plex Plex Media Server For My Dad

[Stickwood Jr]

Budget (including currency): About $650 CAD

Country: Canada

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for:  This will be used as a Plex media server, and as an Apple TV shared library for watching movies on my Apple TV (I know I could use Plex for it too just how my dad did things before

Other details (existing parts lists, whether any peripherals are needed, what you're upgrading from, when you're going to buy, what resolution and refresh rate you want to play at, etc):  My dad used to run the media server off of his mac mini, however he tried to upgrade the internal hard drive to an ssd to hopefully speed things up a bit, while disassembling the mac mini he broke off the connector for the CPU fan from the motherboard thus bricking the mac mini. My Dad spent years compiling movies and has always loved watching movies with our family. He was really upset because not only did he brick the media pc but it was also his birthday which kinda ruined things for him. My plan is to build him a dedicated media PC as a Christmas present, I don't have a whole lot of money to spend on the PC but I think the list I've made is pretty good. The parts that have been marked as already purchased are parts I already have. Heres the pcparticker list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/WRM6kX

 

I also I have a second option I'm pondering:

 

(Server case, PSU, MB, RAM, CPU) https://www.ebay.ca/itm/283647606276

(Mounting for drives) https://www.ebay.ca/itm/284179630494?hash=item422a6d099e:g:V5YAAOSwCMFaLEMh

(More mounting) https://www.amazon.ca/Phillips-Machine-Screws-Stainless-Thread/dp/B01HQAT98A

(Vertical wall mount) https://www.amazon.ca/iStarUSA-WUT-110B-Vertical-Rackmountable-Equipment/dp/B007IGK08G/ref=pd_sbs_4/147-1113705-2310562?pd_rd_w=XXokk&pf_rd_p=1b4659b1-6903-40fb-8019-e6c90d779f05&pf_rd_r=FRTSZH6M4C1YP2YXMB8Y&pd_rd_r=f4dd88fd-cd26-4f1f-bc48-37091a035cdd&pd_rd_wg=IR17W&pd_rd_i=B007IGK08G&psc=1

(Right angle riser) https://www.amazon.ca/SINLOON-90-Degree-Extender-Extension-Computer/dp/B08R38B818/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=PCIe+1u+riser&qid=1632691507&sr=8-8

(Dual m.2 adapter) https://www.amazon.ca/CERRXIAN-Adapter-Controller-Expansion-Profile/dp/B07VRY6FPH/ref=asc_df_B07VRY6FPH/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459617147717&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9654703671326054913&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9000671&hvtargid=pla-1067641355927&psc=1

(m.2 drive) https://www.amazon.ca/Blue-NAND-2TB-SSD-WDS200T2B0B/dp/B073SBW3VD/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=2tb+nvme+ssd&qid=1632691472&sr=8-7

(Already owned NVMe drive, gonna take it apart) https://www.amazon.ca/SanDisk-Extreme-Portable-External-Sdssde80-1T00-A25/dp/B08GV4YYV7/ref=sr_1_7?crid=QL5TN6GQ9U1J&dchild=1&keywords=sandisk%2Bextreme%2Bpro&qid=1632409079&sprefix=sandisk%2B%2Caps%2C196&sr=8-7&th=1

(Already owned SSD) https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B073SBQMCX?psc=1&pldnSite=1&th=1&linkCode=gs2&tag=pcp0f-20

(Already owned HDD) https://www.amazon.ca/HTS541010A9E662-0J38093-DA5747-655-1751H-Laptop/dp/B0759GPB8T

 

I dont own a rack mount so that's why I'm thinking of using the wall mount, idk how realistic the whole idea is but this is another idea

 

Please let me know what you think and any suggestions!!!

[Electronics Wizardy]

What mac mini does he have? If he wants the shared apple tv librarys, hes gonna need a mac. 

 

You can probalby keep using that mac mini if you want if you fix the fan, or put a different fan in.

 

Id go with something lower power here, like anouther mac mini. Seems to be a better bet than a pc for this use.

[Stickwood Jr]

Just now, Electronics Wizardy said:

What mac mini does he have? If he wants the shared apple tv librarys, hes gonna need a mac. 

 

You can probalby keep using that mac mini if you want if you fix the fan, or put a different fan in.

 

Id go with something lower power here, like anouther mac mini. Seems to be a better bet than a pc for this use.

The mac mini is completely bricked and hes getting a new one for Christmas for work, I want him to have something separate from his work computer to use.

[Electronics Wizardy]

Just now, Stickwood Jr said:

The mac mini is completely bricked and hes getting a new one for Christmas for work, I want him to have something separate from his work computer to use.

Why not get anouther mac mini for the media server use. ESP if he knows mac os well, its gonna be the best option, and the only way to have a shared media library for apple tb.

 

What is bricked about it? You can probably reuse most of the parts. 

[IkeaGnome]

3 minutes ago, Stickwood Jr said:

The mac mini is completely bricked and hes getting a new one for Christmas for work, I want him to have something separate from his work computer to use.

Forgive my Apple ignorance, but don't they just call motherboards logic boards? If that's all it needs, or the fan is all it needs,

https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Mac/Mac-mini/Logic_Boards?display=list

Edited September 23, 2021 by IkeaGnome
Wasn't sure if Apple Logic Board is what I think it is.

[Stickwood Jr]

Just now, Electronics Wizardy said:

Why not get anouther mac mini for the media server use. ESP if he knows mac os well, its gonna be the best option, and the only way to have a shared media library for apple tb.

 

What is bricked about it? You can probably reuse most of the parts. 

the connector for that the CPU fan plugs into was accidentally pried off, there were tiny solder points connecting it to the MB, he was planning on getting a new one soon for work anyways so he threw it out. The shared library isnt totally necessary tbh we can just use plex on the apple tv

[Electronics Wizardy]

Just now, Stickwood Jr said:

the connector for that the CPU fan plugs into was accidentally pried off, there were tiny solder points connecting it to the MB, he was planning on getting a new one soon for work anyways so he threw it out. The shared library isnt totally necessary tbh we can just use plex on the apple tv

Yea you can pretty easily get around that. Just plug the fan into the 5v power from usb or something and it will be fine. Id do that here. Much cheaper than your build. Does the board still boot fine?

 

Id also stay away from those old fx systems, there pretty power hungry, Id get something like a nuc or a used i5 from the 2-6th gen era. Should pay for its self in power savings alone.

[Stickwood Jr]

3 minutes ago, IkeaGnome said:

Forgive my Apple ignorance, but don't they just call motherboards logic boards? If that's all it needs, or the fan is all it needs,

https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Mac/Mac-mini/Logic_Boards?display=list

lol, he was planning on getting a new mac mini anyways so he  decided to just throw it out and get a new one at Christmas instead of spending 200-300 on a computer that already needed upgrading to use

[BondiBlue]

For a simple Plex server I don't think a build based on the FX-6300 is a good idea. That chip uses far more power than other options, and it's overkill for a Plex server if all you're doing is watching on an Apple TV. You'd pay a lot more for power with the FX system than you would with something lower powered. 

[Stickwood Jr]

1 minute ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Yea you can pretty easily get around that. Just plug the fan into the 5v power from usb or something and it will be fine. Id do that here. Much cheaper than your build. Does the board still boot fine?

 

Id also stay away from those old fx systems, there pretty power hungry, Id get something like a nuc or a used i5 from the 2-6th gen era. Should pay for its self in power savings alone.

Could you point me in the direction of a cpu an intel cpu and mb that would be around the same price?

[Stickwood Jr]

Just now, BondiBlue said:

For a simple Plex server I don't think a build based on the FX-6300 is a good idea. That chip uses far more power than other options, and it's overkill for a Plex server if all you're doing is watching on an Apple TV. You'd pay a lot more for power with the FX system than you would with something lower powered. 

any idea for a cpu and mb that would be around the same price?

[Electronics Wizardy]

Just now, Stickwood Jr said:

any idea for a cpu and mb that would be around the same price?

Board like this guy 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/303710536288?epid=1607605938&hash=item46b68f0260:g:aywAAOSwHUdfdNwB

 

CPu like this guy 

 

 

And you get a gpu included too, so you don't need that gpu either.https://www.ebay.com/itm/154350733682?epid=1207568756&hash=item23f0054972:g:mEsAAOSw4tdhFk67

[Stickwood Jr]

4 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Board like this guy 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/303710536288?epid=1607605938&hash=item46b68f0260:g:aywAAOSwHUdfdNwB

 

CPu like this guy 

 

 

And you get a gpu included too, so you don't need that gpu either.https://www.ebay.com/itm/154350733682?epid=1207568756&hash=item23f0054972:g:mEsAAOSw4tdhFk67

Wheres included gpu?

[Electronics Wizardy]

11 minutes ago, Stickwood Jr said:

Wheres included gpu?

On the borad. The VGA out is connected is connected to a ipmi on the board. Also lets you do remote management of things like bios settings, and turning it on remotly.