What Are Dedicated Plex Servers?

A dedicated Plex server is an ideal solution for many who enjoy digital media. For those who currently have or want to amass an intensive library of music, movies, streaming content, and more, a Plex server is your answer. 

Plex dedicated servers often is the way forward for dedicated servers. They supply an all-in-one, easy-to-use storage location for big media libraries. Plex technology allows you to store, categorize, and access these files from one place.

Users can categorize and search unlimited music, movie, and image files via Plex’s client-based platform. And Plex servers can now accommodate podcasts and live-streaming content through the most recent updates. All content connoisseurs, from movie buffs to podcasting super fans, can enjoy their entire media collection anywhere, anytime, with Plex.

Several pre-built options can be found if you happen to think a Plex server is likely to be a great idea on your media library. Nevertheless, some tech enthusiasts will want to tackle the challenge of constructing a dedicated Plex media server. If this seems like you, there are just a few questions you’ll wish to ask yourself before starting the method:

• What number of users will access the server at the identical time?
• Will you access your media library remotely or from a location near the server (i.e., accessing an in-home library)?
• What varieties of devices are you using to access the server (Smart TV, Mobile app, gaming console, Roku, Google Chromecast, etc.)?

Before starting your dedicated Plex server construct, you’ll need to think about your needed specifications. Think concerning the amount of storage, processing, and bandwidth it’s possible you’ll must accommodate the scale of your media library and your watching habits.

There’s no universal solution for Plex servers, so if you happen to plan to construct your personal, you’ll wish to take the overtime to plan your needed resources. One thing you possibly can count on is that you just’ll need a separate dedicated computer or device to host your Plex server, run the server software, and host the totality of your media library files.

A dedicated server will likely be the perfect option, and the excellent news is that several server leasing options can be found. Going this route could also be a bit costlier, but it is going to ensure almost 100% uptime and permit you access to your media library 24/7. 

Some might say a dedicated Plex server is something left for the tech-savvy. But, in today’s modern media streaming age, anyone may benefit from establishing their very own Plex server for media storage.

Virtually nobody is using CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs anymore. Most individuals depend on no less than one streaming service to eat their content. With so a lot of our favourite shows existing across multiple platforms, who wouldn’t wish to have the ability to access them multi functional place?

Naturally, the kind of Plex server and configuration will vary greatly depending on the user. Someone more technically minded might want something they will tinker with and customize. However, families seeking to improve their Friday night TV watching might want something more user-friendly. Enter pre-built Plex servers.

Many movie and media buffs may not have the coding or computer knowledge to construct and customize their very own Plex server. They’d much relatively go for a pre-built option they will take out of the box and begin using immediately. If this seems like you, and also you’re available in the market for a pre-built Plex setup, listed below are just a few of the professionals and cons it is best to consider:

Listed here are five of the most well-liked pre-built Plex servers to select from:

NVIDIA is widely considered some of the powerful Plex options in the marketplace. The usual onboard memory can transcode multiple types of media without delay, and users can easily add memory via memory peripherals like USB drives and SD cards.

The Shield TV Pro also accommodates direct streaming of multiple media like streaming TV, music, and even gaming and emulator platforms. Its feature-rich design makes it perfect as a dedicated Plex device or comprehensive streaming platform. The alternative is yours.

The ThinkCentre M75q Gen 2 from Lenovo boasts two models starting from 4- to 8-core processing power and three.20 GHz to 4.60 GHz processing speed with ample storage capability. Its base-level storage starts at 500 GB HDD and as much as 512 GB SSD on your library, allowing you to carry as many TV shows, movies, and other media as your heart desires. 

If that’s not enough, the M75q Gen 2 also comes with a wide range of peripheral ports to accommodate additional storage and accessories. The device has 3 USB 3.2 ports, 2 USB 2.0 ports, and a USB-C 3.2 port.

One other enticing feature of the ThinkCentre M75q Gen 2 is its size. It’s not called the Tiny for no reason, and its compactness allows it to suit perfectly under most TV setups. This permits a direct connection, or it could possibly be placed anywhere else in the home and be connected remotely.

The Raspberry Pi 4 is basically a mini-PC. It looks like a small motherboard and might perform many of the tasks that a conventional PC can.

One drawback of the Pi 4 is that it requires some technical knowledge, but there’s no shortage of helpful forums and YouTube videos available to enable you along your journey. For those who’re seeking to store your Plex server in one other location and stream remotely, the Raspberry Pi 4 might not be for you. But, if a direct connection works just wonderful, you won’t discover a more economical option than the Raspberry Pi 4. 

Intel’s NUC Mini PC is one other inexpensive option for those wanting a Plex server. The product has been licensed to ASUS, and the most recent generations shall be sold because the ASUS ExpertCenter – either the PN or PB series.

The Intel-powered ExpertCenter PN is available in three models: the PN42, PN64, and the PN64-E1. The 64-E1 is essentially the most advanced, offering a Thirteenth-generation Intel processor, quad displays, 4K resolution, and NVMe SSD storage. This unit is generally for business applications like hospitals, digital signage, retail, and office use.

ASUS’s other series, the PB, is acceptable for conference rooms, digital signage, retail kiosks, and office computing.  The PB offers 8 GB of memory and 6 GB SSD storage. It also boasts AMD graphics and supports Windows 7 Skilled, 8 Pro, 8.1 Pro, and 10 Pro.

A NAS (network-attached storage) box is one other powerful choice to host your dedicated Plex server. These devices are a bit more sophisticated than traditional pre-built options, as their design enables them to construct RAID arrays from multiple hard drives. If you could have an intensive media library and are afraid of losing files, this feature could also be for you.

For the reason that box’s RAID arrays come from multiple hard drives, you don’t lose any files in your library if one array malfunctions. Theoretically, the NAS box can accommodate enough hard drives to provide you storage capability within the tens of terabytes. Moreover, you never need to worry about powering up your Plex server since the NAS box is at all times online. 

Naturally, all this technology comes at a value. A NAS box is certainly one of the costlier pre-built options, with some larger systems costing around $1,000 USD. The machine also requires NAS-specific storage drives to accommodate the extraordinary server workload. But when media is an enormous a part of your life, that expense could also be value it.

Once configured and online, the NAS box can accommodate a virtually limitless media library. More sophisticated NAS boxes can handle hardware video transcoding for hardcore video enthusiasts. If you ought to go this route, we recommend trying out Synology or QNAP devices.

A dedicated Plex server often is the perfect solution if you happen to’re seeking to store an intensive media library or get all of your streaming services in a single place. But step one is finding the suitable hosting solution on your Plex platform.