Looking for some advice on my journey to expand my local storage. Currently, I have a mini PC running my Arr setup with Plex and I have an external enclosure with a HDD connected through USB. I can reliably push 4K to my Android TV. This is the system’s only use and purpose.
I need to continue to be able to Hardlink files so that I can seed back while Arr programs are sorting and renaming for Plex.
I’m not too concerned with a file backup solution or relying on this setup for sharing important files across my home network.
Would a DAS be sufficient for this? Is there any reason I should avoid this and invest in a NAS solution?
Just here to say that the *arrs and Plex use sqlite3 databases. If these are over the network then they’re going to run SUPER slow.
At least for me, when running it over NFS the arr logs were full of waiting for locked databaae and Plex started to show similar warnings in the logs after a few people were using it.
NFS
waiting for locked database
I agree that sqlite is slower through the network than a database server that was made with that in mind, but I think in your case the majority of it was something different.
I’ve recently read in the Jellyfin docs about problems with fs locks on an NFS share, and the point is that NFS does not enable locks by default or something like that, and you have to configure it yourself.
Adding my obligatory “why Plex over Kodi?” comment.
Kodi only needs file access, and handles video files more gracefully, even if you keep the filenames as downloaded. Includes sub search addons, all the same meta features that Plex does (watch history, resume from where you left off, ratings, cast and crew, trivia, trailers), and is free and open. Plus, no forced upgrades of server or client app or phone home.
But either way, have fun building out your storage!
If you want free and open you could replace the lot with jellyfin
I had been planning on running Jellyfin in parallel for testing but haven’t gotten around to it. Plex has been reliable for me. And I really enjoy Plexamp.
It’s just what I’ve been using for so long. And I have a lifetime Plex Pass.
Good answer. I jumped ship when they started ramming Plex Pass and required login down my throat, but I had been having issues with their app and server for about year before I switched. Glad you’re getting value from them!
I chose Jellyfin over Kodi because I don’t need to configure each device seperately. And since I have the server anyway, why not take the easy route?
Kodi (LibreELEC) is great on a Pi as a media center, or rather IPTV streaming box for my mum.
Kodi has made my setup dead-simple: File server running on TrueNAS serving my library over SMB/CIFS and Kodi does all the “management” on the client side (which really is just my watch progress and metadata), so my server is just a dumb box of disks in RaidZ1. I have only one client, and as for configuration, I just created two media objects in Kodi: TV and Movies, and the rest is default other than the unrelated IGAL setup.
I like what I read about the arr’s and Jellyfin, but until my current setup feels cumbersome or insufficient, I’m sticking with it.
Yes. Kodi is awesome for large displays, but I really don’t think the UI and skins are a good fit for mobile.
I’ve tried DDL for a while, but manually searching and selecting the right quality isn’t my thing. It’s simple though, compared to the many hours of setting up arr* for the right quality/language.
The main advantage is probably automatic download of new episodes, otherwise manually downloading doesn’t take much time compared to how long a movie/show is.
I use kodi with the jellyfin addon that allows for direct file playback over smb, no more worrying about how the media is encoded. Its a bad problem on my old scrounged together workstation pc with no gpu that i use as a nas lol
Depends on what you’re running on your current solution I suppose. There’s no real appreciable difference between either. A NAS is just an OS with a storage array, and hooking a disk array up to your current solution is essentially the same thing. One benefit of a productized NAS would be simplicity for managing storage and apps made for the device, and I guess community. Rolling your own is just that difference. Plenty of FOSS solutions for building your NAS to simplify that as well.
I may go down the DAS path then. I was eyeing a QNAP 4-Bay DAS. Perhaps a NAS later on if I’m in need of a home network storage solution that is a bit cleaner and user friendly.
Why QNAP over Synology?
No reason other than price. Everything I see listed for Synology is a NAS setup.
Qnap has had some MAJOR security issues. If you get it block the shit out of in. Meaning no way to let it in/out of your network.
Im a big fan of synology. Had a qnap and bolted after all thier crap. Syno interfaces are mich better imho
Any models of DAS that you recommend? Looking for a 4-Bay
Edit: Would security flaws be an issue for something like a DAS though? The DAS wouldn’t have anything running on it. It would just be a big ol’ dumb external HDD. Right?
Sorry cant help with das recco. Sabrent makes decent stuff i have a external that has 4 2.5 bays that i fill with older ssds when i cycle them out.
And yea a pure das should not be a secuiry issue
That sounds fine. The only concern is the sub speed? As long as it can handle everything… yeah cool.
I’ve got my seed box on a pi4 separate from my Plex server, but it really should be fine without a NAS.
The real question is are you backing up?
USB speed? Everything has been completely fine with the USB enclosure I have it running on right now.
I’m not doing any backups with this setup. This would solely be for media that will be streamed through Plex. While having a drive fail will be annoying, it wouldn’t be catastrophic as nothing personal or important would be stored here. I would rely on the Arr setup to rebuild.
Honestly, I’m just trying to squeeze out any HDD space I can use. I’m trying to keep the cost down where I can.
Use a das and run mergerfs if on linux. Makes all the drives look like one big one
