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lawrence_craig · 2019-06-23, 11:10

Hi guys,

I have read a few posts on using the Pi as a media server, however they don't seem to answer my question.

I have tried Plex however I am not happy with the transcoding speed and I cannot attach my Pi via ethernet to the router. My current setup is sharing the video files over SMB and streaming using VLC. I already have the Pi on an operating system, just need that final step to tie it together. When I run Kodi from my computer and assign the video folders via SMB, I can see the files but no metadata or watch status is available.

What do I need to do to make my Pi a Kodi Server that will store all the metadata and watch/unwatch status? I will be using multiple devices to steam from the Pi (not at once however) and the Pi will be headless.

Thanks in advance!

graysky · 2019-06-23, 11:24

(2019-06-23, 11:10)lawrence_craig Wrote: What do I need to do to make my Pi a Kodi Server that will store all the metadata and watch/unwatch status? I will be using multiple devices to steam from the Pi (not at once however) and the Pi will be headless.

For Kodi, metadata and watch/unwatch status are stored in a mysql database. Not sure about VLC or other streaming players. If using multiple Kodi devices, you simply need to setup a mysql server and configure the Kodis to use it.

https://kodi.wiki/view/MySQL
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Kod...iple_nodes

**Klojum** · 2019-06-23, 13:47

(2019-06-23, 11:10)lawrence_craig Wrote: I have tried Plex however I am not happy with the transcoding speed

Your are unhappy about transcoding, and now you want to use a RPi as a media server? What sort of media files are you trying to stream?
Metadata sharing requires a MySQL/MariaDB server. Using a RPi+SDcard for such a database does not have my recommendation.

speedwell68 · 2019-06-25, 08:12

A media server needs an ethernet connection, no if buts or maybes. The new RPI 4 might fit the bill, but otherwise I also wouldn't consider a Pi up to the job of being a media server.

ronbaby · 2019-06-25, 08:53

(2019-06-23, 11:10)lawrence_craig Wrote: Hi guys,

I have read a few posts on using the Pi as a media server, however they don't seem to answer my question.

I have tried Plex however I am not happy with the transcoding speed and I cannot attach my Pi via ethernet to the router. My current setup is sharing the video files over SMB and streaming using VLC. I already have the Pi on an operating system, just need that final step to tie it together. When I run Kodi from my computer and assign the video folders via SMB, I can see the files but no metadata or watch status is available.

What do I need to do to make my Pi a Kodi Server that will store all the metadata and watch/unwatch status? I will be using multiple devices to steam from the Pi (not at once however) and the Pi will be headless.

Thanks in advance!

Two bits of advice for you. First get rid of SMB and use NFS instead, if possible. SMB is WAY slower than NFS.

Second, for clients... not servers... I advise letting the OS mount the NFS shares, rather than Kodi. Instructions for how to do that, at least for OpenELEC & LibreELEC are given here:

https://openelec.tv/documentation/config...ork-shares

In my experience, this also makes a substantial difference, performance-wise.

lawrence_craig · 2019-06-25, 20:30

Thanks guys. I appreciate isn't an ideal solution but I live on a boat where I have to deal with low-power devices. Unless someone has something better than an RPi? Definitely open to suggestions!

javaboyuk · 2019-06-25, 22:24

(2019-06-25, 20:30)lawrence_craig Wrote: Thanks guys. I appreciate isn't an ideal solution but I live on a boat where I have to deal with low-power devices. Unless someone has something better than an RPi? Definitely open to suggestions!

I would say on paper now that the Pi can... but must be a Pi-4 (I would go 4GB ram).
The chalange will be finding a USB 3.0 external disk that is know to work correctly (an issue with ALL linux usb 3.0 kernals at this time), but I expect we see these come to light quickly over the next few months. At least I hope so as I want to do similar (nextcloud server and NAS combined runing docker).

mcelliott · 2019-06-26, 15:54

Why not just use a NAS? And then use RPi as the client? The RPi can either connect to a database on the NAS, or use its own database. Personally I have a similar setup and I just have a separate copy of the database on each client. I only do this because I haven't invested the time to work out how to use a centralised database!

mcelliott · 2019-06-26, 15:56

(2019-06-25, 08:53)ronbaby Wrote:
(2019-06-23, 11:10)lawrence_craig Wrote:
Second, for clients... not servers... I advise letting the OS mount the NFS shares, rather than Kodi. Instructions for how to do that, at least for OpenELEC & LibreELEC are given here:

https://openelec.tv/documentation/config...ork-shares

This is great! I've been looking for a simple guide such as this for a long time!

elsmandino · (This post was last modified: 2019-06-26, 16:37 by elsmandino.)

Just my two cents but have you considered an Odroid HC2? I have been using one for ages, now, and cannot complain at all.

I have Openmediavault as the operating system, with TVH installed on the top.

I was indeed a bit hesitant about running the SQL database from an SD card but my current server acts exactly the same as the huge x86 system that it replaced - except that the HC2 is virtually silent, is multiple times smaller and uses a fraction of the power.

One caveat though - whilst the HC2 has a USB3.0 port, the device is really designed for use with a single HDD only.

**Klojum** · 2019-06-26, 16:44

(2019-06-26, 16:36)elsmandino Wrote: I was indeed a bit hesitant about running the SQL database from an SD card but my current server acts exactly the same as the huge x86 system that it replaced - except that the HC2 is virtually silent, is multiple times smaller and uses a fraction of the power.

Perhaps I've made poor choices when it comes to SD-cards, a couple of them simply ended prematurely.
I booted the RPi3B+ off an external SSD for a MariaDB server for example , but you could still easily feel the 'design flaw' that the USB 2.0 connection had.
I'm interested to see what the new RPi4B will do with proper gigabit and USB3.0 once it can boot from usb. Smile

elsmandino · (This post was last modified: 2019-06-26, 17:09 by elsmandino.)

(2019-06-26, 16:44)Klojum Wrote:
(2019-06-26, 16:36)elsmandino Wrote: I was indeed a bit hesitant about running the SQL database from an SD card but my current server acts exactly the same as the huge x86 system that it replaced - except that the HC2 is virtually silent, is multiple times smaller and uses a fraction of the power.

Perhaps I've made poor choices when it comes to SD-cards, a couple of them simply ended prematurely.

I was worried about that too and asked for some recommendations (on both the Openmediavault and Odroid forums) - I was recommended to get this specific model of card for the HC2:

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B073JWXGNT

I have been using it ever since without any issue.

One other thing that helps is that when you install Openmediavault on an SD Card (or a USB Stick), it automatically adds a plugin that limits writes to the bare minimum (so they are kept in RAM, instead). This, apparently, is the reason why so many SD Cards do not otherwise last long in NAS applications.

speedwell68 · 2019-06-27, 09:50

(2019-06-25, 20:30)lawrence_craig Wrote: Thanks guys. I appreciate isn't an ideal solution but I live on a boat where I have to deal with low-power devices. Unless someone has something better than an RPi? Definitely open to suggestions!

The media server in my sig is 22w at idle and 29w at full chat, plus the HDDs. I have a thread on it in the Hardware Showcase section of the forums. It performs perfectly. I am about to upgrade it's system drive to an SSD to drop power consumption. You can also set it to suspend when not it use and have Kodi wake it up using WOL when needed, something a Pi cannot do. Whilst it isn't super efficient like a Pi, it won't break the bank like full sized tower based server would.

User 436809 · 2019-07-06, 23:57

(2019-06-25, 22:24)javaboyuk Wrote:
(2019-06-25, 20:30)lawrence_craig Wrote: Thanks guys. I appreciate isn't an ideal solution but I live on a boat where I have to deal with low-power devices. Unless someone has something better than an RPi? Definitely open to suggestions!

I would say on paper now that the Pi can... but must be a Pi-4 (I would go 4GB ram).
The chalange will be finding a USB 3.0 external disk that is know to work correctly (an issue with ALL linux usb 3.0 kernals at this time), but I expect we see these come to light quickly over the next few months. At least I hope so as I want to do similar (nextcloud server and NAS combined runing docker).

I currently have an USB 3.0 External Hard Drive. The drive is an Western Digital My Passport (2 TB). It works fluently with the Raspberry Pi 2, Raspberry Pi 3 B, Raspberry Pi 3 B+, and I have also tested it with the Raspberry Pi 4 B. It isn't a cheap hard drive. But I have stress tested it and I have managed to get roughly over 50 Devices running heavy amounts of TV Shows and Movies all at once without the drive stressing or struggling.