A personal account of consolidating a home media setup by running Jellyfin directly on a NAS (UGREEN DXP4800 Pro) using Docker support. The author explains how co-locating the media library and streaming server on one device reduced complexity, eliminated cross-machine dependencies, and made the system easier to maintain. Hardware transcoding on the NAS made the setup practical rather than aspirational. Playback via Apple TV and Infuse remained simple, benefiting from a cleaner backend. The post also acknowledges tradeoffs of consolidation, such as risk concentration and reduced modularity.
Table of contents
Putting the streaming platform and the media in one placeNative Docker support turned the NAS into the right kind of hubMy playback setup got easier because the NAS did moreThe DXP4800 Pro made this feel practical, not aspirationalThere are still good reasons to keep services off the NASFor me, easier maintenance mattered more than extra flexibilityIt finally feels like one systemSort: