Please explain to me (a retard) how a media server works

[Pargon]

I have a shitload of DVDs and am sick of not being able to watch creepy Gen-X shit like Millennium on my smart TV. I’ve ripped some stuff as a test and transcoded it, no problem.

Where my dumb ass is getting hung up is, if I am streaming to wireless devices from the server once it’s set up, the media needs to stream via an application’s service, right? Example, the server is using Plex. My phone has Plex, on the same account. If I go on the road and want to watch Lance Henriksen’s gradual slip into madness, then essentially my server would be streaming the show through Plex’s service. Is that correct?

(Also if Plex is dogshit please lmk, researching how something like this works is a nightmare, 75% of articles I can find are barely-disguised app shilling)

 

[85CentSoda]

essentially my server would be streaming the show through Plex’s service

More or less that's my understanding of it.

Also if Plex is dogshit please lmk

It's alright in my opinion. I've been wanting to switch to Jellyfin (https://jellyfin.org/). I think on mobile to stream it's like $1, but on TVs and in the browser it's free. You might need Plexpass depending on the hardware of your server and what the watching device is; the big thing with Plexpass is that is enables hardware transcoding for streaming. Jellyfin is completely FOSS though, but Plex provides more of a "Netflix-like" experience.

 

[PositiveMonk]

Also if Plex is dogshit please lmk

I'm not a big fan of Plex personally. I helped a friend setup a plex instance and he really enjoys it, he likes being able to use it outside of his local network easily and be able to share it with whoever he's fucking or whatever. It's overkill for what I would be using it for. I can't really say it's dogshit though, definitely has its uses. I didn't like the plex interface.

 

[The Connected Nose]

Plex has been overrun by diversity and wants to be a "viewing platform" instead of just a media server these days. Stopped using it when they abandoned support for RasPlex and I ended up with a broken media player that used to work just fine.

I don't know how it is now, but you used to be able to setup remote access so that you could directly connect to your server and stream like you would if you were in the next room. You'd have to open the right ports on your router, setup a dynamic DNS (unless you have a static IP from your internet service), etc., but I distinctly remember it being possible.

Basically a media server is just a fancy file share at the end of the day. Where it benefits is the app you use to watch tells the server what the device is capable of, so then it can transcode content as needed. But if the device can handle the content natively, it just gives it direct access to said content and you're playing it like you would if you just clicked on it in a shared folder.

 

[Soggy Floppa]

Jellyfin is better but you need autism to set up networking if you want to use it from out of your home network

 

[Neodanthril]

Everyone recommends Plex but I had nothing but headaches with it. Emby was a lot easier to set up in my experience, especially on Linux.

 

[John Badman]

It serves the media. The heat from the computer cooks the data.

 

[Human Waiter]

I have a shitload of DVDs and am sick of not being able to watch creepy Gen-X shit like Millennium on my smart TV.

Can't you just plug your PS3 into the smart tv and use that to watch DVDs?

 

[Dagoth AMOGUS]

Transliminal passage of quickened objects or entities without the persistent agency of hyperagonal media is not possible, and even if possible, would result in instantaneous retromission of the transported referents. Only a transpontine circumpenetration of the limen will result in transits of greater than infinitesimal duration.

 

[Pargon]

Can't you just plug your PS3 into the smart tv and use that to watch DVDs?

I mean sure, I could use any DVD player to do something like that. What I’m going for is being able to consoom any of my digitized media on any device on my home network, and from what I can tell there’s no way of doing that without using a third-party service of some kind, and I’m confident this isn’t the case, its more a combination of 15 paid services pimping their wares and me being an idiot not knowing what phrasing and terminology to use.

But if the device can handle the content natively, it just gives it direct access to said content and you're playing it like you would if you just clicked on it in a shared folder.

This is exactly what I am aiming for. If I’ve already transcoded files to a common format (.mp3, mp4), then ideally wireless devices should be able to recognize and play them with the appropriate program, right?

 

[LazyLizard]

 

[SigueSigueSpergnik]

@Pargon: If all you want is a basic but reliable way to access media stored on the local network from within the local network, check out Serviio. Streaming is DLNA / UPnP based, buying the 'pro' version isn't a requirement, and it should be compatible with the built-in DLNA / UPnP client on pretty much every smart TV that has one.

 

[PositiveMonk]

If I’ve already transcoded files to a common format (.mp3, mp4), then ideally wireless devices should be able to recognize and play them with the appropriate program, right?

Yes, and if your smart tv can't do it, you can throw a bit of money down for something like a roku or a pi and install something that handles the media the way you want.

 

[SCV]

I've heard rumblings that plex either has or is planning to get more aggressive about their monetization and/or "checking" for pirated content. Regardless you should avoid given companies access to your home network where possible.

In your situation I would setup a jellyfin server out of a cheap used PC (ex. get a used optiplex off of ebay, buy a large HDD (12TB+), and max out the ram since used DDR3 is cheap) and rip your DVDs to it. This should work immediately at home. To access this elsewhere you will need to connect your phone/laptop/whatever back to your home network. There are several options I'm aware of including tailscale (easy mode, but may have the plex problems later), VPN back to your house (more setup, need a domain name. If you have an asus router you can get a free domain), or just leaving your jellyfin server open to the internet (less secure, easier setup, still probably need a domain).

If you have specific questions I will try to answer them.

 

[BradeRunna]

A server is like a bunch of PC's with extra room for storage devices. They are usually on a rack that can be moved. At least the ones I saw had wheels on them. It's connected to a network where other computers can access whatever is on the server's storage. At least that's how I understand it.

Just use Make MKV to copy all your movies and use VLC to play them. I made my own movie drives last year. I used an external optical drive to copy every Blu-ray and DVD I own using Make MKV and I put all the files on external SSD's. I can watch them anywhere I want. I own a portable Blu-ray player that also plays DVD's but the screen isn't that great. I bought a Lenovo T480 ThinkPad off Amazon a while back. I installed VLC player on it and I can watch my movies using it as a portable movie player. Pop in headphones and I can sit in my recliner and watch movies.

 

[marvlouslie]

I use Kodi for a lot of my media server needs, and it works just fine, since it plays a lot of files locally. I don't need an internet connection for it, which is pretty sweet, 'cause sometimes mine will go down. Plex is fine and all if you have a decent enough connection for a lot of shit to work right, but eh. I had too many issues with it.

 

[Civillian 18]

Jellyfin running on a 2nd hand office refurb as mentioned earlier in the thread, make sure it has Intel Quick Sync-capable processor (it would be hard to find one without it at this point I think), a big old HDD full of all your shit, and a $4/year domain name and a smattering of autism and you have a selfhosted Netflix that you might actually like what is available to watch.