Ahoy! My internal hdds are at max with all I’ve been torrenting and I’m considering some type of Docking station for my desktop with several 10Tbs drives in them to allow me to store and backup my data for offline protection.
I was wondering if anyone had done any type of setup like this and if it’s a reliable method for offline data storage. I’d also like it to have a RAID capability but I have software which can mirror drives to each other on startup/shutdown, etc. Also, I’d need it to have a USB-type connection for a USB SSD drive to pop-out & connect to my Smart TV for viewing.
An end goal would be to get a 3-2-1 setup but I can’t find a reliable Cloud storage I’d trust with that much data except maybe Filen.
Any positive input about brands, drives, services, etc. would be most appreciated!
Thanks!
Let me introduce you to my friend Jellyfin.
My experience with all the media servers is not great.
Popped up Jellyfin once again just last weekend and the quality was not great, and it had issues streaming. Just like every time I’ve tried any media server.
The answer for me is a media player pc at the TV running something like Kodi.
That’s not anything to do with Jellyfin, that’s something to do with your hardware.
I’ve heard of Jellyfin but my PC doesn’t have a WiFi card, only a NIC. For some reason when they rebuilt my computer they didn’t put a WiFi card back in. I can’t use Jellyfin w/o that, can I?
As long as you are in some way connected to the same network as the TV (by cable, wifi, black magic…) you can use jellyfin.
They both use the same Internet source if that’s what you mean. That’s great news! I’m looking at videos on setup right now. Do you happen to know if Jellyfin is natively available for an LG Smart TV or are there “hoops” to jump through to get it on there? Thanks again!
I have an LG TV. Yes, the jellyfin client app is available in the LG store. You’ll just need to install it and tell it to connect to “IP_OF_YOUR_JELLYFIN_SERVER:8096”.
Alternatively, the Jellyfin server can broadcast as a DLNA server (in settings somewhere) and your TV’s Jellyfin client may automatically detect the server in that case.
Speaking to your other question, I use a Sabrent hard drive bay with some 20TiB drives setup as raid 5 logical volumes. It’s a good setup for me.
This is excellent news! I’m looking forward to viewing my current library on the Smart TV again. I’ve been watching YouTube vids on Jellyfin setup and it seems pretty straightforward.
I’ve seen a lot of the Sabrent drive bays on Amazon and wondered if there were any good. They look exactly like what I’m looking for. I’ve just got to be care of ports and knowing what I have and need. Also, maybe not your level of Raid as I want, at least, one drive for backup to be able to take offsite for storage.
Thank you for you response and input!
No, you definitely don’t need a WiFi card.
This. I do NOT recommend using a Wi-Fi card for any server related activities.
Wow, now I really feel stupid. I’ve been sitting here all this time with tons of video on my system thinking I had to have WiFi to access it through Plex, Emby or Jellyfin and now I find out I don’t. Like, I said, I’m really not literate when it comes to Hardware. I’m gonna lookup some videos on Jellyfin and see how to use it. I still need to get some more storage but, at least, I can watch what I already have. Any tips, videos, sites, etc. are greatly appreciated. Thanks for the insight!!! 😊
I’ve been in the IT field for almost 25 years and I still feel stupid about various things.
The point is to learn and grow. And then feel stupid again.
The best lessons I’ve learned about IT is that knowing where to start is the hardest thing. But with experience, you kind of get an idea of where things tend to go. But you need to have a level of background.
I’ll give you a recent example for me: I recently got a new android phone and have been curious about MagSafe. I know nothing about it except that it was a magnetic plug for old MacBooks before they switched to USB C. I didn’t quite understand how you can have a MagSafe pop socket that you can use to charge via Qi wireless charging.
Then…like an idiot, I realized that it’s a fucking magnet. You just pull the pop socket off and charge the phone.
You don’t know what you don’t know until you do.
Any case, feel dumb. We all do. Learning is the best thing.
Thank you so much for the kinds words!
I graduated in 1992 with a degree in IT but the field seems to move lightyears every year and I’m like, “come again”? when someone tries to help me with hardware.
I agree, knowing where to start has been the hardest part for me. I thought I needed a NAS but really I just need an enclosure with drives in it and I didn’t even know Emby didn’t require a WiFi connection just for both server & client to use the same internet connection. Live and learn, right? :)
I know, it’s so funny, when it hits you, it hits you like a pile of bricks and you’re like OHHHH YEAH! and you NEVER forget it again. Been there and done that.
Again, thank you for the kind words. I tend to be hardest on myself and get frustrated when I just need to ask questions and not be afraid to ask more questions if need be. Best to you!!!
Ah yeah. It’s kinda complicated and hard to sum up in a short comment. You can message me on SimpleX if you need help. I’m not a genius but I do run about a dozen of my own services.
Off topic: how do you like simplex. I have heard of it, but you’re the first I’ve encountered who used it.
I like it a lot. If you’re looking to get started there is a groups directory bot. The biggest problem is notifications are very slow. Sometimes hours behind.