Is it possible to have PMS running on a simple computer like an old desktop, share the metadata and media libraries with another beefier computer, and have that second computer optimize the media for mobile or tv only? I want to do all the viewing through the simple computer. Will this create problems? Will the desktop see the optimized versions and be able to play them?
Plex is very versatile. I have my library on a NAS and I use my Plex server specially for transcoding. Also I know you can have multiple Plex servers setup in a home.
What do you mean by view through the simple Computer? Most of the time I view the Plex content via my Fire Stick. Or thru the web browser on my desktop PC.
I mean the simple computer will be the server that everyone connects to and actually serves up the media to people. I just want the beefier computer to handle Optimizing media ahead of time for the simple computer to serve up.
Ive never used this function. However Plex is very versatile where you store your media. I would imagine, that if both servers had access to the same storage drive, where the content is located, then one machine would be able to do this function.
If you have a beefier machine however, I would imagine that on the fly transcoding should work. Assuming your not trying to do 4K content. I myself trandcode when my parents watch Live TV thru their Roku sticks, and I have yet to have an issue. My sever runs on an old i5 3570K.