Media Server Suggestions

[Sheik_Yerbutay]

Hi all, I just got the last of my HT components delivered (see sig) and am trying to get a head start on planning out my server requirements. I have a very large collection of live concerts stored in flac format and want to utilize the A/V receiver's ability to play them from a streaming server. Additionally, I would like the ability to start storing my dvd's and blu ray's and stream them as well. Heres where I get lost since Im not sure if the streamed movies need to be converted first or if the BDP can do that?

I have done some preliminary research and the more I do the more torn I become on how to approach this. I would prefer to get an off the rack server (small footprint if possible) since my time to BYO is essentially nil. Any suggestions would be MOST appreciated!!!

Thanks in advance

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

This should give you good bang for your buck and minimal headaches :
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16859321013
Since it's running Windows Home Server - you should have no issues using windows media player and media connect software as your 807 requires.

Option 2:
Just get ANY DLNA compliant NAS box (like this - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822165122) and you'll get even more storage per buck, but will probably loose tight integration - like songs tagging/search functions etc...

 

[Sheik_Yerbutay]

Thanks for the quick response! I was hoping you would find your way to this thread hahaha

Ironically I was eyeing the Acer server but kept getting hung up on whether that processor would be able to do 1080p conversion without hiccupping during streaming. Thus my question if the server needs to do that conversion or if the Oppo could handle that more effectively. If the Oppo can do it I would tend to go with a NAS solution and load up on the capacity.

 

[Sheik_Yerbutay]

I forgot to ask, with the Onkyo 807 being able to play flac files does the server need to do any transcoding (which I hope to avoid) before streaming or will the Onk just "see" the files and play them? Sorry for the remedial questions but I haven't been able to find any definitive answers on how it all works together!

 

[sholling]

I forgot to ask, with the Onkyo 807 being able to play flac files does the server need to do any transcoding (which I hope to avoid) before streaming or will the Onk just "see" the files and play them? Sorry for the remedial questions but I haven't been able to find any definitive answers on how it all works together!

Supposedly my TX-NR906 will play flacs but it won't so I'd test that.

 

[Sheik_Yerbutay]

Supposedly my TX-NR906 will play flacs but it won't so I'd test that.

Wow really? I have yet to get everything setup but have heard first hand on a friends 807 playing flac files from a usb. Are you streaming it from a server? Maybe the software is transcoding the flac's to an unsupported codec? I do recall reading elsewhere that some streaming software does this but can be changed by the user via options or installing a different DMS that supports flac (like AssetUPnP ).

Here is an example of one discusiion about this...
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/DLNA-Certified-AV-Receiver-supports-Hi-Def-Audio

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Sheik_Yerbutay,
Your 807 WILL stream MP3/FLAC and other audio format - your AVR manual says so
About video part - you get me confused
807 doesnt stream video at all... If you intend to stream video to your HT you'll need additional media client - like Boxee, PCH or WD TV Live
and all of clients I mentioned above will play streamed 1080p content w/o transcoding.

You Home server task would be only to serve files, so don't worry about cpu performance....

Technically any PC will stream media (like Flacs) with DLNA server software installed - like TwonkyMedia etc...

 

[Sheik_Yerbutay]

Sheik_Yerbutay,
Your 807 WILL stream MP3/FLAC and other audio format - your AVR manual says so
About video part - you get me confused
807 doesnt stream video at all... If you intend to stream video to your HT you'll need additional media client - like Boxee, PCH or WD TV Live
and all of clients I mentioned above will play streamed 1080p content w/o transcoding.

You Home server task would be only to serve files, so don't worry about cpu performance....

Technically any PC will stream media (like Flacs) with DLNA server software installed - like TwonkyMedia etc...

Thanks for the reply!

Sounds like I need to be looking for another piece of hardware to add to the puzzle for video streaming I was hoping to find DLNA SW to stream the HD video to the Oppo directly and the flac files to the receiver. It looks like WD TV could do both but requires you to add the HW?

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Thanks for the reply!

Sounds like I need to be looking for another piece to the puzzle for video streaming I was hoping to find DLNA SW to stream the HD video to the Oppo directly and the flac files to the receiver.

I'm not really familiar with Video streaming capabilities of Oppo players - maybe someone else can chime in for this one.

 

[Sheik_Yerbutay]

I'm not really familiar with Video streaming capabilities of Oppo players - maybe someone else can chime in for this one.

I was going off of something I found on *another* forum
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1215071

I came across a DLNS Server app called Mezzmo that streams both flac and mkv formats natively. Combined with the receiver and BDP network capabilities I was thinking I found a solution!

 

[krzywica]

I'm not really familiar with Video streaming capabilities of Oppo players - maybe someone else can chime in for this one.

Either way he would have to get new hardware.

Either build a more powerful NAS that can run transcoding DNLA/UPNP streaming software, or get the ION NAS in the 2nd post and get a media extender/streamer such as Bored suggested. I would vote for option B and get a regular NAS and a cheap streamer. You should be able to get a PCH A110 or EGreat M34A for really cheap.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140362597166&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=WXF?&GUID=ff380f161250a0b584108f00ff38796a&itemid=140362597166&ff4=263602_263622

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I was going off of something I found on *another* forum
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1215071

I came across a DLNS Server app called Mezzmo that streams both flac and mkv formats natively. Combined with the receiver and BDP network capabilities I was thinking I found a solution!

I glanced over this post and thou it is true - you could get away with just dlna nas and stream stuff into oppo, the feature is unofficial and experimental.
So , I wont suggest for you to rely on it to serve your audio/video with Oppo.

The media client devices krzywica suggested will give you much better overall experience & convenience especially as your music/video library will grow.
Another option would be to get dlna nas now, but wait with media client purchase until Boxee Box comes out (Supposed to be out Q2 2010)

 

[mezzmo]

Hi,

Just wanted to confirm that Oppo works with Mezzmo (I work for Conceiva, the company that makes Mezzmo). If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me about it and I'll be happy to provide more information.

Dennis

 

[Sheik_Yerbutay]

Hi,

Just wanted to confirm that Oppo works with Mezzmo (I work for Conceiva, the company that makes Mezzmo). If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me about it and I'll be happy to provide more information.

Dennis

Thanks Dennis!
So was I correct in thinking I could use your server app to stream flac audio to my Onkyo receiver and HD movie formats to the Oppo without transcoding anything? Has this been done without issue?

Does your app allow the oppo to view the chapters and select?

 

[Sheik_Yerbutay]

Hi,

Just wanted to confirm that Oppo works with Mezzmo (I work for Conceiva, the company that makes Mezzmo). If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me about it and I'll be happy to provide more information.

Dennis

Oh another question, would I be able to access the app via the web to create playlists etc? I ask because it is my intention to load this on my media server which has no permanent keyboard or monitor attached to it. Thus I would like to use my laptop to manage everything.

 

[mezzmo]

Thanks Dennis!
So was I correct in thinking I could use your server app to stream flac audio to my Onkyo receiver and HD movie formats to the Oppo without transcoding anything? Has this been done without issue?

Does your app allow the oppo to view the chapters and select?

As long as Onkyo supports playing flac and Oppo supports the movie format you have, then no transcoding will be needed. We have not tested an Onkyo receiver yet, but I think it'll work ok. In any case, feel free to contact our support (support <at> conceiva <dot> com) and we'll help you out (you don't need to buy Mezzmo to get support).

Do you mean chapters in a DVD/BluRay ripper movie file?

Mezzmo doesn't have a web interface through which you can control it at the moment, but it's an interesting idea and I'll pass it along here for discussion. Maybe it can be implemented in a future update.

 

[Sheik_Yerbutay]

As long as Onkyo supports playing flac and Oppo supports the movie format you have, then no transcoding will be needed. We have not tested an Onkyo receiver yet, but I think it'll work ok. In any case, feel free to contact our support (support <at> conceiva <dot> com) and we'll help you out (you don't need to buy Mezzmo to get support).

I may load it up and test it out in the next week or two. I will be sure to let you know if I come across any issues experienced!

Do you mean chapters in a DVD/BluRay ripper movie file?

Yes. I have read that some of the other more popular streaming apps offer an "all or nothing" streaming capability on movie rips. Im not entirely sure if its an issue with the streaming app or the client. Time will tell (see above)

Mezzmo doesn't have a web interface through which you can control it at the moment, but it's an interesting idea and I'll pass it along here for discussion. Maybe it can be implemented in a future update.

I think that would be great! Perhaps you could expand that capability to also stream to the same connected laptop over the web Having my collection available to me while away from home would be stellar!

 

[mezzmo]

I may load it up and test it out in the next week or two. I will be sure to let you know if I come across any issues experienced!

Please do and contact me here or through support.

I think that would be great! Perhaps you could expand that capability to also stream to the same connected laptop over the web Having my collection available to me while away from home would be stellar!

I'll be sure to put it up for discussion here.

Thanks,

Dennis

 

[krzywica]

I think that would be great! Perhaps you could expand that capability to also stream to the same connected laptop over the web Having my collection available to me while away from home would be stellar!

There are already free apps for that.

Ampache Must be run on a LAMP server (large learning curve) Just started running this a few weeks ago on my home server.


Simplify Media Easy to install out of the box and runs on Mac, Linux, and Windows. I have been running this at home for over a year and it works great.

 

[Sheik_Yerbutay]

There are already free apps for that.

Ampache Must be run on a LAMP server (large learning curve) Just started running this a few weeks ago on my home server.


Simplify Media Easy to install out of the box and runs on Mac, Linux, and Windows. I have been running this at home for over a year and it works great.

Oh nice!
The Simplify media isnt a media server app is it? If so, that may be what I need1