Can a Pentium run a plex server?

[BDunkz]

Hey guys, 

as the name suggests can a Pentilim run a pelt media server.

thanks,

 

BDunkz

[Dlog]

A modern Pentium? Sure. Transcoding isn't that hard on a chip. 

 

From the Plex recomendation page

 

CPU Requirements

The most basic thing to remember is that the more Plex apps you have playing content at the same time, the more CPU power you'll need. Generally speaking, if you have two Plex apps requiring transcoded content at the same time, that will require about twice the CPU processing power compared to if there was only one app playing content.

If you want very basic minimum suggestions:

• No transcoding: Core 2 Duo 1.6GHz (NAS devices based on ARM or PowerPC processors should also be capable of at least one stream with no transcoding)
• Single 720p transcode: Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz
• Single 1080p transcode: Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz

 

I have personally run plex on an Avatron Atom (8 core at 2.4ghz) with no issue. If you want to make things easyer save your media in a format that dosn't need to be transcoded on the remote device (x264 is a good one). Direct playback is your best friend, make sure it's enabled. 

 

________

how many devices are you looking to allow streaming at once? What resolution for playback?

[Godlygamer23]

7 minutes ago, Dlog said:

Transcoding isn't that hard on a chip.

It really depends on what you're transcoding. 

[jarreddean]

12 minutes ago, BDunkz said:

Hey guys, 

as the name suggests can a Pentilim run a pelt media server.

thanks,

 

BDunkz

 

7 minutes ago, Dlog said:

A modern Pentium? Sure. Transcoding isn't that hard on a chip. 

 

From the Plex recomendation page

 

CPU Requirements

The most basic thing to remember is that the more Plex apps you have playing content at the same time, the more CPU power you'll need. Generally speaking, if you have two Plex apps requiring transcoded content at the same time, that will require about twice the CPU processing power compared to if there was only one app playing content.

If you want very basic minimum suggestions:

• No transcoding: Core 2 Duo 1.6GHz (NAS devices based on ARM or PowerPC processors should also be capable of at least one stream with no transcoding)
• Single 720p transcode: Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz
• Single 1080p transcode: Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz

 

I have personally run plex on an Avatron Atom (8 core at 2.4ghz) with no issue. If you want to make things easyer save your media in a format that dosn't need to be transcoded on the remote device (x264 is a good one). Direct playback is your best friend, make sure it's enabled. 

 

________

how many devices are you looking to allow streaming at once? What resolution for playback?

and are you planning on recording shows using the dvr feature?

i have a fx 8120 and it smashes my cpu if im streaming at the same time

[BDunkz]

4 minutes ago, jarreddean said:

 

and are you planning on recording shows using the dvr feature?

i have a fx 8120 and it smashes my cpu if im streaming at the same time

I'm not sure

[jarreddean]

14 minutes ago, BDunkz said:

I'm not sure

have a think about data backup as well. try to squeeze that into the budget if you can. 

[BDunkz]

1 minute ago, jarreddean said:

have a think about data backup as well. try to squeeze that into the budget if you can. 

This is my build so far https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/KXbZbj

this is probably my server.  For plex, game servers and backups please help me make some improvements https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/KXbZbj

[Godlygamer23]

3 minutes ago, BDunkz said:

This is my build so far https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/KXbZbj

this is probably my server.  For plex, game servers and backups please help me make some improvements https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/KXbZbj

Bear this in mind(you can find this in the warning just above where your parts list starts):

Quote

• Some Intel Z170 chipset motherboards may need a BIOS update prior to using Kaby Lake-S CPUs. Upgrading the BIOS may require a different CPU that is supported by older BIOS revisions.

 

[jarreddean]

6 minutes ago, BDunkz said:

This is my build so far https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/KXbZbj

this is probably my server.  For plex, game servers and backups please help me make some improvements https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/KXbZbj

whats your plan with the ssd's, and hdds? 

[BDunkz]

39 minutes ago, Godlygamer23 said:

Bear this in mind(you can find this in the warning just above where your parts list starts):

 

Yes i know it was my old pc's mobo so i can flash the bios 

[BDunkz]

34 minutes ago, jarreddean said:

whats your plan with the ssd's, and hdds? 

Nothing it was just I query 

[jarreddean]

dont think you will need 2 for your build, your could reduce it to one and save some money or even get just one 500gb ssd. if your really want the black drives keep them, however your could get cheaper 4gb hdds, then spend a bit more on the cpu. 

just an idea to save some $$ 

[BDunkz]

22 minutes ago, jarreddean said:

dont think you will need 2 for your build, your could reduce it to one and save some money or even get just one 500gb ssd. if your really want the black drives keep them, however your could get cheaper 4gb hdds, then spend a bit more on the cpu. 

just an idea to save some $$ 

Could you alar the parts list?

[jarreddean]

20 minutes ago, BDunkz said:

Could you alar the parts list?

https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/LLqJ3F

have a look at this one? 

about $40 more and a quad core cpu 

[ltguy]

5 hours ago, jarreddean said:

 

and are you planning on recording shows using the dvr feature?

i have a fx 8120 and it smashes my cpu if im streaming at the same time

I'm running a Plex server on freenas with a phenom ii x6 and it's not breaking a sweat with dvr and live tv so kinda odd your newer 8 core is struggling.

[jarreddean]

2 hours ago, ltguy said:

I'm running a Plex server on freenas with a phenom ii x6 and it's not breaking a sweat with dvr and live tv so kinda odd your newer 8 core is struggling.

Depends on your settings and how many people are using it. I generally have about 4 people remotely connected and transcoding is always high due to their devices. And I convert as it's records which uses a percentage of CPU power. I could be doing something incorrectly in terms of setting. What do u recommend? I find my CPU is up to 80% alot of the time. 

[BDunkz]

1 hour ago, jarreddean said:

Depends on your settings and how many people are using it. I generally have about 4 people remotely connected and transcoding is always high due to their devices. And I convert as it's records which uses a percentage of CPU power. I could be doing something incorrectly in terms of setting. What do u recommend? I find my CPU is up to 80% alot of the time. 

I will only have 2-3 streams going at once. Will a pentilim suffice?

[jarreddean]

14 minutes ago, BDunkz said:

I will only have 2-3 streams going at once. Will a pentilim suffice?

A duel core will work however if you do anything else,  such as record movies or convert them you may have some trouble. I think a quad core would definately future proof your server for any further features that Plex develops. Do you have Plex pass? 

[BDunkz]

17 minutes ago, jarreddean said:

A duel core will work however if you do anything else,  such as record movies or convert them you may have some trouble. I think a quad core would definately future proof your server for any further features that Plex develops. Do you have Plex pass? 

I do not, at this point I'm only planning, how would I record movies and then upload them to the server?

[jarreddean]

16 minutes ago, BDunkz said:

I do not, at this point I'm only planning, how would I record movies and then upload them to the server?

You need a device call hd home run connect. It's around $200 from scorptec. Atm it's still in beta. Can play live tv on a few devices Android and iPhone and can record off there. All recordings automatically go into your Plex folder. Watch some videos on YouTube and see what you think. Good in capital cities in terms of the guide. Not so good in country areas. 

[Jarsky]

11 hours ago, jarreddean said:

Depends on your settings and how many people are using it. I generally have about 4 people remotely connected and transcoding is always high due to their devices. And I convert as it's records which uses a percentage of CPU power. I could be doing something incorrectly in terms of setting. What do u recommend? I find my CPU is up to 80% alot of the time. 

 

You could try a GPU and offloading transcoding. it started with Intel HD graphics at first, but I believe it may have been extended now to include other GPU types. Its still a Beta feature iirc.

 

9 hours ago, BDunkz said:

I will only have 2-3 streams going at once. Will a pentilim suffice?

It's a Pentium not a pentilim or pentilium

But a Pentium G4560 should be just fine - it has 4 Kaby Lake threads and can offload to the Intel IGP on the chip.

[BDunkz]

2 hours ago, Jarsky said:

It's a Pentium not a pentilim or pentilium

Spellings hard

[jarreddean]

13 hours ago, Jarsky said:

 

You could try a GPU and offloading transcoding. it started with Intel HD graphics at first, but I believe it may have been extended now to include other GPU types. Its still a Beta feature iirc.

 

 

looked into it. unfortunately support is non existent for alot of hardware (GPU's) atm. ill show you what streaming 4k is like on the cpu. Just incase you decide to transcode 4k at some point.

[BDunkz]

On 07/08/2017 at 7:29 PM, jarreddean said:

looked into it. unfortunately support is non existent for alot of hardware (GPU's) atm. ill show you what streaming 4k is like on the cpu. Just incase you decide to transcode 4k at some point.

Is this with a Pentium?

[Jarsky]

2 hours ago, BDunkz said:

Is this with a Pentium?

 

On 8/7/2017 at 9:29 PM, jarreddean said:

looked into it. unfortunately support is non existent for alot of hardware (GPU's) atm. ill show you what streaming 4k is like on the cpu. Just incase you decide to transcode 4k at some point.

 

I already can play some 4K via Plex but only some of it.  They can take anywhere from 15% CPU to 100% and stutter. You'll probably find the more intensive ones are DTS audio or something like Dolby Atmos - they can put a significant strain on the CPU for transcoding, if you don't have a DTS compatible receiver. 

 

I use Kodi to DirectPlay all my 4K content since I have a DTS/TrueHD/Dolby Atmos receiver - so I do GPU decoding in Kodi with a 10 series card that keeps power usage much lower. I just use Plex for remotely streaming 720p/1080p content.