You’ve read Part 1, on the economics of cord cutting (if not, what are you waiting for?!), and certainly you’ve read Part 2 on getting LiveTV (if not WTF?!), well we figured it was about time for Part 3 on the hardware, after all we here at HTPC are all about helping our dear readers cut the cord. Why? Well for one, we’re all about freedom – the freedom to consume your media how you wish, when you wish, wherever you wish. Second, cable’s expensive! Recall our article at an assumed $100/mo, you are paying $1,200 per year for the privilege of watching only a handful of the channels you are paying for. In that spirit, we offer Part 3 of our Cord Cutting expose. So let’s dive right in…
Our requirements are:
- Media server capable of supporting simultaneous viewing to more than one client
- Mobile support for mobile viewing
- Support to at least 2 TVs in your home
- Cost breakeven vs cable (assuming $100/mo) is less than one year.
In addition to those basic requirements, nice-to-haves are:
- Automated backup of media
- Easy remote access to media server for remote management
- Compatibility with multiple operating systems
- Ability to easily share your media with others
Now dear readers, the caveats:
- There is no one solution, there are multiple permutations of both hardware and software that can fulfill the goals outlined in this article
- We are not claiming this is the ‘best’ or ‘cheapest’ solution, but one we think is pretty damn good. Its a killer setup day one out of the box, and easily upgradable.
- We are not being paid by any hardware or software provider for this ‘endorsement’
And with that dear reader, we are off….the first and most important part of any home media center setup is the media server – the brains of the operation. The two 800-lb gorillas are XBMC and Plex. The staff here at TotalHTPC is split here, almost down the middle. However, for purposes of this article, we are going to go with Plex for one very simple reason – the Plex Media Server is a standalone media server application that supports a single centralized media library without any user customization required out-of-the-box. Yes, XBMC can support a centralized library supporting multiple clients, but it requires the user to be familiar with SQL, and isn’t out-of-the-box functionality. The addition of its myPlex service adds automated remote access and sharing further extends the reach of your media content.
The second most important part of the server setup is hardware. It must be able to:
- Powerful enough to server media to multiple clients
- Powerful to transcode media on the fly if client is unable to play native file
- Be easily upgradable
For that, we are recommending the Synology DS712+$499 along with 2 Seagate Barracuda Green ST1500DL003 1.5TB 5900 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5″ Internal Hard Drive $200. Plex has released its Plex Media Server package for Intel-based Synology NAS devices, which provides all the features and functionality of the Windows and Mac-based PMS software. The use of the NAS as the server eliminates the need for a dedicated HTPC and separate storage, and integrates RAID1 backup redundancy all in a very small package. Add on top of it Synology’s tremendous DSM software which includes free CloudStation, easty to setup remote access, iTunes server support and a bevy of other terrific features, and its a terrific route to go for one’s media server. While we would suggest utilizing Synology’s superb hybrid RAID technology, gaining 1.2 terabytes of fully redunandant, plug-and-play storage, users can opt to maxmize the storage capacity of the two drives and get not quite 3 terabytes of storage with this setup (given the space requirements of the Synology DSM software). We opted to go with 1.5 terabyte drives given our inability to find new, non-refurbished 1TB drives for any less than these. The downside of going with a NAS as the server is the inability to directly connect it to a TV, but a solution for that next.
Synology DS712+ NAS, a killer media server as well
Now that we’ve set up our server we need to consume our media. With the recent release of the PlexBeta channel for Roku players, at $50 each, the 2 Roku 2 LTs for $98 connected by 2 10Ft HDMI Cord $10 (actually $4.81 per if ordering 2 or more) will fully connect all that Plex goodness to your big screen TVs. Add the Plex app for iOS or Anroid $5 for what we are assuming is your already-owned Apple or Android mobile device and you’ve got three screens on which to consume your media, including on the go. Add an over-the-air Antenna for live HD TV at $50 – $150 and you’ve pretty much covered your bases.
Total Cost : $970(rounding up) and assuming 8% sales tax, $1048. Break even vs $100/mo cable bill, 10.5months ($1048 / $1200 *12).
So there you have it. A totally aweseome, fully upgradable, easily remotely accessible home media center setup for less than the cost of one year of cable.
This is an interesting looking system.
The only question is: will the synology nas be able to handle 3-4 rokus at the same time while auto downloading content?
Great site by the way.
Phil,
Thanks for the read….the answer to your question is “it depends”. If the PMS is required to transcode media for all 4 rokus, it might be too much, but if the rokus are able to Direct Play, a couple files, then absolutely.
I have a question — with Plex Media Server and DLNA support, can I skip the Roku’s entirely if I have a PS3/xbox 360? What would I be missing out on?
In theory no loss in Plex functionality, but lots of reported problems with DLNA functionality. Specific feature loss would be Roku-specific vs PS3/XBOX360.
Thanks Charles — good to know. I’m getting ready to follow your gospel — just bought my Synology712 today!
Charles is the Evil Genius undermining cable companies leading to their eventual demise. We are just his medium for spreading the word of the lord.
and while I am no genius, I am definitely evil….
MC,
Good luck, I’m sure you’ll love your DS712+, I adore my DS209, and the 712 is much superior.
Just remember, you can get a Roku for $50, so its not a bad backup if the DLNA functionality of Plex is still ‘alpha’….
One last request, if you do get the 712, could you use our link above? we need the beer money 🙂
Sorry already bought the Synology, but I felt bad so I navigated through your link to buy my 2TB Seagates…hopefully you’ll get a beer or two off it.
OK so I have a Synology DS712+ with two 3TB Seagate Barracudas with 1 disk fault tolerance using Synology Hybrid Raid (fantastic machine!). This kit is used in combination with a jail broken ATV2 (via Firecore SeasonPass aTV black). The ATV2 has both XBMC with a just installed the Plex Media plugin.
I have a 250+ movie library with mixed formats (Video_TS, MKV, Xvid, Mp4 etc). All that said, my personal experience with using Plex on the Synology and ATV2 is that it appears to have much more limited or “stunted” performance compared to my experience using XBMC. The Synology simply can’t transcode 1080p content with 720p streaming appearing to be hit and miss over a gigabit network. Also and frustratingly, Plex does not support transcoding Video_TS image files over a network which accounts for the majority of my video content.
Notwithstanding the superb functionality and remote app integration that plex offers on the iPhone, iPad etc. it simply can’t compete with XBMC given the above technology infrastructure. Xbmc seamlessly plays every video format thrown at it including 1080p H264, DTS, 8+gb video files and all of my Video_TS DVD rips.
How would the addition of the Roku into the above mix solve or enhance these issues? Would love to fully experience the full potential of Plex but it’s very limited with a the moment. Any advice would be appreciated. For the time being XBMC on the ATV2 is the de facto Media Sever of choice.
Mark,
Thanks for the comment. To be honest, the Roku will not solve any issues as the number of formats it can play natively and take advantage of the Direct Play option in the Plex channel is limited. I have found most people do not have the breadth of containers that you do (most choose a single or maybe two default containers when ripping/using Handbrake). While I am a big Plex fan, I will admit that XBMC’s playback is better in terms of its ability to not require transcoding, and I’m at a loss as to why.
That said, given the 712’s processor, i’m surprised its choking on transcoding 1080p material, and i suspect the 1GB RAM is what’s holding it back. I have been contacted by numerous others who are now using this setup and haven’t reported those problems.
Long answer to your question, but bottom line, adding a Roku to your setup won’t ‘solve’. My suggestion is to consider the PleXBMC plugin which was created by a Plex user who noted the playback advantages XMBC has over Plex, but wanted to use Plex’s PMS functionality for a centralized library and mobile transcoding….this setup – using XBMC solely as the playback engine while using Plex PMS for centralized library and mobile support – may give you the best of both worlds….
Please excuse the couple typos in my last post. I used my iPhone 4s to post this on the fly. Wish it had grammar check! 😉
BTW great topic!
Charles,
Thanks for the advice. I’ll definitely look into the PleXBMC plugin. It took me the better half of 3 weeks to transfer 200+ personal DVD’s over to my NAS and perhaps in hindsight I should have done a bit more due diligence on a recommended format.
The thinking at the time was that the TS_Video image files was the easiest and simplest to just transfer over as I already had licensed software to maintain it in this format with three distinct advantages:
1) Image files can be ripped back to any dual layer DVD intact for playback over any blueray player (I know…a very old school playback method unlikely to be used)
2) The integrity of the original DVD content is unaltered i.e. special features, deleted scenes etc.
3) Handbrake took about 5 times longer to transcode to higher quality MP4 / MKV (Apple TV2 preset) versus my licensed DVD ripping software…remember 200+ DVD’s
Regarding the Synology DS712+, from what I can tell using both XBMC and Plex via the ATV2, the bottleneck appears to be the CPU, less so on the 1GB DDR3 RAM.
The single core 1.8Ghz (dual thread) Intel Atom D425 CPU performs well, but is stretched when transcoding 1080P material using Plex (No issues at all with XBMC).
For example, I hit less than 15% CPU utilization streaming 1080P/DTS 5.1 video using XBMC vs. 95%+ CPU utilization when streaming 720P/DD 5.1 content using Plex. Both streaming to a single client via the Synology DS712+ and ATV2 (note: 1080P is unplayable with Plex using the DS712+).
Also consider that Synology’s other higher end NAS’s just released Q1-2012 (DS412+/1512+/1812+) at have the same stock 1GB DDR3 RAM (1512/1812 up-gradable to 3GB), but offer higher CPU specs – Intel 2.13Ghz Dual Core…although any of the aforementioned units will really stretch the budget, which indeed is the whole point of this cost/benefit analysis.
Will keep you posted as things progress…I’m still relatively new to both XBMC and Plex. There are for great outfits in their own right.
Thanks again!
Mark,
Got it, I get some people like having the entire DVD. I forgot the 712 was a single core, thought it was the same as the 412+ which is a dual core i think…transcoding 1080p I have seen take up to 100% of one core on my i5 iMac which is my main PMS machine.
XBMC has a definitely playback advantage over Plex, no question, its the one thorn in my (and many other devoted Plex users) side. They decided to go the transcode route to eliminate hardware issues, and then added direct play when the PMS dedects no transcoding is needed – that however isn’t working as it should be.
Definitely look at PleXBMC, it really is the best of both worlds (Plex seamless setup, backend centralized library, mobile/remote support plus XBMC playback)
I would love to hear how it goes once you try out the Plexbmc plugin — I am looking at potentially encountering the same thing once my build is done…
PleXBMC link
http://forums.plexapp.com/index.php/topic/27270-plexbmc-client-for-xbmc/page__hl__plexbmc
Charles, you might want to consider editing your guide and changing some I your suggestions. I spent a lot of time and money following your advice, but unfortunately the synology 712 processor isnt strong enough to transcode on the fly to a roku without stopping to buffer every ten seconds. It makes the entire setup pretty worthless if you ask me, as I still need something to transcode.
Yes, my fault for following as gospel a guide I found on the Internet, but maybe you should warn others…
MC,
Thank you for the reply. Prior to publishing the article i installed this setup for a friend and he actually had no issues. May I ask why kinds of files you are asking the PMS/712 to transcode on the fly? It might be related to that as well as the bitrates of the files. I’m very sorry you aren’t having a good experience. Hopefully, you still feel that the benefit of the 712 for file redundancy and the other equipment are not a waste, but before we go that far, why don’t we try to trouble shoot a bit….
Thanks for offering to help Charles,
Please know that I spent most of the weekend trying to get it to work, and also that I didn’t rush to the conclusion I stated previously.
The files have .mkv extensions; I found that the larger files (anything 1.5 gb or larger) had a much more difficult time, although even those that were smaller still had major hiccups. I can play the files within the DSM browser on my synology (I even played one remotely while at the office) and it has zero issues with buffering or transcoding or whatever.
Someone on a message board suggested my router was the issue, so I purchased a brand new router (high quality one too) but I don’t think roku even supports the 5ghz channel to begin with; regardless, didn’t solve the issue.
Finally, I took another poster’s suggestion of trying another streaming device (WD TV live) to see if it could handle the transcoding. It absolutely does; it recognizes every file type and plays them almost flawlessly. Unfortunately, I hate the UI and the whole system; roku is sleek and looks and feels way better.
MC,
Certainly didn’t mean to imply you hadn’t looked into things before posting the comment, apologies if it came across that way.
Very interesting that it played in the web browser, although not sure what you mean by that. That said, mkv’s are supposedly native for the roku 2 depending on the video codec (so that’s the next question).
http://support.roku.com/entries/423946-what-media-file-types-does-the-roku-usb-media-player-channel-support
I assume you have direct play enabled in the roku Plex channel prefs, if not, try selecting the direct play (automatic is the default) to force direct play and see if that helps. I’d also check the quality setting as Plex got rid of the automatic setting (something I have found annoying).
The Roku2’s do support the wireless N standard, but wired is typically better. I’d start with forcing direct play and the quality settings. Would be curious to know the bitrates of the mkv’s, but let’s try those two things first….
Thanks Charles, you came off just fine, I didn’t take any offense. I just wanted you to know that I am not just flaming willy-nilly, as I do appreciate the work you do.
The wireless N that roku supports is not 5 ghz, although I don’t think that would have fixed the problem (just a guess). I took that from the roku forums (http://forums.roku.com/viewtopic.php?p=303656&sid=cb8df9cce33720f539ac936fda49ac91) and the proof is in the pudding: when setting up a 5ghz connection on the router the roku couldn’t even detect it (while other devices could). But again, I don’t think that was the issue.
I tried every method of playback (transcoding, direct play, direct play with transcoding, etc) and they all had the same problems; actually direct play was buggier and resulted in a few restarts of the roku player.
Sorry for my poor techno-speak (here comes some more!), by playing in the browser I meant that when I access the server remotely via my ip address and port and login to the syno, I can use the syno’s media player to play the file (that is, file station–>right click on the file –> play). I am assuming that my pc is handling the transcoding when I do it that way.
MC,
You also may want to post a comment in both the PMS Linux area on the Plex Forums website:
http://forums.plexapp.com/index.php/forum/85-linux/
as well as in the Roku area…
http://forums.plexapp.com/index.php/forum/84-roku-streaming-players/
GIven you observed behavior, i’m not sure its a PMS transcoding issue, Roku issue, or bandwidth issue…
Again, my friend’s setup was wired, so not apples to apples.
MC
Thanks for the clarification but no, your PC would not be transcoding because the PmS isn’t running there. My guess I that the syno media player isn’t requiring the PMS to transcode which is interesting. Have you tried connecting the Roku via Ethernet if you h e that model? Maybe it is a wireless bandwidth problem.
new PMS release, (Linux forthcoming), addresses some Roku issues….
http://elan.plexapp.com/
Hello.
Full disclosure, I am a newb when it comes to this. I know a little about computing but I never used a NAS before.
With that out of the way, there is something I am trying to understand. I know the roku will be hooked to your TV. what is the Synology DS712 hooked up to? Do i need to connect it to my pc, so my pc is streaming the files, or is the NAS somehow doing it by itself? Do I need to hook it up to a monitor, at least when setting it up, and after that just browse the files through Roku?
Again, very sorry for the stupid questions, but I wanted to make sure I understand before investing in all this.
Thank you
Not a stupid question at all. Your NAS should be connected to your router via Ethernet. That way your PMS will see it on the network.
Charles,
thanks for the reply.
so one more question to make. So the combination of the Synology DS712 plus the Roku would pretty much be the HTPC, right? I mean, I just got confused because reading the guides here, for example, the ultimate guide, it says I have to install SAB into my HTPC, but if im using the NAS plus Roku I dont see how to install that in the NAS.
I’m going to keep reading all the guides to see if I learn more. I’m already a cable cutter, but i’m paying for hulu to watch on 360 and want to have a better setup than that.
thanks again!
Daniel. That’s correct. No macmini required.
Thanks again!
time to get to work…
going to do the antenna first since that seems pretty simple, then work on the rest of the ultimate guide.
You guys here are awesome
Happy to help. Let us know how it goes and if you need any other guidance along the way.
Well, just took the plunge…
But since i kept hearing about transcoding 1080p problems… i bought Roku 2 XD (they’re $69 now) and I got 2 Seagate Barracuda Green 2TB (they were same price as the 1.5TB on amazon $99).
Strangely the 1TBs were the most expensive, so not sure why anyone would buy those.
I did use your link for the synology… sooo beer’s on me!
will follow the ultimate guide once everything gets here.
Hey Charles,
I more question,
I intalled SABnzbd, couch potato, and sickbeard in my laptop earlier to see if everything worked nicely (and they do), but my synology and roku arrived today, and what I am wondering, so I can use only my synology and roku, to install those programs in synology, do i use the linux files or the windows? This is my very first synology (or any NAS) and I have never used Linux before.
Just trying to clarify so I dont messup my whole system on the day i receive it 🙂
Thanks for the help one more time.
You would probably need to install the Linux files. I’m not sure about installing it on the Synology honestly, but I’m sure it can be done. Let me do some Googling and maybe I can get a post up about it.
Daniel, there are packages on the internet developed third party that you can add manually to the synology; I’m pretty sure this is the one i used:
http://www.mertymade.com/syno/
unless I use a MacMini instead of a Roku… but that would be about 10x more expansive (for that particular part of the equation)
Daniel. To be honest I’m not sure. I’m a torrent guy and know how those work on synology. Maybe the other guys can chime in….
Daniel. I can confirm that couch potato, sickbaerd and sabnzbd all have packages for install direct from the package center on the latest DSM. It should be available on the other services tab once you update available packages
So, if I’m reading this right – that Synology box has the capability to be my sabNZBD+/SB/CP downloader, AND my Plex media server WITH transcoding??
Really???
Yep!
I’m finally cutting the cord and your guides have been a great help.
One question I have though is how the NAS fits in to the whole thing. Here is my understanding, please correct me if I am wrong:
The first step would be to get the NAS and hard drive, along with a Roku player. The NAS connects directly to my router and my computer would then see it as a network storage drive.
The NAS would handle storage of my media as well as distribution through PMS to the Roku player. BUT, my computer would handle the downloading (using the other guide for automating usenet downloads) and store them to the NAS.
Does that sound right or is there something big im missing?
Synology DSM has built in download station that can handle all torrent sabnzb needs
So I can install Sickbeard, Headphones, Couchpotato, and SabNZBD directly onto the Synology NAS?
Also, probably a dumb question, but what is the benefit of getting the DS712+, would the DS212j work just as well?
No. 2 series doesn’t have intel processor. Can only install PMS on intel based processors that have enough horses to transcode.
Synology says that the 712 is way below spec to run plex, how is it running for you? I convert all my DVDs using handbrake to .mkv and h264 format. I currently use plex on my computer and have a synology ds210+, I was considering upgrading to a 411+ as it is listed as being able to handle plex. Does the interface work like the computer version with being able to show the movie covers and meta data?
None of Synology’s NAS’s really support transcoding, but if your media containers and audio codec’s can all be played natively then the 712 works well….
http://wiki.plexapp.com/index.php/FAQ:_Plex_Media_Server_and_NAS
Jeremy,
Synology just released the 713+ which is a dual core, 2.13Ghz process with 1GB of RAM, should be enough to transcode….
I’m here in Switzerland and read your guide and would like to make some amendments concerning the hardware setup.
Almost every NAS with an acceptable price hasn’t the horsepower to transcode while downloading via sabnzb and so on.
So I changed the setup a bit (without much more costs).
Get a 2012 mac mini i5, get 8gb of ram; (roughly 630 $); get a “cheap Nas including drives” (e.g. the linkstation duo 4TB from buffalo (atm $ 263). So instead of buying a NAS for 500$ and adding drives for another 200 $ get a “proper” PC for transcoding for almost the same price..
Setup Sab, Sickbeard, Couchpotato, Plex Server on the Mac Mini, using the NAS as a Raid 1 HD. Configure the Mac Mini in a way it can be remote accessed over your home-network (VNC is the key).
Now you have enough horsepower for transcoding. I even added a EyeTV to my MacMini so I have the live tv option. Everything (except the clients) is wired with 1 Gbit Ethernet to the router and all hardware components (except the clients) are in a locker in the basement. So I don’t bother the macs fan to spin from time to time and everything is quiet.
Now speaking about the clients. To be honest I don’t like the Plex GUI on Roku so I decided to spend a bit more and get me at least one decent client which is in addition able to remote access the mini and manage everything. So I went with the Zbox Nano AD12 and I’m very happy with it.
So with spending a bit more you are very good equipped and “future proof”.
I just thought I would share my setup with you because I think the setup mentioned in the blog is a bit to focussed on cutting the costs…which leads to a few performance issues…
Lukas,
Thanks for the read. I would agree, and in fact, on the Plex forums i’ve noted that no NAS has enough juice to properly transcode high bitrate 1080p material…I think your setup is one that is frequently cited on the boards, and a good one.
That said, most people have a computer of some sort at home that has the specs to properly transcode 1080p material which can still be used as the home’s main computer, and with the cost of NAS’s and storage coming down, the cost to cut the cord is coming down every day.
With your Sickbeard (or going with ShowRSS) setup, i’m now of the opinion that EyeTV is unnecessary unless a) you want to watch live TV on something other than a TV and b) you watch a lot of live TV and want to pause/rew/ff. I’ve barely used EyeTV since I’ve owned it.
Thanks again for the read…may be worth updating my cord cutter series…