OMV Home Media Server

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

3. Boot Pi
4. Find IP on your router
5. Access via browser: http://<ip-address>

6. Login: admin / openmediavault

7. Configure Storage

8. Mount your drives (under “File Systems”)

9. Create shared folders (e.g., Movies, TV Shows)

10. Enable Services

11. SMB for Windows shares
12. 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:
4. Mount your media folders
5. Map necessary ports
6. 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.