Using my friends self built PC as a template; which he games, twitches, all sorts of fun but no server 
I’ll be streaming to family and friends, no more than 8 simultaneous streams with no 4k!
File format, DVD shrieked to IOS then Viscoder to convert files to Mp4
Samsung 970 EVO Plus NVMe SSD 500GB
AMD Ryzen 5 3600 with Wraith Stealth
Kingston HyperX Fury 16GB (2x8GB) 3200MHz CL16 DDR4 Black
MSI B450 Tomahawk Max Motherboard
Do I need a graphics card? Is this over kill? I have no idea?!
You will need a graphics card, but not due any streaming benefits, but rather to run the computer in the first place – Ryzen CPUs do not have onboard graphics built in, unlike Intel CPUs.
Large NVMe is also not needed for media. If you are not planning to install a lot of stuff on the PC, I would instead get a small NVMe (120GB) to run the OS, and a separate mechanical harddrive to place the media on.
Are you building a PC that you will use day-to-day for other things, or just a server? As all above is pretty much overkill for just a server. My server runs on a decade old Intel i5 rig, without any GPU. You could buy something similar, like an old i5-2500k (~£30), 1155 motherboard (£30), 16gb ram (£40). Will also need a power supply and computer case to put everything in.
Also, that Tomahawk motherboard is a full-sized ATX one, with multiple PCI slots for GPUs. But motherboards come in 3 size varities: ATX (12"), mATX (9.5") and mITX (7"). Mini-ITX will let you build a much more compact system.
The most is be running on it will be, DVD shrink, Vidcoder, plex and maybe Microsoft office stuff. All media files I’ll transfer over to HDD but I thought I’d run my programs of a SSD just for the speed;-) (as techy as I get sorry lol)
I want to fit a blu ray player / DVD writter on a 5.25" bay hence the ATX size board… happy to work around things
I have read so much about transcoding and I have no clue what on earth peeps are trying to say lmao I am ready to learn and engage, sorry about time difference I’m in Australia;-)
Replacing The stealth wealth with AMD Ryzen 5 3400G APU with Vega 11
Graphics; would this work or should I start from scratch with an I core 3 gen 9?
“Stealth” is the name of the stock AMD cooler, and both these should come with one.
3400G will work without the need for a separate GPU. That said, the naming “3***” here is a bit misleading as 3400G is an older architecture processor (should have been called “2****” something), compared to 3600, and has fewer physical cores. So it will be slower at video editing, as those extra cores help.
For similar price as Ryzen 3600, you could look into Intel i5-9600K.
My apologies for my greenness in terms lol my friend suggested the AMD Ryzen 5 3400G APU with Vega 11
Graphics coz it has the graphic capability, trying to bring this in as cheap as I can without compromising server or the needed software capability
Would Intel Core i3 9100 Processor be sufficient?
No worries, I only mentioned Stealth Wraith, as it’s a component that will come with both AMD chips.
Go with 3400G, instead of i3.
If you don’t mind answering another AMD question. Their is alot of talk in forums about plex not transcoding on AMD, is that just 4k related? And itd still handle normal remote streaming up to about 4?
Yeah, you are right - I have seen there are compatibility issues with AMD standalone chips, if you have Plex Pass and enable hardware acceleration, to transcode in Plex itself. The requirement to do that seems to be: 1) Intel CPU or 2) Nvidia GPU + Intel/AMD CPU.
So you can still transcode your films with that 3400G in Handbrake etc, but will not have the option to “Hardware transcode” in Plex. It is something to consider – but your h264 mp4s should direct-play to most devices and not require transcoding.
That’s related to hw accelerated transcoding.
If your CPU is strong enough you’ll be able to transcode your content just fine with pretty much any CPU.
If you want a simple working solution that requires little/less IT knowledge I recommend to go with a pre-build system like an Intel NUC or similar small footprint system.
For what you have described, even some modern NAS might do the job.
That was alot of reading but as I don’t know much about cpus and transcoding I am unsure about the path to take… I am a lifetime plex subscribed.
Max simultaneous streams at present
4 local
3 remote
No 4k ever! Lol
AMD is cheaper and well recommended except for plex… so would straight up Intel be better or because 4k isn’t an issue is AMD sufficient?
Added commentary; you guys must hate users like me with super noob questions! I apologise for questions asked and questions to come lol
Don’t worry…
Let’s assume this is going to be some full HD videos at some point. Most Plex players will deal with common full HD formats as-is, requiring little to no transcoding.
Let’s assume all of your streams require transcoding, each transcode requiring a CPU passmark score of approx. 2000 (CPU benchmark score). This will lead to a max. load of 14000 (passmark). Keep in mind… that’s the expected peak if all those 7 streams happen in parallel and all require the video to be optimized.
With a Plex Pass, you can make use of hw-accelerated streaming – that’ll reduce the load on your CPU but requires a compatible/supported graphics card. As pointed out by kashyyk, AMD CPUs and their iGPU (if available) are not currently supported. So if you go with an AMD CPU you’ll need to include an extra GPU.
For a lower-end first-time server I’d go with a new Intel NUC (no ad/promotion… there’s comparable models from other vendors). The current generation entry-level NUCs come with an Intel Core i3-10110U. This CPU will allow up to 3 parallel transcodes using the bare CPU (passmark score is approx. 6000). The built-in Intel UHD graphics will however allow to do a lot of hw-accelerated video transcoding.
With such a box you know the components work together and you don’t have to bother fine-tuning too many other dependencies. Models will range from $300-400.
You could then connect an USB HDD or NAS to store the actual media files.
If you’re expecting 3 parallel remote streams, keep in mind you’ll need to have the internet upload speed to deal with those.
With the default video quality settings for remote streaming, you should be ok with 10 Mbit/s upload speed – considering some users might want to stream in original quality you might want to shoot for a higher internet upload bandwidth from your ISP.
I did a Google search on the NUC.
1st I want to connect HDD internally via sata coz it’s cheaper and runs better (lessons learnt from 1st server)
2nd I need at the least dvd srive/writter for dvd shrink + vidcoder.
Sata from my nooby research is better than usb.
Without promoting (I added that so you are covered lol) would a 10gen Intel Core i3 10100 Processor match the NUC or any suggested cheapest but meets my needs Intel alternative?
Also then would a MSI B460M Pro Motherboard be a capable fit?
#1 understood… I’m probably coming from a different point where expandability and adding more space without building a new server is more important to me.
SATA is indeed faster – that being said USB is still fast enough to deal with the required read rates to stream your movies
#2 no need to have the DVD drive in the device that’s supposed to run your server. The server is supposed to be stowed away out of sight and out of the way (with sufficient ventilation).
The i3 10100 seems to be more powerful as the NUC uses a low-power CPU
https://www.cpu-monkey.com/en/compare_cpu-intel_core_i3_10110u-942-vs-intel_core_i3_10100-1156
As for the motherboard I cannot tell… I stopped building my own PCs some years ago
Motherboard compatibility depends on the socket type.
B460M-A Pro is compatible with LGA1200 socket, which i3-10110 needs.
Ok so I haven’t talk with my friend yet but this is what I have so far:
Is a graphics card needed?
AUS $1,626.00, UK £904.00, USD $1,177.00
The plan run plex, DVD shrink and vidcoder using the SSD then move the files over to HDD connected via motherboard- sata.
This is what I am using now. The problem is large files via remote access says “not enough cpu power” but all local works a dream and single episode files.
https://support.hp.com/au-en/document/c04072036
Would the new set up outperform the old?
So you already have that HP setup, with an older gen i7-4770 CPU? But whenever someone starts a remote stream of your file, it fails?
i3-10100, while newer gen, is not much of an upgrade on the older i7-4770. And I would think that the i7-4770 should be able to transcode 3-4 simultaneous 1080p streams – which I didn’t think was necessary in the first place, given your media library (mp4 files, not in 4k).
Strange…
What are the details of your typical source file, that you save: 1080p, mp4, file size, data bitrate?
Could going to “Settings > Transcode” in Plex, and disable video stream transcoding, to see if that has an impact?
What devices is your audience using? Web player in windows, or android app on phone and TV? Do you happen to know what their settings is in “Plex Settings > Web Player > Quality”?
Just trying to think what could be the cause for your i7 CPU to be deemed not powerful enough for a stream.
I’ve only been informed of aparatic fail if it’s one of my whole disk files not single mp4 and I’ve had it happen on my Samsung 7 via plex android app. File, 576p, 1.7GB, MP4, 1432kbps
The HP is starting to show signs of deteriating when starting up and little bugs all over hence looking into building a new pc
What in you opinion should be the best Intel processor value wise? If I may ask?!
Out of curiosity, did your issues “not enough CPU” appear within the last week or so? And do the files that experienced have an external SRT subtitle file in the folder?
Personally, if I was buying 10 generation intel CPU as value for money, I’d start at i5. Or alternatively a few generations old i7.
But if buying newest gen CPUs, then your friend was correct in the first place, to suggest AMD’s recent offerings. My latest build for my new PC uses Ryzen 3900X and it is great.
But AMD is not compatible with “hardware accelerated transcoding” in Plex, even the 3400G, which based on your file specs, should not be needed really in the first place.
Something seems to be broken with transcoding in Plex in the last week or so, from my observation. I just intsalled Plex on my Ryzen 3900X machine, as a test, and I am getting “not powerful enough to transcode” errors (yeah, right…). As well as “transcoder failed to start up”, as soon as SRT is switched on.
I know I am going off on a tangent, but I am struggling to recommend a new hardware part, as potentially will resolve nothing.
I don’t know what SRT is sorry. Tangents and rants allowed here lol
It was about a month ago… phone app plex would only play small single episode files remote access. LMAO was trying to show off my collection. Show offs deserve hassle lol
So AMD would still do remote streaming and local without a GPU? Using the Vega 11?
