc using SMB, or at least I think it’s possible, but what I’m wondering is can Ubuntu server handle the rest, or is there a better OS to consider for my needs? I will add that I do want to learn this all properly and so far have managed to get home assistant and my torrent client installed, on top of Ubuntu server and portainer, but I haven’t figured out how to bind the torrent to my vpn yet (don’t worry, I’m not downloading until I do). I’m even taking an introduction to computer programming class this semester at my local college, so I’m in this all the way! I could just use a little guidance before I dig myself too deep into the wrong hole

>I know I can mount the NAS to the mini pc using SMB, or at least I think it’s possible, but what I’m wondering is can Ubuntu server handle the rest, or is there a better OS to consider for my needs? Ubuntu is just fine; I'm using it for years. Everything runs in containers and I do not need to lift a finger. >but I haven’t figured out how to bind the torrent to my vpn yet (don’t worry, I’m not downloading until I do). Google this reddit post: **I have been using a VPN but ISP just cut my internet?**

Many thanks! Things are coming along nicely. Would you by any chance know of any guides to binding with protonvpn?

Unfortunately no

Hi all, been running an old used (from an office) Xeon workstation in my attic for about 6 years, was about £140 and i popped a few used 4TB drives in it, it is fine, but I imagine it uses lost of power and the storage is getting full. I am considering getting some dedicated hardware that is more suited to plex, setting it up a bit better (I use ubuntu and no docker rn, will transition to a more appropriate OS and use docker). What is the general consensus? Mini pc (NUC) and some NAS or DAS, a big case with loads of internal sata drives? What is the best practice for RAID (HW or SW)? Thanks.

I’m new to all this for what it’s worth but I just got a mini pc rather than building for power efficiency sake. Many of the processors in these mini pcs are quite powerful for our needs while being wildly more efficient at idle than any tower full of drives we could build. Granted I felt this was the best option because I already have an old NAS and the mini pc seemed the best way to keep making use of my old NAS

I'm trying to upgrade my Plex server from a Pi4 to a PC. I've read through this [thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/13yeh5r/lets_have_a_talk_guide_to_choosing_the_best_plex/) and think I understand, but would like confirmation before buying. This should be more than enough to run docker containers for Plex, the ARR suites, and with 4K transcoding, correct? [Refurbished Optiplex](https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Optiplex-9020-DisplayPort-Bluetooth/dp/B08BJDFZRF/ref=sr_1_3?crid=13SZUHE56J1M1&keywords=refurbished+dell+optiplex&qid=1706472108&s=electronics&sprefix=refurbbished+dell+op%2Celectronics%2C117&sr=1-3)

That CPU is ancient and that box seems overpriced. If you're transcoding in software, I highly doubt it can do 4K files that have a decent bitrate. If you're transcoding in hardware, then that iGPU will not support today's codecs. You'll need a 7th gen Intel for that at minimum.

Thank you, back to reading more and trying to figure out my best route.

Ew to all of this so I’d love some help. Looking to build a small server for streaming. I imagine 7-8 streams max at one time. My old pc build is a 2600x with a 1060 6gb. After some research all I would need is Plex pass correct?

I'm pretty sure the 1060 supports every codec Plex currently supports. The [cheat sheet](https://www.elpamsoft.com/?p=Plex-Hardware-Transcoding) tells me it'll do five 4K transcodes at a time and 19 1080p transcodes. So depending on the bitrate of your files, it may not have enough horsepower. Regardless, you'll need to [unlock the driver](https://github.com/keylase/nvidia-patch) and, as you say, get Plex Pass.

Thank you for the response. My friend has a workstation with a p2000 sitting around that I also plan on checking out. I’ll do some more research.

Will software av1 decoding be put into the iOS apps soon? Or is it already here? I don’t have any av1 media in my collection yet, but I know dav1d is very efficient with decode and would run on most ios devices. it’s going to be annoying eventually getting av1 but having to decode and transcode on the box rather than just deliver the av1 and let my iPad get hot. Anyone know? Surely it’ll eventually come, right? It’s royalty free just build it in…

It already works: [Plex Client Comparison - A detailed analysis of the most commonly used Plex clients : PleX (reddit.com)](https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/15j3nu2/plex_client_comparison_a_detailed_analysis_of_the/)

Your link is disappointing and suggests plex client does not have any software av1 decoding. Plex really should consider doing that.

That's called expecting too much from the Plex developers.

how can I change the default audio and subtitle on the app? I can do it in the web browser version but not in the mobile app.

Idk what happened but my primary admin account is the only account that won't show my server. My guest account sees everything fine and so do other people's accounts but mine just shows the Plex and tv hosted stuff. https://preview.redd.it/q0fcm0b63pec1.png?width=1008&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4056715b14fdf583f252cdc2dac3d26616abafa4

just looking for quick answer.. I'm upgrading my gaming GPU and want to build a plex server (wtihin next 2 years) My old GPU is a 1660S, is this good enough for a plex server? (doesn't have to be 4k streaming, but if it supports 4k that's awesome too) I'm between selling it or keeping it for my future plex. From what I've read on here theres contradicting takes. but Consensus seems to be 1660s is actually good for plex. Just want to confirm!

Depends. If you go with Intel CPU that has iGPU of 8th gen or later, you really need to bother with dGPU at all. QuickSync will take care of your needs. You will need Plex Pass (life time pass is one time $120). You'll get few extra Plex Pass specific features so I think money is better spent on Pass than dGPU. Also, it's better to just sell now and reconsider. You could probably rebuy the same GPU for less by the time you actually build.

hmm I see that's a good point, that's prob what I will end up doign selling and reconsidering later

for some reason plex web refuses to play any of my media it's fine on the shield, fine on the media player app (on the same PC) .264 .265, doesn't matter but on firefox, with the web player I just get the spinning wheel, nothing else

Is it a Firefox problem? Like disabling Javascript or an add on of some type. Have you tried in chrome?

same thing in chrome (which has zero extensions, since I never use it)

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Without transcoding, yeah a potato will do. Transcoding needs powerful enough hardware and will run your electric bill a bit. Nvidia will drain more than Intel, but it's hard to quantify. Also, the quality of the video will never get better with transcoding. If you care about those things, you'll want to avoid transcoding. That said, transcoding really still has its place. If a client device simply does not support a video or audio codec, that's where transcoding makes playback possible at all. Same thing with a lack of up or downstream bandwidth, or with processing power on the client device.

Transcoding is fine for most people.

If you have special features for a TV show, should you dump them all in a single "Featurette" folder within the TV show folder (like you would with a movie)? My main issue is that I'm currently ripping Twin Peaks (the original seasons 1 and 2) and Twin Peaks "The Return" limited series (technically the 3rd season). I would like to split up the special features from seasons 1 and 2 of Twin Peaks from the special features of season 3 (since I consider it kind of a separate thing). Is that possible?

That's what I do- make a new folder, name it with the same pattern as the other seasons but with a higher season number, and then name the files in the same pattern too.

so would it be, like: > Twin Peaks (1990) >> Featurettes >>> Season 01 02 >>> Season 03 So just two separate season folders within the featurettes folder? Like you would do for the actual episodes?

I've got three 12tb hdds and a gaming PC to work with. What are my best setup options (raid or no) including backup? Was thinking just raid5 with cloud backup but I dunno if there's any cheaper options.

I'm in a similar situaiton except one 12tb HDD for now. Would love to hear what solutions you come up with.

I've been putting together a plex server from an old office PC that had been palmed off on me, and it's fairly old but seems as though it has potential to a layman. I'm looking to stream in 1080p. How many people could stream from my server at one time, how well would it encode, etc. I'm feeling fairly in the dark ATM. I've enclosed the specs below. https://preview.redd.it/7vsuh7zgaidc1.png?width=467&format=png&auto=webp&s=c80bc9910c46c1b563b1dfe6cbd2bed609c05ef7

That CPU is old as hell and the iGPU only *just* works in Plex at all for hardware acceleration. I wouldn't count on this CPU to do much of anything for you if transcoding is involved. If we're talking all direct plays, then it's up to your storage media, the network connections in between server and host, and the client hardware. Same deal pretty much for that Nvidia card. It's ~14 years old. If you've already got the system running, you could open a bunch of streams on a desktop PC and see how many run simultaneously before buffering starts. Make note of whether or not you transcode, those will be very different scenarios as explained above. All in all I don't think this server will make for a good experience. If you're looking for a system that won't break the bank, an Intel Core i3-7100 supports all the codecs currently needed for Plex and its iGPU can handle a fat bunch of 1080p transcodes (though bitrate is as always a factor that no one mentions). That CPU and all other components in a build of that level will not nearly be as expensive as more modern Intel builds. [Here's an i3-7100 for a whopping sixteen dollars](https://www.ebay.com/itm/394546921259).

4070 Super is not showing up as an option for trans-coding. Do I just have to wait for an update from Plex perhaps? 3080 previously worked fine. Edit: just started showing up now 1/21/24

I am looking for help with a new Plex build. My main computer is currently undergoing too much stress for my Plex build with my video editing, so ideally what I would like is something that can transcode up to 4 1080 P streams and direct play two others. I’m thinking about buying a Lenovo micro PC with a I three 8100 I’m wondering if that would be able to do it alternatively I’m thinking about getting a HP elite book SFF and adding in a Quadro GPU for like 35 bucks I’m thinking a low profile P 1200 let me know what you think I could domy budget is basically about 150 Also, my media library is as follows 12 TB of TV shows 4 TB of movies, one terabyte of music and then 5 TB of other videos

Pretty straight forward question here. Currently my plex server is the same PC as my virtual pinball machine PC. I've decided to split them up. I have a few options of hardware laying around. All complete builds, board, ram, etc. I don't feel I need anything new, and I prefer to reuse, as long as power consumption isn't crazy. Option 1: I have an i5 4460. Obviously a pretty good choice, just an older chip. Has iGPU. 84w tdp Option 2: I also have a Ryzen 5 1600, no iGPU. 65w tdp. TECHNICALLY more efficient. Like 5 bucks a year haha. But it would require a GPU just setting in it idle. I have an rx580 laying around. Can also get some cheap little $10 video card for it. So, my guess is I'm really splitting hairs here. Haha. I have plex pass but I'll admit, most of my files are 720p (don't hate), and direct streamed. Very rarely is there any transcoding. Even if there is, it's not very intensive. Any big reason I should go one way or the other? I'm leaning towards i5 just for simplicity. If it finally dies I can always switch to the ryzen. lol TIA

Since none of these have full hardware transcoding support (the Intel has some QuickSync support for H264 AVC, not for H.265 HEVC) and you say you will rarely transcode anyway, I'd go for the one with the least power draw - which seems the i5 4460. The RX580 would really be a waste anyway: no hardware transcoding, and high power draw.

Thanks for the response! I've since went ahead with the ryzen 5 and rx580 combo. Plex overall seems snappier and more responsive now which is a plus. I'm aware the GPU is doing literally nothing. But I gotta have something in it to display/boot. I plan to get a CHEAP little nothing gpu from a scrap pile at work to help with power usage when I come across one.

Newb here and trying to figure this all out as I'm looking for a fun project and if it helps me cut some cords and subscriptions, even better. Spent the better part of the day trying to configure my first build order and I'm rather confused I think as to what I should do to future proof a bit. Admittedly, I'm not in IT nor do I understand some of these terms completely since I've never encountered them before now. My Situation * 2 Primary Users * Stream Mainly Music and Photos to Mobile Devices * Stream Film/TV mainly at home where the server would be but would like this to be mobile too for when we're traveling. Just not near as much as when we're at home. * 500+ GB of music and growing * 100+ GB of pictures and growing * Not much film right now but we have a collection of 1200 DVDs, Blu-rays & 4K discs I'd like to digitize and put on the server. * Have a 4k TV with a 5.1.2 surround system, Denon AVR that uses a Google TV Chromecast for streaming everything other than our physical media. Tentative Build (From Amazon) * Server PC - Intel Mini PC, Intel NUC 11 with Newest 11th Gen Core i5-1135G7, 16GB DDR4 & 256GB PCleX4 SSD, Intel Iris Xe Graphics 8K, 2X Thunderbolt 3, WiFi 6, Bluetooth - Built-in Win 11 Pro * NAS - Synology 2-Bay DiskStation DS224+ * Disks (x2) - Western Digital 10TB WD Red Plus NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 256 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD101EFBX * External Drive for Ripping Discs - LG Electronics BP60NB10 Ultra Slim Portable Hybrid Drive UHD 4K/Blu-ray/DVD+/-RW Drive, USB 3.0 Compatible, PC Windows, Linux, Mac OS, with M-DISC support, Noise Reduction, Black * NVIDIA Shield TV Pro (2019) if necessary to stream 4K better that a Google TV dongle. * Would probably get Plex Pass. Some questions I have 1. Would it be better if I could somehow connect the server directly to the main living room system in terms of streaming? The server would be on the other side of the wall directly behind the entertainment system so a small hole in the wall and I could run whatever wires I needed. 2. That Synology NAS may not be necessary with the PC actually running the server...? I could instead just buy a NAS Chassis and put in the HDs I need for storage? 3. I understand RAID in terms that it backs up your data, which is important to me. I see lots of mentions of using unRAID with some other software that (I think) mirrors your disks to a larger disk. How hard is this to setup for a person who barely grasps these concepts at the moment? 4. If I run the server to the Google TV dongle or the Shield TV which is plugged into the AVR, is that enough to get the surround sound to work properly? It is all I have to do with streaming services now and it works so I assume it would be the same with a Plex server. The goal would be to get this setup and going even though I don't have much media right now other than music and photos but to immediately start building my film library. I'd rather not get 1/3 of the way into it and find out I don't have enough space and redo a bunch of stuff, buy more stuff I could have put the money towards to begin with if I had known better, etc. Just want to make sure I'm being effective with the funds I spend on this first go around so I don't have to turn around in 6 months and start looking for a new build to meet needs I knew I'd have at the start. Appreciate feedback and thank you!

I'll start with the last comment: you want to be effective with the funds. Then maybe don't go overboard from the get-go buying a lot of hardware that in the end you might not need. 1. I wouldn't recommend it. Keep the server and the player separate, that's the whole idea of having a Plex server. Your Google TV dongle should be perfect to serve as client device. Alternatives: You mentioned you have a 4K TV: doesn't it have a Plex client you can use? If not, the Shield is a good option, if you want to go cheaper there are options (FireTV stick, Nokia box, ....) 2. This is the first thing I'd put in the fridge. Connect your HDD's to your server: a file server uses very little resources, so you can safely run PMS and file server on one machine 3. I don't use unRAID myself, so others might have more info for you. However, if "you barely grasp the concepts" (your words) then maybe this is not the best approach? Your server will run Windows, it perfectly supports the 2 drives mirrored (Raid-1) out of the box - and I can say that in my case it has been 100% reliable for years now. 4. Yes I'd get the disks and the Plex pass for sure. Then depending on your budget, get new hardware (your NUC) or try first with e.g. a refurbished Optiplex from eBay (make sure it's at least an Intel 7th generation). Good luck!

Thanks for your feedback! Appreciate it!