FreeNAS plus KODI Advice

[BKK]

I'm interested in setting up a system to store backups from my home PCs and to also serve as a KODI box.

The PCs to backup would be running Windows 10 and Windows 7.

A friend of my setup a FreeNAS system and is generally happy but he has had several issues backing up Windows PCs. I'm not sure what specifically the issue is but he said it has to do with permissions.

Apparently KODI is supported by I'm not sure how well it works, I also have concerns about backing up Windows PCs to FreeNAS.

If anyone can give me their opinion I would appreciate it. Is what I want to do a mistake? If not can this be done in a reasonably straightforward manner, I'm not an expert but I can do the basics. Is there a better solution?

Thank You

 

[diedrichg]

FreeNAS can only run as a server for Emby or Plex. Kodi would need to run on a client connected to the TV. The Kodi client could then connect to a share on the FreeNAS pool or you could use the Emby or Plex plugins in Kodi.

As for permissions; that's simply learning how to use your server. There are more topics on this forum on permissions than anyone would ever need. You would just need to do some research.

As for backups. Do you mean a full disk image? Simple file syncing? NextCloud, Resilio, Syncthing, SyncBack, SyncToy, Crashplan, SpiderOak, BackBlaze, Carbonite, Acronis, and on, and on, and on... they are either directly available as plugins in FreeNAS or have the capability to sync to your pool within Windows. How you want to manage your backup solutions is up to you.

 

[mattbbpl]

Diedrichg has it right - Kodi is the client machine. These usually run on a low power PC like an AMD e-350 or a Raspberry Pi.

As for the FreeNAS setup, I'm going to HIGHLY recommend using Emby rather than Plex because it integrates with Kodi so much better. Just install the Emby plugin on the FreeNAS server, install the Emby addon onto your Kodi clients, and then sign into Emby from the Kodi client. The sync will occur and all will be well.

The nice thing about using Emby as the back end is it offers the advantages of Plex (external media access) while also replacing the complicated MySQL setup in Kodi for a centralized library and offers direct Kodi database integration (which means all your Emby stored media is available to Kodi addons such as the excellent PseudoTVLive addon).

 

[pirateghost]

Diedrichg has it right - Kodi is the client machine. These usually run on a low power PC like an AMD e-350 or a Raspberry Pi.

As for the FreeNAS setup, I'm going to HIGHLY recommend using Emby rather than Plex because it integrates with Kodi so much better. Just install the Emby plugin on the FreeNAS server, install the Emby addon onto your Kodi clients, and then sign into Emby from the Kodi client. The sync will occur and all will be well.

The nice thing about using Emby as the back end is it offers the advantages of Plex (external media access) while also replacing the complicated MySQL setup in Kodi for a centralized library and offers direct Kodi database integration (which means all your Emby stored media is available to Kodi addons such as the excellent PseudoTVLive addon).

And now you can use Plex in Kodi...

I don't appreciate the paywall on emby to watch/cast my own media from my phone/tablet

 

[mattbbpl]

And now you can use Plex in Kodi...

I don't appreciate the paywall on emby to watch/cast my own media from my phone/tablet

Has Plex changed the way they integrate with Kodi recently? They used to just display the media through the Plex plugin, which is not what Emby does - Emby sucks the data into Kodi's base database which is a world of difference.

There is no paywall for Emby's external access - I use it all the time and I'm not a Premiere member. Their Premiere FAQ makes no mention of it either, which leads me to believe I'm not grandfathered in to something that would otherwise be behind a paywall. Perhaps you're referring to the CloudSync feature which locally downloads the media to a mobile device through the Emby interface for offline viewing?

 

[pirateghost]

That's what I get when I try to play from my phone.

 

[pirateghost]

Has Plex changed the way they integrate with Kodi recently? They used to just display the media through the Plex plugin, which is not what Emby does - Emby sucks the data into Kodi's base database which is a world of difference.

There is no paywall for Emby's external access - I use it all the time and I'm not a Premiere member. Their Premiere FAQ makes no mention of it either, which leads me to believe I'm not grandfathered in to something that would otherwise be behind a paywall. Perhaps you're referring to the CloudSync feature which locally downloads the media to a mobile device through the Emby interface for offline viewing?

https://www.plex.tv/apps/computer/kodi/#anchor

 

[mattbbpl]

https://www.plex.tv/apps/computer/kodi/#anchor

That doesn't look like it's using the Kodi interface/library. Is it accessing the metadata through the Plex plugin, or is the metadata integrated into Kodi directly? I don't recognize the skin (and it's explicitly branded and Plex), so it looks like it's the Plex plugin at face value.

I just tested external access again with my phone and it's working fine. I'm not sure if you're trying cloud sync or what.

It seems we are not referring to matching endpoints/features, perhaps (such as a miscommunication on what direct integration to the Kodi database means and perhaps a cross-reference on feature terminology or a different setup for external access - I don't know, it's hard to say at this point).

 

[pirateghost]

I don't know how Plex plugin on Kodi is working, as I have zero use for Kodi, but I just know it was in the headlines when the Plex plugin was released recently. This isn't the old plexbmc plugin.

As for playing on my phone, I am literally opening the emby app, LOCAL network, not external, and browsing to a show and hitting play. There is no syncing that I'm trying to do or anything. I can't use my phone as a remote or cast it or anything.

 

[Glorious1]

FreeNAS can only run as a server for Emby or Plex. Kodi would need to run on a client connected to the TV.

What actually prevents one from running Kodi directly on FreeNAS? Is there no way to set up a server motherboard to have HDMI and digital audio out? Because it would be nice not to have to maintain both FreeNAS and the Kodi machine.

 

[Ericloewe]

What actually prevents one from running Kodi directly on FreeNAS?

The fact that FreeNAS only has a text mode console.

Is there no way to set up a server motherboard to have HDMI and digital audio out?

tl;dr - no. Maybe when FreeNAS 10 gets stable PCIe passthrough for VMs.

 

[Glorious1]

tl;dr - no. Maybe when FreeNAS 10 gets stable PCIe passthrough for VMs.

That's technobabble to me ;) But I look forward to that possibility. It would be nice to be able to monitor bootup on the TV too. I'm amazed that the frozen console image provided in the IPMI screen is too small to decipher - it's nearly useless. And getting that KVM stuff going works, but has it's problems.

 

[pirateghost]

That's technobabble to me ;) But I look forward to that possibility. It would be nice to be able to monitor bootup on the TV too. I'm amazed that the frozen console image provided in the IPMI screen is too small to decipher - it's nearly useless. And getting that KVM stuff going works, but has it's problems.

Huh?

You can click on that and get a bigger screen with live output. You aren't limited to a frozen image...

 

[Glorious1]

Huh?

You can click on that and get a bigger screen with live output. You aren't limited to a frozen image...

Yes, that's the KVM stuff I mentioned. On my Supermicro system, clicking on it downloads a file (launch.jnlp) that I have to go find and open. It is used to start java, which runs the KVM viewer (ATEN Java iKVM Viewer). It takes about 8 clicks to get that going, and it's pretty buggy. Also I have to keep my computer running an old version of Java, because it won't work with newer versions. If there is a better way than this, I'm all ears. Maybe there's a better way to deal with it on Windows than on Mac.

 

[diedrichg]

Ah! Mac strikes again. Yeah, the Java KVM runs just fine with one click and no other interaction with the latest Java on Windows.

 

[pirateghost]

I don't use Windows. It runs fine on Linux

 

[Glorious1]

OK, you guys stimulated me to look into it.

I think the only Mac-specific thing is Gatekeeper, which doesn't like you to open unsigned apps. You can green-light an app like launch.jnlp, but since it is downloaded new each time, that doesn't persist. But I managed to disable Gatekeeper so now it's just OK in a dialog.

Then there is an invalid certificate warning that requires some rigamarole. I can get rid of that by accessing IPMI via http instead of https. Is that what you guys do?

Then there is this warning. Do you guys get this?

So now it's down to 2 clicks. Much easier!

 

[pirateghost]

I don't have those problems. It just prompts me to open the jnlp. I use Firefox.

 

[diedrichg]

In Windows I get the last image asking to Run.

 

[JohnDigital]

Freenas server X Raspberry Pi (openelec and Android Kodi) clients / Plex Remote capabilities = TV bliss

This is how I do it. Basically Freenas serves the media, it doesnt play it, you need a client machine to do that and there are several (Fire, Tablets, Phones, Pi's, full blown computers, etc.). Me personally, I have a hard wired Raspberry Pi at every TV in my home. Run a MySQL database in a jail and all your local Kodi machines share the media and databases on the Freenas machine via an advancedsettings.xml file. The easiest way is to get it all working like you like on one and clone one Raspberry Pi to the others. Then run a Plex Server jail which also works on the same media to watch anything away from your house. It works very slick. There is also a competitior to Kodi and OpenELEC on Raspberry Pi in the RasPlex distro for those who prefer Plex to Kodi. I have yet to use it, mainly because Ive been with Kodi now for awhile. But Plex does rock, especially for those who are often away from home. Long story short, dont expect a Freenas box to also play the media. Maybe someday, but not now.

A Pi3 will run you a total of about $60 bucks with MicroSD, sweet case, PSU, then fire up either a Plex or Kodi flavor on it.
You can watch/listen to media from Plex right over a web browser from any web connected device. As long as you have a decent broadband connection both UP and DOWN.
As far as backups? Acronis bootable version does backups (images) directly to and from a samba share (Freenas). Boot up the DVD, do the backup or restore from a Freenas datastore, reboot as normal. It too works pretty slick. As has been pointed out there are numerous others as well.

Hope this helps.