Music & Video Server Suggestions

[Jeff Zylstra]

I'm thinking of building a music and video server.  We have a couple of CD changers that are 15 + years old.  They're still running quite well but they're going to die at some point, and I want to get ahead of the curve for a change.  I am thinking of using the "Universal Media Server" since it seems to have good support, seems to handle a multitude of different audio and video formats and can encode/decode things "on the fly".   

http://www.universalmediaserver.com/


Not sure what kind of computer I'll need to run it on.  I'd like something small and low power maybe with an SSD drive since it will be running all of the time, but since the software encodes and decodes in real time, I'm wondering if I shouldn't run it off from a desktop? 

Also, I'm wondering what kind of NAS to get and what capacity I would need to store things in FLAC or some other loss-less format.  I would be storing something like 600 CDs and about 400 DVDs and would like some room to grow if possible.   I'd want something with RAID since I'm guessing that that there's too much to back up conveniently.   

Also, I'm wondering what kind of sound card I should look into?  Any thoughts or comments are welcome.  Thanks in advance.

[Gene Foraker]

I use PS3 Media Server which this server claims to be based on.   I am happy with it, but most people seem to recommend Plex.  I haven't heard of this server software, but it claims to be better then either.  I only send it to a PS3, so that works for me.

I'm not sure exactly how you wish to use it.   Why would you need a sound card?  Why would you need another PC than what you use now?  I just run it from my aging desktop I use for everything else.  It runs in the background with fairly low resources and I don't even notice it.  You might need to add another drive to the PC for storage, but storage is cheap.

Are you maybe confusing a media server with a HTPC ( Home Theater PC) ?

[Mark]

Sounded like an HTPC to me.  Sadly, I haven't been able to build one of these yet so I can't comment on or suggest hardware.

[Jeff Zylstra]

I use PS3 Media Server which this server claims to be based on.   I am happy with it, but most people seem to recommend Plex.  I haven't heard of this server software, but it claims to be better then either.  I only send it to a PS3, so that works for me.

I'm not sure exactly how you wish to use it.   Why would you need a sound card?  Why would you need another PC than what you use now?  I just run it from my aging desktop I use for everything else.  It runs in the background with fairly low resources and I don't even notice it.  You might need to add another drive to the PC for storage, but storage is cheap.

Are you maybe confusing a media server with a HTPC ( Home Theater PC) ?

Honestly, I don't enough to accurately answer that question since I'm not exactly sure what the differences are between a media server, and a Home Theater PC.  What I need is:

A huge disk space with redundancy to house the audit and video files and serve them to my BOSE system, probably through an RCA type connection for audio.  I'm not really sure what connection it would use for video, or if I could send that directly to the Ethernet connection on my Samsung smart TV.  Hence, my question(s) on the sound card for the RCA outputs.

I think that the Samsung TV has some capabilities to act as a media server, but again, I don't know enough about it as I'm just starting my search.  I'm also not sure if this software would run directly from a NAS unit or not.  I'm assuming that it would have to be on Linux since that's what most of the NAS units use for an OS. 

Again, I'm very green on this subject and just starting to learn.

[Mark]

I believe the software you posted would run on a machine, yes.  looked like it would run on Windows, Linux, or Max though.

There are likely 10,000 different ways you could spin this.  None wrong, and none right.  It's all about functionality/options and specifically HOW it functions.

[Jeff Zylstra]

I believe the software you posted would run on a machine, yes.  looked like it would run on Windows, Linux, or Max though.

There are likely 10,000 different ways you could spin this.  None wrong, and none right.  It's all about functionality/options and specifically HOW it functions.

I like the flexibility, but as you can imagine, more flexibility and capabilities just leads a noob like me to more questions.  If my TV would run this, I'd just as soon simplify life and let it do its thing, but I doubt it would serve up music.  And I'm also concerned about the music quality I would get from something native that would probably want to compress the daylights out of the music and maybe the video as well.

[Gene Foraker]

Well, get out of the idea that the TV could act as a SERVER, though it might be able to play from a server on the network.   If not, you can still hook a PS3 or Roku or whatever up to the TV and have that play from the server.   I used to be excited about HTPC, but now think it is only needed if you use it to record TV like a DVR or play internet video directly to the TV.   Otherwise, just load the software onto your current PC and have it work as a server.  It will probably work best to run a CAT 5 cable for the network directly to where the TV and Roku, PS3 or other player is hooked to the TV or to the TV itself.  Wifi connection will only work well if the connection is strong and not much other traffic.  Go wired if you can.  I have a new Samsung smart TV at the place in Florida and it plays Netflix and such directly, but I never noticed an app to play from a media server though I didn't look for it.

As for audio, you want to play from your Bose?  Do they make receivers?  I have my PS3 hooked up to the receiver with an optical cable input.  That is also how I play movies with surround sound and subwoofer.  I have pretty old stuff.   The new receivers would connect to your video source with an hdmi cable and act as an hdmi switch for all inputs.  The newest receivers also have a bluetooth input to directly stream music from your smartphone or tablet.  That would be the easiest way to play music and have the control next to you.  There may also be bluetooth small receivers which you can hook up to your old receiver.  You can gets lots of music on a 64 gig iPhone.  I have 20.9 g of music on mine which is quite a lot.  If you choose to stream music from your PC media server, then you can probably take an audio out from the TV to the receiver if there is not a separate audio output on the device you have connected to the TV..   If the TV and stereo are not near each other, that is a problem probably solved by streaming from your smart phone or tablet as explained above.

Like Mark said, there are lots of ways to do this, but I think these might be the simplest.

[Gene Foraker]

As for compression of music, there are lossless forms of digital music, such as FLAC, but some compression done properly is almost indistinguishable.  256 variable bitrate mp3 is just fine even for the most critical music.

[Mark]

When I think HTPC I am thinking DVR and ripped DVD collection myself.  Internet connectivity (youtube, etc) as well.

[Gene Foraker]

When I think HTPC I am thinking DVR and ripped DVD collection myself.  Internet connectivity (youtube, etc) as well.

Yes, it is the best option for DVR option.  You can even fit them with tuner cards and cable cards to record anything from your cable feed. 

Ripped DVD collection works fine from my media server and the Roku or PS3 play youtube, Netflix, HBO Go, etc.

[Gene Foraker]

Oh, I wanted to also answer the NAS item you brought up.   NAS does have some uses, but is completely unnecessary for what I mentioned as a media server.   A media server is just a program on your computer which shares and plays media on your computer across your network.  During the setup I just told it which folders on the PC to share.   No extra hardware is needed.  When I want to watch some video from my PC drive, I just fire up the server hardware and it can be immediately streamed to my PS3 on the other side of the house.  It did not cost me a penny to set this up or use it.  I don't normally use it to stream music or photos, though it can.  I already had the PS3 hooked up to the network in order to play Netflix and HBO Go.  I probably explained this before, but not in enough detail.

[Jeff Zylstra]

I wasn't thinking of my TV as a server of any kind, but rather a front end, or GUI to choose which video or music to play.  It does not sound like that is possible, but I did notice that the Universal Media Server software does work with my TV.  Not sure what that means, but I was hoping that the software would display a GUI that I could choose music or videos to play, using a remote control or something. 

I am fully wired with CAT 5, so streaming to a ROKU or other device via a CAT 5 cable might be the way to go, and not mess with a audio/video card for output to my BOSE.  Yes, the BOSE could be considered a "receiver" of sorts.  It has a preamp with RCA inputs for audio, and video, but it is old and does not accommodate HDMI.  Maybe S-Video, but that's about it.  I'll have to see about optical inputs.  I've never used optical inputs/outputs before.

I was thinking of a NAS for storage capacity and redundancy.  I'd probably backup other things there too, but mainly music and DVDs.  About 600 CDs and 400 DVDs, which is why I was thinking of NAS and not just a single hard drive.

[Jeff Golas]

At home, I just leave my Windows 8 computer running and treat it like a server. I primarily use Itunes as my music program of choice (kinda by choice kinda not), but either way Itunes acts as the server to any Apple Schmapple (Apple TV, Iphone, Ipods, Ipads), and Windows 8/Windows Media player acts as a DLNA server to the same music folders.

(I have Itunes rip as MP3, not as AAC. I'm half deaf so its fine by me)

I use my iphone, AppleTV, and a couple Windows 8 tablets around the house sharing the library, and so far so good. The DLNA going to my living room TV is hit or miss, and I never really used it since the AppleTV is there.

[Jeff Golas]

PS - I think I have at least ~500 Alblums listed in my itunes library and I"m up in the 30-40 gig range.

[Gene Foraker]

(I have Itunes rip as MP3, not as AAC. I'm half deaf so its fine by me)

I use iTunes to rip to mp3's also.   The quality is good as long as you use a high enough bit rate.   Far too many people use 128bps and that has given mp3's a bad rap.  A few years ago a computer magazine gave a blind test to a number of musicians and audio experts.   They could not tell the difference using high end studio equipment from original recordings, FLAC lossless rips and mp3's of 256 vbps.

[Billy Welsh]

What are you guys using for DVR functionality on a PC?

My Tivo is really long in the tooth, and while I love that functionality I do not like the annual service fee to basically get a program guide.  And I have no interest at all in renting one from the cable company.

[Jeff Golas]

I think I use 196K...again not the greatest...but good enough.

Jeff

(I have Itunes rip as MP3, not as AAC. I'm half deaf so its fine by me)

I use iTunes to rip to mp3's also.   The quality is good as long as you use a high enough bit rate.   Far too many people use 128bps and that has given mp3's a bad rap.  A few years ago a computer magazine gave a blind test to a number of musicians and audio experts.   They could not tell the difference using high end studio equipment from original recordings, FLAC lossless rips and mp3's of 256 vbps.

[Mark]

What are you guys using for DVR functionality on a PC?

My Tivo is really long in the tooth, and while I love that functionality I do not like the annual service fee to basically get a program guide.  And I have no interest at all in renting one from the cable company.

Not sure what's around today, but when I wanted to do this years ago, I was looking at MythTV.

[Gene Foraker]

What are you guys using for DVR functionality on a PC?

My Tivo is really long in the tooth, and while I love that functionality I do not like the annual service fee to basically get a program guide.  And I have no interest at all in renting one from the cable company.

Like Mark, I looked into it earlier, but haven't jumped yet. 

Lots of considerations and complexity exist there.   DRM (Digital Rights Management) or copy protection has really mucked things up.  Lots of products are only compatible with Windows XP or at most Windows 7 because of increased DRM in Win 8.  Some also recommend Microsoft Windows Home Server.  How do you receive your TV shows?    Do you get and want to record any premium scrambled channels? There are plenty of cards which will record unscrambled QAM signals (over the air) or in the clear channels form your cable service.  To get premium or even most HD channels which are scrambled from your cable provider will require either a device which uses a cable card decoder from your cable company or uses an IR blaster to change channels on your cable box and go through it.  Because of DRM, these recorded shows can not be burned to a disk or copied, just played on your TV like with a regular DVR.   If you want to record an HD signal and avoid copy protection, you would need to use component cables and not HDMI sources.  These cards exist and are completely separate from tuner cards and component is limited to 1080i and not 1080p.

The two biggest manufacturers I know of today are   http://www.hauppauge.com/ and http://cetoncorp.com/.  There are lots of good reviews of their products on Amazon with tips on using them which are not as clear on the company web sites. 

[Jeff Zylstra]

Wow.  A lot of response for what appears to be a "hot" topic.  I'm getting a good education.  Anyone have any experience or recommendations between Slingbox, ROKU or others for streaming content?  It would be nice to have one device to stream both music and DVDs, but not if there's a good reason to do separate devices.

[Jeff Golas]

Back when I watched TV...I used Snapstream/Beyond TV.

For those who were asking about what to use for a STB...there's tons of great and cheap options, but if you like to tinker or do it DIY, an install of XBMC on a Raspberry Pi ROCKS and it works GREAT.

Loop up "OpenElec" for a SD card image  you can just download to an sd card, pop it into a $35 raspberry PI, plug it in, and boom you're on. If your TV has a "maintenance" usb port, you may even be able to use that to power the Pi.

And one really cool feature of it is that it supports CEC - or basically the sending of remote control signals via HDMI, so you can just plug it in and use your TV remote to operate it.

Jeff

What are you guys using for DVR functionality on a PC?

My Tivo is really long in the tooth, and while I love that functionality I do not like the annual service fee to basically get a program guide.  And I have no interest at all in renting one from the cable company.

[Joshua Conner]

I tried mythtv 4 years ago never could get it to work just right. 

[Jeff Golas]

I meant to mention, that although you'd have to get creative with a USB hard drive...I *was* able to plug in a USB tuner into the Raspberry PI running Openelec, and with a few clicks, was able to tune in HDTV. It..just...worked. Very impressed.

[Mark]

I tried mythtv 4 years ago never could get it to work just right.

Never tried it, just always wanted to.  Liked that you could get a guide subscription or whatever you want to call it.

Forgot about XBMC, too.