Hardware / OS

[THRobinson]

So, I decided after 15+yrs to give Kodi the boot and try Jellyfin instead.

I just upgraded to a new PC and my old PC I'm thinking should be good enough to run as a server.

Here are the specs... for those unfamiliar with Xeon, it's basically in i7-7700 without a built in GPU.

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/pJFbsX

Should this be enough for running a server for 2 x TV's, plus a laptop? The TV's are connected using CAT6 ethernet, no WiFi. The server will be Cat6 as well. Laptop is WiFi.

Also... I have about 20min experience with Ubuntu. How hard is it to setup this stuff on a Linux system? I plan to hopefully connect to the server with my PC for dropping new files onto the drives, probably like I do now with mapped network drives. Is there much difference in performance? or just put Win10 on and save myself some grief?

[TheDreadPirate]

If you don't need to transcode, a potato can run Jellyfin. But if your clients need transcoding, that CPU would struggle. But adding an Intel Arc GPU would make it a transcoding beast.

Only switch to Linux if want to learn Linux. IMO, it is worth it and you will learn to love it. But if you just need to get up and running, there is nothing wrong with Windows.

[THRobinson]

This is where my confusion is... on KODI, the clients transcode, and I was told on Jellyfin, the server transcodes.

Does this mean that on top of a server, I still need something like an N100 mini PC at each TV?

Also, Intel ARC, I've heard about them, never looked into them... from a gaming/general use standpoint the GeForce has always done me well. What does the ARC do so well, that my GTX1060 will struggle where the ARC will be a beast? Plus, which ARC? Looking online, they seem to range from an A310 ($140CAD) to an A770 ($610CAD). From what I see online, the ARC A380 ($170CAD) is equivalent to a GTX1060 like I already have.

My hope was a server (old PC) and the Jellyfin Google App on each of the two TVs. The one TV especially, I want full quality... I don't want to waste my drive space with a 10,000kbps mkv file, if it's only gonna play at 2,000kbps... know what I mean?

[TheDreadPirate]

For Jellyfin clients, if the client cannot play the video as is the server will transcode and send a compatible format. Kodi does not transcode client side, but it will software decode. Jellyfin clients, mostly, will prefer hardware accelerated decoding for video since software decoding performance can vary widely depending on client's hardware.

If you have a spare GTX1060, that is a perfectly good GPU for transcoding. I used a GTX1070 for a while. But if you are going to spend money to acquire a GPU for the express purpose of transcoding, Intel Arc is the gold standard in terms of encoding quality. What Arc gives you over the GTX1060 is AV1 encoding support. If you were to buy an Arc GPU, they all have the same encoding engine. The only meaningful difference is VRAM, which is important for HDR to SDR tone mapping.

[THRobinson]

@TheDreadPirate

Funny how Kodi and Jellyfin seem like basically the same thing, but they do it in almost opposite ways. I think where I'm getting tripped up is with mixed info from mixed sources. One will say the server does the work, client just needs an app or web browser access, and then someone else will say you need hardware on both ends.

My old PC will have a GTX1060 6GB card. I have it now in my new PC until boxing week when I buy an RTX4070s, then the card will go back into the old PC. Older 4th gen system but, i7 (equivalent) with 16GB ram, and the GTX1060... hoping enough to run 2 clients. VERY rare I'll have 3 at once.

Living room uses it a few times a week, and they're not overly picky on quality. They can't tell DVD from 4K, so... the new TV I bought them for Xmas has Google OS, and hoping just to use the android app for Jellyfin on that TV.

My TV, will sit beside the old PC. Again, all TVs/Computers are Cat6 ethernet with either 1GB or 2.5GB connections.

It also means that a 3ft HDMI cable will reach from the old PC to the TV... I could use the PC as a server and client for my TV.

I also have a Beelink android box that although 5yrs old, runs Coreelec/Kodi flawlessly and the biggest 4K videos have no issues. I have a new HK1 android box on my TV (my Beelink died) and although newer, it's a flakey mess... hardware? software? no idea which is the issue. Point though is, formatted and reset back to factory Android, I could use those as clients as well.

Though again, ideally... just the server and using the Google App on the TV's would be ideal.

AV1... I know of it, but not made the switch. I still shrink my vids with Handbrake, using 10bit h.265 SDR (bt.709), and AC3-5.1 audio.

[leo561]

So, I decided after 15+yrs to give Kodi the boot and try Jellyfin instead.

I just upgraded to a new PC and my old PC I'm thinking should be good enough to run as a server.

Here are the specs... for those unfamiliar with Xeon, it's basically in i7-7700 without a built in GPU.

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/pJFbsX

Should this be enough for running a server for 2 x TV's, plus a laptop? The TV's are connected using CAT6 ethernet, no WiFi. The server will be Cat6 as well. Laptop is WiFi.

Also... I have about 20min experience with Ubuntu. How hard is it to setup this stuff on a Linux system? I plan to hopefully connect to the server with my PC for dropping new files onto the drives, probably like I do now with mapped network drives. Is there much difference in performance? or just put Win10 on and save myself some grief?

ubuntu server would set you up more than just windows since you can watch your movies on your phone and no matter what your phone is google samsung apple -you can connect to your server via GUI on your PC/Phone to restart it or do whatever no need for keyboard mouse,monitor just connect your server straight to your router/modem, its always accessible there is linux forums on here and people has really helped me out in the past and to help you get up and running but with linux you can make your own cloud service, camera Dvr, your whole home ad blocker, instead of downloading to your pc to transfer movies you can dl straight to your server Quad core xeon you have should be prefect for this.. since the unbuntu OS is lighter than windows it uses less energy