Multimedia station - file server - docker host

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1

I got an old PC from a family member who bought a new one, and I would like to use this PC as a combined file server/NAS, multimedia station, install the …ARR/qbittorrent suite on it, use it to run a few docker applications, and be able to access the desktop remotely from my laptop, smartphone and if possible from my chromecast with Google TV.
The PC will be connected via HDMI to my TV, and I also would like to play media files that are stored on this PC using my chromecast with Google TV that is in another room but on the same internal network.
I don’t need to access it from the internet, but it will have an internet connection for the …ARR suite and to view youtube movies.
Occasional use as desktop PC.

As I already use Manjaro KDE on my laptop, I was thinking of installing the same OS on this PC

Instead of trying out a bunch of applications, I would like to use your knowledge to see what applications are best suited for this purpose.

  • What RDP client/ server (VNC, Teamviewer, …)that works on both PC’s, and on smartphone and on chromecast with Google TV

  • What multimedia player (VLC, Kodi, ???)

  • What multimedia software to play/stream movies on chromecast with Google TV

  • Howto access files on this PC (Samba, NFS, other or NAS application

  • Other interesting applications for this server ???

2

I would strongly advise against using Manjaro for a multimedia station. Especially if you want it to run consistently for years.

I would recommend:

These are headless servers that can be managed via the browser.

Using Manjaro as Multimedia Center is possible, no doubt, but it would involve a lot of tinkering and there are already solution for this use case.

2 Likes
3

Thanks for your reply.
I see that Openmediavault is based on Debian, and without GUI, and it can be used via a browser on other devices.
As I also want to use this PC to view movies directly on the TV that is connected to its HDMI port, and also occasionally use it as a desktop PC, is it possible to also add a GUI like KDE and media player software like VLC or a Kodi client ?
Is the full Debian software repository available on OMV, so I also can install things like Sonar, and the other ARR software suites ?
And does OMV also support streaming to devices like Chromecast with Google TV ?

4

No, but a Smart-TV should have DLNA for example. I said, it is headless. Headless means no video output, only network access.

You should use docker here, not the repo of debian.

If it supports an common network protocol, it should work.

Anyway, if you are looking for a Desktop, use a point release Distro for Multimedia Box, which would be mostly used as “Blackbox” that just works.

Probably you think different or you need an egg-laying Woolmilksow:

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:man_shrugging:

5

The TV is a first generation smart TV, most of the apps do not work anymore and are unsupported, and everything in the “smart” part of the TV is slow as hell, thus unusable.

I guess the main usage is connecting the PC to my TV, is to play multimedia content on the TV, occasionally use it as a desktop.
Besides that, I also want to use it as a NAS to backup files from my laptop and phone, I think installing Samba server component will do the job.
I also want to be able to view video content that is on the disk of this PC, on other devices like chromecast with Google TV or on my phone.
I also want to move the Sonarr-Radarr-Qbittorrent deamons, that are now running on my laptop, to this fixed PC.

So I gues I’ll need the egg-laying Woolmilksow, starting from a desktop OS, and add the server deamons to it., like I allready installed a few on my laptop, or install OMV in a VM on top of the desktop os.

…

Or buy a second chromecast and use only OMV on the PC, but I wanted to avoid having to use all those different remote controls, and control everything from my laptop, as I can already control my domotics, TV, HiFi, … from there.

6

I have to agree with @megavolt that a rolling release Arch-based distribution such as Manaro is unlikely to suit your needs.

Here are some that might: