OMV Home Media Server

A small writeup of my home media server using OpenMediaVault.

Ranted on Wed Jan 05 2022.

Tired of paying monthly for streaming platforms and cloud storage? I decided to take control of my media by building a home media server using OpenMediaVault (OMV) — a free, Debian-based NAS solution.

Why OpenMediaVault?

  • Open-source and free
  • Plugin support (Docker, Plex, Transmission, etc.)
  • Web UI for management
  • RAID support and SMART monitoring

Hardware I Used

  • Raspberry Pi 4 (8GB RAM)
  • 2x 2TB external HDDs (USB 3.0)
  • 128GB SD card (for OMV)
  • Gigabit Ethernet

Installing OpenMediaVault

  1. Flash the OS
    Download OMV for Raspberry Pi and flash it using Rufus or Balena Etcher.

  2. Initial Setup

    • Boot Pi
    • Find IP on your router
    • Access via browser: http://<ip-address>
    • Login: admin / openmediavault

  3. Configure Storage

    • Mount your drives (under “File Systems”)
    • Create shared folders (e.g., Movies, TV Shows)

  4. Enable Services

    • SMB for Windows shares
    • FTP or NFS for others

Adding Plex Media Server

  1. Install OMV Extras to enable plugin support.
  2. Enable Docker & Portainer.
  3. Deploy Plex in a container:
    • Mount your media folders
    • Map necessary ports
    • Enjoy media streaming on all devices!

Bonus Features

  • Set up automatic downloads with Transmission or qBittorrent
  • Use Jellyfin if you prefer an open-source Plex alternative
  • Access remotely via Tailscale or a VPN

Final Thoughts

OpenMediaVault turned my Raspberry Pi into a full-blown media center and NAS. It's cheap, customizable, and a fun weekend project that pays off every time I skip another streaming subscription.