[SOLVED] Should I buy a NAS enclosure or a refurbished PC to use as a media server ?

[ShadowDragon25]

Hi all, wondering if buying a NAS enclosure or a refurbished PC would be best to run a NAS with 2-4 HDDs in it? The physical size does have to be small. I am looking to rip all my DVDs to be on a media server to be easier to access wherever we are in the house. I am thinking of 2x12tb HDDs in Raid 1 or 4x8tb HDDs in Raid 1. I am new to this so open to any suggestions. Also for a first time server user would you recommend using Linux or Windows or something like TrueNAS or Unraid? I have only ever used Mac and Windows as OS. Thanks for the help in advanced.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Depends on how comfortable you are

with building a pc,​

setting up and configuring it.​

With NAS box it's much easier to set it up and use. Just add drives, bit of time to configure storage settings and done.

With pc you can build it, however you want. Probably will not be as compact as a NAS box. But you'll have much more building and configuration options. Will also require much more time spent.

 

[ShadowDragon25]

Happy to build a PC. But in the UK there is a refurbished PC company. So the PC comes built. But I can change the drives in it obviously. Am I right in saying you don't need fast or high capacity RAM? Also you don't need a high frequency CPU do you?

 

[SkyNetRising]

But in the UK there is a refurbished PC company. So the PC comes built. But I can change the drives in it obviously.

With refurbished pc you would be giving up all the custom configuration options, you get from building a pc.
PC enclosure with convenient access to drives is very important here.

Am I right in saying you don't need fast or high capacity RAM? Also you don't need a high frequency CPU do you?

Just for storage server - 2core/4tread cpu and 4GB of ram should be plenty.
If you want to install for example Plex server with media transcoding, then more system resources would be required.

 

[ShadowDragon25]

Ahhh ok thanks. I may come back with a PC Picker list to see if you think that would work with what I am looking for.


Would you recommend Linux or Windows for a Media Server where I mainly use Plex?
Also, do you have any recommendations on riping DVDs for software to do that?

 

[SkyNetRising]

Would you recommend Linux or Windows for a Media Server where I mainly use Plex?
Also, do you have any recommendations on riping DVDs for software to do that?

That would mainly come to personal preference and familiarity with either windows or linux.
Personally - I prefer windows server. But that's just me. Might not be optimal for everybody.

BTW - there are NAS boxes capable of running PLEX too.

For DVD ripping software - sorry, can't recommend anything on that.

 

[ShadowDragon25]

Thanks so much for the help. I will look at getting a PC and compare the price to NAS boxes. I really appreciate the help.
I don't know Linux myself. So will probably go for Windows.

 

[USAFRet]

For your Plex and DVD ripping, be careful of the format.
If you rip the DVDs direct to an ISO file, that will not work with Plex.

That is the reason I gave up on using Plex on my QNAP NAS. The vast majority of my movie collection is in ISO files, and that does not work.

 

[ShadowDragon25]

For your Plex and DVD ripping, be careful of the format.
If you rip the DVDs direct to an ISO file, that will not work with Plex.

That is the reason I gave up on using Plex on my QNAP NAS. The vast majority of my movie collection is in ISO files, and that does not work.

Thanks. So what have you done instead? Have you got your DVDs on the server and accessible on the network?

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks. So what have you done instead? Have you got your DVDs on the server and accessible on the network?

I just have them in a folder tree on the NAS, and navigate by file name.
Accessed from my HTPC, or whatever other house system I want to watch it on.
Played with VLC.

Plex just gives you a fancy front end on that. Nothing really special.

 

[USAFRet]

From Plex, on ISO file types:

Why are ISO, VIDEO_TS, and other Disk Image Formats Not Supported?

Files such as ISO or IMG and folder structures such as VIDEO_TS or BDMV are generally referred to as “disk...

support.plex.tv

 

[ShadowDragon25]

Ok cool thanks. So Plex isn't necessary. Sweet. Good to know.