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Best Movie Server


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I have been ripping mostly to ISO files and a few MKV containers.  I’ll be using Zappiti and possibly Kodi because they both support ISO.  I could possibly save storage by selectively ripping to MKV but I’m pretty much duplicating the process that the Zappiti NAS use by using MyMovies and AnyDVD and multiple disc readers for drop and load ripping.

Not looking forward to the data cleanup, but loving the drop and load.  If MyMovies collection would put the Zappiti.xml file in the folder with the disc instead of putting it in the root, it would be perfect.

 

What are others doing - ISO?  MKV?

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8 minutes ago, Köhler Medientechnik said:

But do you really need transcoding? To which device are you streaming?

If you´re going to move the Plex server off your NAS anyway, a Shield could probably a good choice since it has a built-in Plex server and is also a pretty media player.

 

I don't need transcoding. I was streaming to TVs directly that are ethernet-wired. Will look in to a Shield.

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10 minutes ago, jfh said:

I have been ripping mostly to ISO files and a few MKV containers.  I’ll be using Zappiti and possibly Kodi because they both support ISO.  I could possibly save storage by selectively ripping to MKV but I’m pretty much duplicating the process that the Zappiti NAS use by using MyMovies and AnyDVD and multiple disc readers for drop and load ripping.

Not looking forward to the data cleanup, but loving the drop and load.  If MyMovies collection would put the Zappiti.xml file in the folder with the disc instead of putting it in the root, it would be perfect.

 

What are others doing - ISO?  MKV?

I use MakeMKV to rip to MKV. Plex is easy. I'm sick of spending too much time on these things. I would rather spend time on other things with my family or on my motorcycle.

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Any DVD is what I've always used.  Used to rip ISO for blurays, but those do take up a ton of storage when you have a big collection.

I've converted a couple of movies to mp4 format.  I've done a side by side with the original ISO and mp4 playing on 2 different Dune players.  Can't notice any difference between the 2 codecs.  Just really don't want to waste my time converting all ISO's to mp4.

I also haven't ripped a movie in at least a year or two.

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22 minutes ago, lippavisual said:

Any DVD is what I've always used.  Used to rip ISO for blurays, but those do take up a ton of storage when you have a big collection.

I've converted a couple of movies to mp4 format.  I've done a side by side with the original ISO and mp4 playing on 2 different Dune players.  Can't notice any difference between the 2 codecs.  Just really don't want to waste my time converting all ISO's to mp4.

I also haven't ripped a movie in at least a year or two.


Figured if I managed every rip with MakeMKV I’d never get through 2000 or so discs.  Will figure out my total storage needs when I get closer to being done and then maybe consider converting some to MKV.  
 

Really love the Zappiti and the integration with C4 made possible by Alan’s driver.  Looking forward to having everything digitized so I can actually watch some of them. ;)

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41 minutes ago, lippavisual said:

 playing on 2 different Dune players. 


How are you using the Dune HD players in C4?  I have a Dune HD player that hasn’t been used in 5-6 years and not sure how I can use it.

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31 minutes ago, jfh said:


How are you using the Dune HD players in C4?  I have a Dune HD player that hasn’t been used in 5-6 years and not sure how I can use it.

I know not addressed to me but I got a driver from James at DiamondHeadDesign. @diamonddesign I believe.

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2 hours ago, jfh said:

What are others doing - ISO?  MKV?

ISO has some advantages, but it is large, as was mentioned, and it isn't always as well supported by all players.  MKV or MP4 should be much better for future-proofing, especially since physical discs have been de-emphasized.

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But if subtitles degrade performance, that´s a clear sign that your Plex server is transcoding. You can easily check on the server console during playback.

Hmm! I’m pretty sure I have checked the settings. But thanks for the tip.

I will check again once I have it up and running in about a week or so.
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2 hours ago, jfh said:

What are others doing - ISO?  MKV?

I´m 100% ripping to main-movie-MKVs using MakeMKV in a docker container with a USB-UHD-drive connected directly to the UNRAID-server the MakeMKV-Docker is running.

You can even configure it for auto-ripping: you insert a disc, main-movie is ripped, then disc-tray opens.

I don´t need all the additional stuff on the discs and i´am tired of all the trailers before the actual movie starts.

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I use to be MyMovies then replaced that with Chowmain Plex driver of a Synology 415+ NAS and it’s perfect really, no transcoding and can play 3 streams at the same time 8Mb/s zero issues 😉

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4 hours ago, Amr said:

I use to be MyMovies then replaced that with Chowmain Plex driver of a Synology 415+ NAS and it’s perfect really, no transcoding and can play 3 streams at the same time 8Mb/s zero issues 😉

Do you have Plex running on the Synology NAS?

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8 hours ago, Amr said:

I use to be MyMovies then replaced that with Chowmain Plex driver of a Synology 415+ NAS and it’s perfect really, no transcoding and can play 3 streams at the same time 8Mb/s zero issues 😉

Mmh, if it´s only 8Mb/s then it´s transcoded. If you use direct play, then the bitrate is determined by the specific movie and can go up to 50, 80, even >100Mb/s (for UHD).

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Mmh, if it´s only 8Mb/s then it´s transcoded. If you use direct play, then the bitrate is determined by the specific movie and can go up to 50, 80, even >100Mb/s (for UHD).

Yes all is direct play, I played the same movie from 3 players, 3 different users, all was showing 8Mb/s, it might be a coincidence, but I don’t do transcoding


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11 minutes ago, Amr said:


Yes all is direct play, I played the same movie from 3 players, 3 different users, all was showing 8Mb/s, it might be a coincidence, but I don’t do transcoding
 

That´s really strange. Just tested with my setup - even playing a DVD (Arielle, 480p), i get 10Mb/s, BluRay (300, 1080p) with 31Mb/s and UHD (Men in Black Int., 2160p) i got 81Mb/s.

What kind of material are you playing? Could it be that it´s recoded with 8Mb/s?

I don´t want to question you, but in my experience it´s really hard to get fully prevent the PMS from transcoding. It often falls back to it if a small parameter doesn´t fit to the playing device (resolution, audio codec, etc.).

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That´s really strange. Just tested with my setup - even playing a DVD (Arielle, 480p), i get 10Mb/s, BluRay (300, 1080p) with 31Mb/s and UHD (Men in Black Int., 2160p) i got 81Mb/s.
What kind of material are you playing? Could it be that it´s recoded with 8Mb/s?
I don´t want to question you, but in my experience it´s really hard to get fully prevent the PMS from transcoding. It often falls back to it if a small parameter doesn´t fit to the playing device (resolution, audio codec, etc.).

I was playing a documentary from National Geographic, it could be that, but in all cases I have multiple playbacks from a single source and I have no issues, all over 1GB eth and using Apple TV’s. The best thing to do is I run the test again with different materials and share the results for comparison, but am 100% sure I don’t do transcoding, NAS memory utilization is low with files playing.


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Easiest thing would be just to have a look at the Plex dashboard during playback. There it reports the bitrate and also if it does transcoding (separate for audio and video) or if it´s using direct play for each playback.

This what am using.


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  • 2 weeks later...

On my phone it's direct play but on my TV it is transcoding. I'm going to look in to settings so I can avoid the transcoding. It's slow as hell and CPU is almost at 100%. Without subtitles its direct play.

 

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On 7/22/2020 at 11:21 AM, achoudhary said:

I don't need transcoding. I was streaming to TVs directly that are ethernet-wired. Will look in to a Shield.

On my phone, this movie direct plays but on my TV it is transcoding. It may be because of the PGS type subtitles.

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5 hours ago, achoudhary said:

On my phone, this movie direct plays but on my TV it is transcoding. It may be because of the PGS type subtitles.

It´s definitely the subtitles. It depends on the player, not the server.

Some player apps can handle the subtitles themselves, so they are rendered on the player device into the video. Some players can´t, so the subtitles need to be infused into the videostream by the server. And that requires transcoding and hits your server (as NAS AFAIR).

So it´s an issue of your TV´s  Plex app.

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