Server/NAS with Plex + MakeMKV + HandBreak

[Noego]

Hi everybody. 

 

I am getting a new computer home soon, and I have in a long time wanted to get a NAS so I was thinking about making my old computer into somekind of NAS or server.

But I have some requirements which is that I want to use it to rip my DVD and Blurays and since I don't have any optical drives in the new computer. I don't know if there is any software which allow me to create a parttime NAS and a part time DVD-ripper? I have been looking at different softwares like FreeNAS etc., but can't really see what should do the trick.

 

Primarily: 

I want to be able to rip movies with MakeMKV, then convert them with HandBreak to a smaller size but with the same quality, and finally put them into a Plex library. 

Secondly:

I want to have some extra space (maybe not at first, but later on - by adding extra drives), to be used as NAS where I can backup my data from laptops etc.

 

Does anybody have some good ideas for me? 

 

Or is the solution just to buy something like a Synology DSxxx+, and use the old desktop computer to rip files when I have some? 

 

 

Best regards
Noego

[paddy-stone]

You could always get an eclosure for the 5.25 blu-ray/dvd drive and do the ripping and converting on your main pc, then just have your old pc as a pure NAS.

 

Alternatively, have the old one as a NAS primarily, but boot into a linux/windows environment when you want to rip stuff. So reboot the NAS and f11 and force boot should work IIRC to go to linux/windows... and just use a USB SSD/HDD drive as the rip location to hand off to the NAS later on.

[Noego]

@paddy-stone the idea with enclosure for the optical drive is not a bad idea! Is it possible to buy just the wires? Like for HDD where you can get sata to usb 3? 

[paddy-stone]

16 hours ago, Noego said:

@paddy-stone the idea with enclosure for the optical drive is not a bad idea! Is it possible to buy just the wires? Like for HDD where you can get sata to usb 3? 

You could maybe get away with a USB 3 to SATA adapter like this

But just remember that it needs to have the extra power brick too, as USB power alone isn't enough.

 

I actually use a 5.25 enclosure myself with my Blu-ray drive as I moved to a desktop PC without 5.25 bays also... I don't use it much TBH, occasional ripping is all as I prefer to have my files accessible from anywhere. I do actually also have a powered USB 3.0 to SATA adapter, for my HDDs, but I prefer the enclosure even though it cost about twice as much.

[Salacious B Crum]

Build an unRAID box out of your old hardware and your golden it will do all that you have listed and more

[Noego]

@mrbilky but to use unRAID I need to have an USB flash drive with the OS installed right?

[Noego]

And where can I find the hardware requirements for unRAID?  

I can only find this:

1. A 64-bit capable processor (1.0 GHz or better)
2. At least 1GB of RAM
3. Linux hardware driver support (for storage, Ethernet, and USB controllers)
4. At least one hard disk drive (two if you wish to protect your data with a parity disk)

 

EDIT:

This is the build I am going to use: https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/7pzNzN

 

[Salacious B Crum]

1 hour ago, Noego said:

And where can I find the hardware requirements for unRAID?  

I can only find this:

1. A 64-bit capable processor (1.0 GHz or better)
2. At least 1GB of RAM
3. Linux hardware driver support (for storage, Ethernet, and USB controllers)
4. At least one hard disk drive (two if you wish to protect your data with a parity disk)

 

EDIT:

This is the build I am going to use: https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/7pzNzN

 

That should be fine and the reason your not finding much on the requirements is that you already have them right there the system does not require much for just NAS duty and you can run handbrake and MKV in a docker on unRAID the nice thing about unRAID that seems to fit well with your goal is that it is scalable at any time by just adding another drive of any size as long as its not bigger than the parity drive if your not going to use parity then I believe there is not drive limit on size as to your need for a optical drive well thats up to you how you go about it either internal or a usb external unit you can try unRAID for free up to 30 days plus 15/15 with no limitations on the trial you get full features to run through there paces I suggest that you post on the forum over there those folks are super helpful in getting you set up

[Noego]

@mrbilky thank you! I will look for some NAS drives, and set it up. 

I will try to join the unRAID forum to get more knowledge about the platform. 

Another small question, I can see the licens key are for X number of storage devices. Do you know if the cache and parity is counted as storage devices? 

[Jarsky]

44 minutes ago, Noego said:

@mrbilky thank you! I will look for some NAS drives, and set it up. 

I will try to join the unRAID forum to get more knowledge about the platform. 

Another small question, I can see the licens key are for X number of storage devices. Do you know if the cache and parity is counted as storage devices? 

https://lime-technology.com/wp/pricing/

 

They refer to the total number of storage devices physically attached to the server before you start the array.  
This number is in addition to your USB flash device used to boot unRAID (e.g. 4 HDDs + 2 SSDs + unRAID boot device = 6 attached devices).  
Non-storage devices such as GPUs do not count against this limit.

 

[Noego]

@Jarsky thank you! 

[Noego]

So now I have my unraid server set up and running. It's working great!

Thank you guys so much for the help 

[Salacious B Crum]

1 hour ago, Noego said:

So now I have my unraid server set up and running. It's working great!

Thank you guys so much for the help 

Good job glad to hear its a great platform