Server Build, 4k playback and transcoding - questions and looking for recommendations

I haven’t used Plex in a while, but I think I’m going to jump back in now that I’m upgrading hardware including getting the Plex Pass.

The Plex server build (listed below) will be connected to my AV receiver via HDMI and my AV receiver is ARC/CEC via HDMI to my Vizio TV.

Goals:

  • Play 4k on 1 TV and transcode 2 streams to 1080 (4k on Vizio, transcoding to Roku’s and tablets)
  • User Plex server PC as a general win10 PC for office use / web browsing
  • Host media on existing hard drives that I’ll put into this build and backup to a NAS eventually (currently backed up to external drives)
  • Be able to play and rip up to UHD Blu-Rays
  • Be able to watch and record OTA channels (will get a HD HomeRun Connect Duo)

Here is what I put together: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Nv6ND2
Am I missing anything?
Is anything overkill?

When I was looking into the requirements for 4k playback, I read that I needed:

  • HDMI 2.0 /. HDCP 2.2 and 7th Gen or newer Intel processor with SGX
    Is this only for watching on windows? If I watch 4k via the Plex app on a smart TV, are these requirements still needed on the Plex server PC? I’m wondering if the i7 is too much overkill, especially when combined with its Quick Sync Video feature to take advantage of hardware transcoding.

Thanks in advance

Bump, any thoughts?

Is this just for Plex or what else are you going to use this build for?

It will be used as a typical office PC for MS Office, reading/editing PDFs, Google docs, and some web apps - shouldn’t be anything too intensive here. Will use the optical drive to play and rip DVDs, Blu-Rays, and eventually UHD Blu-Rays. We’ll have a HD Home run on the network for OTA HDTV. The PC will also host shared files for everyone on the network including songs, photos, movies, and documents. From there, it will be the Plex media server for the house. It will also be the Plex player for the TV it is connected. None of the other TVs are 4K so it will have to transcode to them as well as to tablets and phones. Right now, it will USB to backup drives, but eventually I’ll create a NAS for the backups. I don’t see using it for any gaming other than web browser based games.

This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.