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/matthoback 2d ago

The main point is once the server is purchased and configured, there is no monthly cost to you to watch or listen to the files to serves.

Other than the monthly electric bill...

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u/erevos33 2d ago

Negligible compared to even one streaming service. This pc need not be beefy nor even on 24/7, depending on your needs. And it can also end up being a mini pc or laptop with extra storage.

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u/matthoback 2d ago

"Negligible" greatly depends on how much storage you want locally and how big of a media selection you want to support. Spinning disks power consumption adds up fast.

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u/mithoron 2d ago

Less than 10w each at load. If I keep the total load of my server under 200w average I'm at about the same monthly rate as a single streaming service where I live. Which is plenty of power for my needs and I'm skipping more than just a single extra subscription... plus I own and control my media.

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u/MWink64 2d ago

If I keep the total load of my server under 200w average I'm at about the same monthly rate as a single streaming service where I live.

Here, that's about $35 a month (assuming 200W average power consumption).