Hi, I would like to run a dedicated PMS machine in my closet preferably with Ubuntu. What kind of specs (what Intel CPU? i3/i5/i7?) do I need to be able to transcode video content for two Apple TVs in 1080p at the same time?
Also, is the transcoding process able to take advantage of the GPU or there’s no reason to include it in the server?
Anything else I should be aware of?
Thanks!
The video codec of your files and their original bitrate on disk make a very big difference - even if they’re all in 1080p.
https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/201774043-What-kind-of-CPU-do-I-need-for-my-Server-
The formula used in this article is only valid for files using the AVC (H.264) video codec with a medium bitrate of 8mbps.
If you are storing full BluRay rips (~35 mbps) you must double the numbers.
If you have files which use the VC-1 codec, you must triple them.
If your files use even the HEVC (H.265) codec, you must use a multiplicator of ~ 3x - 5x
What @OttoKerner posted is correct.
That said, depends where your starting from and what you want to do.
If you plan on pre-transcoding your files to a common codec, basically any CPU will do because they won’t have o be transcoded.
If you plan on grabbing files left and right in all sorts of codecs and bitrates, then follow his advice.
