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millzy


Registered: 05/12/10
Posts: 12,404
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ideas for a new media server setup
#22126489 - 08/22/15 11:38 AM (8 years, 5 months ago) |
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hey everyone,
i am not a super techy guy, so please forgive me in advance if i seem ignorant about things that may seem obvious to you.
my current setup consists of a laptop that i use for everything with an external HD with all of my files. it basically sits on my desk on a cooler and never leaves its place. overall it's been a great piece of equipment, but i would like to repurpose it and use it as a dedicated media server. currently, it is connected to my ps3 and i am using ps3 media server (psm), mostly for music; hulu plus, amazon video and netflix through the ps3 cover me pretty well for now (i gave up torrenting earlier this year). psm works great for most things. i can even stream internet radio through it like soma fm, which has one of the best chillout stations ever.
but for video, it seems to me that plex is what i'm going to want to use. the interface is beautiful and overall it seems to be much less of a hassle once you complete the arduous task of renaming all of your files in the format it likes. and even with music, i would really like to be able to play music with synched visualizations like aeon or whitecap, or even video files with the sound down for eye candy using multiple players. i realize that plex can't do this by the way; but with having a pc directly plugged into my tv, it can be easily done.
okay, so i just purchased a desktop pc to replace my laptop and am looking to reconfigure my setup. my first problem is deciding on whether or not to network the desktop to the laptop/HD. my only problems would be a) keeping stuff that doesn't need to be on media server - like my work files, resume, school work etc. - separate, and b) moving new files to the media server. i am considering a cloud-based service for backing everything up, and possibly moving things around if that is possible if both machines are connected to the internet. but i really don't want my media server connected to the internet unless it has to be. i also don't want to have to run any more wires than i have to. my modem is in my entertainment center, so i have about twenty feet of neatly concealed cable running from my office area (in the dining area of my apartment) and my living room. i'd like to just put the laptop with the lid closed in my entertainment center and keep the wiring to a minimum, if possible.
both machines are windows 7. right now i'm just playing with what i can do with a nice laptop, a desktop, an external hd, a ps3 and an hdtv. any suggestions are welcome.
-------------------- I'm up to my ears in unwritten words. - J.D. Salinger
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millzy


Registered: 05/12/10
Posts: 12,404
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Re: ideas for a new media server setup [Re: millzy]
#22126513 - 08/22/15 11:45 AM (8 years, 5 months ago) |
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i apologize, i also forgot to mention i have an onkyo HT-S4505 surround sound system, in case that information is needed.
-------------------- I'm up to my ears in unwritten words. - J.D. Salinger
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CosmicJoke
happy mutant



Registered: 04/05/00
Posts: 10,848
Loc: Portland, OR
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Re: ideas for a new media server setup [Re: millzy]
#22129596 - 08/23/15 04:25 AM (8 years, 5 months ago) |
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plex has a nice web interface to go to add categories, it will give you a selection between many so say you want one called Films, you could select that they were movies and then select the folder which you have movies...... Or if you have multiple people in your house you can set up names for films and point it to each person's direcory....
I'm not sure if this is true but TV Shows definitely had to be named file name TV Shows, then you'd put Show's name in a subfolder, and then Season 1 and put all the season one shows in that subfolder and so on... It's certainly easy to use as a server and client and looks very slick.
Alternatively you could try Kodi, it's pretty flexible, might take some effort to getting looking as slick as plex but certainly can be done.... and much more
If it's a pc you're probably going to be hooking it up to an hdmi port to your home theater and changing to that input whenever you use your pc
-------------------- Everything is better than it was the last time. I'm good. If we could look into each others hearts, and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care. It takes a lot of courage to go out there and radiate your essence. I know you scared, you should ask us if we scared too. If you was there, and we just knew you cared too.
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