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Hardware for Emby Theater


Dibbes

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Dibbes

Hi All,

 

I'm looking to replace my ATV4 in the living room, as the performance is not what I'd like it to be. The only reason I've kept it as long as I have is the size of the hardware and the remote. (I'm not using Siri)

 

Now my question is, does anyone have experience with something similar in size so I can strap it to the back of the TV, runs Windows (7, 8 or 10 properly) and has a decent enough remote for Emby theater?

 

Cheers,

 

Rob

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Guest asrequested

So you are set on using Theater desktop? You're looking at using a NUC or equivalent. Some of these guys have them strapped behind their TVs.

 

Maybe a Pi? Are you using home theater or just your TV?

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Deathsquirrel

I've got it on an i7 NUC and it works well.  I've since switched to a shield in that room but if you want small and windows the NUC is your best pick IMO.

Edited by Deathsquirrel
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Dibbes

So you are set on using Theater desktop? You're looking at using a NUC or equivalent. Some of these guys have them strapped behind their TVs.

 

Maybe a Pi? Are you using home theater or just your TV?

I'm using home theater on a 2013 Samsung full HD. I tried the Samsung app directly on the TV, but I didn't like that at all...

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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Guest asrequested

I'm using home theater on a 2013 Samsung full HD. I tried the Samsung app directly on the TV, but I didn't like that at all...

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Then a NUC is probably your best solution. And use a Harmony hub with an RF remote.

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Guest asrequested

Here is what I am looking at for my HT room when I upgrade the HTPC there that also runs my Emby server: ASUS UN65U-M023M VivoMini Barebones PC with Intel Core i3-7100U and integrated 4K UHD Graphics https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WV7NB95/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_bMdlAbJ49ZHGK

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

A quick heads up on that. If you want 4k 60Hz, you'll need an active display port to HDMI adapter. That's what I'm using with my i7 7700k. If you're connecting through an AVR, you may experience signal issues. I'm dealing with that, right now. I get audio dropout at the beginning of playback, and other varying issues. The newer NUCs have an HDMI 2.0 output, which shouldn't have this issue. This issue is a PITA. I'm trying to find a way around it.

 

Take a look at this NUC

 

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/boards-kits/nuc/mini-pcs/nuc7i7bnkq.html

 

I think I'm just going to have to live with it. As annoying as it is.

 

But you will get some frame dropping with Live TV, if you use an adapter through your AVR. 

 

5a2c510f8b3d9_Snapshot_346.jpg

Edited by Doofus
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Dibbes

Here is what I am looking at for my HT room when I upgrade the HTPC there that also runs my Emby server: ASUS UN65U-M023M VivoMini Barebones PC with Intel Core i3-7100U and integrated 4K UHD Graphics https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WV7NB95/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_bMdlAbJ49ZHGK

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

That looks very nice... I won't be running my server on it, nor do I have an UHD requirement, at least not yet, so I think something like this will do nicely!

 

 

 

I can't find this in Spain yet. Then, we're usually a few weeks (or months) behind for these kind of things... Looking at the specs, it looks like the Mrs. is going to give me a firm "No", price-wise... lol

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Yea, UHD@60FPS is a lot of data. UHD or higher resolution at 60 frames per second you need HDMI 2.0 (18 Gbps), Display port 1.3 (32 Gbps), or better.

 

If UHD@60FPS is the goal I would recommend building a mini PC with a micro ATX or ITX based motherboard and add an expansion video card that supports the higher throughput on HDMI 2.0 or Display port 1.4 (geforce 1030 comes to mind: https://www.evga.com/products/product.aspx?pn=02G-P4-6333-KR)

 

Here, all my TVs are still running 1080p. I will upgrade within the next few years once sources that support UHD becomes more widespread. I am in the middle of planning to reduce the footprint of my servers down to a single vmhost. For Emby, I am considering trying to get hardware transcoding supported pass-through to a Linux VM using a board/chip that supports VT-D and Quick Sync. That would be fun to work through. The other option is to double the total number of threads with a Ryzen 1700 and see how a client Emby VM runs with 6 VCPUs and 8GB of RAM. I would likely OC the chip and either do serious aide cooking or do nominal air and a giant 240mm AIO liquid cooling system for the CPU.

I am on the fence about this because I notice that using software transcoding I can only do 2 transcodes and 1 post processing DVR process at once before my current AMD Sempron X6 1090T pegs out. Getting the transcoding hardware accelerated would relieve the CPU to handle the other processes I need.

 

Once I have consolidated all my servers down to a single vmhost, I would likely get 3 small form factor systems for the HT room, living room, and my bedroom.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited by Tur0k
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Guest asrequested

Yea, UHD@60FPS is a lot of data. UHD or higher resolution at 60 frames per second you need HDMI 2.0 (18 Gbps), Display port 1.3 (32 Gbps), or better.

 

If UHD@60FPS is the goal I would recommend building a mini PC with a micro ATX or ITX based motherboard and add an expansion video card that supports the higher throughput on HDMI 2.0 or Display port 1.4 (geforce 1030 comes to mind: https://www.evga.com/products/product.aspx?pn=02G-P4-6333-KR)

 

Here, all my TVs are still running 1080p. I will upgrade within the next few years once sources that support UHD become more widespread. I am in the middle of planning to reduce the footprint of my servers down to a single vmhost. For Emby, I am considering trying to get hardware transcoding supported pass-through to a Linux VM using a board/chip that supports VT-D and Quick Sync. That would be fun to work through. The other option is to double the total number of threads with a Ryzen 1700 and see how a client Emby VM runs with 6 VCPUs and 8GB of RAM.

 

Once I have consolidated all my servers down to a single vmhost, I would likely get 3 small form factor systems for the HT room, living room, and my bedroom.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Intel HD 630 on my i7 7700k supports it, with my motherboard

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Dang it @ I was looking at a 7700k build for my new VMHOST on the microcenter site. The host would need to support 4 HDDs and 2 SSDs in separate raids and an multi-port Intel NIC. For VMs I would run an Emby server, my home automation server, my firewall, a FREENAS NAS, unifi controller, my network monitor, a pbx, a few services on a separate server, and a windows essentials 2016 server. I can overcommit the server resources, I just wonder if 4 cores and 8 total threads is enough though.

 

Still trying to work out the pass-through bit for a Zwave USB transceiver, a serial RFX transceiver, and quicksync pass-through.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited by Tur0k
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Guest asrequested

Dang it @ I was looking at a 7700k build for my new VMHOST on the microcenter site. The host would need to support 4 HDDs and 2 SSDs in separate raids and an multi-port Intel NIC. For VMs I would run an Emby server, my home automation server, my firewall, a FREENAS NAS, unifi controller, my network monitor, a pbx, a few services on a separate server, and a windows essentials 2016 server. I can overcommit the server resources, I just wonder if 4 cores and 8 total threads is enough though.

 

Still trying to work out the pass-through bit for a Zwave USB transceiver, a serial RFX transceiver, and quicksync pass-through.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I think that would be pushing it, but the gen 8 has 6 cores, 12 threads. That should  be enough

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  • 2 weeks later...
Dibbes

I think that would be pushing it, but the gen 8 has 6 cores, 12 threads. That should  be enough

 

Can one every have enough cores? ;)

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Dibbes

I have 12 core 24 threads :D

Mine is just 8 core and I turned off HT though. Funily enough this AMD runs faster without HT...

 

 

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Guest asrequested

How is that threadripper doing @?

 

It's working very well. When transcoding playback, it performs without a hitch. I keep meaning to test how many it can handle at once. But haven't, yet.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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How is that threadripper doing @?

 

It's working very well. When transcoding playback, it performs without a hitch. I keep meaning to test how many it can handle at once. But haven't, yet.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So I found a ryzen 1700x (8 core 16 thread) CPU, mobo, and 16 GB RAM for $490. I could go that reverse route pretty easy.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited by Tur0k
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  • 3 weeks later...
Tur0k

Yea, I am waiting for gen2 of the ryzen to come out. If they are a huge step forward I may buy that one, if they are not then I will likely be upgrading to the 1700. I am leaning away from Intel and quicksync. Especially now that the new vulnerability has been identified in all Intel CPUs going back 10 years...

 

https://hothardware.com/news/intel-cpu-bug-kernel-memory-isolation-linux-windows-macos

 

 

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Edited by Tur0k
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Guest asrequested

That's interesting. A 30% hit in performance, it pretty horrendous. So far, my i7 7700K performs, admirably. 

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