Trash Panda Guides

This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong.
====== Plex Media Server (Physical Host) ======
This page covers how to design and build the **physical machine** that runs **Plex Media Server** and **Unmanic** optimization services in the Trash Panda ecosystem.\\ 

This guide is intentionally focused on **hardware selection and base OS installation only**. Application configuration is covered elsewhere.\\ 

The target audience here is someone building their **first serious Plex environment** who wants:\\ 
  * Fast, reliable playback
  * Efficient transcoding
  * Minimal day-to-day management
  * Clear separation of concerns across the ecosystem


===== Why a Dedicated Physical Media Server? =====
Before talking about hardware, it’s worth answering a common question:\\ 

> Why not just run Plex on the NAS or inside a VM?

==== Plex as a NAS Application ====
Running Plex directly on a NAS //**can**// work — until it **doesn’t**.\\ 

Limitations commonly encountered:\\ 
  * CPU class is optimized for storage, not transcoding
  * iGPU capabilities are limited or absent
  * Thermal and power constraints throttle sustained workloads
  * Upgrades often require replacing the entire NAS

For light, single-user setups this may be acceptable. For shared libraries and automation, it becomes a bottleneck.

==== Plex Inside a VM ====
Virtualizing Plex introduces a different set of tradeoffs:\\ 
  * GPU passthrough adds complexity and fragility
  * Transcoding performance becomes harder to reason about
  * Storage and network paths lengthen
  * Troubleshooting spans host + hypervisor + guest

VMs shine for control-plane services. Plex is a **data-plane workload** — latency and throughput matter.

==== Why Physical Wins Here ====
A dedicated physical host:\\ 
  * Provides **direct access to CPU and GPU resources**
  * Delivers predictable transcoding performance
  * Simplifies GPU usage
  * Is easier to debug under load
  * Can be upgraded incrementally

In this ecosystem, Plex and Unmanic are the only services that truly benefit from bare metal — so they get it.


===== Operating System =====
==== Recommended OS ====
  * **Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS or later**

Why Ubuntu:\\ 
  * Excellent hardware and iGPU support
  * First-class Docker ecosystem
  * Long-term security updates
  * Huge knowledge base

==== Installation Guidance (High-Level) ====
  * Minimal server install
  * No desktop environment
  * SSH enabled
  * Automatic security updates enabled

The OS should exist solely to support Plex and Unmanic.


===== Resource Design Principles =====
When sizing this machine, prioritize:\\ 

1. **Transcoding efficiency**\\ 
2. **Fast I/O for caching and processing**\\ 
3. **Thermal stability under sustained load**\\ 
4. **Headroom for spikes, not averages**\\ 

The media lives on the NAS. This machine exists to **process and serve it**.


===== CPU & GPU Recommendations =====
This section intentionally adds a bit of **pragmatic subjectivity**. There is no single perfect answer for every build, but there //**are**// choices that consistently produce better real‑world results.\\ 

The guidance below balances performance, efficiency, cost, and long‑term usability for Plex and Unmanic workloads.


===== CPU Guidance (Brand‑Agnostic) =====
For a dedicated Plex + Unmanic server, what matters most is:\\ 
  * **Strong single‑thread performance** — Plex transcoding and Unmanic jobs often bottleneck here
  * **Enough cores and threads to absorb concurrency** — Plex streams and Unmanic tasks can overlap
  * **Predictable sustained performance** — throttling undermines reliability

==== Core / Thread Recommendations ====
  * **Minimum:** 4 physical cores / 8 threads
        * Suitable for light use and limited concurrent streams
  * **Recommended:** 6–8 physical cores / 12–16 threads
        * The sweet spot for most home Plex environments
  * **High‑Throughput:** 8+ cores / 16+ threads
        * Appropriate for heavy sharing or aggressive Unmanic pipelines

Once you are past ~6 quality cores, transcoding performance is driven far more by **hardware acceleration** than raw CPU power.

==== Intel vs AMD (Objective Framing) ====
Both Intel and AMD CPUs can work extremely well in this role:\\ 
  * Intel platforms traditionally pair cleanly with media workloads
  * AMD platforms often deliver excellent core density and efficiency

Rather than chasing a brand, focus on:\\ 
  * Modern architecture
  * Strong single‑core boost behavior
  * Adequate PCIe support for a discrete GPU


===== Why a Discrete GPU (Over Integrated Graphics) =====
While integrated graphics //**can**// work, this guide **recommends a discrete GPU** for most builders.\\ 

Objectively, discrete GPUs provide:\\ 
  * Dedicated video encode/decode engines
  * Higher concurrent transcode capacity
  * Better thermal isolation from the CPU
  * More predictable performance under sustained load

Integrated GPUs share power and thermal budgets with the CPU. Under real‑world Plex and Unmanic usage, this frequently becomes the limiting factor.


===== Discrete GPU Options =====
The goal is not maximum shader performance — it is **efficient, reliable video processing**.\\ 

==== Option A — Midrange NVIDIA (e.g., RTX 3060 / RTX 4060) ====
**Pros**\\ 
  * Excellent NVENC / NVDEC support
  * High concurrent transcode capacity
  * Mature Linux drivers
  * Very strong performance‑per‑watt
  * Excellent Unmanic acceleration potential

**Cons**\\ 
  * Higher upfront cost
  * Overkill for single‑user or light workloads

**Best for:** Builders who want headroom, future growth, and minimal compromise.


==== Option B — Value NVIDIA (e.g., GTX 1660 Super) ====
**Pros**\\ 
  * Lower cost
  * Solid hardware transcoding support
  * Efficient and reliable for common codecs

**Cons**\\ 
  * Fewer concurrent streams
  * Older generation feature set

**Best for:** 1080p‑heavy libraries with modest concurrent usage.


===== AMD Discrete GPUs =====
Modern AMD GPUs include capable video engines and are increasingly well supported by Plex.\\ 

**Pros**\\ 
  * Strong price‑to‑performance ratio
  * Efficient for batch workloads

**Cons**\\ 
  * Hardware acceleration support can vary by driver and Plex version
  * May require additional validation

AMD GPUs can be an excellent choice if you are comfortable verifying codec support for your specific workload.


===== Summary Guidance =====
| **Component** | **Recommendation**                           |
| ------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| CPU           | 6–8 physical cores / 12–16 threads           |
| GPU           | Discrete GPU (midrange NVIDIA preferred)     |
| RAM           | 16–32 GB                                     |
| Storage       | Fast local NVMe/SSD for OS and cache         |\\ 

Discrete GPUs reduce guesswork, isolate thermals, and deliver a smoother Plex experience — especially as libraries and user counts grow.


===== Memory (RAM) =====
Plex itself is not memory-hungry, but **cache is king**.\\ 

==== Recommended RAM ====
  * **Minimum: 16 GB**
  * **Recommended: 32 GB**

This allows:\\ 
  * Large filesystem cache
  * Smooth concurrent transcodes
  * Headroom for Unmanic processing bursts

Excess RAM is rarely wasted in this role.


===== Storage Configuration =====
This system should use **local NVMe SSDs only** for the OS, applications, and all transient workloads.\\ 

Media libraries live on the NAS. Local storage exists to make everything **fast** and **responsive**.\\ 

==== Recommended Storage Layout ====
For best results, use **two separate NVMe SSDs**:\\ 
1. **OS / Application Drive**\\ 
2. **Transcoding & Cache Drive**\\ 

This separation improves performance, simplifies troubleshooting, and reduces wear-related surprises.


==== OS / Application NVMe ====
  * NVMe SSD
  * **500 GB minimum**
  * Hosts:
        * Ubuntu OS
        * Docker runtime and images
        * Plex Media Server
        * Unmanic
        * Logs and system packages

This drive benefits from fast random I/O and consistent latency. NVMe ensures system responsiveness even under load.


==== Transcoding & Cache NVMe ====
  * Dedicated NVMe SSD
  * **500 GB–1 TB recommended**
  * Used for:
        * Plex transcode directory
        * Unmanic processing and working directories
        * Temporary scratch data

Why this matters:\\ 
  * Transcoding is extremely write-heavy
  * Unmanic workloads are bursty and I/O intensive
  * Separating this workload protects the OS drive
  * Performance remains consistent even during heavy processing

If you can only afford one NVMe drive initially, this configuration still works — but two drives is the **recommended and future-proof layout**.


==== What Not to Store Locally ====
  * Media libraries
  * Long-term downloads
  * Backups

Those belong on the NAS.\\ 

Fast local NVMe storage is one of the highest-impact upgrades you can make to a Plex server. It directly improves startup time, transcode speed, and overall system responsiveness.


===== Networking Requirements =====
The media server should have **two physical NICs**:\\ 
1. **NFS VLAN NIC**\\ 
  * High-throughput access to the NAS
  * Jumbo Frames enabled

2. **DMZ VLAN NIC**\\ 
  * Plex remote access traffic

This mirrors the segmentation strategy used across the ecosystem and keeps storage traffic isolated.


===== Reliability and Power Considerations =====
  * Use a quality power supply
  * Ensure adequate cooling
  * Favor cases with good airflow

Transcoding is sustained work. Thermal throttling undermines everything else.\\

If possible:\\
  * Place the server on a UPS
  * Enable clean shutdown on power loss


===== Final Thoughts =====
This machine is the **engine** of the entire Plex experience.\\ 

A well-built physical media server:\\ 
  * Makes Plex feel instantaneous
  * Handles transcoding quietly and efficiently
  * Reduces complexity everywhere else

By dedicating hardware to Plex and Unmanic, you remove guesswork, isolate risk, and create a system that simply does its job — day after day.\\ 

That reliability is the real optimization.