Questions about NAS and Home Network

[bcoop]

I've done some reading on this, but haven't really seen answers for the questions I have. I've not kept up with technology in years, so I would not say I'm totally illiterate, but I do need it dumbed down a little.

I want to get a NAS. Looking at the QNAP TS-431 unless anyone has a better suggestion. I do not currently have a home network set up. Use for the NAS will be mainly for movies, TV shows, and music.

I do not have a server. I do not have a desktop PC either. I have a SP3, (win 8) a $300 slow as shit Dell laptop (win7), some tablets (iPads), the old lady's laptop (winxp I think), etc.

For a network, do I need to build or buy a desktop, or a server? Or will my $300 laptop suffice? It doesn't get used for anything anymore, so it just sits.

Can I install Plex directly on the QNAP?

Obviously wired is better, but would wireless network be ok knowing I want to use Plex on the roku, etc to watch shows and movies, or is that too slow? Is a QNAP even able to use wirelessly or must they be hard wired?


Obviously I'm starting from scratch, and don't know shit about it. Or perhaps you can point me to better write ups than what I've come across so far.

[ceyko]

As a rule of thumb wireless should only be used when all other options are exhausted.

I'm not familiar with the QNAP line of products, but I do know there is a plex server for the Synology line of products. Well, according to the Plex page, there is one for QNAP as well.

Then whatever you're using as a client does not require that much horsepower.

Will wireless work? Probably, but wired networking reduces complications when there are issues.

[Tx Redneck]

Yeah, you'll need to make sure all your content to be served through plex is in a format natively supported by the client(s), otherwise you'll run into buffering from the transcoder not having enough HP to keep up.

[ceyko]

Good point, that's where handbrake or something similar comes into play.

[motoman]

Brent, it wouldn't take much to build a small media server to do what you need. Hell, I may be upgrading my PC here shortly and would work you a deal on components I have. TxRedneck can vouch for my current processor as being more than enough for your needs.


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[Tremor14]

I cant wait for this callabo either!

[bcoop]

Brent, it wouldn't take much to build a small media server to do what you need. Hell, I may be upgrading my PC here shortly and would work you a deal on components I have. TxRedneck can vouch for my current processor as being more than enough for your needs.

Let me know. I've decided I'm in way over my head. Not giving up completely, but for now I ordered a fire stick and got Kodi installed on it last night. This thing is awesome!

Of course, I'd like to have some content myself rather than having to stream it.

I cant wait for this callabo either!

I don't have a fucking clue who a single one of those people are.

[Tx Redneck]

Here's a quick start guide to setting up plex. https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/art...t-Step-by-Step

[DamonH]

I use a Drobo 5N for my network storage. It's about as simple as it can get. It also runs a few apps - I have it run a plex server, sickbeard, sabnzbd, and couchpotato without issues. It can't do heavy transcoding or anything, but I think it's a pretty easy solution.

[Tremor14]

Killer Mike, El-P, Zach De La Rocha and Nas,

[Tremor14]

I thought this was a thread about Run the Jewels and Nas

[Silverback]

Yeah, you'll need to make sure all your content to be served through plex is in a format natively supported by the client(s), otherwise you'll run into buffering from the transcoder not having enough HP to keep up.

Also the PLEX versions that run on ARM based processor NAS devices do no transcoding at all. Best bet is to make sure everything you download to your media server folder is in .mp4 format. There are others, but knowing you this is all the information i'm willing to share, or else i'll be bombarded with questions

I run a Netgear NAS device that runs PLEX. I have almost no issues with it at all, other than I had to re-encode a lot of the stuff I had on my old PC version of PLEX.

You can look at NAS devices that have an x86 processor instead of an ARM processor and they will do the transcoding

[FastFord19]

Also the PLEX versions that run on ARM based processor NAS devices do no transcoding at all. Best bet is to make sure everything you download to your media server folder is in .mp4 format. There are others, but knowing you this is all the information i'm willing to share, or else i'll be bombarded with questions

I run a Netgear NAS device that runs PLEX. I have almost no issues with it at all, other than I had to re-encode a lot of the stuff I had on my old PC version of PLEX.

You can look at NAS devices that have an x86 processor instead of an ARM processor and they will do the transcoding

Should I convert my MKV to MP4?

[Tx Redneck]

If your server isn't very powerful or the clients don't natively support mkv, yes.
The other aspect of the server HP is, of your going to be accessing your content remotely and the available bandwidth/speed of the client isn't enough to support direct stream, it'll will force the server to transcode.

[FastFord19]

Synology with an duel core Intel Atom D2700 2.13ghz with 1gb ram. I usually use a Roku Box.