Dataset for media

[Jeff Lamer]

Noob question here!
I'm about to follow joshruehlig Blog instructions on Sabnzb,sickrage,couchpotato etc. Being a windows exclusive user Should my dataset be unix or windows. Still trying to grasp the dataset down to shares concept.
My goal is to share my files to my Kodi boxes over NFS. I read that is the most efficient. BUT I will want to access those files from my Windows PC. Can I access that Dataset from both shares ? Does that make sense.
Just want that Dataset set right from the start. I will also need to transfer about 1TB of files from my windows PC to my new server.
Thanks

 

[pirateghost]

just leave it at UNIX.

 

[depasseg]

Yep this ^^^^^ (unix)

 

[Jeff Lamer]

Yep this ^^^^^ (unix)

Thanks :)

 

[-fun-]

May I add a question here: Should it be possible to browse the NFS share from Kodi? If so, how should this be configured in FreeNAS (and if I may ask this here: in Kodi)?

I have basically the same requirements: A media share for Kodi with access via NFS. The difference is just that I want to access this share from my Mac using AFP. This works fine but I cannot browse from Kodi. :-(

 

[pirateghost]

May I add a question here: Should it be possible to browse the NFS share from Kodi? If so, how should this be configured in FreeNAS (and if I may ask this here: in Kodi)?

I have basically the same requirements: A media share for Kodi with access via NFS. The difference is just that I want to access this share from my Mac using AFP. This works fine but I cannot browse from Kodi. :-(

Configure NFS share.

In kodi, mount NFS to a directory.

Point kodi to that mounted directory

 

[mattbbpl]

Guys, if you are already setting up a system that involves a FreeNAS server and Kodi clients, look into using the Emby plugin as the back end for the Kodi library. In that situation, Emby hosts the library and serves it to all the Kodi clients while centralizing the library settings without the hassle of setting up a MySQL database (which is being deprecated anyway, from what I hear).

 

[pirateghost]

Guys, if you are already setting up a system that involves a FreeNAS server and Kodi clients, look into using the Emby plugin as the back end for the Kodi library. In that situation, Emby hosts the library and serves it to all the Kodi clients while centralizing the library settings without the hassle of setting up a MySQL database (which is being deprecated anyway, from what I hear).

Plex can be the back end as well

 

[mattbbpl]

Plex can be the back end as well

That's true, but it's.... different (assuming you're referring to PlexBMC). It doesn't really integrate into the native Kodi library which has some drawbacks (such as losing the ability to play nicely with other addons).

My comment was more focused to the basic setup of having Kodi directly access the NAS anyway. With something like Plex/Emby able to easily centralize the libraries of your various Kodi clients, why not use that and make your life easier rather than have all the individual clients access the share directly?

 

[Jeff Lamer]

Guys, if you are already setting up a system that involves a FreeNAS server and Kodi clients, look into using the Emby plugin as the back end for the Kodi library. In that situation, Emby hosts the library and serves it to all the Kodi clients while centralizing the library settings without the hassle of setting up a MySQL database (which is being deprecated anyway, from what I hear).

Hey Matt,
Thanks, I will look into that (research). Just to summarize, Are you saying to use Emby instead of Kodi ?

 

[-fun-]

This may really be off topic here but is Kodi still able to run when the backend (Emby or PlexBMC) is gone? This may be important if I take Kodi with me on a travel. I have Kodi on a Raspi (with OpenELEC).

 

[-fun-]

Configure NFS share.
In kodi, mount NFS to a directory.
Point kodi to that mounted directory

Than worked, thank you!

From what I read in some forum posts it seems that it should be possible to browse NFS shares via Zeroconf browser. I didn't get this to work but I can mount my media share in OpenELEC just fine. So I can browse in the local filesystem. Only drawback is that the boot process takes a little longer. And I should check what happens when the share is not available.

 

[mattbbpl]

Hey Matt,
Thanks, I will look into that (research). Just to summarize, Are you saying to use Emby instead of Kodi ?

Not quite. The recommendation is to use Emby AND Kodi!
Kodi would be on your client machine. I'm assuming it's a small form factor HTPC or Android box or something similar that Kodi can be installed on. Install the Emby addon to that Kodi instance. Then, on your FreeNAS box, install the Emby plugin and follow the instructions to hook them up (Basically setting the url and port of the Emby plugin in the Kodi Emby addon). Synch them up, and away you go.

 

[mattbbpl]

This may really be off topic here but is Kodi still able to run when the backend (Emby or PlexBMC) is gone? This may be important if I take Kodi with me on a travel. I have Kodi on a Raspi (with OpenELEC).

You're getting into something I have not tried yet. Theoretically you might be able to set up a Kodi profile (with the Emby/Plex addon) that points to the external access url of Emby/Plex. But I haven't tried this so I don't know if it has all the necessary functionality from that access point.

That being said, there's little reason to drag a full Kodi client with you on the road as Plex and Emby can both be accessed from mobile apps on your client/tablet. All you need is the app and some form of internet access capable of carrying video-level bandwidth (and a CPU in the FreeNAS box capable of transcoding the source file).

 

[Jeff Lamer]

Not quite. The recommendation is to use Emby AND Kodi!
Kodi would be on your client machine. I'm assuming it's a small form factor HTPC or Android box or something similar that Kodi can be installed on. Install the Emby addon to that Kodi instance. Then, on your FreeNAS box, install the Emby plugin and follow the instructions to hook them up (Basically setting the url and port of the Emby plugin in the Kodi Emby addon). Synch them up, and away you go.

Cool....Will give it a go over the holidays.

 

[-fun-]

That being said, there's little reason to drag a full Kodi client with you on the road as Plex and Emby can both be accessed from mobile apps on your client/tablet. All you need is the app and some form of internet access capable of carrying video-level bandwidth (and a CPU in the FreeNAS box capable of transcoding the source file).

Ah, that sounds interesting. I have no need to do transcoding on my FreeNAS box currently and the CPU may be a little weak for that. But that can of course be changed.

Otoh I plan to be off to places where I don't expect to have a reliably high bandwidth internet connection available. And carrying a Raspi, an HDMI cable, a power supply, a remote and a small hard drive is not too much of a hassle.

 

[mattbbpl]

Ah, that sounds interesting. I have no need to do transcoding on my FreeNAS box currently and the CPU may be a little weak for that. But that can of course be changed. :)

Otoh I plan to be off to places where I don't expect to have a reliably high bandwidth internet connection available. And carrying a Raspi, an HDMI cable, a power supply, a remote and a small hard drive is not too much of a hassle.

In that case, just set up a separate profile in your Kodi installation that points to your hard drive as a source and place what you want for your trip there before you leave. You could use the Plex/Emby Synch feature from a mobile client for this as well, but that feature requires a paid subscription (but note that they'd appreciate the support, and the subscription is worth the price of entry).