this post was submitted on 22 Jan 2025
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Pirating is not really much cheaper TBH...my media server, including power, has to run for something like 6-7 years without upgrades or repairs to break even with what Netflix would cost in that same time frame. It's not about saving money, it's about not giving it to them.
Depends, no?
Do you compare it to a cheap Netflix subscription, do you compare it to the 4K subscription? Do you compare it to Netflix with the multiple locations extra fee they charge now?
Do you add the cost of Disney+, Prime Video, and god-knows what else?
The costs can quickly add up.
And it's not like you need a beefy server. I could host Plex on an Nvidia shield (which I have anyway for my TV), in which case the cost would only be that of a USB drive or external HDD, and a trivial amount of extra power.
Running a media server with bulk storage from an external HDD is just a terrible experience and recipe for issues, and doesn't give a nice experience with a full library to select from at a whim anywhere in the world (like what streaming provides). Also, depending on library size, not even possible.
I have ~20tb of media on my server, which isn't even that much, no chance that'll run well in that configure you mention. It's by no means a beefy server either, it's a small ITX mobo in a case with a shitload of HDD bays.
My time also has a price…downloading movies, finding the right subtitle files, managing a VPN, managing the hardware/software on the NAS, etc. I choose to spend my valuable time on that stuff but I can totally see how lots of people say “fuck it” and just pay the monthly streaming fees.
Sure, if you only watch Netflix stuff, but not Disney, Hulu, Peacock, Max, etc etc etc.
But also, if you're willing to give up a little content and a some quality, it's cheaper than Netflix. A lot cheaper, if you insist on not having ads in Netflix.