So… I’ve read a little and I think I do not need transcoding, but before I spent a couple of hundreds I wanna make sure!
As far as I have read I only need transcoding, if the devices I want to watch video’s (standard .mkv container with 1080p MP4… h264/5 stuff and so on) with do not support the codecs by itself. So when I can already copy those vid’s on a usb-flash drive and watch it on my tv (which would be the only device that really matters)… I am good without transcoding, right?
So a NAS like https://www.amazon.de/dp/B015JQAWW0/ref=psdc_430138031_t3_B01BVDJGPE?th=1 for storage while the plex media server runs on my PC would do just fine?
My two cents worth.
I went for the cheapest NAS I could find ($159.00 4-bay diskless) and have NO problems at all. I sometimes have 3-9 people streaming and half have to transcode. No one complains to me about buffering issues. I would say you will be just fine if your computer can bare any transcoding.
Thanks NewPlaza.
So: Im fine with any NAS of my preference that can not transcode. If I need it, i can keep the Plex server on my PC; if I dont need it, I can set it up on the NAS and still watch everything that the devices that can play the same media via usb-sticks already.
Sounds about right. I really don’t think you will have issues.
I believe a major issue with streaming is bandwidth, not CPU transcoding. You could have the fastest computer in the world and still have buffer problems if your network is 1Mbs upload.
Just last night I had 6 people streaming and all of them were transcoding(some video, some audio, some both)… No hiccups.
@Nurph said:
As far as I have read I only need transcoding, if the devices I want to watch video’s (standard .mkv container with 1080p MP4… h264/5 stuff and so on) with do not support the codecs by itself.
True, sort of. It depends on if the device supports those codecs via hardware. The video player used on that device can have an impact if hardware decoding is used or not. The Plex app you install will use the hardware codec support only.
So when I can already copy those vid’s on a usb-flash drive and watch it on my tv (which would be the only device that really matters)… I am good without transcoding, right?
Not true. When using a usb-flash drive through your TV, you are using the TV’s special video player. This may use software decoding and bypass any hardware decoding. Your results may not be the same when using the Plex app.
When using a usb-flash drive through your TV, you are using the TV’s special video player. This may use software decoding and bypass any hardware decoding. Your results may not be the same when using the Plex app.
Well that is good to know… so I am buying the cat in the sack Basically this means: No way to really know if it will work or not D:
Except of course I really leave plex on my pc, which would have the disadvantage of it having to be turned on, but I guess: If I can watch the media via plex right now, it will work when it’s on the NAS.
Because then the only difference would be the location… NAS then… usb 3.0 external drive now (which really is horrible performance; it even disconnects regularly)
Except of course I really leave plex on my pc, which would have the disadvantage of it having to be turned on, but I guess: If I can watch the media via plex right now, it will work when it’s on the NAS.
Because then the only difference would be the location… NAS then… usb 3.0 external drive now (which really is horrible performance; it even disconnects regularly)
External drives should not disconnect on their own. You may have other issues if this is happening.
Whops, sorry… with “it’s on the NAS” i meant the media… not plex. In that sentence I meant it to leave on the pc.
External drives should not disconnect on their own. You may have other issues if this is happening.
I don’t know, the issue kinda all get the same when the usb harddrives are nearing full capacity. Like 3.4 of 3.8tb. In usage the drives just disconnect. Maybe its just bad usb controllers. Previous incidents worked fine after ripping apart the external cases and putting the drives into the pc directly.
Before I moved entirely to Plex Cloud I was using a 4TB Seagste Personal Cloud to run PMS. This barely costs more than an equivalent 4TB USB 3.0 external disk drive & must be the least powerful NAS on the market & can only transcode a single audio stream (with luck & a following wind:-) but it still worked fine for me with no remote users no transcoding & Direct Play to Roku 3 & Amazon Fire TV 4K & iPhone 6s Plus. I tested it streaming five simultaneous 1080p video streams without missing a beat.
If you have a good Internet connection before spending any money on hardware just for Plex you really should look at Plex Cloud . It has a limit of three simultaneous transcodes which should suit most domestic arrangements although probably not those who share their libraries with friends & relatives. The only cost on top of Plex Pass is $10/month for G Suite Business for unlimited Google Drive storage.
I have now moved entirely to Plex Cloud as amongst other things it has amazing transcoding performance. I have 4K UHD Blu-ray rips up to 65GB in size with an average bit rate of up to 60Mbps uploaded this to Plex Cloud. These play smoothly on a variety of devices (Roku 3, Web client, iPhone 6s Plus). It defaulted to 4Mbps/720p when played in the web browser on my Retina MacBook Pro but I was able to change to any of the offered data rates at 1080p 8/10/12/20Mbps & it still played smoothly. I used the iPhone both over WiFi & 3G/4G. This is very impressive.
Anyone thinking of buying hardware for their own Plex Server should think again. provided you have a decent Internet connection Plex Cloud can provide a better Plex experience than local hardware & the cost saving is enormous.
@nigelpb said:
The only cost on top of Plex Pass is $10/month for G Suite Business for unlimited Google Drive storage.
So, how much space do you get for $10 a month?
You get unlimited if you are willing to take the chance that they will not enforce their TOS. So far nobody has reported problems but I, for one, will not risk my data and I, even though I own all my media, do not like that it must be stored unencrypted for Plex Cloud to work.
My feeling is that the risks outweigh the rewards but it is a fair value.
BTW: The most important value for your internet is the upload because if your download can support something like Netflix then it should be good enough for Plex Cloud. If you have one of the providers with slow upload then it can take a VERY long time to get a large library into the cloud.
@nigelpb said:
The only cost on top of Plex Pass is $10/month for G Suite Business for unlimited Google Drive storage.
So, how much space do you get for $10 a month?
You get unlimited if you are willing to take the chance that they will not enforce their TOS. So far nobody has reported problems but I, for one, will not risk my data and I, even though I own all my media, do not like that it must be stored unencrypted for Plex Cloud to work.
My feeling is that the risks outweigh the rewards but it is a fair value.
BTW: The most important value for your internet is the upload because if your download can support something like Netflix then it should be good enough for Plex Cloud. If you have one of the providers with slow upload then it can take a VERY long time to get a large library into the cloud.
Oh… No, I’m not going to buy into it. I too think the TOS can be a problem. And i don’t believe unlimited for $10.00/month. NFW google is going to give out 100’s of terabytes for 10 dollars.
@nigelpb said:
The only cost on top of Plex Pass is $10/month for G Suite Business for unlimited Google Drive storage.
So, how much space do you get for $10 a month?
You get unlimited if you are willing to take the chance that they will not enforce their TOS. So far nobody has reported problems but I, for one, will not risk my data and I, even though I own all my media, do not like that it must be stored unencrypted for Plex Cloud to work.
My feeling is that the risks outweigh the rewards but it is a fair value.
BTW: The most important value for your internet is the upload because if your download can support something like Netflix then it should be good enough for Plex Cloud. If you have one of the providers with slow upload then it can take a VERY long time to get a large library into the cloud.
Oh… No, I’m not going to buy into it. I too think the TOS can be a problem. And i don’t believe unlimited for $10.00/month. NFW google is going to give out 100’s of terabytes for 10 dollars.
OK It’s your money & your loss if you don’t want to use Plex Cloud. I had Plex Pass & was already using G Suite for Business before I started using Plex Cloud so it literally costs me nothing extra.
Nobody is talking about 100s of TB anyway as even the most avid Plex user rarely has storage requirements more than a 1-20TB range.
That seems to be the issue. Storage requirements. I’m stuck at 50TB right now. Need more $$ to buy more gear. So… Now we can have an unlimited amount for 10/month.
@NewPlaza said:
My two cents worth.
I went for the cheapest NAS I could find ($159.00 4-bay diskless) and have NO problems at all. I sometimes have 3-9 people streaming and half have to transcode. No one complains to me about buffering issues. I would say you will be just fine if your computer can bare any transcoding.
Let me see if I get this.
You are saying that I could get any NAS that offers whatever raid config I like and my transcoding (if any) will still be handled by my Mac MIni running PMS?
I’ve had my eye on the WD MyCloud EX for a while now but I seem to think that the data has to travel from the NAS via ethernet into the Mac Mini for transcoding and then out using the same pipe and into the Roku 3 I have, Is that correct? Will I experience any bottlenecks?
Your theory about the travelling of data should be right (NAS->PC/Mac->Watching device).
I actually bought that NAS without any transcoding features. The plex still runs on my PC. The only disadvantage I know of is: Your PC has to stay on, no matter on what device you watch stuff with.
I do have a pretty fast PC and I put the PC and the NAS into my two only 1gbit switch-ports.
No bottlenecks, no stuttering, no problems at all with the setup I use now.
@NewPlaza said:
My two cents worth.
I went for the cheapest NAS I could find ($159.00 4-bay diskless) and have NO problems at all. I sometimes have 3-9 people streaming and half have to transcode. No one complains to me about buffering issues. I would say you will be just fine if your computer can bare any transcoding.
Let me see if I get this.
You are saying that I could get any NAS that offers whatever raid config I like and my transcoding (if any) will still be handled by my Mac MIni running PMS?
I’ve had my eye on the WD MyCloud EX for a while now but I seem to think that the data has to travel from the NAS via ethernet into the Mac Mini for transcoding and then out using the same pipe and into the Roku 3 I have, Is that correct? Will I experience any bottlenecks?
Thanks.
hmm. I’m not familiar with mac mini but I’d say, why not. If the CPU is good enough you should be fine.
Hopefully someone that knows more on the mac mini will chime in.
Basically this means: No way to really know if it will work or not D: