Which OS is "best" for NPVR?

[boringgit]

I ask this out of interest, nothing more.

I'm planning to retire my beefy old "server" and replace it with an Intel N100 based mini PC which performs similarly...

I'm likely to stick with Windows because that's what I know, but I'm going to run NPVR and Plex on it, both of which are available on Linux.

Hoe much / if any performance increase would I get using Linux vs Windows?

TIA

[pkscout]

I suspect you'll get no meaningful performance boost using Linux for those two apps. NextPVR mostly just writes a stream of data to a disk, and Plex most just reads a stream of stuff to a disk. OK, both may do some transcoding, too. Both of those things are mostly a hardware constraint. Just about any OS will handle it fine. I'd definitely stick with what you know. Plus if you have USB hardware connecting to NextPVR, it's probably easier to stick with the same OS then have to find drivers for your device for a different OS.

[mvallevand]

You posted in the Windows sub forum which might bias the audience a little.

I agree stick with what you know especially if you want to use GUI control of your backend. Linux is much better if you want and a command line interface to a headless server but there is a lot to learn and change especially if you have created any custom scripts.

Since you bought an N100 you aren't really looking at a performance box anyway as it is about 6 or 7 generations behind current desktop performance. It is a better client than server but for average workloads and that all being said it is an ideal NextPVR box when you want NextPVR.exe and server. Really it depends on what you actually do and how you stress the server (the OS won't be the difference)

I don't know if you saw my thread on the Radxa X4 https://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?tid=65843 but of note, you pretty much need 4GB and 32GB disk just to get started with Windows 11. With Linux or even LibreELEC (no Plex but Jellyfin and Emby) you can easily get by with half those resources.

Martin

[boringgit]

Thanks both,

You have a good point about posting in the Windows forum

I've been a Linux dabbler since you had to download floppy disks to install it and compile X servers... But I use and administer many Windows boxes every day, so my preference is fairly clear If there is no night and day difference I will stick with what I know.

Good point about the USB as well - I use a network HD Homerun for NPVR, but I do have a printer / scanner that I use rarely and there are no Linux drivers for the scanner.

N100 is in many ways equivalent to my old Xeon E3 (Basically a pimped i3), but with dramatically lower power use and superior transcoding ability due to being about 10 years newer. If what is delivered is as I bought I should be 16GB and 512GB SSD (Aliexpress never lies right )

Next project is recording to my recently purchased NAS and there are many threads on that subject!

I don't want to read too much on the RADA - I love the idea of making such good use of limited hardware, but after a few beers on a Friday night I might find myself back on AliExpress and wake up tomorrow to some invoices I may regret