[Eklar]

My friends and I are considering setting up an XBMC media server. We're looking at building an unRAID box and streaming video and music on the internet over VPN. I'd like some pointers on how to do it, if possible at all.

Can we setup XBMC on the server so it could be simultaneously used by several people, or do we have to setup a separate XBMC on each client? Is VPN the best encrypted method of streaming content from the server to the clients, or are there other, better options?

[branlr]

I have never heard of anyone doing this, but...

1. You will need a VERY significant downstream speed if you are planning on streaming HD content, OR you will need to investigate some 3rd party software to handle transcoding it down in quality on the fly, because XBMC will not transcode.

2. You will almost certainly need to setup the clients individually on each computer.

3. You will need to export your XBMC library on the server machine. Then, setup an advancedsettings.xml file that instructs XBMC to use a MYSQL server. Then, you must actually setup the MYSQL server that will be making your library data publicly accessible. Then, re-import your library from backup you exported, and it will populate the MySql server with the info rather than XBMC's internal server.

Instructions on how to do this can be found by googling for a lifehacker article that describes the process in detail.

A couple things that you should probably consider, however, is that this method was really intended for syncing accross LAN, not over the internet (VPN). One thing that would probably be good for you to do is setup an FTP server for your media, and list that as your source for media, because then it will be the same for all machines.

You will also need to put copies of the aforementioned advancedsettings.xml file in all of your clients so that they use the mysql server.

4. I don't think you can actually run XBMC on an UnRaid server, however you could just setup a Linux install that will do basically the same thing, or simply setup a "main" copy of xbmc on another machine on the LAN with the UnRaid server, and use that to populate mysql, etc.


So, I am not sure what unraid is capable of but ideal it'd be like this

XBMC machine with advancedsettings.xml directing to mysql server and ftp added as source + unraid server machine running a mysql server and FTP server--> Router with ports for the mysql and FTP server forwarded to the unraid machine----->Internet---->XBMC clients with FTP added as source and advancedsettings.xml file directing towards MySql server.

That's what I would do.

[branlr]

On another note, you could just setup an FTP server and populate your libraries separately.

VPN seems pointless to me, as FTP can be encrypted as well, and you certainly don't want to run the program over VPN.

Also, something I forgot to mention, is typically upstream bandwidth is much slow than downstream, so if multiple people are using this, you will need SERIOUS upstream bandwidth at the host machine--and also, check with your ISP about monthly bandwidth caps--could be the nail in the coffin for your idea.

[Eklar]

On another note, you could just setup an FTP server and populate your libraries separately.

VPN seems pointless to me, as FTP can be encrypted as well, and you certainly don't want to run the program over VPN.

Also, something I forgot to mention, is typically upstream bandwidth is much slow than downstream, so if multiple people are using this, you will need SERIOUS upstream bandwidth at the host machine--and also, check with your ISP about monthly bandwidth caps--could be the nail in the coffin for your idea.

Thanks for the tips! Upstream bw is not an issue where the server would be (Finland), but it seems that there's quite a bit of research to be done to see if running XBMC in some shape or form on a remote server is a viable and workable solution. FTP does sound good and might make it easier to setup and maintain, though.

[deandre]

Hey Eklar,
Im running an NAS on a 100/100mbit line.
I've just added the ftp://media/tv or movies to xbmc, and let it sit for 25 hours indexing all the content. (4 tb of data).
Works almost like regular lan except for these key differences.

* Start playback delay = 5 Mb's buffer before videoplayback can begin.
* Subtitles / some metadata like Theme.mp3 wont be fetched from FTP, xbmc will fetch from thetvdb or such. Trailers work.
* most >4.3GB files play fine on 8 Mbit downstream. Simple math rly.
4300 / 60*100 = how many MB/s (not mbits) per second needed = 0.71 MB, aka plays smoothly even on peeks on a 8.0 Mbit line.
(Movie size in MB)/(60 seconds * lenth of movie in minuts)

[castortray]

sounds really good

[Ufoeke]

My currently setup is working better then i thought, took a month to get it almost perfect though...

The NAS with all the goodies on is auto-downloading Movie and Series as fast it comes out on Usenet and put them in correct folder.

The Database have the updated movie/series so everyone else dont have to update their databases all the time.
The Database server is connected via OpenVPN to my NAS because it is on another location.

My laptop have Ubuntu 11.04 with XBMC plus OpenVPN to get the goodies, when iam of the home.

My HTPC at another location with 24Mbit ADSL connection have Ubuntu 10.04 with XBMC
and is aswell connected with OpenVPN both to get information from the database and to grab the stream from the NAS.

To get everything to work i needed to fine adjust my configs, and NOT to use SAMBA, because it would buffer all the time for some reason...

To solve the problem i needed to use NFS to get the best performance.
I first wanted that NFS would work with Windows 7 but i had problem for a week until i found a solution to fix it, (a damn registry hack was needed) but after i fixed NFS with Windows 7 i couldn't update the library because Windows name the drive R:\Movies\ and so on, to get the database to work it has to be 10.0.0.1:/media/sda1 for example, so everyone is getting the right path.

So if i summarize it i can basically stream any 720p material wherever iam as fast the line speed is over 15Mbit/s, so it wont buffer.

[linuxluemmel]

I have a brand new HTC Flyer. I guess I try to implement a openvpn connection to my home pc (linux xbmc). I have a high upstream at home and a flat rate for my HTC Flyer.