Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles
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Pretty fun project I am working on
So my family owns a limousine company. My stepfather was asking me if there is a way to view hundreds to thousands of movies inside of our buses just as a part of the experience their customers receive (no charge). We own a license that allows us to redistribute the media that would be streamed to the TV and also any of their mobile devices. So I started thinking about the best way to achieve this.
There are 15 buses that we want to install this in. there is a compartment that is big enough to fit a small form factor PC and an audio system we can plug into. My stepfather wants to try to keep each to $1000 if possible. I haven't been able to verify what router they are using inside of the buses, but I am told it should be sufficient. I'm not actually sure if this is the case but for the purposes of this post let's say it is.
My idea:
If the user downloads the Plex app it's supposed to use the local address when possible. Provided they are connected to the Wifi in the bus, this should be fine.
Plex Server: Intel NUC with 2 TB SSD installed. Curious what specific model you guys would think it worth it here.
One of the more important details is in regards to Transcoding. I would likely just turn off transcoding and pick a widely supported file format like .mp4.
I'm going to purchase some stuff for a demo soon and I'll let you guys know how well this worked.
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@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
Plex Server: Intel NUC with 2 TB SSD installed. Curious what specific model you guys would think it worth it here.
Use Raspberry Pi. Uses a lot less power, costs less, will run Plex without breaking a sweat.
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@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
One of the more important details is in regards to Transcoding. I would likely just turn off transcoding and pick a widely supported file format like .mp4.
Yes, you don't really want to be transcoding.
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@scottalanmiller said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
Plex Server: Intel NUC with 2 TB SSD installed. Curious what specific model you guys would think it worth it here.
Use Raspberry Pi. Uses a lot less power, costs less, will run Plex without breaking a sweat.
Yeah I have already purchased one to test it
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@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@scottalanmiller said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
Plex Server: Intel NUC with 2 TB SSD installed. Curious what specific model you guys would think it worth it here.
Use Raspberry Pi. Uses a lot less power, costs less, will run Plex without breaking a sweat.
Yeah I have already purchased one to test it
Just get the USB to M2 NVM adapter or the SATA adapter and put in a 2TB drive and you are good to go.
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@scottalanmiller said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@scottalanmiller said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
Plex Server: Intel NUC with 2 TB SSD installed. Curious what specific model you guys would think it worth it here.
Use Raspberry Pi. Uses a lot less power, costs less, will run Plex without breaking a sweat.
Yeah I have already purchased one to test it
Just get the USB to M2 NVM adapter or the SATA adapter and put in a 2TB drive and you are good to go.
Trying to find a mount for it. Needs to be clean and protected.
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@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@scottalanmiller said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@scottalanmiller said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
Plex Server: Intel NUC with 2 TB SSD installed. Curious what specific model you guys would think it worth it here.
Use Raspberry Pi. Uses a lot less power, costs less, will run Plex without breaking a sweat.
Yeah I have already purchased one to test it
Just get the USB to M2 NVM adapter or the SATA adapter and put in a 2TB drive and you are good to go.
Trying to find a mount for it. Needs to be clean and protected.
https://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=raspberry+pi&dwh=155e66aafb5e921
Check your local library; mine has free 3d printing.
Just to be clear, the plex server is in each bus?
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@Grey said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@scottalanmiller said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@scottalanmiller said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
Plex Server: Intel NUC with 2 TB SSD installed. Curious what specific model you guys would think it worth it here.
Use Raspberry Pi. Uses a lot less power, costs less, will run Plex without breaking a sweat.
Yeah I have already purchased one to test it
Just get the USB to M2 NVM adapter or the SATA adapter and put in a 2TB drive and you are good to go.
Trying to find a mount for it. Needs to be clean and protected.
https://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=raspberry+pi&dwh=155e66aafb5e921
Check your local library; mine has free 3d printing.
Just to be clear, the plex server is in each bus?
Yes one in each bus. Eventually I will try to sync all of the hard drives together. They all end up in the same place on the same network. Just working on the demo right now though.
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@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@Grey said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@scottalanmiller said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@scottalanmiller said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
Plex Server: Intel NUC with 2 TB SSD installed. Curious what specific model you guys would think it worth it here.
Use Raspberry Pi. Uses a lot less power, costs less, will run Plex without breaking a sweat.
Yeah I have already purchased one to test it
Just get the USB to M2 NVM adapter or the SATA adapter and put in a 2TB drive and you are good to go.
Trying to find a mount for it. Needs to be clean and protected.
https://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=raspberry+pi&dwh=155e66aafb5e921
Check your local library; mine has free 3d printing.
Just to be clear, the plex server is in each bus?
Yes one in each bus. Eventually I will try to sync all of the hard drives together. They all end up in the same place on the same network. Just working on the demo right now though.
Should work fine as long as you enable guest mode from server settings, though all users will be able to see watch history for guest. /shrug
Set your wifi to have a capture page that directs users to the web page and then there's no need for the plex app, which would require internet access to the apple/google store.
https://syncthing.net/ should work to sync devices. You could consider a vpn config to the buses and cron the openvpn connections from each pi to be at regular intervals to account for the buses being in places without a signal.
Use the cost savings to buy a 3d printer.
Make holders for the seats so people can place them on the headrest and view handsfree. -
@Grey said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
Set your wifi to have a capture page that directs users to the web page and then there's no need for the plex app, which would require internet access to the apple/google store.
Then they are playing it through a browser. Possibly a worse experience. I would actually poll this
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@Grey said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
https://syncthing.net/ should work to sync devices. You could consider a vpn config to the buses and cron the openvpn connections from each pi to be at regular intervals to account for the buses being in places without a signal.
We have cellular in the bus. He wants syncing to occur when they are connected to Wifi which I have to figure out
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@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@Grey said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
Set your wifi to have a capture page that directs users to the web page and then there's no need for the plex app, which would require internet access to the apple/google store.
Then they are playing it through a browser. Definitely a worse experience.
But it avoids the app install issue and you can still full-screen the videos. Otherwise, with the app, people have to install (need internet), create accounts on plex, be confused on connecting to a server that's a local network... But, hey, you're in IT and you love tickets, right?
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@Grey said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@Grey said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
Set your wifi to have a capture page that directs users to the web page and then there's no need for the plex app, which would require internet access to the apple/google store.
Then they are playing it through a browser. Definitely a worse experience.
But it avoids the app install issue and you can still full-screen the videos. Otherwise, with the app, people have to install (need internet), create accounts on Plex, be confused on connecting to a server that's a local network... But, hey, you're in IT and you love tickets, right?
They are connected to the mobile router. Shouldn't be a problem to dl it. I'll poll users to see what they prefer though
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@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@Grey said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@Grey said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
Set your wifi to have a capture page that directs users to the web page and then there's no need for the plex app, which would require internet access to the apple/google store.
Then they are playing it through a browser. Definitely a worse experience.
But it avoids the app install issue and you can still full-screen the videos. Otherwise, with the app, people have to install (need internet), create accounts on Plex, be confused on connecting to a server that's a local network... But, hey, you're in IT and you love tickets, right?
They are connected to the mobile router. Shouldn't be a problem to dl it. I'll poll users to see what they prefer.
Try this: can your average grandma get the video to play? Ask your least competent driver to do some troubleshooting as if you weren't there.
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@Grey said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@Grey said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@Grey said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
Set your wifi to have a capture page that directs users to the web page and then there's no need for the plex app, which would require internet access to the apple/google store.
Then they are playing it through a browser. Definitely a worse experience.
But it avoids the app install issue and you can still full-screen the videos. Otherwise, with the app, people have to install (need internet), create accounts on Plex, be confused on connecting to a server that's a local network... But, hey, you're in IT and you love tickets, right?
They are connected to the mobile router. Shouldn't be a problem to dl it. I'll poll users to see what they prefer.
Try this: can your average grandma get the video to play? Ask your least competent driver to do some troubleshooting as if you weren't there.
These buses are being used specifically for college tours so its mostly young kids looking at colleges with their parents
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@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@Grey said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@Grey said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@wirestyle22 said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@Grey said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
Set your wifi to have a capture page that directs users to the web page and then there's no need for the plex app, which would require internet access to the apple/google store.
Then they are playing it through a browser. Definitely a worse experience.
But it avoids the app install issue and you can still full-screen the videos. Otherwise, with the app, people have to install (need internet), create accounts on Plex, be confused on connecting to a server that's a local network... But, hey, you're in IT and you love tickets, right?
They are connected to the mobile router. Shouldn't be a problem to dl it. I'll poll users to see what they prefer.
Try this: can your average grandma get the video to play? Ask your least competent driver to do some troubleshooting as if you weren't there.
These buses are being used specifically for college tours so its mostly young kids looking at colleges with their parents
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You definitely do not want to use plex. It is not designed for this.
I don’t have a solution to replace it, but plex is not the right solution.
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@JaredBusch said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
You definitely do not want to use plex. It is not designed for this.
I don’t have a solution to replace it, but plex is not the right solution.
I agree, it feels like this would be easy on the server side, but really weird and complicated for the end users.
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@scottalanmiller said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
@JaredBusch said in Running Plex in Multiple Vehicles:
You definitely do not want to use plex. It is not designed for this.
I don’t have a solution to replace it, but plex is not the right solution.
I agree, it feels like this would be easy on the server side, but really weird and complicated for the end users.
Which is why I said you'd have to limit to web browsers, really.
I think, from an ease of use perspective, @op could just have a tomcat server with links to the videos in a player format, buuuuuut he said ....
way to view hundreds to thousands of movies inside of our buses
Soooo... plex would actually work on the guest setting with web browsers and a simple wifi guest portal to redirect.
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Instead of Plex what about using Kodi on a Raspberry Pi device?
https://kodi.tv/
https://kodi.wiki/view/Raspberry_Pi
