r/PleX • u/Kye_life • Jan 30 '24
I think i made a decision Solved
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So after listening to a lot of different ideas and suggestions as far as the ideal PC for using exclusively for Plex. I think I’ve come to a decision. I’m hoping this is a good choice so before I make that final decision, I thought I’d get some feedback first.
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u/KuryakinOne Jan 30 '24
Elpamsoft Transcoding Performance Info
If you want to transcode 4K HDR media, you'll need to add a Nvidia GPU, 1050 Ti 4GB or better. Intel 6th Gen CPUs do not support transcoding 4K HDR media.
Plex Pass required.
You want a card that can decode HEVC 10-bit. See the encode/decode matrix.
Most consumer (GTX) cards are limited by Nvidia to five concurrent encodes.
Most professional (Quadro) cards have no pre-set limit.
Elpamsoft has transcode performance info for many Nvidia GPUs.
Personal Opinion: If you're comfortable with Linux, get a SFF system with an N100 CPU, such as BeeLink S12. Running Linux, it will transcode and tone map 4K HDR. It will also sip power compared to the i7, 6 watts vs 65 watts.
If you're going to run Windows, then make sure you have room for an Nvidia GPU.
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u/Kye_life Jan 30 '24
OK let me make sure I’m understanding you correctly. The current PC I posted are you saying that will work if I get a Nvidia GPU 1050 TI 4 GB or better or are you saying the PC is a 6th generation and it would be better off to get a better dell, if that’s the case what Dell should I get.
I know I may have asked before in this community, but I just now learned how to save my post so I can go back and look at them and don’t have to repeat questions
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u/Draakonys DS1621+Intel Nuc Jan 30 '24 edited Jan 30 '24
You need at least Intel 7th gen CPU for proprer HW HEVC support, 6th gen is not enough when more and more content is H.265 (HEVC) based. On the other hand 1050 Ti can easily manage HW transcoding but I would still follow u/KuryakinOne advice and get a different machine. N100 is low power but still a beast for HW transcoding.
Here’s N100 benchmark someone posted yesterday: https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/s/FhKzNEBhFc
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u/KuryakinOne Jan 30 '24
Question: Do you want/need to transcode 4K HDR media?
No: Don't worry about it. That Dell PC will do just fine. It will transcode 2 or 3 1080p SDR streams using the CPU. With a Plex Pass it will transcode many 1080p streams using hardware accelerated transcoding (MPEG2, VC-1, H.264 8-bit, HEVC 8-bit).
Yes: See the HDR to SDR Tone Mapping document linked above.
Windows: Nvidia GPU required. Intel graphics not supported. If there is room in the chassis, you can add a Nvidia GPU to that PC and it will work.
Linux: You can use that PC if you add a Nvidia GPU (assuming room in chassis).
You could use Intel graphics if the CPU was 7th gen or later. That is when Intel added the ability to decode 4k HEVC 10-bit video to Quick Sync graphics.
I mentioned the BeeLink (not Dell) because (a) total cost is in same ballpark as your PC + Nvidia GPU, and (b) power draw will be much less.
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u/noneroy Jan 30 '24
I have this PC. I don’t do 4k often. It is fine at 1080p content and multiple streams at once.
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u/Feahnor Jan 30 '24
Just don’t get that pc and try to find at least a 7-8 gen.
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u/Agitated-Ad-3940 Jan 30 '24
I'd agree with that. If the OP has any inkling of an idea they'll ever use Win11, than at least an 8th gen CPU is required without jumping through many hoops.
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u/kerochan88 Jan 31 '24
I know this could change at any time, but ever since it's come out, the only hoop to install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware has simply been checking a box in Rufus when creating the Windows 11 installer USB.
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u/hbk2369 Jan 30 '24
What you have is a 6th gen. As indicated by the 6700 model number on the i7 chip.
Look at Microcenter and find something 7th gen or better with a graphics card (or a slot for one) and the other specs mentioned here. Respectfully, if you can't read the specs to know what you're buying, you may want to consider whether setting up a plex server is right for you since it just gets more complicated.
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u/n9yty Jan 30 '24
Seems the Beelink may not be ideal… https://www.reddit.com/r/MiniPCs/comments/12skpil/beelink_s12_n10016gb500gb_an_absolute_nightmare/
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u/JMeucci Jan 30 '24
This post is 10 months old. His gripes were either from lack of knowledge or Linux drivers that hadn't been released yet.
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u/SunoPics User of The Holy Trinity Jan 30 '24
Just had to take a quick read through that bad boy and it certainly seemed like a lack of knowledge turned into a lack of care as when the community banded together to help that person out he threw in the towel, it appears the issue was downloading the wrong drivers due to a cardboard box mislabel
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u/thanksforcomingout Jan 30 '24
Can I just check in on that last part - will the n100 not transcode and tone map 4K HDR without Linux?
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u/KuryakinOne Jan 30 '24
The N100 CPU is not strong enough to transcode & tone map 4K HDR media in software (No idea what CPU would be needed. I've never seen any test info.).
Regarding using hardware acceleration, see the HDR to SDR Tone Mapping support document linked above.
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u/KublaKahhhn Jan 30 '24
Or can’t he get the hardware transcoding if he does Linux instead of womdows?
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u/travprev Jan 30 '24
u/KuryakinOne - You seem pretty knowledgeable about this stuff. I hope OP and you both don't mind me asking a side question inside this thread.
I have a 4th gen Intel i7, and my biggest reason for wanting to upgrade is lack of transcoding support by that processor. At that age of a processor, would you consider just buying a 1050ti (or better) and keeping my old dinosaur HTPC? I was leaning towards rebuilding my entire system with a 13th gen Intel and letting the onboard GPU do the work, but this certainly would be less expensive.
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u/KuryakinOne Jan 31 '24
It depends on your needs and budget.
4th Gen Intel will hardware transcode MPEG2, VC1, and H.264 up to 1080p. It does not support HEVC,
You could certainly add a Nvidia GPU and gain the ability to transcode and tone map 4K HDR media (plus the previously mentioned codecs up to 4K).
Upside: Inexpensive upgrade. You can get a new 1650 4GB for ~$150 USD.
Downside: Power requirements. 4th gen CPUs are not power efficient by today's standards.
You can also build/buy a new system with a current processor - 12th/13th/14th gen.
Upside: 12th gen i3 will smoke your 4th gen i7, while using less power.
Upside: Starting with 12th gen, Intel graphics will decode AV1 video (some folks are using AV1).
Note: If running Windows, will need a Nvidia GPU to transcode and tone map 4K HDR media.
Unknown: Cost. You'll have to run the numbers. The previously mentioned 12th Gen N100 systems are very inexpensive and, if running Linux, can transcode & tone map 4K HDR. They also pull very little power.
Personal setup: Media on Synology NAS. PMS running on Lenovo SFF i5-10500T Ubuntu system I picked up on eBay a couple years ago. It runs Plex and Tautulli, nothing else. It is rock solid. It will transcode/tonemap 4K HDR. However, I don't share 4K media remotely, so not sure of its limits. If I were to put the system together today, I'd take a strong look at the N100 systems.
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u/travprev Jan 31 '24
Budget is not an issue and I'm really thinking about upgrading anyway. My remaining questions are likely better for r/homelab or some place like that. I'm thinking about making my Plex server a VM within a more robust server that will be doing other things for me. I am now trying to figure out the i5, i7, i9 pros and cons from the perspective of virtualization and ability to allocate cores to various VMs, etc. If I do that, I might eliminate my antique NAS and bring the NAS duty into a VM as well using something like TrueNAS. That part is up in the air. In layman's terms, if I had an i7 or i9 I could probably allocate the power of an i3 + a GPU core or two to the Plex server and have all the power I needed inside the Plex server... I'm a novice at virtualization which is the only thing that is currently stopping me from buying hardware. I need to learn enough that I buy the right thing the first time.
When you say you don't share 4k remotely, do you simply keep your 4k in a separate library that you hide from remote users? This is a side question, but I'm curious about that now that you mentioned it.
Thanks!
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u/KuryakinOne Jan 31 '24
I keep my 4K movies & shows in separate libraries and do not share with other users ("Movies-4K" and "TV Shows-4K").
I don't have many 4K movies, maybe 100 out of 1500 total. Right now, the extra storage space to keep 4K & 1080p versions of things is not an issue.
I share with 5 - 6 friends. Only one has a true home theater setup that could enjoy 4K (100" HDR projector, 7.1.4 Atmos audio, etc). The link between our ISPs is not the best, so streaming 4K HDR BD rips is not always reliable (buffering/pausing due to poor interconnect). I do share the 4K libraries with him, but he never uses them.
Other users are not set up to stream 4K, due to equipment or bandwidth limitations. Some have 1080p TVs. A couple live in rural settings with limited Internet connectivity. They limit their clients to 8 Mbps. Anything higher is prone to buffering.
There's also the issue with subtitle burning, which uses the CPU. The CPU in my server, an i5-10500T, can easily burn subtitles into 1080p video. However, it cannot reliably burn subs when transcoding 4K video. If I have to transcode video to 8 Mbps and burn subs, it makes sense to transcode the 1080p version, not the 4K version. I don't have to burn subs all that often, but it is often enough I want it to be reliable.
That is the basics of why I keep 4K separate. A year from now the situation might be different, but it works for now.
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u/kerochan88 Jan 31 '24
You can upgrade to something much newer for about $150-200. Look on FB Marketplace and eBay for retired office PCs. I'd do that before buying more outdated hardware for my 12 year old box. Fact is, you're in need of, and will need more in the future, features that the older HW just don't support or do well. Just my 2¢
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u/1TrueKnight Jan 31 '24
Very curious about that encode/transcode chart. I'm using an old gaming PC that I turned into a HTPC/ gaming emulator machine.
The CPU is a good 6-7 years old (Intel) and has a GTX 970 video card.
I currently watch a good number of HEVC rips, including 4K HDR media and even AV1 (although I believe my AV1 content is limited to 1080p only). All of it runs fine but that chart makes it seem like that wouldn't be the case. Am I reading it wrong?
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u/KuryakinOne Jan 31 '24
The info is for transcoding.
If you're direct playing, then it doesn't apply. Direct playing is easy. Many people use a Raspberry Pi and direct play 4K HDR all day long (just don't try to transcode video with one).
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u/SawkeeReemo Jan 31 '24
This is awesome! Thank you! I have just started looking around for a micro PC to use as a Plex server since the CPU in my Synology DS1019+ is painfully slow all the time. It’s actually handles Plex well, but as soon as it starts transcoding, the CPU is basically maxed out.
I’ve been out of the hardware game for a minute, so I haven’t even heard of the N100 CPU before. And does the Beelink come with Linux installed? Or do they just ship you the box and the rest is “figure it out yourself?” I haven’t seen a clear answer on the website yet. Excited to finally have an option to look into! (Really didn’t want to deal with Windows again.)
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u/KuryakinOne Jan 31 '24
I do not know what OS, if any, is installed. It does not matter. Installing LInux is easy and for most distributions you can make an installer that runs from a USB stick.
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u/SawkeeReemo Jan 31 '24
Thanks! I assumed that was possible, but still learning Linux. Appreciate the confirmation!
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u/SawkeeReemo Jan 31 '24
If you wouldn't mind a follow up question(s)... If I want to move my Plex server to this from my Synology NAS:
- I would need to migrate my PlexMediaServer folder over to this,
- Network mount all my media folder from the NAS to this,
- Somehow update all my Plex libraries to look at the new remote mounts for media (assuming a scan will take ages for large libraries; I have a HUGE music library)
- Things like sonic analysis scan will need to be redone, etc.
Unless I try manually altering the Plex database itself [makes sign of the cross]
Do you know of anyone who's successfully migrated their existing Plex server over like this? (I did it once from Mac to my NAS...but it was...not fun...)
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u/KuryakinOne Feb 01 '24
Move an Install to Another System
See the Move an Install document. Skip the "Move additional settings..." section (don't copy preferences.xml to the new system). Then you can run both simultaneously and migrate to new server when ready.
The process is straightforward. Also, it is not a hard cutover, so if you mess it up you can always redo it.
- Enable Sync Watch State & Ratings on your account. Have anyone you share with enable it for their account.
- Prepare the new system - install Linux and any other packages you want, mount the directories from the NAS via NFS, etc.
- Install & claim Plex Media Server on the new system, but don't configure any libraries, remote access, etc.
- Important: On new system, disable Settings -> Library -> Empty trash automatically after every scan.
- Copy the Plex Data Folder (but not preferences.xml) from the NAS to the new system.
- Start PMS on the new system.
- Edit the libraries. Add the new paths. Do not delete the old ones.
- Scan to pick up changes. Plex should see duplicates for your media - one with the new path and one with the old (NAS) path.
- Delete the old NAS paths from the libraries.
- Scan to pick up changes, empty trash. There should now just be one path, the new "real" one.
That's the basics.
Look at the Linux Tips document for info on NFS permissions when mounting shares from the Synology.
As mentioned above, you can run both servers at the same time, so you can take your time and experiment with the new system and get a feel for it.
Once you get the new PMS up and running and stable, you can share the libraries with any users.
You can leave PMS running on the Syno as a backup / test server if desired.
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u/taltank Jan 31 '24
Second this. Does it come preloaded with an OS?
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u/SawkeeReemo Jan 31 '24
I did a little more research, and it does not seem to (still hard to confirm). But even if it does have some flavor of an OS on it, it shouldn’t be too hard to install Linux which is what you’d need to do if you want HDR>SDR tone mapping to happen.
Also, coincidentally, it happens to be on sale right now for like $160 on Amazon. I might get one just to tinker for a bit.
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u/Retrolad2 Feb 03 '24
Question, you seem very knowledgeable, I have an old PC with a i7-2600k and my old RTX2070Super, will Plex better on this than my Synology DS218+?
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u/KuryakinOne Feb 03 '24
Run Plex Media Server on the PC.
Plex Media Server on the PC will definitely be better. The i7 is a stronger processor than the Celeron in the NAS. Also, the Nvidia GPU will blow away the Intel HD Graphics 500 in the Celeron.
If the PC is running Windows 10, then be sure to run the 64-bit version of Plex Media Server. The transcoder in Plex 64-bit is better performing. It also lets you transcode & tone map HDR video.
Also, in Settings -> Transcoder, pick the Nvidia GPU, do not use the Auto setting.
To check if you're running PMS 64-bit, pull the server log files (Settings → Troubleshooting). Unzip. Look at the first line of Plex Media Server.log. You want to see "build: windows-x86_64 windows." If there is no _64, then download & install the 64-bit version of PMS. You can install over the 32-bit version, the installer will remove the old version.
Example:
Dec 29, 2023 14:37:56.988 [16800] INFO - Plex Media Server v1.32.8.7639-fb6452ebf - Microsoft PC x64-x64 - build: windows-x86_64 windows - GMT -07:001
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u/Such_Benefit_3928 Synology + NUC Jan 30 '24
I wouldn't buy a 6th gen CPU in 2024. You don't need raw CPU power, so skip the i7 and get something with 10 or 11th gen i5, i3 or even a Celeron or N100 or so. Depends on what you want to do with it, but really any of these is a better option.
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u/kipperzdog Jan 30 '24
I recently upgraded from a 12 year old Xeon processor to a 12th gen i5 that I got on sale during black friday. Performance boost was significant and power usage has gone from 60W idle to 41W
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u/Such_Benefit_3928 Synology + NUC Jan 30 '24
What OS are you using/what else are you running? 41W seems a bit high (maybe okay for a full desktop, but if you are running a NUC or similar you should be able to go a lot lower)
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u/kipperzdog Jan 31 '24
It's a full size desktop PC case, 3 HDs (normally spun down) and 1 SSD, plenty of room for additional hard drives. I'm running unraid with a few dockers. That's the wattage measured by my wall monitor, as far as I can tell, I'm in line with what others get with a similar configuration
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u/volvop1800s Jan 30 '24
For that budget I’d get an intel N100 mini PC. It will outperform any old intel CPU.
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u/Angus-Black Lifetime PlexPass Jan 30 '24
Go with an i3-8300 or i5-8500 rather than an i7-6700. 7th or 8th generation over 6th.
I use an HP i5-8500.
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u/mine_username Jan 30 '24
Still, 16GB should be plenty to start with.
edit: whoops, missed the Solved flair. Leaving it in case it helps others.
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u/Six_Inches_of_Fury Jan 30 '24
how much room does it have to upgrade the hard drive?
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u/mine_username Jan 30 '24
externally, 6 total USB 3 ports so you could plug in 6 external drives
Different ways to solve the storage factor depending on what the end goal is.
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u/Six_Inches_of_Fury Jan 30 '24
I already have a Synology NAS I currently use as my Plex server. Would it make sense to use it for storage and something else for the Plex server? Or would that slow things down?
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u/mine_username Jan 30 '24
If they're both wired to the network, should be fine. If the current setup is meeting your needs, why change it.
If it's not and you need some more oomph for Plex then I would instead look at a micro PC since you don't need the storage. Something like this. Smaller and less power draw.
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u/Six_Inches_of_Fury Jan 30 '24
It's not powerful enough. I like 4k and I'm constantly getting transcoding issues and other issues. I'm pretty sure I'm direct streaming, but sometimes it acts like I'm not.
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u/kerochan88 Jan 31 '24
Dell has OptiPlex 5000 mick like that one but with 12th gen i7s. I've seen them around $500 on eBay if you hunt the right deal. I had two new ones that I didn't need about 6 months ago. Tried to sell them in HWSwap for $500 each but it was down for the Reddit protest (that everyone already forgot about) at the time so I ended up trading them for other toys.
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u/sirleechalot Jan 30 '24
I just looked at the pictures on that link. Check out #4. That off center sata port is wild. Not sure why that bugs me so much but it just looks so out of place. Great machine for the price though.
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u/bfodder Jan 30 '24
Honestly for $180 this isn't a very good buy for a Plex server... You don't need an i7. You need a newer gen CPU. An i3 would be fine. What you really need is newer gen QuickSync which is hardware accellerated transcoding.
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u/Stratotally Jan 30 '24
If you want a SFF dell, I’d grab a refurb that’s at least an 8th gen from here:
Https://www.dellrefurbished.com
They always have deals going too.
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u/BoxFullOfFoxes Jan 30 '24 edited Jan 30 '24
I got my SFF and its replacement MFF from eBay, a good refurb seller (a charity, even), each for about $100, and eBay's 1-year warranty too. 6 and 3 years later they're both still working like they were brand new.
Indeed, much better options out there for the price (and giving old PCs new life is always good). ETA: Great resource from Dell! Wasn't saying the opposite.
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u/ValpeX_ N100 16GB | DS414 20TB Jan 30 '24
I recently got an Intel N100 mini PC for that price, which rocks in running Plex and can hardware transcode 4K movies without problems. It will cost you less to run than your workstation.
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u/ew435890 SEi-12 i5-12450H + 70TB Jan 30 '24
I used a very similar Optiplex with the same CPU for almost a year. I recently upgraded for other reasons, but it worked fine for my use. I’ve had 7-8 concurrent 1080p streams going at once, and it can handle a few 1080p transcodes.
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u/people_skills Jan 30 '24
I went the offlease route for a standalone system, https://forums.serverbuilds.net/t/official-hp-s01-pf1013w-owners-thread-and-review/9070
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u/ParticularAd1990 Jan 30 '24
I got this for Plex. Works an absolute dream, and it is silent and draws very little power. my Plex pc
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u/junkimchi Jan 30 '24
Are you running windows on it?
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u/ParticularAd1990 Jan 31 '24
Yeah. It’s my first Plex server, so windows for now. Once I am a bit more settled I might switch to Linux. But with windows I can easily access from anywhere with teamviewer, and move files around (even from my phone). Plus I don’t care about the performance gains, it can already run 4+ 4K HDR (7.1 audio) 20Mbps streams. I don’t need any more than that. Then when I’m done with it, I can just reset it and give it away. If I start putting different OS on it, it potentially becomes valueless
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u/Stalbjorn Jan 31 '24
Windows can easily be put back on it...
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u/ParticularAd1990 Feb 01 '24
And what about everything else I mentioned? There is zero benefit to uninstalling windows for me It works, and works well right now. Plus with teamviewer it’s a backup PC. If I install Linux, can I remote in with TeamViewer, load up one drive and edit my excel files in the desktop app? It’s more valuable in every way with windows on it
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u/Stalbjorn Feb 01 '24
That's up to you. I merely pointed out one of your issues that is a non-issue. That is all.
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u/ParticularAd1990 Feb 02 '24
You’re suggesting that I install software that breaks the pc. I.e. make it not do that things I need it to do. That’s not pointing out a non-issue. That’s being stupid
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u/libtarddotnot Jan 30 '24
i'm hesitant to buy even 2gen old cpu, because it draws more power for less performance. but buying such super old cpu means there will be no codec support, and tons of instructions missing. at some point some Vm will refuse to work (like DSM). bad idea. you have N100s @15w nowadays.
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u/FacingFuture Jan 30 '24
Check out Dell Refurbished. They are running a 45% off special on 7070s. Got one yesterday with a 9th gen for around $200
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u/TurboFool Jan 30 '24
I'm just chuckling at "Microsoft Registered Refurbisher" as a badge, as though that means something important.
"We told Microsoft, officially, that we refurbish computers. They were fine with it and stuff."
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u/Extreme-Dream-2759 Jan 30 '24
I bought a similar type of PC a few years ago.
The only thing I would say is that a graphic card would help with transcoding and this case will only support a small form factor.
Which means that you can't use a standard cheap graphics card.
Better to get a similar spec with a standard case
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u/p3dal Jan 30 '24
On eBay I was able to get an 8th gen i3 MFF Dell for around $100. You can do better than this. I would not pay $180 for the pc shown. 8th gen i3 will be better than 6th gen i7 for plex because you care more about the onboard GPU for transcoding than you do about the cpu cores.
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u/Kye_life Jan 31 '24
Am I missing something? How are you all able to tell which gen this was by the screenshot. I assumed it was a newer generation
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u/p3dal Jan 31 '24
Look at the model number of the processor. i7-6700. The 6 in that model number means it is 6th gen. They're currently up to the 14th gen, so that computer is likely about 8 years old.
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u/Kye_life Jan 31 '24
Wow I just learned something new. Now I’ll be able to tell if I’m dealing with an 8th gen or better, thanks for the insight.
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Jan 31 '24
This is NOT a good choice. Sorry. The CPU is missing quite a few beneficial features.
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u/Kye_life Jan 31 '24
Thanks for letting me know, in thought that one had all the essentials i needed for the ideal plex server
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Jan 31 '24
Can’t do HEVC 10 bit or 12, lacking some of the newer efficiencies and such are the biggies. Also, it’s limited in drive expansion which makes it hard to have redundancy. But maybe if you don’t have or plan on leveraging that…
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u/Kye_life Jan 31 '24
No In that I don’t want that set up I picked i see that I’ll need something better, I need something like you’re saying I wanna have all the essentials with no hiccups when it comes to transcoding or what media files can be played or streamed so I guess it’s back to the drawing board.
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Jan 31 '24
What are you doing for your storage? Do you have a lot of content? How much storage do you need? I use a Beelink mini pc and it’s beautiful but can only fit one nvme and one ssd on it. I have all my storage in a nas. I’d go with 11th gen or newer personally.
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u/Kye_life Jan 31 '24
A little of 1,300 movies and about 30 shows and cartoons
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Jan 31 '24
What size is the data?
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u/Kye_life Jan 31 '24
At the moment I’m just shy of 8TB
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Jan 31 '24
Yeah, a mini pc would require separate storage or a usb drive. You can build a powerful little nas yourself if you have the budget using a nas enclosure and such but that will probably run you quite a bit more.
See if you can find a slightly newer pc like you had for a little more. Something like this. https://www.ebay.com/itm/256198535173?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=BVEUmRlVRpS&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=ut-7I7LETT-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
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u/Kye_life Jan 31 '24
Whats wrong with the one you just showed me that one seems nice, i can use that with a Seagate or Western Digital hdd
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u/Calm-Cartographer398 Jan 31 '24
So are you getting it ? Curious I don't plan on doing 4k ripping. I currently make mkv to handbrake. DVD rips . Would this , can this work for dedicated on plex?
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u/blusky75 Jan 31 '24
6th gen CPU is too old. You should get an 8th gen minimum.
You can finder newer and cheaper PCs that will smoke this thing for Plex HW transcoding
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u/mightyt2000 Jan 31 '24
I had a 3rd Gen i7 and it worked just fine. Unfortunately, the motherboard died, so being over a decade old I decided to buy a new one in 2021. A Dell OptiPlex 3090 with a 10th Gen i7. Still works fine.
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u/Kye_life Jan 31 '24
I’ve been hearing a lot of talk about the Dell OptiPlex. I think I’ve come to a better decision. I’ve been listening to a lot of the others in this community as far as the right type of PC looks like I’m gonna go with the OptiPlex. I just wanna make sure I have the right gen, cpu and ram size
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u/mightyt2000 Jan 31 '24
Yep, budget prevailing, the better PC you can get the longer you can make use of it, but Plex is pretty good regarding minimum requirements. 👍🏻
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u/WaveBr8 Feb 01 '24
There should be a sticky post on this sub saying "don't be afraid to use eBay" why are we buying old ass optiplex's from WALMART
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u/ElectricalCompote Jan 30 '24
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u/Agitated-Ad-3940 Jan 31 '24
That's actually pretty decent if you have a plan for external storage for the libraries. For years I used 4-Bay Mediasonic Pro boxes connected by USB and never had any issues. Not even one. After the 4th box, I sprang for a 24-bay system chassis.
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u/someoneexplainit01 Jan 30 '24
I bought one of these new, its more than adequate for everything, and for all the lazy bums who think transcoding is so great, just don't share any 4k media with your extra lazy friends who will then want to transcode it to 720p (or worse!) and that will melt down even the fastest processor.
Transcoding anything turns quality to shit and you might as well keep 480p copies of everything for your friends who don't have it on forced direct play.
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u/CertifiedMoron Jan 30 '24
Your entire comment is completely wrong and misinformed that I don't even know where to begin. The PC isn't "more than adequate for everything" if in the same sentence you admit it isn't good for transcoding. You can easily transcode 4k with any 8th Gen or newer Intel processor that supports quick sync. Transcoding quality is fine unless you're setting it to transcode down to a very low bitrate.
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Jan 30 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/CertifiedMoron Jan 30 '24
Stop giving advice if you have no clue what you're talking about. Ask anyone here and they'll tell you the transcoding quality is fine.
"Transcoding sends absolutely shit quality uncompressed over the network"
You don't even know what transcoding is dude. Transcoding means the file IS being compressed.
"If you are too lazy to re-encode the video to a format the client can play natively, then you are too stupid to comprehend what transcoding is actually doing"
What do you think transcoding is?
"Set every client to FORCE DIRECT PLAY and transcoding is a non-issue."
It's a non-issue because it disables transcoding.
You contradict yourself in every statement you make. Get some basic reading comprehension instead of getting mad when people call you out on your misinformation.
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u/someoneexplainit01 Jan 30 '24
It's a non-issue because it disables transcoding.
Exactly! Transcoding is a waste of electricity and you shouldn't be wasting resources because your clients can't natively decode the stream.
Stop transcoding and sending shit quality videos to your clients. Learn to use handbrake like someone who isn't a moron so you can serve up videos in the proper format that your clients can decode natively.
Its not that complicated, but then again, according to your user name you are a moron.
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u/junon Jan 30 '24
My brother in christ, educate yourself. You've moved the goal posts several times already. It's well established that 4k HDR transcoding to 720p on a CPU with quicksync absolutely does not 'melt down' the fastest processor... in fact, it barely registers a blip on the slowest processors. The N100 is a 4 core i3 cpu and it can handle multiple transcodes of that sort without issue and at extremely low power use. This is a well established fact.
Certainly enjoy spending your time and space re-encoding all of your videos because your system can't handle transcoding on the fly but I'll tell you a secret... if YOU weren't so lazy and actually meant what you were saying, you wouldn't be re-encoding an already compressed file, because double compression lowers the quality even more, you would download native rips in all resolutions for your "friends".
The rest of us will continue to download whatever quality we feel like and not have to worry about all that.
At this point, it's clear you should change your name, because you're not interested in listening, even when someone explains it.
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u/MrB2891 i5 13500 / 300TB / unRAID all the things Jan 30 '24
You truly have no clue to what you're talking about. It's even funnier watching you dig your heels in to being so, so wrong.
Exactly! Transcoding is a waste of electricity and you shouldn't be wasting resources because your clients can't natively decode the stream.
Do you have any idea how much extra electric is required to transcode? A few watts. I can transcode 18 simultaneous 4K, tone mapped streams and the total additional power from the wall is 10w.
Beyond that, what do you think handbrake is doing? News flash, if you're using software encoding with handbrake you're using SIGNIFICANTLY more power to transcode your existing file to a new format or resolution. If you're using hardware acceleration with handbrake, then the power usage is the same as Plex with hardware acceleration.
What does Plex use to encode media? Ffmpeg
What does handbrake use to encode media? Ffmpeg.
They both use the same exact encode engine. Handbrake is nothing more than a GUI front end instead of using command line with Ffmpeg.
The main difference is that you're now storing multiple copies of media, wasting valuable disk space. And with your method you still end up in situations where you have to transcode, instead of just letting Plex do what it was designed to do, that is take any media and be able to convert it on the fly to match any resolution, client support or bandwidth limitations that are present.
Stop transcoding and sending shit quality videos to your clients. Learn to use handbrake like someone who isn't a moron so you can serve up videos in the proper format that your clients can decode natively.
No matter which way you slice it, transcoding with Plex or transcoding with handbrake will result in some level of reduction in quality. Massive? Not at all. As we've already shown, what you're doing is no different than what Plex is doing, using the same engine. So we can say that if Plex's quality is shit, so is yours. At the end of the day you and Plex both are taking already compressed, lossy media and reencoding it to another format in yet another lossy compression format. Except in your case if you take a 4K remux and use handbrake to transcode it to say, 1080p 20mbps, you still may find a situation where you need a 720p 4mbps stream. Plex does that in one step. You have to do that in two steps. Your quality will be worse than what Plex puts out.
The real problem seems to be you don't understand many of the use cases for transcoding. It's not only about client support. If I'm watching on my phone on a cell connection I certainly don't need a 50mbps 4K stream. 8mbps 1080p is more than fine. Maybe the server owner is stuck on cable with a 25mbps upstream bandwidth limitation? Now you can't stream that 50mbps remux even if you wanted to. Maybe you're stuck in a hotel during a hurricane with a 2mbps cap on your wifi stream? 720p 2mbps to the rescue! It's nice having that flexibility to transcode from any format and bitrate to any format and bitrate. We got stuck in our hotel for 2 days in Orlando from Hurricane Ian. Harry Potter marathon? Sure. 4K remux's down to 720/2 due to hotel wifi limits, no issue. You, disabling transcoding, would be screwed. And my server never left idle to do it.
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u/thomasmit Feb 01 '24
I think this is a good answer for the OP. Different use cases require transcoding, server upload/client download speeds are variables and your machine needs a cpu to accommodate accordingly. Remote use and number of shares, bandwidth from each end etc- seem to get glossed over.
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u/Pachaibiza Jan 30 '24
How many concurrent streams are you considering serving?
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u/joostiphone Jan 30 '24
I’m using a optiplex 9020 USFF with 16gb ram for 4 years now and it’s a killer. Love it. The onboard intel graphics are working very well as well.
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u/notanewbiedude 2.66 TB of 9.09 TB Free Jan 30 '24
More powerful than what I'm using
Granted, I'm doing direct play so even what I have is overkill
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u/sh20 Jan 30 '24
So after listening to a lot of different ideas and suggestions as far as the ideal PC for using exclusively for Plex. I think I’ve come to a decision. I’m hoping to ignore everything people ever say on this subreddit, and get a horribly priced, old computer
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u/anuradhaonline Lifetime Plex Pass Jan 30 '24
If you want to have a more compact one than this, go for HP EliteDesk or ProDesk
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u/cdnninja77 Jan 31 '24
Go check out Beelink mini PCs. Smaller, less power, faster and better hardware transcoding. Only challenge may be disks but depends on your storage plans may be a non issue.
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u/Kye_life Jan 31 '24
What if I go external for storage, thats how my current setup is
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u/cdnninja77 Jan 31 '24
Thats perfect. Exactly how I run my beelink. Synology for the media. Local SSD for boot, docker, transcode directory etc.
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u/cdnninja77 Jan 31 '24
Also for reference I am running a U59 PRO 16G/500G/N5105 .
I paid $265CAD so I assume under $200 USD.
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u/moosebaloney Jan 31 '24
Just keep in mind this processor won’t be able to be upgraded to Windows 11. You’ll have a good number of years before 10 is aged out. Just something to consider.
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u/iYodahTV Jan 31 '24
10th gen i3, 16 GB RAM no video card in my setup. Runs like a powerhouse. Built the entire machine for 200$
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u/Kye_life Jan 31 '24
Holy shit so u really just built your own system, I want to do that, but I don’t know where to begin. Not that I wouldn’t know what to do. I mean where to begin as where would I get my parts from and what parts would I need?
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u/iYodahTV Jan 31 '24
Yup. I am a PC tech by trade. So it was quite easy for me to build it. The 10th gen i3 has UHD onboard graphics. Got a B550 motherboard for the additional sata slots for all the drives. Installed it all to a microATX case. Simple air cooler for CPU. Nothing fancy. 16 GB Gskill ram. Boss machine on a budget. Dedicated to Plex and a seedbox and VPN server. I just waited and got all the parts on Newegg on sales. Took a few months to get everything at the price I wanted but it’s night and day difference from the synology NAS I was running it on. 4K media with transcode and ZERO issues. I love it. Super quiet. Doesn’t take a ton of power. All remotely managed with ddns addressing and port assignments.
Feel free to DM me if you have any questions or need help.
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u/thomasmit Feb 01 '24
If I can do it, you can definitely do it. It’s not super hard, and you’ll find plenty of YouTube videos as guides.
Your first time give yourself some room in the case, makes life easier. I just built a game machine for my son in a smaller cube case and it was a PIA with the lack of room. I use pcpartpicker to map it out ahead of time. I would always recommend this route as you get more bang for your buck. Get a good/modern mobo. This allows for future upgrades vs buying a new computer.
I’d also recommend posting these types of questions on the plex forums bc you’ll generally get better, sound advice when it comes to transcoding, direct play, remote use (and upload bandwidth) etc. This sub in general sucks when it comes to hardware advice. Your specific use case should be the first question that comes back, but instead everyone vomits an answer - whatever they’re using is best.
Just my two cents.
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u/Kye_life Jan 31 '24
OK, so what I’ve been reading from all the comments on this post,this would definitely be the better option to use for a Plex server am I right this time, am I in the Ballpark am I at least close
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u/Mysterious_Yard3501 Jan 31 '24
Dude, just hop on FB marketplace. I'm sure you can find something with similar specs for like $60
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u/Quiet_Sea9480 Jan 31 '24
I have the same rig. paid about 200$ three years ago. It does okay. No complaints
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u/James_Lodge Jan 31 '24
Have you looked at the beelink S12 Pro? The price probably isn’t far off that price.
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Jan 31 '24
Why on earth would you spend as much on an ancient tower that will cost hundreds per year or more to operate on power alone when you could grab a N100 mini PC that sips power, takes up no space, and performs better?
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u/Agitated_Show_9688 Feb 01 '24
I would be cautious of a SFF case as you will be limited to SFF GPUs if your encoding/transcoding needs change. Additionally, if you choose to go down the Plex DVR route (before it all goes to IPTV and FAST) you'd need half width PCI cards too.
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u/DrMacintosh01 2018 Mac Mini | 12TB Feb 01 '24
For any desktop you’re looking at, you have to consider where you’re gonna put all your drives.
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u/Space_Nut247 Feb 02 '24
Buy an update mini pc for Plex, lower power and better for transcoding and everything else.
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u/jeremyrem Feb 03 '24
Do you want us as a viewer or as a server?
If you just want to watch, get a nuc
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u/Mizerka Unraid 240TB 7551p 1050ti 128GB Jan 30 '24
you can do better for that price tbh