INTERACT FORUM

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: basic server hardware question  (Read 1133 times)

perry59

  • Junior Woodchuck
  • **
  • Posts: 69
basic server hardware question
« on: November 13, 2018, 03:09:12 pm »

unfortunately MC has given up on a NAS version but I am still planning to move my library to a NAS and then build a NUC and put the MC server on it along with my movies server.
So my basic question is, since the server will be on the NUC and any transcoding taking place there, is there any use in buying a NAS that can do transcoding?
I was planning to buy a synology NAS, they have several variations, some that can transcode and cheaper ones that do not.
Has anyone set up a similar system and have recommendations?
Thanks!
Logged

JimH

  • Administrator
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 71601
  • Where did I put my teeth?
Re: basic server hardware question
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2018, 04:21:09 pm »

If MC on the NUC is managing files on a NAS, MC can do any conversion needed.
Logged

Scobie

  • MC Beta Team
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 719
  • Looking Busy
Re: basic server hardware question
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2018, 05:15:49 pm »

I store files on a QNAP and turn off all local multimedia programs and settings (video player, music player DLNA server etc) and let MC handle the lot.

MC gives a lot more functionality and flexibility, and having those functions enabled on the NAS just takes up NAS resources.
Logged

rec head

  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 1005
Re: basic server hardware question
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2018, 09:02:01 pm »

To answer the question, don't bother with the more expensive NAS just for conversions. I did and it was a waste. Just think of it as a box that acts as one big hard drive.
Logged

Scobie

  • MC Beta Team
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 719
  • Looking Busy
Re: basic server hardware question
« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2018, 09:45:50 pm »

Where you might look at points of difference is disk management (RAID etc) and networking with port trunking capability in addition to AV and malware support and other management utilities.
Logged

Manfred

  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 1027
Re: basic server hardware question
« Reply #5 on: November 14, 2018, 04:03:09 am »

I had a Qnap NAS for about 6 year connect to a HTPC in the living room.

I having no NAS any more, I switched the concept to:

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/ca/ca-academy/computer-audiophile-pocket-server-c-a-p-s-v4-cortes/

connected to a media render in the living room and a PC in my home office using Win Remote Desktop and iKVM for remote server management.

I run my server now since ~1 year 24 x 7 without any unplanned outage and no problems. Server is:  Lian Li PC-Q25B; Corsair SF450 Gold; 2 x 8GB Kingston DDR2400 ECC RAM; Asus P10S-I; i3-7100 3MB 3.9 GHz; 64 GB Transcend MTS400 M.2 SSD; NH-9Li; NH-S12A PWM; NH-A14 PWM; 2 x 8TB WD Red + 3 x 10 TB WD Red; iKVM IPMI-Remote Management; Windows 10 Pro; JRiver Media Center; EaseUS Backup; WD Utilities;

If you have <10 TB of data a NUC or HTPC with direct attached 10 TB disk or less is easier and cheaper (if you have some enclosed space to put the disk in would be beneficial- in an open space you hear them!.)

I have the following concept for my data:

- I do not transcode much, the i3 was sufficient. If you do it a lot of transcoding a Xeon  4C is better (if ECC Ram is a requirement - if not i5, i7)
- All critical data are on two 8 TB disks mirrored by Win10 Pro Storage spaces and backuped to a local attached USB disk.
- All ripped DVD, BD are on single 10 TB disks. Because DVD and BD are static content I backup them only once on old disks and put the disks in a different location.
- If you want to change meta dat on a global level or analyze audio for a huge volume the server is pretty fast because data must not received anymore over the network
- My Media renderer has NVIDIA GTX and had Asus SFX SC -> leading to several major outages this year (That's why I prefer to have a server with MC and the data without any Audio or Graphics interface and put the latter to a separate media renderer)
- I personally would not recommend RAID5 for home use. I have had RAID 5 in the beginning on my QNAP NAS and the RAID array crashed and could not be recovered.
Logged
WS (AMD Ryzen 7 5700G, 32 GB DDR4-3200, 2x2 TB SDD, LG 34UC98-W)-USB|ADI-2 DAC FS|Canton AM5 - File Server (i3-3.9 GHz, 16GB ECC DDR4-2400, 46 TB disk space) - Media Renderer (i3-3.8 GHz, 8GB DDR4-2133, GTX 960)-USB|Devialet D220 Pro|Audeze LCD 2|B&W 804S|LG 4K OLED )

perry59

  • Junior Woodchuck
  • **
  • Posts: 69
Re: basic server hardware question
« Reply #6 on: November 14, 2018, 12:32:45 pm »

Good advice, thanks all !
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up