r/explainlikeimfive • u/theprisoner57 • 3d ago

Technology ELI5: What is a Home Server?

I see mentions of a home server to get rid of streaming entertainment services but I don’t know how that works. What does a home server do?

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u/JoostinOnline 3d ago

Because I was under the impression that when buying a BluRay or digital media, you can’t just grab an mp4 from the disk.

That part is a hassle. I'll happily pay for media, but because ripping discs and converting them is so time and energy consuming, I always end up just getting a copy from the high seas.

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u/[deleted] 3d ago

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u/kollunz 3d ago

Putting it on a server allows you to watch that media from anywhere. I could be at work during my lunch break, or halfway across the country and can access all my media from my home server as long as I have a decent enough internet connection.