Hi All,
Apologies if this isn’t the correct section to post to. I was wondering if you could help me or point me in the right direction regarding a PMS Build and the correct hardware requirements. I have purchased no equipment thus far but want to either build a device or purchase the correct equipment for my use case.
I have been scouring r/HTPC, r/HomeServer and PCPartPicker to understand potential builds in addition to talking to an IT friend of mine who has presented some ideas. As I understand it, a few of the issues will be due to bandwidth, latency and transcoding dependencies. Having checked out other forum posts, I’ve noted this community is extremely helpful and I welcome your guidance before I start on this project.
Use Case
I’m living on the East Coast in the USA and have family in two EU countries (two separate households) that want to watch some of the content that I have saved. One person is hard of hearing and requires subtitles (which are included on all my MKV files). The issue now is how do I host a server of the correct spec and make it work with both households.
Internet Speeds
As I will be hosting this server, it’s notable that I plan on having a wired Ethernet connection between the PMS device hardware and the router. Presently, I have PMS installed on my laptop as I’m playing with some settings to better understand what its capabilities are.
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Host & User 1 (US) - Internet Speed: 1Gb
Speed Test - Wired: D: 941 Mbps / U: 946 Mbps
Speed Test - WiFi: D: 385 Mbps / U: 303Mbps -
User 2 (EU) - Internet Speed: 500Mb
User will be using Android application on Tablet to access Plex via WiFi
User will be using TV or Google Chromecast application on Samsung TV to access Plex via WiFi -
User 3 (EU) - Internet Speed: 350Mb
User will be using iOS application on Tablet to access Plex via WiFi
User will be using Google Chromecast application on Panasonic TV to access Plex via WiFi
Content & User Devices
The below list outlines all devices that may have the Plex application installed. This list is not expected to increase in the future. It is notable that both EU users have already registered a Plex account and are not technically savvy at all. I would not expect more than 3 streams to run concurrently, I’ll provide further detail about the user requirements and expectations below.
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Host & User 1 (US) - Content
1080P & 2160P TV Shows & Films (with Subtitles) -
Host & User 1 (US) - Devices
1 x Sony TV 2160P (Hard-Wired to Router)
1 x Samsung TV 1080P (WiFi)
1 x Samsung Tablet 1080P (WiFi)
1 x Samsung Mobile 1080P (WiFi)
1 x Aorus Gaming Laptop 1080P (WiFi) - Current PMS -
User 2 (EU) - Devices
2 x Samsung TV 1080P (WiFi)
1 x Samsung Tablet 1080P (WiFi)
1 x Samsung Mobile 1080P (WiFi) -
User 3 (EU) - Devices
1 x Panasonic TV 1080P (WiFi)
1 x Apple Tablet 1080P (WiFi)
1 x Samsung Tablet 1080P (WiFi)
1 x Apple Mobile 1080P (WiFi)
Project Objectives
The aim of this project is to provide an easy plug and play experience for the two EU users or rather an easy connect and stream model. I have asked both users to play with the Plex application without access to any servers to see what questions they might have and how I can make the experience easier for them.
- Notes & Expectations
- The server should have the ability to transcode 1 x 2160P and stream 2 x 1080P concurrently without issue
- The server should have the ability to play 4-5 x 1080P streams concurrently without issue
- No more than 3 users (including myself) will be using this service at any one time
- 2160P and 1080P content is presently segregated in two different libraries
- 2160P content will not be shared with EU users to avoid transcoding unless they request specific content
- 1080P content will be shared with the EU users only to avoid transcoding at this time
- Transcoding should be possible via the hardware if required by the EU users for 2160P but avoided
- Unless an EU user upgrades their TV there is no plan to make 2160P content available unless requested
- This build should account for both EU users upgrading to 2160P TVs at some point within the next year
- The server should have the ability to transcode 2 x 2160P and 1-2 x 1080P in the future
- I plan on purchasing Plex Pass in the future for hardware trasncoding as 2160P content matures
- If bandwidth is an issue for the EU users, we can upgrade the internet plans accordingly
- If the WiFi limitations are an issue for EU users we can wire the TVs to the router as necessary
- I plan on using Windows as the OS on a manually built server as I have no experience with any other OS
- I would expect both EU users to be using Plex concurrently on weekdays and all 3 of users on weekends
- The server should have between 12Tb - 24Tb capacity to future-proof it within reason
- I’m not seeking to build a monster server with a high TDP that hogs power and runs up high bills
- I don’t have a budget as I have no idea what is sufficient for my use case
- I’m not seeking to spend a small fortune (>$1,000) on this build as I may have to move in the future
- The physical size of the device should be compact or medium
Questions
The simple fact is that I have no idea what I am doing, I started looking at Plex seriously about 2 weeks ago and the more I read, the deeper I go down the rabbit hole trying to understand more and more and get lost. I’m not as technically savvy as this community but I’m working on another project to build my first gaming rig (strictly separate to this project), so I’m familiar with some terms and references. Servers are completely new to me, so my apologies for asking the silly questions ahead of time and thank you for taking the time to educate me.
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Which options is ideal for my use case:
A - Should I buy a large External HDD and an Nvidia Shield?
B - Should I buy a prebuilt device like a Synology or QNAP server?
C - Should I build a device from the ground up? -
What hardware should I use for a custom device:
CPU: i5 / i7 / i9?
RAM : 16Gb / 32Gb?
Motherboard: I have literally no idea
PSU: 300W / 500W / 800W?
OS: Windows / Other? -
Is this build too ambitious for Plex use only?
I welcome all feedback and dialogue regarding this query. All of your input will be used to purchase the correct hardware to build this system.
