Cord Cutters

[jbjarko]

Cancelled YouTube last night. Trying out Hulu live. Same same for the most part. Just getting used to a new platform. YouTube is slightly better with sports in the sense that you can “catch up” while watching the highlights.

 

[Yuma]

I found this video on YouTube TV and it goes over the benefits of AppleTV. It's too bad Apple's site doesn't explain its this well.

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[Mainstreet]

I wasn't sure where to put this because I have DirecTV via satellite, however, this issue could apply to others as well.

As I understand it, DirecTV is presently no longer carrying local channel 12 because of a dispute over retransmission fees.

I'm still getting most of the local Phoenix channels, except channel 12. I just noticed the change today.

Hope this matter gets resolved, but my concern is this could be a future issue with other local channels as well.

Here is a link DirecTV provided on that channel.

https://www.directv.com/tvpromise/

 

[Covert Rain]

Anybody running a Plex Server?

 

[puckhead]

Anybody running a Plex Server?

I think he runs an Emby server, but I'm guessing @Devilmaycare could give you the scoop on Plex.

 

[Covert Rain]

I think he runs an Emby server, but I'm guessing @Devilmaycare could give you the scoop on Plex.

I just bought a bunch of gear for Christmas (Nas Server) and have been setting up my Plex Server (backing up media). Just curious what people are using to back up media. I am using makeMKV but not using Handbrake because I am not compressing. Just curious what others are doing.

 

[puckhead]

I just bought a bunch of gear for Christmas (Nas Server) and have been setting up my Plex Server (backing up media). Just curious what people are using to back up media. I am using makeMKV but not using Handbrake because I am not compressing. Just curious what others are doing.

Very cool, congrats! DMC would definitely be the first person I would ask around here.

 

[Devilmaycare]

I just bought a bunch of gear for Christmas (Nas Server) and have been setting up my Plex Server (backing up media). Just curious what people are using to back up media. I am using makeMKV but not using Handbrake because I am not compressing. Just curious what others are doing.

Same since I don't compress either. I do use Emby as my media server though instead of Plex like @puckhead mentioned. I tried out Plex but wasn't a big fan of it. Too much extra cruft in it (they were really pushing Tidal at the time) and I like Emby's layout a little better.

I've been thinking of installing Jellyfin and giving it a try as a server too. It's a open source fork of Emby from the point at which Emby paywalled some features. If I hadn't bought the lifetime Emby license I probably would have gone to it already. The main reason I'm thinking of it now is that there's a custom jellyfin client that's been being worked on for the Zidoo boxes. I use a Z9X for my movie playback.

 

[Covert Rain]

Same since I don't compress either. I do use Emby as my media server though instead of Plex like @puckhead mentioned. I tried out Plex but wasn't a big fan of it. Too much extra cruft in it (they were really pushing Tidal at the time) and I like Emby's layout a little better.

I've been thinking of installing Jellyfin and giving it a try as a server too. It's a open source fork of Emby from the point at which Emby paywalled some features. If I hadn't bought the lifetime Emby license I probably would have gone to it already. The main reason I'm thinking of it now is that there's a custom jellyfin client that's been being worked on for the Zidoo boxes. I use a Z9X for my movie playback.

Ahhh. I have not looked into Embry/Jellyfin although I considered it. I looked at KODI in conjunction for a bit. I know a couple people with Plex which is why I ended up using it. Also, before I setup my server I was using my PC as a DVR with HomeRunHD OTA box anyway. So, it just made sense to use Plex. I still might checkout jellyfin though to see how the interface is. I really don't have a bunch of junk with Plex since I turned most of that stuff off. Plus, I already had Tidal as well.

 

[Devilmaycare]

Ahhh. I have not looked into Embry/Jellyfin although I considered it. I looked at KODI in conjunction for a bit. I know a couple people with Plex which is why I ended up using it. Also, before I setup my server I was using my PC as a DVR with HomeRunHD OTA box anyway. So, it just made sense to use Plex. I still might checkout jellyfin though to see how the interface is. I really don't have a bunch of junk with Plex since I turned most of that stuff off. Plus, I already had Tidal as well.

I'd say install it and give it a try. There's nothing stopping you from running multiple servers at once. That's what I did when I was trying them out and what I'll do if I end up giving Jellyfin a spin.

I use either my Zidoo for movie or Infuse on AppleTV for TV Shows or low quality movies* and I can use any of the servers with both. Infuse has built in support for Plex, Emby, and Jellyfin.

*low quality in this context is tech quality. Low resolution, no Atmos, etc.

 

[Covert Rain]

I'd say install it and give it a try. There's nothing stopping you from running multiple servers at once. That's what I did when I was trying them out and what I'll do if I end up giving Jellyfin a spin.

I use either my Zidoo for movie or Infuse on AppleTV for TV Shows or low quality movies* and I can use any of the servers with both. Infuse has built in support for Plex, Emby, and Jellyfin.

*low quality in this context is tech quality. Low resolution, no Atmos, etc.

I just started ripping after Christmas and still have 8TB of my NAS to play with so I might do just that to check it out.

 

[Devilmaycare]

I just started ripping after Christmas and still have 8TB of my NAS to play with so I might do just that to check it out.

Which NAS? I run them on mine too. The servers are small enough that their size is basically a rounding error when compared to a remux UHD.

One thing I would recommend with your ripping is that you dump any extra languages and subtitles. I was originally ripping with all of them and wasting space. I went through and removed all the non-english subs and language tracks and saved a couple gigs on average for each movie. Saved a ton of space. I use MKVToolNix for that and to do stuff like change the default and forced flags. It's just a rewrite of the file for those actions and doesn't re-encode.

 

[Covert Rain]

Which NAS? I run them on mine too. The servers are small enough that their size is basically a rounding error when compared to a remux UHD.

One thing I would recommend with your ripping is that you dump any extra languages and subtitles. I was originally ripping with all of them and wasting space. I went through and removed all the non-english subs and language tracks and saved a couple gigs on average for each movie. Saved a ton of space. I use MKVToolNix for that and to do stuff like change the default and forced flags. It's just a rewrite of the file for those actions and doesn't re-encode.

I actually caught myself doing that after about the first 10 rips. I actually just keep the non-hard coded subtitles (for alien language/sci-fi stuff) and some subtitles depending on the movie. If they are speaking a foreign language and it's not hard coded my wife HATES that we can't see the subtitles. I do delete the unnecessary ones now. I used MKVToonNix like you said to fix the ones I already completed. Thank goodness it wasn't very many but definitely a great tip.

Funny thing is I used to do stuff like this way way back when but it was more or less to create ISOs or smaller version so I could put on portable hard drives for my kids when they were little for their tablets. So much has changed. All kinds of firmware workarounds needed now etc.

 

[Devilmaycare]

I actually caught myself doing that after about the first 10 rips. I actually just keep the non-hard coded subtitles (for alien language/sci-fi stuff) and some subtitles depending on the movie. If they are speaking a foreign language and it's not hard coded my wife HATES that we can't see the subtitles. I do delete the unnecessary ones now. I used MKVToonNix like you said to fix the ones I already completed. Thank goodness it wasn't very many but definitely a great tip.

Funny thing is I used to do stuff like this way way back when but it was more or less to create ISOs or smaller version so I could put on portable hard drives for my kids when they were little for their tablets. So much has changed. All kinds of firmware workarounds needed now etc.

I'd recommend making sure you keep any english forced subs to make sure alien/foreign bits are covered. I also keep the english subs for some safety/future proofing. You never know when your hearing is going to start to decline, you have someone over that's hard of hearing, there's some hard to hear dialog that you want to clarify, etc. The size for just the one set is fairly nominal.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

What NAS server are you two using? I was thinking of picking this up.

TerraMaster F4-210 4-Bay NAS 1GB RAM Quad Core Network Attached Storage Media Server Personal Private Cloud (Diskless) - Newegg.com

Buy TerraMaster F4-210 4-Bay NAS 1GB RAM Quad Core Network Attached Storage Media Server Personal Private Cloud (Diskless) with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.com

 

[Covert Rain]

What NAS server are you two using? I was thinking of picking this up.

TerraMaster F4-210 4-Bay NAS 1GB RAM Quad Core Network Attached Storage Media Server Personal Private Cloud (Diskless) - Newegg.com

Buy TerraMaster F4-210 4-Bay NAS 1GB RAM Quad Core Network Attached Storage Media Server Personal Private Cloud (Diskless) with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.com

I was considering a Terramaster, Synology or QNAP. I ended up getting:

QNAP TS-464-8G-US 4 Bay High-Performance Desktop NAS with Intel Celeron Quad-core Processor, M.2 PCIe Slots and Dual 2.5GbE (2.5G/1G/100M) Network Connectivity (Diskless) https://a.co/d/9lNy4HY

 

[Chaplin]

Anybody running a Plex Server?

Yes I'm running a massive one. I don't run a NAS art the moment but I'm still sitting on 40 TB of stuff.

 

[Covert Rain]

Yes I'm running a massive one.

What server are you using and which backup tools?

 

[Chaplin]

What server are you using and which backup tools?

Plex and I live on the wild side. No backup at the moment. I need to do some major updates to mine but it's been working great as is for years.

 

[Devilmaycare]

What NAS server are you two using? I was thinking of picking this up.

TerraMaster F4-210 4-Bay NAS 1GB RAM Quad Core Network Attached Storage Media Server Personal Private Cloud (Diskless) - Newegg.com

Buy TerraMaster F4-210 4-Bay NAS 1GB RAM Quad Core Network Attached Storage Media Server Personal Private Cloud (Diskless) with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.com

I use an 8 bay Synology. I have one of those Terra Masters too but it hasn't been setup in awhile. I got it cheap off on a Prime Day. At the time I didn't really care for it because it had limited options compared to the Synology ones. It looks like they've beefed up the OS a lot though since then and address a bunch of the shortcomings. I've been meaning to set mine back up again as a file server but haven't had a chance.

 

[Devilmaycare]

Plex and I live on the wild side. No backup at the moment. I need to do some major updates to mine but it's been working great as is for years.

I missed the backup question. I don't back mine up too. I have my NAS set up for dual disk fail though and it's all disc rips so technically I still have all of them as my backup. Would have to go through ripping everything again though. Having the dual disk failure should cover me in all but the worse melt downs.

 

[Covert Rain]

Plex and I live on the wild side. No backup at the moment. I need to do some major updates to mine but it's been working great as is for years.

Are you using your PC? Also, what ripping software?

In terms of a backup, I only do a snapshot. However, I can use an external backups with my QNAP. I am going to buy a 12 TB drive, install in my new PC to backup my NAS.

I just have not got around to it yet.

 

[Chaplin]

Are you using your PC? Also, what ripping software?

In terms of a backup, I only do a snapshot. However, I can use an external backups with my QNAP. I am going to buy a 12 TB drive, install in my new PC to backup my NAS.

I just have not got around to it yet.

I use a dedicated PC just for my server. And use MakeMKV and Handbrake for ripping.

 

[Dan H]

I just bought a bunch of gear for Christmas (Nas Server) and have been setting up my Plex Server (backing up media). Just curious what people are using to back up media. I am using makeMKV but not using Handbrake because I am not compressing. Just curious what others are doing.

I run Plex as a container on a TrueNAS Scale machine. MakeMKV is pretty much the way to go, and I’ve got an Intel CPU so it transcodes for tablets, etc. very easily.

 

[Raindog]

I use a dedicated PC just for my server. And use MakeMKV and Handbrake for ripping.

I am currently the better part of two years in to ripping my entire dvd/bluray collection to disk drives. Likewise, I use (mostly) MakeMKV, with Handbrake just for the occasional disc that MakeMKV won't rip for whatever reason.

My collection is about 4500 titles, but that includes more than 200 TV series that would be much more voluminous than single disc movies. I am still not certain if I will rip all of those - that would be another massive undertaking that I will decide about when I finish all the movies.

But due to the sheer size of my collection, I have opted not to do any kind of RAID arrangement. Instead, I do the initial rip to dedicated external HDs, and then copy those to internal HDs in my server/enclosure - so I do have duplicate copies at all times. I feel fairly confident that it's unlikely both copies would ever fail before I could replicate them, but at some point, I may make a third backup just to be on the extra safe side.

I'm guessing it will be another two years or so to finish the movie server project, and then possibly an additional year if I elect to rip all the TV series. I don't work on it every day, and sometimes take weeks off between dedicated efforts, but I feel like I am mostly making good progress.