Installing emby server on a windows server 2008 pc

[Mytre 1]

Hello, I am currently running my emby server on my main desktop, a ryzen 1600x one with 4tb of hdd storage.  However I now have a t320 poweredge that is running windows server 2008. The cpu in it is a xeon 2400 as far as I know. Most of ymy content is 1080p , so my question is, would there be a decrease in performance or any issues at all by moving my emby server to the t320 poweredge? I have not yet attempted to install it as I am still researching info regarding HDD's on the computer , is there a problem trying to install emby on windows server 2008? is there any security risk of running this in my network and also on the internet?

[KMBanana 83]

Server 2008 and Server 2008R2 will stop getting windows updates in less than a year, at which point it will be a major security vulnerability.  

[Luke 37010]

For 2008 it would have to be r2 sp1.

[Mytre 1]

Server 2008 and Server 2008R2 will stop getting windows updates in less than a year, at which point it will be a major security vulnerability.  

I know this, but I have no idea working on a computer that only uses server o.s (windows server)

For 2008 it would have to be r2 sp1.

this is the minimum emby supports then?

 

 

What about performance, would a xeon 2400 be an issue for transcoding 1080p to 720p or any other resolution on playback over the network?

[KMBanana 83]

An approximate benchmark for how many streams is 2k Passmark score per 1080p x264 stream.  You should be able to handle ~4 simultaneous transcodes with an Intel Xeon E5-2440 @ 2.40GHz. 

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Xeon+E5-2440+%40+2.40GHz&id=2194

[Luke 37010]

I know this, but I have no idea working on a computer that only uses server o.s (windows server)

this is the minimum emby supports then?

 

Emby Server is built with .NET Core, so we are limited to the versions of windows that it supports:

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/windows-prerequisites?tabs=netcore2x

 

It seems to support everything from Windows 7 onward.

[Mytre 1]

Emby Server is built with .NET Core, so we are limited to the versions of windows that it supports:

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/windows-prerequisites?tabs=netcore2x

 

It seems to support everything from Windows 7 onward.

Thank you, the server I plant to install emby on is a 2012, I will test it however and compare its performance vs my current server on my ryzen based pc, its a xeon 2400 and seems fine on specs with enouhg drives in raid, however they are low speed

[Luke 37010]

Thanks. Let us know how you get on.

[Mytre 1]

Need to inform, I was able to install windows 10 pro on the poweredge t320 I had, I had to remove all virtual drives, remove all raid , and then just run all disk as volumes,  it worked flawlessly, I just ran a cpu passmark and got a cpu mark of 6754 , it is a xeon E5-4320L 12 Cpus at about 2Ghz,  runs quiet so so far so good, I already have emby running and am now testing, seems fine but  if someone could  tell me if this cpu would be able to handle 3 or 4 transcodings at the same time? I plan to make it a headless emby server that transcodes all files I sent to x264 and put it on a folder for emby,  so far seems fine.

[Luke 37010]

Thanks for the info !

 

@@softworkz may have some insight on that cpu.

[softworkz 3326]

Need to inform, I was able to install windows 10 pro on the poweredge t320 I had, I had to remove all virtual drives, remove all raid , and then just run all disk as volumes,  it worked flawlessly, I just ran a cpu passmark and got a cpu mark of 6754 , it is a xeon E5-4320L 12 Cpus at about 2Ghz,  runs quiet so so far so good, I already have emby running and am now testing, seems fine but  if someone could  tell me if this cpu would be able to handle 3 or 4 transcodings at the same time? I plan to make it a headless emby server that transcodes all files I sent to x264 and put it on a folder for emby,  so far seems fine.

 

Are you sure about the model number? (E5-4320L)

 

I can't fin anythig about it on the iintel website

[JLJ 1]

@ OP we'd need to know what model of Xeon E5 24** your running.Is this a single or dual processor server? GPU?? I couldn't find info on a E5-2400/E5-4320L,did you mean 2430 or 2420 ?.But the E5- 2420,2430,2440,2450L etc,etc should have no problems playing 3 or more streams across your network as KMbanana stated. Assuming this is direct play. Over the internet might be a different story depending several factors. I'd take a look at this Wiki page and go from there(link below).

 

https://github.com/MediaBrowser/Wiki/wiki/System-requirements

Edited March 17, 2019 by JLJ

[Mytre 1]

@ OP we'd need to know what model of Xeon E5 24** your running.Is this a single or dual processor server? GPU?? I couldn't find info on a E5-2400/E5-4320L,did you mean 2430 or 2420 ?.But the E5- 2420,2430,2440,2450L etc,etc should have no problems playing 3 or more streams across your network as KMbanana stated. Assuming this is direct play. Over the internet might be a different story depending several factors. I'd take a look at this Wiki page and go from there(link below).

 

https://github.com/MediaBrowser/Wiki/wiki/System-requirements

its a xeon 2430L ,   I tested and 3 to 4 streams are fine with it which is more than enough for its use.  My main issue now will be setting it up to work properly over the wifi as ethernet is not an option but so far works perfectly fine.  Hard Drives are a bit slow  (dell OEM hard drives and 3GBPS maximum connmection on the controllers, this is an artificial limiter on both the Hard Drives and the sata ports as they are SATA 3. )

[softworkz 3326]

@@Mytre - That CPU is a dual-socket (capable) CPU. It (actually all those) does not have integrated graphics and therefore it doesn't support acceleration via QuickSync.

[JLJ 1]

its a xeon 2430L ,   I tested and 3 to 4 streams are fine with it which is more than enough for its use.  My main issue now will be setting it up to work properly over the wifi as ethernet is not an option but so far works perfectly fine.  Hard Drives are a bit slow  (dell OEM hard drives and 3GBPS maximum connmection on the controllers, this is an artificial limiter on both the Hard Drives and the sata ports as they are SATA 3. )

 

Oh I see, I direct play(wirelessly) to a chromecast and FireTV. Plus my daughter who live next door about can stream/transcode to her Roku all 1080p with no problem. I can't off the top of my head remember the exact model but they are UniFi access-points.Two LR(Long Range) I believe. So if your wireless isn't cutting it I suggest you look at a UniFi setup. BTW if your drives are SATA 3 they are 6 GB/s capable,SATA 2 is 3 GB/s. Hope everything goes accordingly.

[Mytre 1]

Oh I see, I direct play(wirelessly) to a chromecast and FireTV. Plus my daughter who live next door about can stream/transcode to her Roku all 1080p with no problem. I can't off the top of my head remember the exact model but they are UniFi access-points.Two LR(Long Range) I believe. So if your wireless isn't cutting it I suggest you look at a UniFi setup. BTW if your drives are SATA 3 they are 6 GB/s capable,SATA 2 is 3 GB/s. Hope everything goes accordingly.

Both drives are sata 3 , so speed should be 6gbps, however the motherboard controller are limited to 3gbps . This is a limitation that Dell set on the motherboard and drives even though they are sata 3 speeds capable. 

 

My wireless cuts it from my main computer which is my main emby server also, using AC wifi (5ghz) I can serve 3 devices  1080p 60fps no problem so far. The issue with the Xeon based computer is that is a Dell server that does not play well with devices such as wireless adapters and I am stuck with a repeater that is 2.4ghz ( standard B/g/n)  and this has a lot of limitations. However thanks for the suggestion I will research that so I can upgrade the wireless network on my house.

 

A quick question, do the chromecast, firetv and roku require transcoding?  I have a roku in my house and so far when they stream, I do not see any cpu usage from emby. Most of my video files are in x264 to save space.

[JLJ 1]

Hmm OK, I didn't take into account the Dell factor,sorry for the oversight. The FireTV,Chromecast are in house direct play no transcoding.

So I don't think you'll see much cpu use while delivering content within your network.Outside the network I sure will be a different story.

I do dedicate 2 threads and a ssd folder(temp path) for my daughter's roku to use for transcoding.

I should test and see how much stress this puts on the cpu,I never have.BTW I'm using a Xeon E3 1235L v5.

[Mytre 1]

Hmm OK, I didn't take into account the Dell factor,sorry for the oversight. The FireTV,Chromecast are in house direct play no transcoding.

So I don't think you'll see much cpu use while delivering content within your network.Outside the network I sure will be a different story.

I do dedicate 2 threads and a ssd folder(temp path) for my daughter's roku to use for transcoding.

I should test and see how much stress this puts on the cpu,I never have.BTW I'm using a Xeon E3 1235L v5.

I am curious about this temp folder for the roku. the server I mentioned on this thread is right now down, due to the wifi issues, but my current emby server is my own gaming pc, I have emby on an ssd and a dedicated hard drive for all the media.  I am able to sustain 5  streams easily with transcoding thanks to my ryzen.  How do you set up t he temp path ?