punchycool 6 Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) I need to upgrade the server I'm using to run Emby. Any hardware buffs here? Can I avoid purchasing a new(er) mobo/proc? Goal is to continue to use Emby for my huge music, photo, and home video collection. I'm starting to get more and more movies and would like to start to dabble more with video transcoding where needed so I can feed various different family devices, etc. I am not seeking to feed a movie to more than two concurrent smart phone/tablets. Of my four old machines, the best one is a circa 2007 box with a Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H (Rev 1.0) motherboard that hosts an AMD 780G chipset mated to an AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ 2.31GHz processor (Socket AM2) and uses DDR2 mem. 8GB RAM seems reasonable as-is so not sure doubling to 16 (it supports it) buys me anything. Using this page as an example, I can find a compatible processor, but they're all probably no newer than circa 2010. Can I get away with a new proc only or do I need to upgrade to a newer Micro-ATX compatible motherboard and find a compatible proc? http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/mb-Gigabyte/GA-MA78GM-S2H(rev.1.0).html#cs Edited January 13, 2017 by punchycool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest asrequested Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 I'd upgrade. I recently put these together. I wouldn't suggest doing a partial upgrade of just your CPU. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012N6F0TO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/Intel-Skylake-Desktop-Processor-BX80662I56500/dp/B010T6CWI2/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1484287834&sr=1-1&keywords=i5+6500 That'll probably get you through, for what you're intending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punchycool 6 Posted January 13, 2017 Author Share Posted January 13, 2017 I'd upgrade. I recently put these together. I wouldn't suggest doing a partial upgrade of just your CPU. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012N6F0TO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/Intel-Skylake-Desktop-Processor-BX80662I56500/dp/B010T6CWI2/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1484287834&sr=1-1&keywords=i5+6500 Thanks a lot for the direct links! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest asrequested Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) Thanks a lot for the direct links! You're welcome. I have those in my HTPC. I do a lot more on that machine than just play media, and it runs very nicely. And that will give you some great upgrade potential, too. Like jumping to an i7 6700k, which is what runs my server. Edited January 13, 2017 by Doofus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legallink 187 Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 If you are just running emby if you pre transcode your media you won't need a new machine. I've got a 2500k and I've served up 6 streams concurrently without a hitch 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punchycool 6 Posted January 14, 2017 Author Share Posted January 14, 2017 Thanks for the other perspective, legallink. I think I'm gonna build this up. Last night I picked up for $50 a '13 Intel/Intel 2.3 quad core / 8GB DDR3 in a nice Corsair box loaded with the right fans. Runs super cool and quiet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest asrequested Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 What generation i3 is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punchycool 6 Posted January 14, 2017 Author Share Posted January 14, 2017 It's a 2013 build. It has a 3rd gen i5. Should be mighty fine and six years newer than the one I'm using. I just don't want to spend the dough on a new one. See if I can get by for two yrs with this one. Eldest daughter just turned 16 last week so money is already headed out the window ;-/. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest asrequested Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 Eldest daughter just turned 16 last week so money is already headed out the window ;-/. lol....yeah, I hear you. That setup will hold you, for a bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punchycool 6 Posted January 15, 2017 Author Share Posted January 15, 2017 This 2013 build I have came with this huge PCI GPU. Should I run it given what I'm doing with this as a media server? Or leave it out and use the onboard GPU on the i5 which looks to be pretty beefy at 850-1100 MHz capability and supports two displays? Of course I'd be giving up some of my 8GB of RAM with the onboard which might not be great. Advice? http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3355#ov Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest asrequested Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 If you're only using it as a server, the GPU card isn't necessary and probably a power hog. If you connect an HDMI cable from the motherboard to your display, you'll active the Intel GPU and be able to use Quick Sync. I don't use any added GPUs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punchycool 6 Posted January 15, 2017 Author Share Posted January 15, 2017 Ok thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest asrequested Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 You may have to check the BIOS, to make sure the onboard GPU isn't disabled Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punchycool 6 Posted January 15, 2017 Author Share Posted January 15, 2017 Hey Doofus - If I ran hdmi from the onboard GPU of this box to my big tv, that probably means placing this pc within a meter of the TV. As a headless server, how would I administer it (could I run a monitor to the DVI port, too)? Would this mean having to drive the pc from right under the TV from on a desk, perhaps? What do folks do today? Server running Linux. I guess I could remote in. I have the server upstairs in my office right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy2Play 8252 Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 My media server is in the basement and I rdp into it any time I need to do something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punchycool 6 Posted January 15, 2017 Author Share Posted January 15, 2017 (edited) Little confused. Bear with me. What's the advantage of, say, an HTPC server like Emby, plugged directly into hdmi on the tv? That's essentially a display as well to access the box, right, assuming, say, a wireless keyboard/mouse I could operate it from? Or is this the hot setup of you have IR exposed to operate it from a remote control to operate Emby? I mean since Emby and other media services provide apps to interface with it, why would I want to wire my pc server to the tv especially when I can get fast content through Emby to my various end points. Help an old guy understand;). Edited January 15, 2017 by punchycool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punchycool 6 Posted January 15, 2017 Author Share Posted January 15, 2017 Also, off topic but, to convert dozens of mini-DV tapes to digital files, does this require a box with a separate GPU with some muscle or irrelevant? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest asrequested Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 I only said to connect the HDMI if you wanted to active the i5 GPU. If you don't connect the HDMI to the motherboard, the GPU won't be switched on. So if you want to use hardware acceleration, you have to connect the HDMI. If not, the CPU will do all the work. As for the tapes, if they are digital, you should be able to copy the file to the hard drive, and encode them, later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy2Play 8252 Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 I only said to connect the HDMI if you wanted to active the i5 GPU. If you don't connect the HDMI to the motherboard, the GPU won't be switched on. So if you want to use hardware acceleration, you have to connect the HDMI. If not, the CPU will do all the work. As for the tapes, if they are digital, you should be able to copy the file to the hard drive, and encode them, later. Is that with newer Intels? As I have an i5-3450, headless and quick sync works fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest asrequested Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 Is that with newer Intels? As I have an i5-3450, headless and quick sync works fine. Well, apparently there is a way to get around it https://mirillis.com/en/products/tutorials/action-tutorial-intel-quick-sync-setup_for_desktops.html#top Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest asrequested Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 It seems a bit hit and miss, though https://www.reddit.com/r/intel/comments/4c1pss/cant_enable_intel_quick_sync_without_monitor/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punchycool 6 Posted January 15, 2017 Author Share Posted January 15, 2017 I only said to connect the HDMI if you wanted to active the i5 GPU. If you don't connect the HDMI to the motherboard, the GPU won't be switched on. So if you want to use hardware acceleration, you have to connect the HDMI. If not, the CPU will do all the work. Interesting. Thx a lot for your help. So in summary, if I understand, if Emby is serving up content over my network to some end point, the CPU's threads are taxed. But if Emby is connected to the TV for content over HDMI, the server could be doing other things since it's offloaded to the GPU. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest asrequested Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 I guess you use multi monitor [YouTube] [/YouTube] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest asrequested Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 (edited) Interesting. Thx a lot for your help. So in summary, if I understand, if Emby is serving up content over my network to some end point, the CPU's threads are taxed. But if Emby is connected to the TV for content over HDMI, the server could be doing other things since it's offloaded to the GPU. Connecting a cable is the easiest way. This is only if you need to transcode. If it's direct playing, it won't matter Edited January 15, 2017 by Doofus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punchycool 6 Posted January 15, 2017 Author Share Posted January 15, 2017 As for the tapes, if they are digital, you should be able to copy the file to the hard drive, and encode them, later. I thought the only way to extract the video/audio stream on these old DV tapes is to hook up my old camera, hit play on the camera, and copy the content over in realtime to a file using your software of choice. Hmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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