Best Media Server Software to Pair with underpower LibreELEC Client?

  • Hello all.
    I have been using Kodi since the original Xbox but have never gotten it to work quite right since hevc have become popular. I have LibreELEC on a Raspberry Pi 3 B. Is there any specific Media Server software that is more compatible with LibreELEC? Something that will re encode video to something playable? I have been using PLEX, but even it using it's Plex server app did not work with all videos.

    Does anyone have any recommendations.

    Thanks in advance

  • You can try the latest alpha release for Rpi3 Here as there have been improvements in x265 processing but alas it still has to be done in software so CPU usage will still be quite high.

    Alternatively, if you have a powerful machine like an X86 you can use something like Handbrake to re-encode to x264.

    If all that fails, you may need to look for a cheap machine that has x265 hardware encoding, like an Amlogic as detailed Here. (It's a little outdated but will give you an idea). If you have the cash then a Vero 4K should give you the processing power and 4K output.

  • Thanks for the reply Iridium. The update was easy within my current install on ELEC.

    But I was trying to ask about Media Server Programs that would reencode on the fly from my desktop. I have seen PS3 media server used for this years ago.

    But I was wondering if their are any specific programs that would integrate well with ELEC. Can you get ELEC to integrate it's kodi library functionality with steamed content like this?

  • If you need transcoding, you might want to ask if you have the correct Kodi client hardware. What type if videos / bitrates / format are you talking about? Kodi itself does not do transcoding.


    overall Emby is the solution for that, its basically similar to plex but with more options

    You can install Emby for Kodi - Emby at LE, that allows complete integration of the Emby db (incl transcoding, multiuser and whatnot) to Kodi.

    For test purposes you can also use the EmbyCon add-on from the kodi repo that works like the plex add-on.

    Emby gets installed at your NAS/PC/Server (docker, setup.exe, emby.deb ... ) and provides the server application incl an web frontend (needs setup and scraping of the movie/shows/music db). Hint start directly with 3.6.0 (currently beta) - that has a huge amount of improvements also affecting Kodi.

    Kodi connects through "Emby for Kodi" (for K18 pls use the beta repo) to that db for full integration or with EmbyCon just as add-on.

  • I am a fan of Mezzmo with the Kodi addon. I've been running it for years. Their support is spectacular. As and FYI, I've completed testing of HEVC with a Raspberry Pi 3B+ and have successfully played 1080P @ 15 mbps successfully.