Building a small but functional emby server

[tre4b 3]

Okay so I'm not convinced my box is solid anymore and was thinking to build myself a new linux based emby box.  I'm currently using an old core i7 860 processor and the box feels a bit slow but when I compare it to a NUC i5 or similar it is significantly more powerful.  Ideally I would like to do something like run a synology or qnap but could see my way to a NUC or something like that.  My question is what sort of spec do I need for streaming multiple streams of recording and viewing from HDHomeRun etc?

 

What I'm looking for is small quiet and safe to leave in a cupboard without worrying about it.  Anyone got any recommendations or do I need to start building a mini-itx device?

 

 

[Deathsquirrel 741]

In what way is the current system slow?  What isn't it accomplishing?  That will help people make recommendations. 

[tre4b 3]

Actually the current box works okay but it is getting pretty noisy and pretty hot.  It is occasionally locking up for no reason.  It is based on an itx motherboard so the box is pretty large.  My goal is to buy a more off the shelf device that looks like a proper PC to her indoors but is still as processor capable as this one.  I'm happy to run it headless and would like to free up the big cupboard it is currently in (takes up the bottom of a 300 wide kitchen cabinet).

 

Found something like this http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00HWP6CMG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_4&smid=AGVE6INI47JR9but had been looking to get the costs down a little more.

[Deathsquirrel 741]

Gotcha, so this is a server-only device and the media storage will be in a separate chassis?  I'd recommend Windows over linux assuming you can take advantage of intel QSV encoding.  Other than that OS really won't matter and is a function of preference.

 

Of course all this does is move the space-using function to the drive enclosure

 

How many concurrent users?

[tre4b 3]

I'd be okay if they were the same.  I only have fairly modest storage requirements at about 2TB which I can do with a 2.5".  There are four of us and normally we stream TV from HD HomeRun.  I'm not sure what kind of load this puts on a box.  If I knew for sure a synology or Qnap would do this I'd probably go for it but I have a suspicion that these may not be reliable.  THAT is the key thing for me.  Every time this fails my wife knocks another point off.  I'm looking for an easy to use system that just works.

[whitestrat13 33]

I'll see if I can help.  My library is a little larger than yours, about 2.5 TB.  My server is an old reclaimed office PC.  It has an i5-650 (dual core) and isn't exactly super powerful.  It is currently running Windows 10 Pro.  I added added an SSD for the OS, and two storage drives.  My collection is constantly growing and 4TB 3.5 inch hard drives are not only easy to find and cheap, but they are very reliable (I use WD Red HDDs).  Several mini ITX cases are about the size of a large shoe box, and can accept 2+ 3.5 inch drives.  For my needs, 3.5 inch hard drives are a must.  A PC that has room for extra disks is important if you want to keep the server for many years.

 

In terms of CPU power, my i5 650 can transcode a single 1080p stream reliably, and occasionally I can get it to do two streams, but its rare.  I do have my movies stored as lossless 1:1 mkv rips.  The roughly 40 seasons of various TV shows are encoded in h264.  If you are watch with HTPC's or have everything in very stream-friendly format, CPU is much less important.  If you want to transcode 4+ 1080p streams with no hiccups, I'd plan on a desktop grade quad core i5 or i7, but QSV might make this more efficient.  Someone else here is probably better qualified to answer this one.

 

If I was going to build a small form factor server today, this is what I would use:  http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hmYXjX

A slower CPU could be used to save ~$50.

 

Peak power draw is only 125W so I wouldn't imagine it would need a ton of airflow, and probably could be put on a shelf somewhere.

[Deathsquirrel 741]

...QSV might make this more efficient.  Someone else here is probably better qualified to answer this one.

 

Check in the ongoing QSV thread on the general forum.  I swear I saw a comment that QSV can only do two encodes at once and, if so, no clue what happens when you throw two more at it.  Of course that may never happen.  It depends on the clients in use and the media formats.