What OS for a "basement" plex media server ?

General Discussions
1

Hi,

I am not sure if I am at the right forum to ask this question, but I cannot find a clear answer on the web.

Here is a little bit of background, I run Plex Media Server on my desktop computer since almost 1 year now (windows), all my medias are stored on my network on a NAS D-Link DNS320 (mainly 1080 mkv). I run plex on an Apple TV, and on ipads (so up to 2 devices at the same time). I was thinking since a long time to have a dedicated PMS with the server and the medias on the same machine. I have a budget around 400USD.

I made some research and I was going to go for a QNAP TS-421+ but in the mean time I read the harware requirement section and the PLEX NAS benchmark. I understand that my experience compared to my desktop will be totally different and I want, at least, to keep it the same or, better, to improve it.

So I moved to an other solution, build a computer meeting the harware requirements, store it headless in my basement, connected to my router and install Freenas on it. For me the benefits were to re-use 4 HDDs, create a volume to backup my personnal files with theZFS function and an other volume with my media. I was confident until yesterday when I realized that to have a good freenas machine for the backup aspect, I will need specific harware which will crash my budget.

So I decided to keep my current NAS for the backup aspect, and keep the idea of the computer dedicated to PMS with my medias on it. But the big question is what OS do I need ? Stay on Freenas ? FreeBSD ? Windows ? I’d like to have this computer with PMS in my basement and manage it remottely from my desktop upstairs (reboot/soft install…)

Any suggestions ? I am a windows user but can manage Linux as well.

Thanks for your feedback

2

My suggestion would be Ubuntu server 16.04 LTS minimal install.
I would avoid Windows for dedicated server, not only because of overhead but mainly you will have fuse options.
Whats great with none Windows setup you can make nice unionfs structure so if you ever want to have a setup where some of your media is local and some on cloud (or any other location) Plex wont notice any difference. ( beside media in cloud will take 5 to 10 seconds to start playing )

3

I second Ajki’s suggestion. I’ve done a couple PMS setups using Lubuntu with considerable success. The latest was based on 16.04 LTS as Ajki suggests.

4

Thanks for your quick feedback. And Ubuntu Server come with a grapic interface that can be used remottely from a windows desktop ?

5

@guiton2002 said:
Thanks for your quick feedback. And Ubuntu Server come with a grapic interface that can be used remottely from a windows desktop ?

With xterminal you could setup classic remote desktop, but if I were you I would install minimal installation eg without graphic userinterface as you really dont need it for anything.

All apps you will have on will have their own web interface.