Getting started with Home Media Server?

[Ssreek]

While sharing video files or other content, I always copied to pen drive and connected it to tv or tab etc and then watched from there.
I've ignored this option of having home media server or nas and never bothered to know about them.

Requirement is, to have a shared folder that could be accessed by all the devices that are connected to the home Wi-Fi.

There are a myriad of sources talking about these, including plex, jellyfin, kodi, synology nas etc. Things are a little confusing.
I want to know what you guys use and which ones work consistent without being too messy/complicated to configure and use.
Would appreciate if you could provide relevant guide or info. Do consider that I have close to zero knowledge on these.

Few things to note:

• This is not for backing up any files. Just media related use only. I already use onedrive backup and that seems to be sufficient for now.
• Have 2 old laptops with me that are collecting dust. One has i7 3rd gen processor with 8gb RAM, and other has Intel core 2 duo processor with 4gb ram. Would any of these be useful for this purpose?
• Router provided by airtel doesn't have pen drive access functionality. Getting just a router like asus ones with pen drive access be sufficient?

 

[chetansha]

KISS. Keep it simple . I have attached a 2tb hdd to my asus router and it works for me.

 

[gourav]

Here are few questions you need to answer:

1. Do you need remote access? Some people might want to consume the movies/songs while commuting or when you are travelling. Some might want to access only within their homes. Some people might want to host media for their parents/friends to consume.
2. Do you need transcoding? If the devices you'll be using to consume the media are not capable of running all codecs, or you don't always have enough bandwidth to stream at full res, then you might need transcoding.
3. Will you consume the media using multiple devices? If yes, then how important is it to keep all devices in sync? Last watched episode, or ability to stop on one device and resume on another are counted as sync.

You also need to keep in mind that while it's ideal, it's not absolutely necessary for the file host and media server to be the same machine. You can have your media on one device and use another device as media server.

For instance, let's say you have a router with a USB port (no transcoding capability), a laptop capable of transcoding, and you want to watch on your living room TV. You can keep the media on a hard drive connected to the router and use the laptop for transcoding only when needed.

So here are the options depending on your answers:

• Single device viewing, no remote access or transcoding required: Just connect a hard drive to router USB port, or use a cheap SBC similar to Raspberry Pi to build a basic NAS. Install Kodi on your client device, configure the path to the media. You have your own personal library
• Multi-device viewing, no remote access or transcoding required, but need sync: Router option is no longer feasible. Use a cheap SBC like Raspberry Pi to create a basic NAS.
  • Install MySQL on your Raspberry Pi. Then use it as the database for KODI. Configure all your clients to use this MySQL database. All your media will be in sync.
  • Install Jellyfin on your Raspberry Pi. Disable transcoding. Install Jellyfin client on all machines or access using browser.
• Multi-device viewing, transcoding required: Use the Jellyfin option from above, but make sure your PC is powerful enough to handle transcoding. Raspberry Pi 4 with 4 GB RAM will mostly work fine for 1080p, but will struggle with 4k. Can vary by codec as well
• Remote access required: Set up a Plex server, get a Plex pass (pay money to access your own, mostly pirated, media), ensure you have a beefy computer hosting your Plex server to handle all transcoding.

Disclaimer: These are based on my own preferences and there are other possible solutions as well. A lot of people swear by Plex even for simple local streaming. But I find the interface just inadequate when compared to Kodi. I myself use Kodi with MySQL server. The database and media reside on my Synology NAS. I primarily consume media on my living room TV using a Fire Stick. I do not need remote access, but I have Tailscale setup. So if I suddenly feel like watching something while travelling, I can download it from my NAS over the internet by connecting Tailscale. Most modern clients, i.e. phones and laptops, can play pretty much any media locally. So downloading is not an issue.

 

[Ramadhir Singh]

Requirement is, to have a shared folder that could be accessed by all the devices that are connected to the home Wi-Fi.

Question is how you are planning to access the content ?
-- A simple smb share, as suggested by @chetansha in previous post, will let you access your media in computers/ android (with esExplorer, etc) and will let you play easily.
While that solution will not work in TV/media player and you need a media server running - compatible to your media player/TV.
The next simple solution is installing miniDLNA, if your tv supports DLNA.
Else the next best and complete solution is jellyfin. Is your TV runnign android and can you install jellyfin app is the question.

Kodi is resource hogger.
Plex , resource hogger plus -- i dont know what they want to be.. the next amazon prime ?

Emby was my go to option , just pay 5$ for firetv app (no live/IPTV available) and you are good, unlike Plex subscription model.
Note: emby devs developing lots of ego these days, and becoming greedy every passing day and wont recommend them now. Also they screw thing with server updates - server updates are more frequent and they dont update the fireTv app to address those changes, and you like to have own minute level customisation.. it can be frustrating at times. else its a good and balanced option.

Have 2 old laptops with me that are collecting dust. One has i7 3rd gen processor with 8gb RAM, and other has Intel core 2 duo processor with 4gb ram. Would any of these be useful for this purpose?

both are overkill for this, just see which one you can use with less power consumption. i guess you are not planning to run then 24x7.

Router provided by airtel doesn't have pen drive access functionality. Getting just a router like asus ones with pen drive access be sufficient?

be extra careful when you use router by Jio/aritel, they own your network not you, and they can peek into your network whenever they want.
regardless - if you can, try to get your own router for your home networking and use Airtel as modem, which cant acces you home devices.

 

[gourav]

-- A simple smb share, as suggested by @chetansha in previous post, will let you access your media in computers/ android (with esExplorer, etc) and will let you play easily.

While that solution will not work in TV/media player and you need a media server running - compatible to your media player/TV.

That solution works fine for TVs as well. Most TVs sold in the last 5-6 years are smart TVs capable of accessing media over the network. If it's an LG/Samsung TV, then one can use a Fire Stick or similar device.

That was my entry into this as well. I had a simple SMB share set up on Raspberry Pi and accessed it using Kodi from my TV.

 

[raksrules]

KISS. Keep it simple . I have attached a 2tb hdd to my asus router and it works for me.

How do you download stuff on that? I have a router with USB 3.0 but for downloading content I need to disconnect and all. Unless you have a custom firmware for router too which somehow has torrent client.


@Ssreek

In my home, although I am primary consumer of downloaded content, I do download stuff which is common for entire family. I have setup everything using Raspberry Pi 4 that I got like 2-3 years back and have a MicroSD Card connected (As my HDD went bad and not intending to replace it for now) of 128GB size where all the media I am currently watching resides and then I delete once I have watched it.
Still I use Sonarr + Radarr + Prowlarr + Transmission for media management and downloading as it is easier than going to random websites to fine content.

 

[Ssreek]

KISS. Keep it simple . I have attached a 2tb hdd to my asus router and it works for me.

Can you suggest which model is sufficient for these things? I want to know what kind of spec/config is essential in these routers.

 

[meetdilip]

If it is as simple as making media files available to other devices, do a simple folder sharing. Choose a machine that you can use a server install Linux or Windows, and share the folder with the Home network.

 

[Ssreek]

@gourav - Remote access is not a priority at all. Don't have static ip and don't want to compromise security as well.

I do not have a router with USB capability. Airtel provided router for fiber connection and it does have usb port, but they said it is only for their service use incase of device malfunction.

Let's say there is a drive, no matter what type it is, connected to a router through wire or wireless. I would like to watch that drive contents through tv, and samsung tab(android). These are the primary devices to watch, apart from pc through which I will be downloading the files anyway.

The TV in question is Samsung TV, which has Tizen OS. The apps are very limited. I don't think we can install Kodi or plex in this, officially.
But we do have Airtel Xstream android box, which has 2gb ram and works okay. So I am guessing we could install these apps in android box, if installing in the tv's own OS is not possible. If it requires to have a firestick instead, I will consider buying it as well.

You also need to keep in mind that while it's ideal, it's not absolutely necessary for the file host and media server to be the same machine. You can have your media on one device and use another device as media server.

So files can be on pc, and another device can acts as server to showcase these files on tv?

Multiple device watching is rare. Maybe once in a while.

How important is transcoding here? Anyway to bypass it?

Question is how you are planning to access the content ?
-- A simple smb share, as suggested by @chetansha in previous post, will let you access your media in computers/ android (with esExplorer, etc) and will let you play easily.
While that solution will not work in TV/media player and you need a media server running - compatible to your media player/TV.
The next simple solution is installing miniDLNA, if your tv supports DLNA.
Else the next best and complete solution is jellyfin. Is your TV runnign android and can you install jellyfin app is the question.

The Samsung TV we have has Tizen os and I don't think any of those apps can be supported officially. We do have Airtel Xstream android box and I think android tv box can handle these apps.

Kodi is resource hogger.
Plex , resource hogger plus -- i dont know what they want to be.. the next amazon prime ?

Just now noticied plex pass is 5$ per month and not a one time purchase. Not feasible I guess, unless very important.

Have 2 old laptops with me that are collecting dust. One has i7 3rd gen processor with 8gb RAM, and other has Intel core 2 duo processor with 4gb ram. Would any of these be useful for this purpose?

both are overkill for this, just see which one you can use with less power consumption. i guess you are not planning to run then 24x7.

Is it? They are not being used at all anyway, and there are no batteries for them as well. Why not run as home media server 24x7 with some UPS connected?
Again, is Core 2 duo processor overkill?

be extra careful when you use router by Jio/aritel, they own your network not you, and they can peek into your network whenever they want.
regardless - if you can, try to get your own router for your home networking and use Airtel as modem, which cant acces you home devices.

Even though airtel's router has usb port, they somehow disabled such access and say that it is only for airtel's use incase of device repair.

 

[Ramadhir Singh]

How important is transcoding here? Anyway to bypass it?

transcoding is irrelevant in case of local streaming. its basically reencoding non compatible audio/vide formats which is not supported by your player.
dont download 4k while/if your TV can only do 1080p.


Tizen OS - is samsung proprietary, can you install something like, VLC player ? it will let you play network files.
Also check if it has a media player inbuild, im 100% sure samsung TVs are DLNA compatible. in that case just run minidlna in the device where you will store your media.

Again airtel box suks and lags badly.. better to get firetv .
> If it requires to have a firestick instead, I will consider buying it as well.
if you want to keep things simpe.

jellyfn app in firestick, and sun the server on you laptop, keep your files anywher in the network, just point it to jellyfin and it wil handle the resy. no frill setup.

 

[chetansha]

Can you suggest which model is sufficient for these things? I want to know what kind of spec/config is essential in these routers.

Rt ac 86U should be good enough. If budget is an issue , look for a used netgear r7000,(under 5k) flash it with merlin xw rt firmware and you are good to go.

 

[Ssreek]

transcoding is irrelevant in case of local streaming. its basically reencoding non compatible audio/vide formats which is not supported by your player.
dont download 4k while/if your TV can only do 1080p.

It's a samsung 4k tv. Any mkv/mp4 files I download through pc, it directly plays them without an issue. The only time it didn't play was when it had dts related audio. Most of the codecs work fine without issue.

Tizen OS - is samsung proprietary, can you install something like, VLC player ? it will let you play network files.
Also check if it has a media player inbuild, im 100% sure samsung TVs are DLNA compatible. in that case just run minidlna in the device where you will store your media.

I will check if we can install vlc.

Again airtel box suks and lags badly.. better to get firetv .
> If it requires to have a firestick instead, I will consider buying it as well.
if you want to keep things simpe.

jellyfn app in firestick, and sun the server on you laptop, keep your files anywher in the network, just point it to jellyfin and it wil handle the resy. no frill setup.

I agree airtel box sucks. It has 2gb ram yet lags a lot and sometimes restarts an app when stuck. Also, the picture quality is very avg for what it is supposed to be capable.
If firestick is needed, 4k or 4k max is the one I need to aim I guess.

 

[Ramadhir Singh]

Just now noticied plex pass is 5$ per month and not a one time purchase. Not feasible I guess, unless very important.

yes not worth man... when we have jellyfin like stuff open source. or more polished like emby in just 1 time 5$ for fireTV

Is it? They are not being used at all anyway, and there are no batteries for them as well. Why not run as home media server 24x7 with some UPS connected?
Again, is Core 2 duo processor overkill?

a laptop is a laptop more powerful then raspberry 3.
( keep the electric bills in mind) install headless debian/Linux and can run 24x7, no worries . In fact if you can install a big-fat HDD, instal ftp like vsftp.. and struck this laptop anywhere .. .use ftp to transfer the files to this...

Even though airtel's router has usb port, they somehow disabled such access and say that it is only for airtel's use incase of device repair.

yes man, they act funny and changes things from back end, so if you rely on that and they do some configuration from backend.. you will face frustration.
also ensure disable tr69 or something.

btw i have the nokia model, and its does show file sharing option in the router UI. never tried it so cant comment more.

If firestick is needed, 4k or 4k max is the one I need to aim I guess.

just few days back people suggested me 4k max. And we are expecting prices to come in range of ~4K
since you have 4k TV definitely go for 4k max.

 

[Ssreek]

yes not worth man... when we have jellyfin like stuff open source. or more polished like emby in just 1 time 5$ for fireTV


a laptop is a laptop more powerful then raspberry 3.
( keep mind the electric bills) install debian/Linux and can run 24x7, no worries

Haa, I overlooked this.

yes man, they act funny and changes things from back end, so if you rely on that and they do some configuration from backend.. you will face frustration.

I do remember I was able to see pen drive content in that router when we first go it, but never bothered to use it. Even specsheet says the same, but those fellows disabled it.

also ensure disable tr69 or something.

Don't know what this is. In router page it says, "Connection Status: ConnectError".

btw i have the nokia model, and its does show file sharing option in the router UI. never tried it so cant comment more.

just few days back people suggested me 4k max. And we are expecting prices to come in range of ~4K
since you have 4k TV definitely go for 4k max.

I checked the samsung tv appstore, no kodi, no jellyfin, no vlc. But there is plex, surprise.
Same here, looking for 4k max to come around 4k rupees.

Rt ac 86U should be good enough. If budget is an issue , look for a used netgear r7000,(under 5k) flash it with merlin xw rt firmware and you are good to go.

What about something like Asus Ac 58U or 59U?

 

[Ramadhir Singh]

Don't know what this is. In router page it says, "Connection Status: ConnectError".

About that tr thing -
hxxps://old.reddit.com/r/HomeNetworking/comments/5m4u64/how_to_get_rid_of_isp_backdoor_on_modem_tr069/
search online with your router model, you migh get the solution to disable it.

I checked the samsung tv appstore, no kodi, no jellyfin, no vlc. But there is plex, surprise.
Same here, looking for 4k max to come around 4k rupees.

yes, plex is bundled with many devices. as the are trying to be an OTT app, so no surprise.
yes for tvstick, it makes life for other in our family, UI is easy to navigate and use.

Haa, I overlooked this.

i updated my post afterwords sorry for lazy-ninja edits
> install headless debian/Linux and can run 24x7, no worries . In fact if you can install a big-fat HDD, instal ftp like vsftp.. and struck this laptop anywhere .. .use ftp to transfer the files to this...

 

[Ssreek]

Just now tried Plex. I put some files in a folder, added it to plex and tried to play it on plex app on tv. It works well and faster than ott while forwarding.
Ofcourse this type of thing isn't feasible forever, as there needs to be a pc switched on all the time and it also adds to electricity bills.
But what exactly is plex pass, if this is already working without paying?

 

[vishalrao]

Has anyone else tried the rclone.org command line tool for quick DLNA share?

It took me only a few minutes to share a few media files on my ubuntu nuc which my TV was able to play.

 

[gourav]

But what exactly is plex pass, if this is already working without paying?

Plex Pass Feature Overview

A Plex Pass subscription gives access to numerous features and benefits. DVR Recording of Live TV Hook a compatible tuner...

support.plex.tv

The main thing is this

When using a compatible device or processor on the Plex Media Server, subscribers can make use of hardware acceleration when content needs to be converted (transcoded) during streaming.

 

[Ssreek]

Plex Pass Feature Overview

A Plex Pass subscription gives access to numerous features and benefits. DVR Recording of Live TV Hook a compatible tuner...

support.plex.tv

The main thing is this

Understood. This and mobile apps.

 

[gourav]

Just to add to what has already been said, it's best to start with the setup which is cheapest for you. This will help you better identify your usage patterns.

For instance, even if your old PC is a gas guzzler, it is not a bad idea to just get started with it. You'll get an understanding of the whole setup process and will be able to use it. Identify if there's something more you need. Once you know your usage patterns better, you will be better equipped to identify the right solution.

No point spending money unnecessarily when you already have spare PCs at home. Try the whole setup with those first.