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Best box for Kodi setup

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  • 25-04-2017 2:19pm
    #1
    keano25
    Registered Users Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭


    As above looking to set this up to run video playing aps etc.

    Any recommendations on a box to get?

    Want something reliable for watching on tv no play games on it or anything. Thanks


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    #2
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,999 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    NUC running LibreElec.


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    #3
    degsie
    Registered Users Posts: 8,740 ✭✭✭degsie


    What is 'exodus'?











    Waits, then grabs popcorn....


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    #4
    EoinMcLovin
    Registered Users Posts: 8,922 ✭✭✭EoinMcLovin


    posted this in android devices forum
    http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=252916


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    #5
    The Ritz
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, RicherSounds.ie Moderator Posts: 2,505 Mod ✭✭✭✭The Ritz


    Mod Comment

    keano25,

    Please take note of the Stickey regarding Kodi, addons and TV services - discussion of these is not allowed here.


    Mod Hat Off

    I have run Kodi for movie and music libraries on a Minix Z83 running Windows 10 and on a Wetek box running Openelec - the Wetek box has the useful addition of twin satellite tuners. Both work perfectly, the Minix has the advantage of greater flexibility but is limited to 5.1 channels in sound and will not play 10bit 4k video.


    Ritz.


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    #6
    The high horse brigade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,456 ✭✭✭The high horse brigade


    The best box is probably the Nvidia Shield TV, but it's pricey if you're not into games. It runs android TV, does 4K, has a fast Nvidia processor, can be used as a Plex server and will be supported for a long time through Android and Nvidia updates


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    #7
    omb0wyn5ehpij9
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,095 ✭✭✭✭omb0wyn5ehpij9


    The Ritz wrote: »
    I have run Kodi for movie and music libraries on a Minix Z83 running Windows 10 and on a Wetek box running Openelec - the Wetek box has the useful addition of twin satellite tuners. Both work perfectly, the Minix has the advantage of greater flexibility but is limited to 5.1 channels in sound and will not play 10bit 4k video.

    I've been looking for something like this for a while. I had decided on a mini PC from Novatech, but the price has gone up a lot since I began looking, and with the added cost of a Windows licence, it doesn't seem worth it.

    My main uses would be:
    - Netflix
    - Watching downloaded movies
    - Streaming sport
    - Playing emulators (up to and including PS1 games)

    Have you installed any game emulators on your Minix? Was it able to handle them?


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    #8
    The Ritz
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, RicherSounds.ie Moderator Posts: 2,505 Mod ✭✭✭✭The Ritz


    BDJW,

    I don't use the Minix for emulators - given that it can play full HD video without issue I don't think emulators up to the level you mention would cause a problem - there's an in depth review of the minix on avforums, that might give you more information.

    Cheers,

    Ritz


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    #9
    omb0wyn5ehpij9
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,095 ✭✭✭✭omb0wyn5ehpij9


    The Ritz wrote: »
    BDJW,

    I don't use the Minix for emulators - given that it can play full HD video without issue I don't think emulators up to the level you mention would cause a problem - there's an in depth review of the minix on avforums, that might give you more information.

    Cheers,

    Ritz

    Thanks, I'll try find that and see what people say! Did you get yours from Amazon?


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    #10
    The Ritz
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, RicherSounds.ie Moderator Posts: 2,505 Mod ✭✭✭✭The Ritz


    BDJW,

    Yip, Amazon. Here's a link to avforums review https://www.avforums.com/review/minix-neo-z83-4-mini-pc-review.13169

    Ritz


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    #11
    keano25
    Registered Users Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭keano25


    That minix looks a cool box


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    #12
    beardybrewer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,918 ✭✭✭beardybrewer


    The high horse brigade wrote: »
    The best box is probably the Nvidia Shield TV, but it's pricey if you're not into games. It runs android TV, does 4K, has a fast Nvidia processor, can be used as a Plex server and will be supported for a long time through Android and Nvidia updates

    I'd agree with this and I don't use it for games at all. It's just a very powerful really fast Android TV box. This lets me use Kodi and Netflix together with the same remote which was what I was after. Had it for a year now and it's still a top rated box. It's built overkill for game capability which makes it screaming fast for the likes of Kodi/Netflix.


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    #13
    keano25
    Registered Users Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭keano25


    Leaning toward Nvidia Shield new model..


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    #14
    stimpson
    Registered Users Posts: 7,815 ✭✭✭stimpson


    +1 for the Shield. It really is nice piece of hardware. I use it to Stream games in 4K from my PC. Now that Plex will finally passthrough HD audio streams it may well be the last box I buy (I've had many over the years)

    Software wise SPMC is worth looking at. It is a Kodi fork with more advanced features and was the only thing up to recently that would output 4K HDR and HD audio. Still compatible with Kodi plugins. I use it with KodiPlexConnect when Plex isn't doing the business.


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    #15
    keano25
    Registered Users Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭keano25


    stimpson wrote: »
    +1 for the Shield. It really is nice piece of hardware. I use it to Stream games in 4K from my PC. Now that Plex will finally passthrough HD audio streams it may well be the last box I buy (I've had many over the years)

    Software wise SPMC is worth looking at. It is a Kodi fork with more advanced features and was the only thing up to recently that would output 4K HDR and HD audio. Still computable with Kodi plugins. I use it with KodiPlexConnect when Plex isn't doing the business.

    Can it be used as a Plex server?


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    #16
    The high horse brigade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,456 ✭✭✭The high horse brigade


    keano25 wrote: »
    Can it be used as a Plex server?

    Yes, Plex was adapted to run transcoding on the GPU making it a very powerful Plex server. The Nvidia Tegra X1 is only a quad core CPU but has a 256 core GPU
    http://www.nvidia.com/object/tegra-x1-processor.html


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    #17
    stimpson
    Registered Users Posts: 7,815 ✭✭✭stimpson


    keano25 wrote: »
    Can it be used as a Plex server?

    Yeah - server comes preinstalled. Just add a drive full of media.

    I don't use it myself as I have a purpose built server.


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    #18
    keano25
    Registered Users Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭keano25


    stimpson wrote: »
    Yeah - server comes preinstalled. Just add a drive full of media.

    I don't use it myself as I have a purpose built server.

    Out of interest what way did you build your server?


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    #19
    stimpson
    Registered Users Posts: 7,815 ✭✭✭stimpson


    keano25 wrote: »
    Out of interest what way did you build your server?

    I have a Lian Li PC-Q08 case which is a mini ITX case approx 12"x12"x8".

    PSU is a 160W PicoPSU. This enables it to run with a single 14cm case fan and is almost silent (still need to work on that though)

    CPU is an i7 5775k as it has a low TDP for a decent amount of grunt (which is necessary due to the PSU)

    MB is Gigabyte H97N WIFI as it has 6 SATA III ports.

    16 gigs of DDR3

    I have a 480GB SSD and 5 WD Red drives (2x8TB, 2x3TB and one 2TB)

    It's running unRAID from an internal USB stick. This means one 8TB drive is parity for the others and means one data drive can die without me losing any data and I have a total of 16TB of available storage (theoretical max of 32TB or 48TB if I put a proper PSU and SATA card in). The plan is to swap out the smaller drives for 8TB ones as needed.

    If you're looking for storage I have 2x3TB WD reds and a WD MyBook Duo enclosure going begging ;)


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    #20
    The high horse brigade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,456 ✭✭✭The high horse brigade


    Similar, I have a 1U Dell R210 for Plex server and download box (Sonarr and Radarr) and a HP Proliant with 12TB storage as NAS. It's a big expense buying and running the gear yourself and in todays world there has come a cheaper better option so just today I setup a Google Suite business account with unlimited storage for €8 per month (after 14 day trial) and I plan to use this Google Drive with Plex Cloud to move completely to the Cloud. I will be renting a VPS (about a tenner pm) to run as a download box and sync my downloads from there to Google Drive. This will work out cheaper to run and leave me with a Plex server completely in the cloud not uploading from my own connection and without the hassle of managing the space


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    #21
    stimpson
    Registered Users Posts: 7,815 ✭✭✭stimpson


    The high horse brigade wrote: »
    Similar, I have a 1U Dell R210 for Plex server and download box (Sonarr and Radarr) and a HP Proliant with 12TB storage as NAS. It's a big expense buying and running the gear yourself and in todays world there has come a cheaper better option so just today I setup a Google Suite business account with unlimited storage for €8 per month (after 14 day trial) and I plan to use this Google Drive with Plex Cloud to move completely to the Cloud. I will be renting a VPS (about a tenner pm) to run as a download box and sync my downloads from there to Google Drive. This will work out cheaper to run and leave me with a Plex server completely in the cloud not uploading from my own connection and without the hassle of managing the space

    Have you a link to that offer? I had an N54L that went tits up last year and before I did this build I looked at cloud storage but couldn't find anything close to that. I think I was looking at €60 pm for 10 TB.


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    #22
    The high horse brigade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,456 ✭✭✭The high horse brigade


    stimpson wrote: »
    Have you a link to that offer? I had an N54L that went tits up last year and before I did this build I looked at cloud storage but couldn't find anything close to that. I think I was looking at €60 pm for 10 TB.

    https://gsuite.google.com/driveforwork/

    You need to jump through a few hoops, you need your own domain and a webserver, need to add a metadata line to html on the webserver, then i had to setup an email address on that domain and to point mx records to google. There is just one small catch, to have unlimited you're supposed to add 5 users it's supposed to be limited to 1TB for a single user but it's not enforced, plenty on the Plex sub on Reddit are getting unlimited with just one user. I've not really got to test this out yet, it's a wrk in progress and I'm still on the 14 day trial

    From here: https://www.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/47cln1/til_you_can_buy_an_unlimited_google_drive_account/d4i93zf/


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    #23
    stimpson
    Registered Users Posts: 7,815 ✭✭✭stimpson


    Here's a pic of the server before I close the case

    416205.JPG


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    #24
    keano25
    Registered Users Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭keano25


    Serious piece of kit.


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    #25
    keano25
    Registered Users Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭keano25


    Have ordered a 2017 Nvidia Shield


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    #26
    digiman
    Registered Users Posts: 4,201 ✭✭✭digiman


    keano25 wrote: »
    Have ordered a 2017 Nvidia Shield

    Where can you order the 2017 version from that will deliver to Ireland?

    Is there any Irish stores selling them?


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    #27
    The high horse brigade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,456 ✭✭✭The high horse brigade


    digiman wrote: »
    Where can you order the 2017 version from that will deliver to Ireland?

    Is there any Irish stores selling them?

    Use Parcel motel/parcel wizard/address pal. I got mine on Amazon


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    #28
    The high horse brigade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,456 ✭✭✭The high horse brigade


    stimpson wrote: »
    Have you a link to that offer? I had an N54L that went tits up last year and before I did this build I looked at cloud storage but couldn't find anything close to that. I think I was looking at €60 pm for 10 TB.

    FYI, this is going very well for me, I have a very decent backfill of media built up. I have a Hetzner dedi server, i7 2600, 16GB ram, 2x 3TB sata, gigabit connection for €31 pm and my month doesn't end until the 5th June. I think I'll cancel on the 4th and just get an affordable VPS to keep the collection topped up with the latest releases for Plex cloud

    418628.PNG


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    #29
    Oat23
    Registered Users Posts: 15,200 ✭✭✭✭Oat23


    Are you encrypting everything uploaded to Google and decrypting them on the fly with stablebit or just uploading them clear?

    Amazon have been known to ban accounts for copyright for uploading TV shows/movies unencrypted. I assumed Google would be the same.


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    #30
    The high horse brigade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,456 ✭✭✭The high horse brigade


    Oat23 wrote: »
    Are you encrypting everything uploaded to Google and decrypting them on the fly with stablebit or just uploading them clear?

    Amazon have been known to ban accounts for copyright for uploading TV shows/movies unencrypted. I assumed Google would be the same.

    Not encrypting as Google don't seem to care at all unlike Amazon. Plex Cloud does not support encryption anyway.


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    #31
    stimpson
    Registered Users Posts: 7,815 ✭✭✭stimpson


    I was reading last week where google were banning resold student accounts. What would worry me is that while they may not care now, they may change their mind in future and you could lose all your media.


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