Get Unraid for your server OS. Its nuts how good it is at being beginner friendly, while being robust when needed. It has a docker app “store”, as well as plugins, and a virtual machine manager as well. It also has a very, very nice Web GUI: you manage the server from another PC you use in your house.

I can not overstate how much I learned by starting with Unraid.

The CPU was done in BIOS on an ASUS x570. For me it was under AI Tweaker > Precision Boost Override > Curve Optimizer.

The GPU was done in the driver software on Windows. Or LACT if on Linux.

Unraid + Unifi network equipment. Everything is scheduled and automatic, with the exception of large Unraid updates, but those are only every ~6 months. Every night mover from cache SSD - > HDD array, then checks for plugin updates, then docker container updates, if Monday morning SSD trim, and if 1st of the month does an array parity check/repair.

After all that if it’s Monday morning, Unifi will check for firmware then software updates.

Sometimes a docker container will get a breaking update maybe once a year, and then I just go look @ documentation and see what needs to be changed to the config to fix.

It will help some, and will also help temps, but AMD hardware does well with undervolting, especially the 5800X3D. I undervolt mine, and read the consensus that - 30 across all cores should be achievable for anyone, unless they’re really, really unlucky. My 6800 XT I also only run @ 92% Voltage, and it runs cooler and faster now, too.

Legend has it, his beard length is proportional to his patience levels waiting for his Gentoo updates to compile.

Not sure if it’s exactly what you’re after, but Unifi gateways can install NextDNS with a script provided by NextDNS. It’s all the same lists as Pi-Hole, and possibly more intelligent ones, too. Bonus points are it makes every device in your home use encrypted DNS, as well!

I’m using it on a Dream Machine Pro, and the new Cloud Gateway Ultra.

Unraid!

Traefik + CrowdSec + Authelia ftw

Sounds familiar. Unraid? 🤠

Unraid does an excellent job at this. I helped a friend setup a rack mounted server, it runs home assistant, some other containers, and a VM for him to work in, or play games. AMD GPU being passed through.

Equalizer APO with PEACE for GUI.

I’ve been rocking recyclarr now for almost a year. Was a pain in the ass to figure out the config, but very nice automate another piece off the Arr machine.

Can confirm, have installed n8n for a friend and traefik wasn’t need. Then another friend out of state wanted access to it. So I installed traefik + authelia + crowdsec w/ traefik bouncer.

Unraid is the GOAT when it comes to being headless for docker. They know how to walk the fine line of “this is too much. It’s bloat,” and “this is minimal and bare bones.” I seriously can’t hype them enough, and can’t do justice to describing their ease of use.

Adguard home is like pihole, but has built in encrypted DNS options. For easy mode NextDNS.

They pretty much all have the same block lists to choose from.

Chenbro makes quite a few ATX shallow rack mount cases. I have one and have no complaints.

I know you said you’re against rack mounting, but JUST in case:

I love the look and tidiness of a nice rack mount system. So I got a Chenbro 4U case. It’s perfect for reusing my old components, and it has a standard size area on the front to install a hot swap HDD cage.

I know android TV and Roku have jellyfin apps. But I would stay far away from LGs WebOS, and I haven’t heard of Tizen.

Id honestly buy w/e tv you think looks the best quality wise, then add a media player. For ease of use Nvidia shields are fantastic and run android TV, and work wonders with steam link.

What I did was a Sony OLED which has android TV and is fast enough to use streaming apps with little annoyance. And then I bought an odroid n2+ and installed coreELEC to use Kodi to stream media locally without needing to transcode. Then use jellyfin for if I want to stream outside the house.

Sadly my setup doesn’t have a solid Steam Link option, as the Sony TV isn’t powerful enough and there’s a delay in controller input and what you see on TV.

^ Hopefully some good ideas for you ^