HTPC(kodi) + NAS(hardware raid)

[username2]

My NAS will have to be sitting in the living room, therefore I am planning to install Kodi on that as well, so it can provide more than just one function. Can I do with it something else?

As a NAS I am planning to start with software RAID in the future buy hardware RAID like LSI9260 i8. It is going to be RAID 6 setup.

This is how I imagine it: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/WZVKJx

and this case (has to be 20cm or smaller to fit on shelf) so it will present itself nicely next to the TV.: http://www.silverstonetek.com/legacy...=en&model=lc20

I am planning to use 2.5" HDD to keep noise to minimum, I know they are 10% less efficient than the WD red but the low noise is a key (otherwise girlfriend will get angry).

Intel Celeron G1840 2.8GHz down clocked to 2,5GHz (to assure lower temperature), I am not sure how it is working but I do not think that most of the software is using quad cores or even octa cores processors fully.

If not PSU which I did provided in specs maybe this: Seasonic S12-II 520W 80+ Bronze

And two slow fans to keep, at least, any airflow.

[shaithis]

Not a fan of Kodi TBH. I tried using it but immediately gravitated back to Emby. The new version of Emby Theatre makes it a no-brainer as well.

The only downside is that you do have to pay for some of Embys functionality.

[username2]

I am already using kodi, but I would like to have backup NAS for my other devices as well. It would be great if I would be able to fit everything in one box.
I just do not know how it will looks like from the software point of view, what do I need to install to assure data exchange between remote devices and kodi on board.

[shaithis]

This is why I said Emby.

It provides external streaming,, with no changes needed to router etc....It does it all via a cloud service and a connection between your media library and the cloud service.

[username2]

Plex is providing similar solutions, however I am quite tempted to keep using kodi.

[DanceswithUnix]

If you use Linux or BSD as your base OS then you can use ZFS or BTRFS for storing your files. That has RAID built in, so software RAID becomes a plus not a negative as the filesystem understands where the data is going giving you better data integrity, easier array migration (eg raid 1 to raid 5) with reduced array rebuild times (no rebuilding stripes where no data exists).

So, I would start by trying out FreeNAS to sort the file serving part, and see how well their Kodi plugin works. Free software, so if you have an old PC kicking around give it a try.

[b0redom]

+1 for FreeNAS. I have it with the Plex plugin and I use Fire TV boxes/sticks as clients. If you use hardware RAID, you have to consider what will happen in the event that your RAID controller breaks. With ZFS you just plug the drives into another server and mount them, they don't even have to be on the same SATA channels.

[Biscuit]

I use Emby server along with Kodi. Their plug in is excellent and integrates perfectly into the existing Kodi libraries with options to force transcoding for high bitrate/high resolution/x265 source material. I have it working on all my computers and 2 Raspberry Pis running OSMC. You can also use the standard Emby applications (of course); I accessed it via a web broswer from Germany the other day. I haven't paid for any additional access, I simply forwarded the correct ports as I have a static IP at home.

For my back end server I'm using unRAID. Its not free, however it is reasonably priced, very well supported with lots of easy to install applications and has very good virtual machine support built in. It doesn't use or require a hardware RAID or any special enterprise grade hardware (although it doesn't hurt), in fact it doesn't stripe data at all. An unRAID share will present access as a single pool of storage in the same way as a typical RAID or zRAID system would, however it keeps everything as individual files and spreads it across the available space as per your requirements. It also has a parity disk to enable the benefits of a RAID array with regards to disk failure.

The obvious disadvantage of this is that you don't get the increase of data-rates that you would from a striping RAID system, however, it is possible to install a cache pool that can enable fast reads and writes for recently added data. This data will automatically transfer to the main pool at a user defined time. Even when reading or writing from the disk I haven't yet experienced any disappointing performance.

The advantages are, because files are stored in full, individually across the drives in the array, its not necessary to spin up all drives to access data, saving power and reducing noise.
If you do have a multiple disk failure, the files that remain are still intact and accessible (via a linux OS). In normal RAID arrays its very difficult to recover data from failed arrays.
You don't have to install drives of similar sizes, I have a variety of sized drives between 500GB to 4TB in my array. As long as the parity drive is the same size as the other biggest drive, you can put any size you want in. Unless something has changed, other RAID systems require them all to be the same otherwise it will reduce the bigger ones to the same size as the lowest one installed.
If you want to add a disk to increase the size of the pool in a few months or a year, its very easy, you just run a pre-clear process on it and then add it to the pool. Im not sure if zRAID has something similar these days.

[username2]

Okay guys, I think you did convinced me to save some money and stick to software NAS.
So if I get it right I need Linux with FreeNAS on it and Kodi starting automatically after start of the system?
I am keen to use raid 6, how I would possibly schedule backups from my laptop, android phone and iphone once a week?
What would be estimated time to start the system, because I believe that my girlfriend wouldn't let me run it 24/7, I know it depends on configuration and hardware, but as long as it is under a minute I am ready to start collecting items.

[Biscuit]

Okay guys, I think you did convinced me to save some money and stick to software NAS.
So if I get it right I need Linux with FreeNAS on it and Kodi starting automatically after start of the system?

Not quite. FreeNAS IS a linux based operating system (Actually based on FreeBSD IIRC). Its not something you install into Linux. Generally FreeNAS is not also used as an operating system for media consumption, its more of a "set and forget" for a server you hide away in a cupboard that allows a central access point for all files, backups and media.
Perhaps there is a plug in available for it to run Kodi front end directly, however if not, and you are not familiar with linux already, be prepared to learn and fight with it.

If you could find a linux distribution with ZFS support and set it up as a normal Linux PC, you could then install Kodi onto that and share the folders on the PC via Samba (windows shares), although again, if you're not familiar with Linux already...

I am keen to use raid 6, how I would possibly schedule backups from my laptop, android phone and iphone once a week?
What would be estimated time to start the system, because I believe that my girlfriend wouldn't let me run it 24/7, I know it depends on configuration and hardware, but as long as it is under a minute I am ready to start collecting items.

This is all very much dependent on what operating system you choose, how many applications are running on it etc etc... could be 1 minute or it could be 10.

My honest recommendation for the easiest solution is to stick to a server OS for the PC (whichever you choose is up to you, unRAID, FreeNAS, OpenMediaVault, OpenFiler.... there is loads) and then get a Raspberry Pi to connect to your TV running Kodi. That way the server can be hidden away anywhere.

[username2]

I do not really have space for server anywhere, the only unused room is behind three walls to the router which is in living room. There is no possibility for good connection wireless. That is why I want to keep them all in one room, in one HTPC case.
I know basics of linux, but NAS is something new for me.
I see this is going to be harder than I imagined, but I have a little bit of time now to deal with that

[Biscuit]

I do not really have space for server anywhere, the only unused room is behind three walls to the router which is in living room. There is no possibility for good connection wireless. That is why I want to keep them all in one room, in one HTPC case.
I know basics of linux, but NAS is something new for me.
I see this is going to be harder than I imagined, but I have a little bit of time now to deal with that

There are ways of starting with a NAS and building it into a HTPC, its not impossible, I just think that it will be more trouble than its worth.

You will probably find it a bit easier to start with getting the computer to work as a HTPC and then share your media folders into your network.

I believe Ubuntu has btrfs support, plus its a nice and easy OS to start getting accustomed to linux with. Perhaps have a look at that.

One question I have though, do you really need RAID at all? If this is your first attempt at getting a central media PC to serve your home, perhaps just connect the drives seperately and avoid the hassle of RAID. In a home environment, there really isnt a huge amount of benefit. A RAID is not a replacement for a backup, it doesn't really protect you and in some ways it can add more risk to the data than just having drives connected up as you normally would.

[username2]

There are ways of starting with a NAS and building it into a HTPC, its not impossible, I just think that it will be more trouble than its worth.

You will probably find it a bit easier to start with getting the computer to work as a HTPC and then share your media folders into your network.

I already have kodi with a drive connected to it, so I can try to connect it wireless to my laptop which will be sharing

One question I have though, do you really need RAID at all? If this is your first attempt at getting a central media PC to serve your home, perhaps just connect the drives seperately and avoid the hassle of RAID. In a home environment, there really isnt a huge amount of benefit. A RAID is not a replacement for a backup, it doesn't really protect you and in some ways it can add more risk to the data than just having drives connected up as you normally would.

I just would like to have safe place so store my data, raid seems to be best option and I would like my devices to make backup automatically.
I guess you are right I might try to setup just HTPC with backups without RAID for now. Currently I am trying to make Ubuntu Server, on a VM, run Kodi after system boot up, but I believe it will be different on a desktop and on my Laptop

[Biscuit]

I just would like to have safe place so store my data, raid seems to be best option and I would like my devices to make backup automatically.

This is the misconception I believe. RAID doesn't make your data 'safe', all it does is protect you from a drive failure.
RAID does not replace a backup, if you want your data to be 'safe' you need to create proper duplicates of it and relocate them.
The biggest benefit of RAID at home (IMO) is the convenience of having all the drives appear as a single pool, nothing to do with protection of data.

As an example, I backup the important data from my unRAID system to drives which are then disconnected and put into a cupboard. This is about as 'safe' as you can get and the only things likely to cause total data loss would be so severe that the data would be the last of my worries.

I guess you are right I might try to setup just HTPC with backups without RAID for now. Currently I am trying to make Ubuntu Server, on a VM, run Kodi after system boot up, but I believe it will be different on a desktop and on my Laptop

I wouldnt even use Ubuntu Server, I would just use Ubuntu desktop, or even try installing Kodibuntu which has it pre-baked into the installer.

[DanceswithUnix]

This is the misconception I believe. RAID doesn't make your data 'safe', all it does is protect you from a drive failure.
RAID does not replace a backup, if you want your data to be 'safe' you need to create proper duplicates of it and relocate them.
The biggest benefit of RAID at home (IMO) is the convenience of having all the drives appear as a single pool, nothing to do with protection of data.

I read it that he want's somewhere to back machines up to, so the RAID array won't contain data, it will contain backups of data and some videos. Seems a fair use to me, or I hope it is as that is what I basically do

[Biscuit]

I read it that he want's somewhere to back machines up to, so the RAID array won't contain data, it will contain backups of data and some videos. Seems a fair use to me, or I hope it is as that is what I basically do

Totally reasonable, I wasn't suggesting that its not, I just don't really think the benefit is worth the effort in this case. If you're building a dedicated NAS then setting up a software RAID via FreeNAS or unRAID or any of the alternatives is a straight forward procedure. As this is a hybrid between the two, its less straight forward.

Seeing as you are already playing with VMs, perhaps you could run a normal server OS like FreeNAS (I would once again, suggest looking into unRAID at the very least, you can get a free trail to test the water), then run Kodibuntu as a virtual machine on it?

Linustechtips did a build with unraid that ran multiple gaming PCs on a single computer through VMs and passed the hardware capabilities of the GPU though to each user, so in theory at least, this should work fine.

Here is the one where they did 2 gamers one CPU with a step by step https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuJYMCbIbPk