Linux media server: Which software with transcoding?

[BlueWind]

Hello.

I realize this is a forum dedicated to FreeNAS, but I am building my own NAS device out of an ARM board plus an attached HDD, and I need some help. I have installed Debian Linux on the device, and now I am looking for a software package that is capable of upnp/dlna streaming support. I have tried minidlna, but my Samsung LED TV was unable to play certain video formats (i.e. mkv). Which program do you recommend in place of minidlna that also has subtitles and transcoding support (can on-the-fly convert videos from one format to another that TV supports)?

Suggestions? Which one does FreeNAS use?

 

[cyberjock]

Plex Media Server does transcoding...

 

[BlueWind]

But that one is proprietary (not free/open source). Any FOSS alternatives?

 

[joeschmuck]

I think your best solutions are:
1) Run some sort of transcoding media server on a separate computer which can stream the media to your devices.
2) Use Handbrake to re-encode your media into a compatible format which all your devices can accept and use MiniDLNA or the Plex DLNA server.

I use option 2 and all my media is converted to one video format wrapped in a MKV container. My Samsung TV accepts H.264 Level 4.0 without issue. I also run it all at 720p which it really fine for normal viewing.

 

[joelmusicman]

Joe, could you describe your workflow?
Were you able to automate the processes so you didn't have to babysit each conversion?
Were you able to do all of this on FreeNAS or did you use a different PC?

I apologize for the interrogation!

 

[cyberjock]

But that one is proprietary (not free/open source). Any FOSS alternatives?

Uhh... it is free AND open source. The code isn't open to the general public, but if you want to actively develop for it and can validate some credentials that you are knowledgeable, then you could probably get access to the code.

 

[joelmusicman]

It's also an unofficial fork of XBMC since they used a lot of the code. Sharing media across the internet is pretty killer though.

 

[cyberjock]

Ok, pardon me for sounding like a jerk... I'm really curious about this...

So how is a fork "official" or "unofficial"? More often than not a fork happens because some developers are unhappy with the development environment or the direction the project is heading and thinks they have a better way.

 

[joelmusicman]

I just "unofficially" used that term because the Plex team doesn't really advertise that fact very much. Great bit of software regardless.

 

[cyberjock]

Aww.. I thought there was some cool story. :(

 

[joeschmuck]

Joe, could you describe your workflow?
Were you able to automate the processes so you didn't have to babysit each conversion?
Were you able to do all of this on FreeNAS or did you use a different PC?

I apologize for the interrogation!

Handbrake is free and you can queue up as many files to convert as you want. You can even customize each conversion if you want. I'm not going to give you a lesson on how to use Handbrake, I'm sure you can read the instructions for that utility and figure it out. It took me a few hours to set it up on my Windoze 7 machine and about a day to get the format I was happy with. I already gave you the key things like the video format and wrap it in an MKV file. It will be obvious in Handbrake. Last thing, I always selected Pass-Thru for AC3 and DTS audio. You can select what you like.

 

[joelmusicman]

Yeah, I'm not a novice at Handbrake, but it gets tedious pretty quickly when I have a library of 1800 movies... :)

 

[joeschmuck]

My Samsung TV has the free Plex App also, I had to add it. You could just go that route if you can add the app.

 

[joelmusicman]

Yeah, I've just been using XBMC pointed to the share folder for now, but I wanted to get Plex working so I can get access to my girlfriend's house. My little G3220 can't handle real-time transcoding.

 

[cyberjock]

Yeah, I'm not a novice at Handbrake, but it gets tedious pretty quickly when I have a library of 1800 movies... :)

I've seriously considered doing some kind of general script where you throw your files in a folder and run a script and it automatically encodes them for you with the settings you choose. Handbrake IS available for FreeBSD too, so this could all be done in a jail!

 

[joeschmuck]

I didn't know Handbrake was on the FreeBSD platform. That's a good idea for someone who needs to convert a very large amount of data and you aren't doing it over a slow Ethernet connection. I'm curious about the interface, if it would all be CLI. That would be fine with me. I think I could use it to make all my movies into a very small size for tablet use for my wife.

 

[cyberjock]

Yeah, I'm thinking I might put a script together and do a little guide on using it.

 

[joeschmuck]

That would be helpful to many people who don't have enough horsepower to transcode on the fly.

 

[joelmusicman]

Yeah, I'm thinking I might put a script together and do a little guide on using it.

Great idea, and I already found one with a little googling. It was written in 2010 so it might need some updates though.

http://www.surlyjake.com/blog/2010/08/10/script-to-run-handbrake-recursively-through-a-folder-tree/