I think I agree.
Now, the hardware of the Mini X+, plus a video card, could be used in this fashion–but it’d mean installing a whole new operating system and running Kodi or something similar. TrueNAS really isn’t the droid he’s looking for.
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Ok, then are you saying there’s a way for the Mini X+ to connect to my AVR (which powers and controls my 12 speakers) such that movies stored on the Mini X+ can be played through the AVR to the TV with sound from my speakers and if so, exactly what’s required? This is my original question. Thanks.
I don’t know how many times, or in how many ways, you need to hear this in order for it to sink in (because I think we’ve all been very clear), but your NAS will not play media. Some other device (like your smart TV) can play media that’s stored on your NAS, streaming that media across your home network.
For most of us (@etorix excepted), the way we handle that is to install a media server on the NAS, and a corresponding client wherever you want to play your media. The most popular media server is Plex (though there are other options), and there’s a client for your smart TV. Here’s how you’d install the server:
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I agree with dan (just to back them up, not that it should be needed).
You CANNOT directly connect your Mini X+ to either your TV or your AVR for media playback.
It is not designed to do that. It will not work.
Your Mini X+ can only be configured to operate as a media server that will store (STORE, not PLAY) media for other devices over your network.
Think of your Mini X+ running Plex Server (although it doesn’t need to be Plex, other options are available) as a shelf that you store and organise your DVDs on. The shelf cannot play DVDs, it is not a DVD player. The shelf is used to store and organise your DVDs. When you want to play a DVD, you take it off the shelf, put it in the DVD player (which is connected to your TV and AVR), and watch it.
The Mini X+ is the shelf, not the DVD player. Streaming the media over your network from the Mini X+ to your TV is the equivalent of you taking the DVD off the shelf and putting it in your DVD player.
Your TV needs to be connected to your home network, and you need another component, such as the Plex Client (again, other options are available), installed on your TV to act as the DVD player.
I desperately don’t want to come across as condescending, but it sounds like you have a pretty sweet AV setup, however you’re not up to speed on the IT side of things. Setting up, configuring and maintaining TrueNAS is a complex task, as is running a system like Plex (which, imho, is a lot easier than alternatives like Jellyfin). You’ll also need to know about networking to get your server and playback devices talking to each other properly.
We’re here to help, but be prepared for a steep learning curve, I think.
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I greatly appreciate the expert assistance and apologize for my low comprehension. I built an HTPC from scratch 15 years ago and rather than upgrade it, my local consultant, who says he’s booked until March, recommended the Mini X+ as a replacement. I thought I could handle it, but I’m 68 with the onset of Alzheimer’s and just can’t do it myself.
If anyone here would like to help me, offline via phone or video chat, to set up the system, I’ll pay you.
Thanks again for your time.
There is absolutely no need to apologise, you’ve done nothing wrong. Providing support like this, probably thousands of miles away from each other and not being able to see the equipment is always a challenge, for all involved.
Now, not to criticise the Mini X+ (which is a great piece of equipment!), but your local consultant has given you bad advice. The Mini X+ is not a Home Theatre PC, and it never will be. You’re going to need to learn a lot to get it configured and, more importantly, continue to maintain it as a media server. Personally, I don’t think that’s the right path for you.
I think you need to stick with what you’re already familiar with, and build (or buy) a new HTPC. That will do what you want it to do and, more importantly, how you want to do it. I don’t know what the distance selling regulations are like where you are, but I’d return the Mini X+ for a refund if you can. It’s a perfectly good piece of hardware, but it’s not fit for purpose in this case.
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Thanks for the advice. I bought from Amazon and I have a Prime account so returns within a month are not a problem. If I can’t get the consultant to set it up soon, it’s going back.
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As @WiteWulf wrote, the MiniX will need maintenance. This means updates and other things that are special to the filesystem Truenas uses. Also the initial setup needs to be done in a way that is safe.
Not doing so can lead to dataloss.
I would suggest returning it and building or buying a HTPC that you can maintain yourself aswell.
Good luck @zich6, I hope it works out for you!
…or create a SMB share and watch content with VLC on the G5
YOu can use that HTPC with the MiniX+.YOu have to remove the storage that stored yout media files and mount a Samba share on the old HTPC .
After you did so, you can use your system exactly as before.
Something worth keeping in mind, I think, is that the world has changed a bit since you built that HTPC 15 years ago (or I built mine closer to 20 years ago). Obviously this is true in many ways, but I’m specifically referring to the idea of the HTPC, because that doesn’t seem to be nearly as popular now as it was then.
I’m using HTPC here to refer to a computer you plug into your TV and/or receiver, that stores your media, and that directly plays it back to the TV/receiver. And it isn’t that this doesn’t exist any more, but it doesn’t seem (just from what I’ve seen) to be nearly as common as it was 15-20 years ago. But there is software out there to do this; one popular option is Kodi (formerly XBMC, and before that X-Box Media Center), and a relatively-easy to run that is to use LibreELEC.
If you want to watch your media on your TV today, the most common way to do it is to use a media server. Plex is the most popular; Emby and Jellyfin are other popular options. Plex is commercial software, free to use with a limited feature set, and requiring a paid subscription for more comprehensive features.[1] Emby started as open-source software, but has moved to a more-commercial model. Jellyfin is completely free, but is missing some of the “convenience” features (most notably, it doesn’t have any way to allow you to access your media from outside your home).
As we described above, the media server software runs on a computer on your network. That computer stores all your media, and the server software catalogs it and makes it available over your network. Other devices on your network (your TV, your smartphone, your laptop, a Roku, etc.) then run client software that connects to the media server, provides a user interface to browse your media, and actually plays the media. With this architecture, you can play your media on multiple devices (even simultaneously), not just the one display you have plugged into the one HTPC.
All the media servers I named can run on TrueNAS, but I really wouldn’t recommend you use TrueNAS if that’s your only use for it.
Plex will strongly encourage you to register an account with them. This account isn’t mandatory to use their software, but it’s probably a good idea. The account is free. ↩︎
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Thanks for all the good advice.
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Well, the consultant, now ex-consultant, who recommended the Mini X+ for my home theater (I took very good notes and had never heard of TrueNAS before) now says he never said that and that the Mini X+ won’t work. So, it’s going back and I’ll start shopping for an HTPC or server, like the UGREEN DXP4800, that I can use my movie hard drives in.
Thanks so much for your collective assistance. You’re a fine bunch of humans.
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If you return your MiniX+ maybe you can try to just buy a simple, dual HDD bay DAS box, with 2x 20+TB HDD-s in a mirror and connecti it to yout G5 TV. Then install VLC or KODI on it and play your movies this way.
(assuming that the G5 is the only device you use for video playback.)
All this you can buy for less than 200USD for the DAS, about 300 USD each for the 2 HDDs.
That is 800 USD.
Something like this:
The TrueNAS is boxed up and ready to be picked up, but I’m keeping the 4, 8TB hard drives. One of the complications I have is that all sources I use, BluRay and the source I’ll use to play my movies on hard drive through must go through a Dennon receiver via HDMI. Unless I’m wrong, this is the only way to use my 8.2 speaker system. So, the enclosure that houses my drives must have an HDMI out, which the Yottamaster doesn’t appear to have.
I’m currently looking at this UGREEN which allows more bays for expansion, as well as upgraded RAM and SSD cache slots and has an HDMI out. What do you think?
“So, the enclosure that houses my drives must have an HDMI out, which the Yottamaster doesn’t appear to have.”
YOu must build your own bow then!
I dont know about any out of the box solutions, that suport NAS only function with a proper GPU.
Thanks, but I think this UGREEN does.
Ugreen only supports HDMI casting with its own player; other players don’t work.
You don’t need to change any device. You just need to install the app on your smart TV and use LAN streaming instead of HDMI. There’s no HDMI involved, understand? It can only stream through the app, unless you install something like Kodi.