NAS to run my plex - any recommendations?

Plex Media Server NAS & Devices
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Server Version#:
Player Version#:

Looking to get a NAS device to run my plex - any recommendations - checking web articles they are all over the place

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Transcoding on a NAS is crap.

I have run it on Synology and Drobo and both are a waste of my time.

Direct Play is fine but if you have to transcode, especially if you have multiple users, I wouldn’t even bother.

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Better off to run it on a server?

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If I may add based on what I see there.

  1. BTRFS is a dangerous filesystem when you have RAID. If you have Single-Disk volumes, BTRFS is better than nothing. BTRFS , in the normal multi-disk use case becomes RAID on RAID. Very wasteful, slow, and has proven unstable. EXT4 is the safest way to format a multi-disk RAID volume.
  2. Look at the NAS Compatibility guide. I spend considerably time curating it
    https://support.plex.tv/articles/201373803-nas-compatibility-list/
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Absolutely… and by server it can be basically any decently powered computer.

I have two physical machines onsite one with an Core i7 930 and another with an AMD Ryzen 2700X

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Are you specifically talking about Synology? They don’t use BTRFS for the RAID itself. DIfferent implemenation. I believe BTRFS sits on top of MD which does the RAID.

Specifically:
“it is worth noting Synology is well aware of the parity issue with running “Btrfs RAID” in RAID 5 /6 arrays. Synology avoids the issue entire by simply not using the “Btrfs RAID” layer, so even if a Btrfs volume is in use in a RAID 5 array, DiskStation Manager will continue to use the traditional Linux LVM RAID layer underneath.”

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9 Streams with hardware decoding :slight_smile:

1 Like
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Almost sounds like a refurbished server is better.

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With what specs?

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I’ve been running my Plex Server on the same macMini for 8 years. I mean it depends on how many ppl you plan on sharing with. Internal only you don’t need a server.

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Wanted to share it out with my family and friends

I saw a refurbished dell server like this that is a lot less money that a new NAS and has more horsepower

image1.png

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If you use Google Drive and a VPS it would cost a hell of a lot less than buying lots of HD’s and hardware.

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If you just want to run Plex, perhaps. The home NAS serves many of us other purposes beyond Plex.

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Google Drive with NetDrive3 replaces the home NAS. Its safer and more functional.

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I don’t see a Linux client.

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rclone

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i prefer to stay away from the clouds b/c of all the access/usage charges - espeically since the prices change

i do use amazon glacier to keep things in the event i lose data at home but never access it otherwise

Scott Higgins

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9 Streams with hardware decoding

I saw this too, but from all the research ive done, the J34xx celeron cant decode more than 2 or 3 1080p streams, and the j5005 can only manage 4, so I there muse be something about this review and the testing method to get 9!

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Seems the only time you need transcode is if you are have peers trying to stream over the NET. So anything within your home you don’t need huge amount of hardware unless you want stream high res over the internet???