Building NAS as Plex Media Server

[Migit]

So I want to build a NAS/Plex server for my home, to cut on power costs of running my PC 24/7

Does this build look good?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($152.00)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-78LMT-USB3 Micro ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($89.00 @ Centre Com)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Blue 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($57.00 @ CPL Online)
Storage: Kingston HyperX Fury 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($64.00 @ CPL Online)
Storage: Western Digital Red 4TB 3.5" 5900RPM Internal Hard Drive ($235.00 @ PLE Computers)
Case: Fractal Design Node 804 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($145.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Power Supply: Corsair VS 350W ATX Power Supply ($47.00)
Total: $789.00
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-04-26 20:58 AEST+1000

Thanks

I believe the CPU should be able to handle about 3 streams, currently only use one. Don't see myself ever needing 3
SSD for OS and transcoding - (I believe I read that faster drives increases performance, dont remember where)
Haven't decided on a OS as yet, as never used anything other than Windows
HDD - can't decide on 3 or 4TB drives, as 3TB drives are better value of GB/$ but 4TB drives will give me more space, so less frequent adding drives.
Case: yeah its pricy but I like the design, and it holds 10 drives, so have expand-ability for years to come

[lbrwnie]

Maybe put some more money into your PSU? If you want to reduce power costs a more efficient PSU would help a lot. Maybe cut the Case to a Silverstone Sugo SG13 and spend the remainder on your PSU.

Edit: Woops SG13 is Mini ITX, maybe have a look for a cheaper mATX case then.

[zMeul]

11 minutes ago, Migit said:

AMD FX-6300

how exactly are you going to cut down on power usage when you put a 95W TDP CPU in that?

sincerely, reorient yourself on something like an i3 that has a TDP of 50 something W

 

---

 

I run PLEX on a 7y old dual-core Celeron, in Linux

[79wjd]

11 minutes ago, lbrwnie said:

Maybe put some more money into your PSU? If you want to reduce power costs a more efficient PSU would help a lot. Maybe cut the Case to a Silverstone Sugo SG13 and spend the remainder on your PSU.

Not exactly. Although, I wouldn't recommend a VS unit. 

 

The average power draw of a NAS will be like 50-100w depending on the specific hardware. So... 100w * 24 hrs/day * 365 days/year * $.13/kwh / 1000hrs = $114 (assuming 100% efficiency). Now divide by .85 to figure out the cost of running an 80+ bronze unit and then divide by .90 to determine the cost of an 80+ gold unit (of course these will be rough estimates), and you would see that an 80+gold unit would save you about $7/year. 

 

@MigitI would go with an i3 (don't bother with the lower power variants, at idle -- which is what the system will be at 95% of the time it won't matter) instead as it's more power efficient (and can handle 3-4 1080p transcoded streams). You don't need an SSD, and many NAS OS's run just fine off a USB stick. Also, while the Node 804 has support for 10 drives, actually managing to fit and wire them all is VERY difficult.

 

I'd do something like this, and get an SSD/cheap HDD if you're going to run windows, or just use a USB if you're going to run something like FreeNAS. 

http://au.pcpartpicker.com/p/w2XGmG

[done12many2]

2 minutes ago, lbrwnie said:

Maybe put some more money into your PSU? If you want to reduce power costs a more efficient PSU would help a lot. Maybe cut the Case to a Silverstone Sugo SG13 and spend the remainder on your PSU.

Agreed.  With your main goal being to reduce operating costs, there are plenty of PSUs running 90% + efficiency.  I'd also consider something along the lines of an Intel i3 processor.  Plenty of power for Plex, while keeping operating costs low.

[lbrwnie]

1 minute ago, djdwosk97 said:

Not exactly. 

 

The average power draw of a NAS will be like 50-100w depending on the specific hardware. So... 100w * 24 hrs/day * 365 days/year * $.13/kwh / 1000hrs = $114 (assuming 100% efficiency). Now divide by .85 to figure out the cost of running an 80+ bronze unit and then divide by .90 to determine the cost of an 80+ gold unit (of course these will be rough estimates), and you would see that an 80+gold unit would save you about $7/year. 

 

@MigitI would go with an i3 (don't bother with the lower power variants, at idle -- which is what the system will be at 95% of the time it won't matter) instead as it's more power efficient (and can handle 3-4 1080p transcoded streams). You don't need an SSD, and many NAS OS's run just fine off a USB stick. 

It's true, but the PSU quoted isn't even 80 Plus rated.

[minutellim]

As others have said, get a different power supply and use the Intel i3. It's just better, and a little bit cheaper. There are eVGA Bronze edition power supplies that can be had for <$50. 

 

The case is nice. I almost went with it, but I decided on getting the Node 304. It can only hold 6 drives, but that gives you a good amount of expandability at a lower price. I figure 6 drives, especially if you're using the 4TB drives, will last you several years.

 

While others have said to dump the SSD, I have one running as a cache drive and generally like it. There's almost no need for it, though. I really only get about double the transfer speed which only really matters for large files, and I rarely transfer very large files.

 

 

[Migit]

1 hour ago, lbrwnie said:

Maybe put some more money into your PSU? If you want to reduce power costs a more efficient PSU would help a lot. Maybe cut the Case to a Silverstone Sugo SG13 and spend the remainder on your PSU.

Edit: Woops SG13 is Mini ITX, maybe have a look for a cheaper mATX case then.

 

Budget has stretching room so I can just get a better PSU. I didn't think of efficiency just figured small enough to power the system was good. 

 

1 hour ago, zMeul said:

how exactly are you going to cut down on power usage when you put a 95W TDP CPU in that?

sincerely, reorient yourself on something like an i3 that has a TDP of 50 something W

 

---

 

I run PLEX on a 7y old dual-core Celeron, in Linux

 

Shall look at the i-3's thanks. 

This is why I posted rather than buying I picked cheapish parts that seemed popular off googling other builds. 

 

1 hour ago, djdwosk97 said:

Not exactly. Although, I wouldn't recommend a VS unit. 

 

The average power draw of a NAS will be like 50-100w depending on the specific hardware. So... 100w * 24 hrs/day * 365 days/year * $.13/kwh / 1000hrs = $114 (assuming 100% efficiency). Now divide by .85 to figure out the cost of running an 80+ bronze unit and then divide by .90 to determine the cost of an 80+ gold unit (of course these will be rough estimates), and you would see that an 80+gold unit would save you about $7/year. 

 

@MigitI would go with an i3 (don't bother with the lower power variants, at idle -- which is what the system will be at 95% of the time it won't matter) instead as it's more power efficient (and can handle 3-4 1080p transcoded streams). You don't need an SSD, and many NAS OS's run just fine off a USB stick. Also, while the Node 804 has support for 10 drives, actually managing to fit and wire them all is VERY difficult.

 

I'd do something like this, and get an SSD/cheap HDD if you're going to run windows, or just use a USB if you're going to run something like FreeNAS. 

http://au.pcpartpicker.com/p/w2XGmG

 

Thank you for actually posting a new build so I can look at something. And I doubt I'll ever use all 10 bays but I like the case. So I'll get it even though it's not so nessacary. 

 

1 hour ago, minutellim said:

As others have said, get a different power supply and use the Intel i3. It's just better, and a little bit cheaper. There are eVGA Bronze edition power supplies that can be had for <$50. 

 

The case is nice. I almost went with it, but I decided on getting the Node 304. It can only hold 6 drives, but that gives you a good amount of expandability at a lower price. I figure 6 drives, especially if you're using the 4TB drives, will last you several years.

 

While others have said to dump the SSD, I have one running as a cache drive and generally like it. There's almost no need for it, though. I really only get about double the transfer speed which only really matters for large files, and I rarely transfer very large files.

 

 

Haha yeah I was looking at both the 304 and 804. They both look great and there was only like a $10 bump to get the 804 so I went with it. In 10 years if I make it to drive 7 it'll be worth the $10

[Migit]

6 hours ago, djdwosk97 said:

Not exactly. Although, I wouldn't recommend a VS unit. 

 

The average power draw of a NAS will be like 50-100w depending on the specific hardware. So... 100w * 24 hrs/day * 365 days/year * $.13/kwh / 1000hrs = $114 (assuming 100% efficiency). Now divide by .85 to figure out the cost of running an 80+ bronze unit and then divide by .90 to determine the cost of an 80+ gold unit (of course these will be rough estimates), and you would see that an 80+gold unit would save you about $7/year. 

 

@MigitI would go with an i3 (don't bother with the lower power variants, at idle -- which is what the system will be at 95% of the time it won't matter) instead as it's more power efficient (and can handle 3-4 1080p transcoded streams). You don't need an SSD, and many NAS OS's run just fine off a USB stick. Also, while the Node 804 has support for 10 drives, actually managing to fit and wire them all is VERY difficult.

 

I'd do something like this, and get an SSD/cheap HDD if you're going to run windows, or just use a USB if you're going to run something like FreeNAS. 

http://au.pcpartpicker.com/p/w2XGmG

Thanks again, guess I'll attempt your suggested build.

I'm gonna try FreeNAS, so I'll just install that on an 8GB USB, otherwise I found a local store that sold all the parts you suggested, and it comes to the same total, rather than using 5 suppliers as PCPartPicker suggests.

 

I shall let you know how it all goes

[jj9987]

Some motherboards will not go pass the POST test, if the system does not have a graphics card. If you are going with Intel i-series, then there will be integrated graphics and you're good. AMD FX-series does not offer that however, so you will need something, for example a few dollar PCI Express video card.

 

EDIT: Ah wait, that motherboard does have integrated graphics. Well, since you are going i3, you're good anyhow