Setting up PLEX server

[Travis Ballstadt]

for plex, which price option are you guys using?

Plex Pass (Premium)

• Monthly: $6.99
• Yearly:$69.99
  • Lifetime: $249.99

Remote Watch Pass (New)

• Monthly:$1.99
  • Yearly: $19.99

Found the below notes when searching pricing...

The free version of Plex allows for local streaming of personal media and includes ad-supported on-demand and Live TV content.

A Plex Pass is now required for the server owner to enable free remote streaming for themselves and others they've authorized.

Previously, there was a one-time fee to unlock the mobile apps; this is no longer the case for local streaming, with that limitation now removed for local network playback.

The Remote Watch Pass does not include other Plex Pass benefits, such as DVR functionality or downloads, according to PCWorld.

I have a lifetime pass. They have sales frequently. I think I paid $99 for mine. Watch for one this holiday season.

 

[tripplej]

Thanks. Will look at xmas sales.

Are there any alternatives for remote watch via plex? Or is Plex the best option for viewing your video's when you are outside?

 

[typ44q]

Read through the discussion. I’m considering turning an old pc into a server for plex.

What do you al think:

Would be the following
Asus M4A79 Deluxe AMD AM3 motherboard
AMD Phenom II x6 1100T AM3 processor
GeForce graphics card
1 primary HDD
3 8TB HDD drives in raid 5
LINUX Ubuntu OS
Plex Media Server

I’m not familiar with Ubuntu or Plex so the whole thing would be one big experiment

I would highly recommend looking at using TrueNas as the base OS. I just built a new server running that and it is so much easier to manage.

 

[Steve-Att]

Well, I have been adamantly against HTPC setups, but this weekend I settled on a PLEX Media Server setup, running the PLEX app on all my AppleTV 4K boxes.

A friend of mine offered me an insanely good deal on an old server machine he was trying to clear out of his basement:

Dell T710 (4U Rack Mount Server)
2x Xeon X5650 6 Core CPUs w/hyper threading (24 total cores)
UHD-friendly LG optical drive
136GB RAM
500GB SSD OS/Boot/App drive
8x1.2TB Seagate Cheetah SAS HDs for a total of 8.4TB in RAID5
Upgraded internal PERC (PowerEdge Raid Controller) so that it can recognize HDs larger than 2TB)
4 bay external array and controller card (for growing to larger HDs in the RAID

I have CAT6 running from the server into the theater, but the other two AppleTVs will be on WiFi.

So I'm currently busy ripping my collection onto the server.

I've always liked the idea of having a server, but every time I've been to a friends' place who has an HTPC or JRiver setup, it seems they're always troubleshooting and dealing with driver updates, etc. So this seemed like a good compromise. I'm still able to rip full UHD quality, but I get the advantages of not having to sit through warnings and previews at the start.

Who else is running a serious PLEX outfit, or something comparable?

Welcome to the dark side... ~ 50 TB movies, TV shows, and Demo Clips. 35TB on a Synology NAS running the server on a mini-PC. Been a PLEXPASS holder since 2018 (if not earlier); I'm too old and too invested in PLEX to think about K-Scape. I'm actually ripping about a dozen new discs tonite.

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

Welcome to the dark side... ~ 50 TB movies, TV shows, and Demo Clips. 35TB on a Synology NAS running the server on a mini-PC. Been a PLEXPASS holder since 2018 (if not earlier); I'm too old and too invested in PLEX to think about K-Scape. I'm actually ripping about a dozen new discs tonite.

I've long since left the heavy-duty PLEX installation behind for Kaleidescape, though I still maintain it for DVR and some rarities.

 

[typ44q]

I've long since left the heavy-duty PLEX installation behind for Kaleidescape, though I still maintain it for DVR and some rarities.

Kaleidescape has always been very impressive but the cost difference is staggering.
For me Plex does everything I need it to do. It will play my ripped UHD disks with full lossless audio and untouched video with HDR, has a nice interface and allows remote watching.

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

Kaleidescape has always been very impressive but the cost difference is staggering.
For me Plex does everything I need it to do. It will play my ripped UHD disks with full lossless audio and untouched video with HDR, has a nice interface and allows remote watching.

The cost difference is real. So is the effort difference. You're going to rip 10 discs tonight that you've already likely price shopped, obviously either traveled somewhere to purchase or waited for someone to deliver them to you. I'm going to click a button before dinner and watch a movie after we eat.