Unraid/Plex build suggestions

[boomhower]

I am replacing an older Synology unit and was to go custom this time around.  Usage is going to be a Plex server for my family.  Mostly direct play but 1-2 4K transcodes may happen as well.  It will also be encoding various formats into h265 with handbrake.  The balance will be your typical Sonar/Radar/etc.  I do not have any plans for VMs at this time.  I have been out of the build game for a decade or so since I moved to Apple.  

 

CPU:  i3-9100  Quicksync should handle Plex just fine and speed good enough for encodes as they aren't time sensitive.  Dont see where spending more here would be of benefit.  Do I need to replace the stock cooler?  I will not be overclocking it however noise is a concern. 

 

Motherboard:  No idea.  Full size ATX but outside of that no idea.  Looks like around four difference chipsets available.  It's a server and not a gaming PC so I don't want to spend $200 on a motherboard.  I do want NVME for a cache drive and seems some offer better cooling than others for those drives. 

 

RAM: Looking at 16GB but how fast do I need? Again not overclocking as stability is key.

 

Case: Fractal Desing R5 but open to suggestions.  Focus is quiet above all else without going to water cooling.  Size isn't an issue. 

 

Hard drives: Already purchased.  2x12TB shucked WD and two 3TB Reds from my current NAS. 

 

Cache NVME: No idea on size or speed needed. 

 

PSU:  Thinking in the 650W area and modular would be nice. 

 

Open to any and all suggestions!  Thanks folks. 

 

[Donut417]

21 hours ago, boomhower said:

 

 

https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-4k-transcoding-and-you-aka-the-rules-of-4k-a-faq/378203

The link should give some ideas on 4K transcoding with Plex. So Id at least look at it a bit for a better idea. 

 

21 hours ago, boomhower said:

it however noise is a concern.

Key words, Noctua. I have an NH D14 on my i5 3570K Plex transcode box. Its silent. I also have a Fractal design R4, the R5 should be simular and should have quite a bit of air flow, so you would probably be able to use the ultra low noise adapters on a noctua cooler. 

 

21 hours ago, boomhower said:

PSU

Id throw parts in to PC parts picker. Just to get an idea of what type of power usage your looking at. Its not going to be 100% acurrate, but should give some general idea. Because an average gaming PC uses about 450 to 500 watts in most cases. AVERAGE being the key word. And according to your post, you have not listed an dGPU, so Id guess the iGPU is what your going to use. That will save a bit of power. My only advice here, dont cheap out, buy a good name brand. Id also recommend an UPS if you dont have one. 

 

 

[boomhower]

44 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-4k-transcoding-and-you-aka-the-rules-of-4k-a-faq/378203

The link should give some ideas on 4K transcoding with Plex. So Id at least look at it a bit for a better idea. 

 

Key words, Noctua. I have an NH D14 on my i5 3570K Plex transcode box. Its silent. I also have a Fractal design R4, the R5 should be simular and should have quite a bit of air flow, so you would probably be able to use the ultra low noise adapters on a noctua cooler. 

 

Id throw parts in to PC parts picker. Just to get an idea of what type of power usage your looking at. Its not going to be 100% acurrate, but should give some general idea. Because an average gaming PC uses about 450 to 500 watts in most cases. AVERAGE being the key word. And according to your post, you have not listed an dGPU, so Id guess the iGPU is what your going to use. That will save a bit of power. My only advice here, dont cheap out, buy a good name brand. Id also recommend an UPS if you dont have one. 

 

 

I will be using the iGPU.  Quicksync is the reason I am going with Intel over Ryzen, don't need a GPU to do 4k. 

[2FA]

To be clear, you're encoding the 4k content beforehand with Handbrake or ffmpeg and you don't mean transcoding the content during playback?

[boomhower]

4 hours ago, 2FA said:

To be clear, you're encoding the 4k content beforehand with Handbrake or ffmpeg and you don't mean transcoding the content during playback?

   Both actually.  I’ll be encoding my content into .265.  Current library Is being changed to 265 for space savings and that’s where tech is going and transcoding that on playback.  Now transcoding will be at most one steam at a time.  Most will be direct play.