#Universal media servermac os x install
#Universal media servermac os x upgrade

As your media collection grows, so too will your data footprint. Whatever you choose, making sure you have enough storage available is key. Make Sure Your Media Server Has Enough Storage Many platforms ( like TrueNAS) come with one-click installers for plugins that you can access from the web-based admin interface.

Serviio comes with packages for Synology and QNAP NAS drives. Universal Media Server also comes with a Docker package. Jellyfin can be installed on some NAS drives ( like Synology) using the containerized application platform Docker.

#Universal media servermac os x install

You'll need to use your drive's web-based interface to install and configure your media server. Plex has packages available for Synology, TrueNAS (formerly FreeNAS), Western Digital, and unRAID devices (as well as many others). You can even build your own NAS drive out of an old computer. Older or weaker models might not fare so well with high resolution or high bitrate content. Some of the best NAS devices cost more because they're better suited to media transcoding. There's a NAS out there for every budget and use case, but the more you spend, the more capable your drive will be.

#Universal media servermac os x upgrade

You can buy NAS enclosures without any storage at all, or you can choose to upgrade storage (ideally with quality drives designed for use in a NAS) as your needs grow. The term 'NAS' refers mostly to the enclosure, which usually has space (known as 'bays') for drives. In fact, apps like Plex and Kodi have versions made especially for single-board computers like the Raspberry Pi. You won't necessarily need the latest version of Windows or macOS to run many of the most popular media servers. You might be able to give an old laptop new life by using it as a media server or media center. If you depend on transcoding (converting the video on the fly, often required for remote streaming and enabling 'burned-in' subtitles), your hardware requirements will be a lot higher.Keyboard and mouse access is nice but not always necessary (use remote access or a web interface instead).It should have plenty of storage available, with room for more if necessary.The server should always be on and connected to the network.There are a few basic things to remember when picking hardware for a media server (or a media center with server capabilities):

Have a look at the Plex CPU guidelines for more information. This rockets up to an Intel Core i7 running at 3.2GHz for a single 4K transcode. The minimum system requirements for a server like Plex are modest, starting with an Intel Core i3 and around 2GB of RAM.