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Emby Server suggestions for Shield TV client


JamieN84

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JamieN84

Hi all, long time Emby user but first time poster. I love what you have built - thank you.

 

I'm trying to wrap my head around a suitable Emby Server that I can use with the Emby client on my Shield TV.

 

My current configurationis a Shield TV 16GB as both my client and my server with ethernet connection to a Synology DS216SE for file storage.

This works ok most of the time but I feel it really really struggles to do both jobs well at the same time. (I get video image distortion issues on all playback. With 4K DD Atmos videos it just chews up the 7GB free internal drive space with temp transcoding files after like 20 minutes of play.)

For that reason I would like to upgrade, but I dont want to spend 100s of dollars to something that wont make any difference.

 

 

I'm currently living on 3GB of storage for my media quite comfortably.

 

My confusion would be around, should I get a NUC or a NAS or another suggestion to run Emby Server on? (Lots of suggestions in other threads on models for those choices, I just dont know which choice to make.)

What speed drives/configuration should go in those that would not cause a bottle neck? (Ideally cheap as possible, but I spend more if I am getting a good bang-for-buck value.)

 

 

Any suggestions here would be great, thanks in advance!

Edited by JamieN84
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mastrmind11

Ideally, get another Shield.  Or give a (authentic ATV) MiBox a try, though I'm not sure it does Atmos passthrough.

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clarkss12

I have tried all kinds of inexpensive devices as a Plex AND Emby server.  I've run the server on $40 hardware running Linux AND LibreELEC (a couple of these low powered devices are still running the Emby server).  I have tested the server running on two of my NAS's, (DS216+II with Celeron® dual-core CPU), with less than favorable results.

 

I have run it on my mid-grade desktop Windows 10 computer, runs OK, but too much power usage (I have several fans running in it).

 

A couple of years ago, I purchased a Vorke V2 (Intel Skylake I5-6200U) to use specifically for a server, and it works quite well, I think even better than my desktop computer.  Been using this microPC exclusively for my Emby server.  All my media is scattered across my network on different storage devices.

 

Beelink sent me one of their newest miniPC's, the Beelink L55, for testing as a media server.  It cost less than my Vorke, but I think it performs better.  I tested it's ability for transcoding for several clients.

 

This is just my 2 cents........  I cringe at the thought of using  power hungry hardware, just for media consumption, but maybe that is just an old person's thing.

 

Here is my review of this Windows 10  miniPC being used as an Emby server.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG4QgCfVctU&t=584s

 

BTW, I tried a couple of times using my Nvidia Shield as a media server, but was less than satisfied.

Edited by clarkss12
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JamieN84

Thanks for that guys. @@clarkss12 I had actually already watched your video on that one previously at some point, but I think I might have dismissed it because it was not readily available in my country. Even the cheaper U55 looks quite comparable.

 

I've been looking around this last day or so, and leaning towards getting a Asus Mini PC PN60 which is on special at the moment.

Might have to decide if I give Ubuntu a go... Never tried it before but really dont want to have to pay the $200 for a copy of windows that I wont really be using for anything.

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clarkss12

The Beelink miniPC's come with a Licensed Windows 10 home version.

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prunhardt

I am a fairly new user of Emby, just swapped my Mede8er for an Nvidia Shield with both Emby Server and Client on the Nvidia.

I have an Emby Premiere subscription and I have a 128GB UBS3.1 Flash drive installed on the Nvidia as adopted storage (it is seen as internal memory expansion). 

My videos are stored on simple NAS (WD MyCloud EX2 Ultra).

So far it runs fairly well, running 1080p H264/H265 videos. 

 

Reading you comment about transcoding chewing up internal drive space:

Have you tried expanding the Nvidia memory using adoptable storage as I did? That would be a fairly cheap solution if it works.

Also, I think an Emby Premiere subscription would help (if you don't have it yet) since that would allow hardware decoding which is much faster.

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JamieN84

So far it runs fairly well, running 1080p H264/H265 videos.

Yeah 1080p I don’t seem to have any issues with. The troubles start to be a bit more common with the larger 4K style videos.

 

Have you tried expanding the Nvidia memory using adoptable storage as I did?

I haven’t, definitely something I intend on doing though. I’ll look into one of those WDs with the 3.1. Did you need to configure Emby server to run on that drive, or shield just knew to start using it?

 

Also, I think an Emby Premiere subscription would help (if you don't have it yet) since that would allow hardware decoding which is much faster.

I do have Premiere but I can’t even see that listed as one of the benefits!? I just got it because I wanted to support the development lol. I’ll search to find out more to make sure it’s enabled.

 

I’m glad you are having a good experience with it, gives me hope. I still think I might go down the mini PC path because that might give me some other benefits to have a low power 24/7 online server. Instead of leaving my gaming pc on. Maybe the Asus PN60 i5.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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