Help with HTPC

[DLP]

I'm trying to set up my first HTPC. The plan is to use unRAID and Plex Media Server on my main machine in the living room and a small one to run a client in the bedroom. I have unRAID set up and Plex Media Server in Docker installed and working. I've called this box "HTPC". I can use the web interface from my Mac to view PLEX and can view a movie that way but I'm stuck there. With a monitor connected to the HTPC all I see is command line stuff. I need some kind of front end client? I don't see a Plex client to run in docker. I was going to use OpenELEC and have it installed as a VM and it says it is running. On monitor connected to the unRAID HTPC all I see is command line stuff and at the bottom is "HTPC login:"  Since I have never done this or even seen it done I don't know what to expect. Does it want my root user and password? I don't have any other users set up yet. It doesn't seem to want to take keyboard input (connected to USB).

 

I also tried setting up windows 10 following the video "Installing a Windows 10 Virtual Desktop on unRAID 6" and when I tell it to create the VM I get Error creating disk image '/mnt/user/vdisks/Windows 10/vdisk1.img'.

 

I'm using an Intel G5350 CPU on a Gigabyte H97N-WiFi board with 8GB RAM. One 4 TB HDD, two 1TB HDD and 120GB SSD.

 

Can someone help me past this point?

htpc-diagnostics-20151214-2035.zip

[BrianAz]

The command line stuff you see on your monitor is unRAID.

 

I've not done this yet with unRAID virtualization, but if its similar to ESXi, you'll need to pass through a second video card to a Plex client VM (so you'd need a total of 2 GPUs, one for unRAID and one for Plex Client VM).

 

Unless you have some geeky desire to run both PMS and PHT/PMP virtualized on unRAID, it might be worth it to save yourself a headache and buy a Roku or Apple TV or something to stream Plex from your already working PMS to your living room.

[DLP]

My unRAID machine is in the living room. Why would I need to get another box just so I can watch content from a computer that is already sitting next to the TV? The onboard graphics can't be used for anything but viewing the unRAID command line stuff? That is pretty useless. Surely you don't need a separate video card, monitor and keyboard for every VM you want to run. There has to be a better way.

[Squid]

Surely you don't need a separate video card, monitor and keyboard for every VM you want to run. There has to be a better way.

No you don't unless you want to directly attach a monitor to them.  For just having a VM that say has some download programs on it or what not, then interacting with the VM with via RDP or VNC is fine.

[gundamguy]

Surely you don't need a separate video card, monitor and keyboard for every VM you want to run. There has to be a better way.

No you don't unless you want to directly attach a monitor to them.  For just having a VM that say has some download programs on it or what not, then interacting with the VM with via RDP or VNC is fine.

 

Which if I'm not mistaken is what he wants to do right?

 

 

[BrianAz]

Surely you don't need a separate video card, monitor and keyboard for every VM you want to run. There has to be a better way.

No you don't unless you want to directly attach a monitor to them.  For just having a VM that say has some download programs on it or what not, then interacting with the VM with via RDP or VNC is fine.

 

Which if I'm not mistaken is what he wants to do right?

 

That was my understanding.

 

@DLP - more info on what you're trying to accomplish: https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=43411.0

[DLP]

First, I want to have the unRAID/Plex Media Server in the living room and to feed our main AV receiver & TV. I have Gigabyte GA-H97N-WiFi mobo, Intel G5350 CPU, 8GB RAM, Fractal Node 304 case (space for 6 drives). I understand now I need a graphics card for this. I'm not interested in gaming, so something inexpensive like XFX HD5450. I am open to suggestions on what use for how to feed to the TV. I was thinking PleXMBC having read that it combines the beast of Plex and Kodi.

 

Second, I want to be able to access the server from a small unit in the bedroom. For this I have an Asus AM1I-A / AMD Athlon 5350 & planning to use PleXMBC.

 

I liked the idea of unRAID because I can set up RAID array with a whatever leftover drives I have around.

 

I am completely new to the HTPC world.

 

Thanks for your help.