Plex server build questions.

[crazyea]

I have an alienware r11 that I could throw a 10900 into, but then I'd need to get a p2200 for transcoding as the onboard is disabled in the r11 and my son took the rtx 2060 out. I'd also need to buy a 10850/10900k to put in my main system in place of the 10900. So around $1350 investment. (CPU+GPU)

Or

Buy a 11900k and a new m/b plus case and psu for around $1600 to use for my main system and then drop my 10900/maximus hero system to be my plex server (no GPU, Use Quicksync) , get rid of the r11. (CPU/MB/PSU/CASE).



My issue is that I know the p2200 is good for transcoding, but its also $600 and not much good beyond that. I also know that the uhd630 on the 10900 is also very good at transcoding and costs nothing. So is it a better overall purchase to get a new cpu for around the price of the p2200 and use quicksync. Another consideration is that the r11 doesnt have much expandability for hard drives so a case would make more sense in that "case".

I know that I do not need to have such a high end cpu in the plex server, but I already have the 10900 and its 65w. The 10900k is not priced too poorly right now either and wouldnt mind having it in my main system.

 

[Sagath]

Very much overkill. You could sell the 10900 (etc) and buy/build an entire Plex system with money left over.

 

[lowfat]

Do you actually need something that transcodes? Are you using this to stream trascodes over the internet or just local network?

 

[crazyea]

I actually have 6 people in the house who use it, most of the stuff direct plays but a lot of the audio doesn't, then I have 5 family members out side of the home who use it, all transcode down to 4mb 720p. But in addition to that I use qbittorent, sonarr, radarr, and sabnzbd.

I have some of the items and I dont think I'd sell the stuff to downgrade. I'd rather use what I have and shuffle some things around. I'd rather be overpowered than underpowered honestly.

 

[crazyea]

I think I'll just get a DS920+. It has 4 drives and does quicksync. $649 at dell right now and 8% rakuten.

 

[rjbarker]

^^^^ Thats exactly what I have been looking at for Plex Server either a Synology DS720+ 0r 220+....presently have my Plex Server on my Mac Book Pro and my media on a External HDD plugged into my Router.....my Router is saying 90% RAM being used so I think I have to do something....also I have to have my Mac Book up n running for anyone to access Plex....

 

[clshades]

The 10900 does transcoding on the hardware level does it not? I put a p2000 in my last plex build for a customer and it barely sees 3% usage. If you are planning to use handbrake regularly then it's useful. Otherwise you don't need much of a video card for a plex server using a 10900.

The 9900 supports HEVC on the cpu... no *powerful* video card needed. If you are doing rips for lower resolution TV's it can be handy but the CPU can handle it. 8 simultaneous HEVC streams got the 9900k to around 50% usage.

I'd just be using your main computer and handbrake to do the rips then upload them to the plex server and save the 600 bux.

And by the way,.. for the hard drive on the plex server I built for this guy is a spin point 10tb EXO drive. Zero lag or stutter. NO 4 drive system required. Files were MKV HEVC.

 

[rjbarker]

^^^ Good info !

 

[crazyea]

The 10900 does transcoding on the hardware level does it not? I put a p2000 in my last plex build for a customer and it barely sees 3% usage. If you are planning to use handbrake regularly then it's useful. Otherwise you don't need much of a video card for a plex server using a 10900.

The 9900 supports HEVC on the cpu... no *powerful* video card needed. If you are doing rips for lower resolution TV's it can be handy but the CPU can handle it. 8 simultaneous HEVC streams got the 9900k to around 50% usage.

I'd just be using your main computer and handbrake to do the rips then upload them to the plex server and save the 600 bux.

And by the way,.. for the hard drive on the plex server I built for this guy is a spin point 10tb EXO drive. Zero lag or stutter. NO 4 drive system required. Files were MKV HEVC.

Yes, that's exactly what I said. They use quicksync on the igpu. Right now I am doing this on my main pc. But if I put the CPU into the Alienware r11 they have disabled the igpu. That's why I would need the p2200 as its pretty much the only thing in stock and highly recommended for plex.

Also, I am not reencoding the files and then storing them, I use quicksync to transcode to 720p in real time because I use the full res in my home using directly play mostly.

 

[crazyea]

^^^^ Thats exactly what I have been looking at for Plex Server either a Synology DS720+ 0r 220+....presently have my Plex Server on my Mac Book Pro and my media on a External HDD plugged into my Router.....my Router is saying 90% RAM being used so I think I have to do something....also I have to have my Mac Book up n running for anyone to access Plex....

I have also contemplated using one of the new mac mini m1's as they are getting rave reviews.

My biggest sticking point right now is that I have some of the gear and kind of want to upgrade my main system anyway to take advantage of my Samsung 980 pro's with the pcie4 on the newer intel cpu's.

I could keep running plex on my main system but sometimes its a hassle as plex will just quit for some reason on windows with hardware acceleration and tone mapping on, but is super stable on unraid. Or if I want to tinker and people are watching something they get pissed if I reboot, or I feel guilty and don't even bother. I had an unraid server around christmas and I kind of miss it honestly.