I am most impressed with Plex, not so much the others. Have been running them all the last couple days and since I have 3 Rokus it works well.

Plex has Flac compatibility and has done a decent job with my audio.

Does anybody have the lifetime subscription with Plex as well as AnyDVD?

Looks like I can configure Win8 in a server like fashion so I just need to add a butt load of drives to it, am I wrong in thinking this way?

Or would it be better to still build my own?

AnyDVD is the shiz to the nit!

Thank you all for the opines thus far.

Win8 is not a server OS. You can make it host files, but it is the wrong tool. I can drive screws with a hammer, but the result is ugly.

Microsoft is getting close to end of life of Windows Home Server, but it is still available. It offers tons of benefits over a Win8 machine. Go to the Microsoft website and look up windows home server.

If you then decide that a machine that will back up all your other pc's nightly automatically, will act as a server and VPN gateway to the network, as well as serve audio and video files, then go ahead and learn the lessons of using a PC OS as a server.

For example, on Win8, when you get to the physical size limit for a drive, and start using the next, how will you tell your software where to find the file? Will you manually keep track of drive letters, and figure out which to get the file from? In a server OS, drive letters are a logical construct, and a drive letter can consist of multiple physical drives. Just one benefit.

Thank you for the bitch slap, felt kind of refreshing!

Appreciate it very much,saved a big mistake.

 I'm still using the WHS1. I like the fact that it has file duplication, something that stupid MS took out of WHS2. What I don't like about WHS1 is that I can't upgrade to WHS2.
Even so, WHS2 is way better than any standard OS system, and being Windows it means that most people can navigate it with ease.

One of the largest forums for WHS that I found is, or at least was when I was setting up my WHS1 and looking at go/no-go WHS2 decision, this: forum.wegotserved.com/

I concur. I'm still running WHS1 myself. The only option once Microsoft hits "end of life" for WHS, will be to go to one of their small business server products... which just don't fit the purpose as well. Hopefully Microsoft will realize that WHS was just another instance of them offering a product before the market was ready for it, and they'll give another go at the home server market. The thing that worries me, is that they believe cloud content is the future, and home users won't buy into having a dedicated server. Big companies.... never sure what crazy decision they'll make.


Yup, WeGotServed is a great forum. A great resource. Another great resource is Paul McFedries book, "Microsoft Windows Home Server Unleashed". If he doesn't tell you in the book how to do it with WHS, then it probably isn't possible. LOL

what about plex and a mac os server with external hard drives...

and it seems that roku or apple tv would work as clients

and the real question is what software do you use to rip media and what file format is best with plex... with roku as the clients?

i went to the plex web site and i just felt overwhelmed and got frustrated...

BCF, WHS1 is the one I posted earlier about not running 24/7. With file duplication it seems that bitch never sleeps.

Also, something I ran into 4-5 months ago. WHS1 does NOT support HDDs larger than 2TB; ask me how I know.

for me plex was the least overwhelming to use of the links in earlier posts.I bought a subscription to that one.

AnyDVDHD is the shiz to rip to storage, just deciding which subscription to buy, kind of not tending to the life time, one because once i am done ripping these i dont see myself buying to many more discs, and two how much longer are dvds going to be around?

I have been streaming most everything that is new.

Between Netflix and VUDU they have gotten most bases covered. I do not buy anything that is stored in a cloud, clouds go away at some point and you are left with vapor.

I obtain all my media legally, have to many artists in my circle.

So at this point is Plex and AnyDVDHD and i already have 3 ROKU's so now its just building the server and server software, looks like MHS2012 at this point.

AppGeeker DVD Ripper does a great job, and allows my DVDs/Blurays to be safely kept away from 'little' fingers, and also means easy access on a whim.

[Link: appgeeker.com]

Looks like somebody is plugging their own product.

Lots of typo's on the website.

I figured as much thats why i did not even click the link or respond, but you cant blame a guy for trying to get HIS word out there.

You could just use MakeMKV to rip the main movie down to a MKV file and strip out all of the junk. If you use MakeMKV it doesn't need ANYDVD.

 Might be too simple for your needs, but the WD Live TV hub is worth taking a look at.  Under $200 on Amazon, it has a 1tb hard-drive built in that acts as a NAS (I point Sonos at it) and will playback uncompressed DVD and Bluray rips as well as about any other file format you throw at it.  Also has USB ports so you can add additional storage.  They have a cheaper box without the hard drive that will stream off the main unit and is wireless.  I have a couple of them at home and they work great for what they are.  I've run three streams off of it concurently with no issue.

www.amazon.com/Live-Hub-1TB-Media-Center/dp/B004GK0GKO

I have a WHS1 Machine, and it powers down drives with no issue. Do you have the service pack installed? It does have options for powering down the drives if I remember correctly. I believe they are enabled to power down by default. Might you have disabled them?


Yes, correct, it does not. WHS1 is getting pretty long in the tooth. I believe that WHS2 does support larger drives, but if you want the file mirroring/software raid option, you'll have to buy that as an add-in from a vendor.