Help with upgrade my homelab

[Przemek 54]

Hello,
I know there are a lot of threads like this but maybe someone will be willing to help me choose. I would like to buy a better, faster, more powerful and above all silent server. I don't know about any proxmox or qnap, never use that. I don't know if it's better to buy something like this or build a small PC. I would like to be able to manage everything in a panel like in NAS sytems have but also that there were no restrictions and I could install everything without restrictions as currently on debian. I would like to use this equipment primarily for Emby so that there are no problems with watching by several users at once. I would like to have nextcloud on it, home-assistant, deluge, komga, audiobookshelf, *arr apps,  and few others. I want to also have possibility to connect that to TV and play some games with steam client. I have now some HDDs connected with usb orico bay. I would like to have place for discs in that PC case. 

Now I have hardware like this.

Laptop:

System:    Kernel: 5.10.0-21-amd64 x86_64, Distro: Debian GNU/Linux 11 (bullseye) 
Machine:   Type: Laptop System: Hewlett-Packard product: HP ProBook 430 G2
CPU:       Info: Dual Core model: Intel Core i5-4210U bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Haswell rev: 1 
           L2 cache: 3 MiB,Speed: 1297 MHz min/max: 800/2700 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1297 2: 1297 3: 1297 4: 1298 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel Haswell-ULT Integrated Graphics vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: i915 
RAM: 4 GB         

and Hp miniPC:

System:    Kernel: 5.10.0-21-amd64 x86_64, Distro: Debian GNU/Linux 11 (bullseye) 
Machine:   Type: Mini-pc System: HP product: HP EliteDesk 800 G3 DM 65W v
CPU:       Info: Quad Core model: Intel Core i5-7500 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Kaby Lake rev: 9 
           L2 cache: 6 MiB 
           Speed: 3636 MHz min/max: 800/3800 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 3636 2: 3616 3: 3601 
           4: 3535 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel HD Graphics 630 vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: i915 v: kernel 
RAM: 16 GB

I will be greatfull for any advices.
Regards.

[Q-Droid 651]

OpenMediaVault might be a good fit as it's mature, based on Debian and not too restrictive. Also has a large user base for both OMV and Debian.

For the hardware I think it will be difficult to find a pre-built machine that can check all of your boxes. 
At a minimum you want:
- A recent gen Intel CPU/iGPU.
- Enough SATA ports (and/or MB slots to add ports) for your drives.
- Room in the case for the drives - caged or not.
- Silent could rule out server grade hardware (servers and server cases). Could mean liquid cooling though not necessarily - it depends on how silent.

If you want to play around with options this is a good site: https://pcpartpicker.com/
 

[Przemek 54]

@Q-DroidHi, Thanks for Your advice. I will check that. Is Emby works OK on OMV?

[Q-Droid 651]

Yes, Emby works fine on OMV.

[Przemek 54]

How about unRAID? I'm thinking also to buy server with Nvidia and have steam client to play sometimes on tv. 

I read on unRAID page that can combine gaming and NAS.

Do You thing it's good idea? 

[RanmaCanada 345]

If you're going to build something that you want quiet, I would recommend the Fractal Define series of cases as they are all padded with sound deadening materials.  As for actual hardware, you would want to go Intel as they are the best choice when it comes to transcoding.  Probably go with a mid range I5 as they are easier to keep cool than the I7 and I9.  Cooling wise you could probably go with a 280-420MM AIO which would keep the processor cool, and keep the unit fairly quiet, specialy if you go with the 420MM.

As for going UNRAID, there have been some issues in the past in regards to doing what you want, but I am not certain of the current state, so it would be best to go to the limetech forums and check around as there was a recent massive new release.  I have an UNRAID server personaly, but it stores my data and my pi-hole, nothing else.  I have a dedicated gaming rig and a dedicated laptop as my Emby server.

The other option, is to make a big, low power NAS to store your data (using your current processor with a "new" motherboard), and keep using a laptop as your actual server.  Power wise, it would make sense.  I love my laptop Emby server as it just uses 15 watts at max while handling all the transcodes I can throw at it.

[Przemek 54]

Hi, thanks for Your advice. I don't know that quiet Fractal Define cases. I will definitely search a small one. For processor I would like i7 and some quiet good quality noctua fan for it. I think I will stick with my DietpiOS. Meybe I will use CasaOS also to have one dashboard and move everything to docker to have one panel to rule them all. But still don't know to decide is it worth to put Nvidia card in it to play sometimes games. It need more power and electricity bill will grow.

[Q-Droid 651]

Unraid ( and TrueNas Scale for that matter) take a bespoke proprietary approach and are similar to QNAP and Synology. They run the linux kernel and some are based on a regular distro but they deviate enough to keep you from doing what you want sometimes. OMV on the other hand is mostly a product on top of Debian. One of the installation options is to install OMV on an existing Debian system. They all work but if you have experience and are set in your ways then some of the products can feel restrictive.

I can't be sure but I think when they mention gaming it's likely on VMs with passthrough for the GPU. If this is the case then I think most can do this if the hardware permits.

I don't use any of them and have only played around with TrueNas Scale and OMV, had a Syno box many years ago and never touched Unraid.

[Przemek 54]

Hi, I remember I checked OMV some time ago and I think it want me to format drives. I have many data and backups on my HDDs so I think regular Debian system like dietpi will be OK. I will just migrate Emby and few other apps to docker and install Casa OS. It looks nice and let me install any docker in nice dashboard.