one curated configuration × workload decision

M720q i5-8500T and Jellyfin 1080p Transcode Fit

An explainable candidate fit result for the modeled M720q i5-8500T 16 GB configuration and one Jellyfin 1080p hardware-transcode recipe.

record type
compatibility

record at a glance

default verdict
Unknown
result evidence floor
grade D
best attached evidence
grade B
accepted grade A runs
0

explainable prerequisite-fit result

modeled result

fit result: unknown. A required fact, input, effective source, or deferred test is missing.

unknown

A required fact, input, effective source, or deferred test is missing.

Documented prerequisite fit only. Stream stability, quality, tone mapping, codec coverage, and concurrent throughput require Grade A lab results.

limiting factor

limiting factor unavailable

limiting-factor: evidence-gap limiter configuration.capabilities.media.quickSync has no unknown-register entry for 'unk-rule-req-jellyfin-quicksync-unresolved'. Every emitted Unknown needs a question, the decisions it blocks, and a named resolution method, and only a human may open one.

limiting-factor: evidence-gap limiter configuration.capabilities.media.quickSync has no unknown-register entry for 'unk-rule-req-jellyfin-quicksync-unresolved'. Every emitted Unknown needs a question, the decisions it blocks, and a named resolution method, and only a human may open one.

result confidence: evidence grade d · modeled or inferred · evaluated as of 2026-07-26

decision breakdown by axis

decision breakdown

compute
unknown
not evaluated by this workload recipe.
evidence grade unknown · insufficient evidence
memory
conditional
Installed memory meets Jellyfin's general recommendation. The positive match is supported only by a modeled, inferred, or user-attested Grade D value, so it remains Conditional and cannot establish a Yes verdict.
evidence grade d · modeled or inferred
media
unknown
The modeled processor includes Intel Quick Sync. The positive match is supported only by a modeled, inferred, or user-attested Grade D value, so it remains Conditional and cannot establish a Yes verdict.
evidence grade d · modeled or inferred
storage
unknown
The modeled system drive is SSD-class storage. The positive match is supported only by a modeled, inferred, or user-attested Grade D value, so it remains Conditional and cannot establish a Yes verdict.
evidence grade d · modeled or inferred
network
conditional
The modeled wired interface meets the documented recommendation. The positive match is supported only by a modeled, inferred, or user-attested Grade D value, so it remains Conditional and cannot establish a Yes verdict.
evidence grade d · modeled or inferred
virtualization
unknown
not evaluated by this workload recipe.
evidence grade unknown · insufficient evidence
power thermals
unknown
not evaluated by this workload recipe.
evidence grade unknown · insufficient evidence
operational
unknown
not evaluated by this workload recipe.
evidence grade unknown · insufficient evidence
physical selection constraints
  • The 2.5-inch SATA drive and PCIe card cannot be installed together — Lenovo documents the M720 Tiny 2.5-inch HDD/SSD and PCIe card as mutually exclusive. Installing a PCIe riser/card consumes the space used by the 2.5-inch drive assembly. The modeled selections do not conflict, but Grade D configuration identity cannot prove the physical assembly clear. Resolution: Choose the internal 2.5-inch SATA drive or the PCIe riser/card. Keep NVMe as the internal storage path when PCIe expansion is required.
the derivation this verdict was read off

derivation

32 nodes, in the trace's own serialised order. An independent script re-derives every verdict below without asking the evaluator.

No narration is attached to this trace, so the nodes below carry their typed fields and no prose.

  1. evidence

  2. source

  3. evidence

  4. source

  5. evidence

  6. source

  7. fact

  8. rule req-jellyfin-memory@1

    axis
    memory
    guard
    configuration.capabilities.memory.installedGiB gte 8; actual 16; comparison passed
    verdict
    Conditional
    evidence grade
    D
  9. fact

  10. rule req-jellyfin-system-ssd-medium@1

    axis
    storage
    guard
    configuration.capabilities.storage.system.medium one-of ["nvme-ssd","sata-ssd"]; actual "nvme-ssd"; comparison passed
    verdict
    Conditional
    evidence grade
    D
  11. fact

  12. rule req-jellyfin-system-ssd-capacity@1

    axis
    storage
    guard
    configuration.capabilities.storage.system.capacityGiB gte 100; actual 512; comparison passed
    verdict
    Conditional
    evidence grade
    D
  13. evidence

  14. source

  15. fact

  16. rule req-jellyfin-quicksync@1

    axis
    media
    guard
    configuration.capabilities.media.quickSync truthy true; actual true; comparison passed
    verdict
    Conditional
    evidence grade
    D
  17. fact

  18. rule req-jellyfin-hwa-configured@1

    axis
    media
    guard
    assumptions.hardwareAccelerationConfigured truthy true; actual null; comparison could not be run
    verdict
    Unknown
    evidence grade
    D
  19. fact

  20. rule req-jellyfin-network@1

    axis
    network
    guard
    configuration.capabilities.network.wiredGbps gte 1; actual 1; comparison passed
    verdict
    Conditional
    evidence grade
    D
  21. fact

  22. rule req-jellyfin-media-storage@1

    axis
    storage
    guard
    assumptions.mediaStorageAvailable truthy true; actual null; comparison could not be run
    verdict
    Unknown
    evidence grade
    D
  23. rule physical-outcome-constraint-m720q-sata25-pcie-mutual-exclusion@legacy

    axis
    storage
    verdict
    Conditional
    evidence grade
    D
  24. axis

    axis
    compute
    verdict
    Unknown
    evidence grade
    Unknown
  25. axis

    axis
    memory
    verdict
    Conditional
    evidence grade
    D
  26. axis

    axis
    media
    verdict
    Unknown
    evidence grade
    D
  27. axis

    axis
    storage
    verdict
    Unknown
    evidence grade
    D
  28. axis

    axis
    network
    verdict
    Conditional
    evidence grade
    D
  29. axis

    axis
    virtualization
    verdict
    Unknown
    evidence grade
    Unknown
  30. axis

    axis
    power-thermals
    verdict
    Unknown
    evidence grade
    Unknown
  31. axis

    axis
    operational
    verdict
    Unknown
    evidence grade
    Unknown
  32. verdict

    verdict
    Unknown
    evidence grade
    D
modeled upgrade paths

modeled upgrade paths

No modeled path in the maintained upgrade ledger reaches this result.

No modeled path in the maintained upgrade ledger reaches this target on this configuration.

cost: not available — no timestamped price evidence

unknowns and contradictions (6)
  • The GPU device and correct drivers must be configured and passed through. The required input or capability is unknown.
  • Confirm media storage whose sequential throughput exceeds the source bitrate before treating the workload as complete. The required input or capability is unknown.
  • compute is not evaluated by this recipe.
  • virtualization is not evaluated by this recipe.
  • power thermals is not evaluated by this recipe.
  • operational is not evaluated by this recipe.
what this result will not tell you

best-value upgrade

unavailable without current price evidence

The pilot has no fresh, comparable acquisition prices, so it will not label an upgrade as the best value.

why we believe this (4 evidence records)

a grade describes how well attested a statement is, not how good the hardware is. grade a is a lab run we reproduced with a published method. grade d is a model, a reasoned inference, or a single unverified report.

  1. evidence grade b · official sourcesupports

    Jellyfin recommends 8 GB RAM, SSD storage for application data and transcode cache, wired gigabit networking, and properly configured hardware acceleration for transcoding.

    source: Jellyfin hardware selection guidechecked 2026-07-26claim: claim-jellyfin-hardware-requirements

  2. evidence grade b · official sourcesupports

    The M720 Tiny family supports i5-8500T configurations, two DDR4-2666 SO-DIMM slots, an M.2 SSD, and an optional 2.5-inch SATA drive; Lenovo specifies that the 2.5-inch HDD/SSD and PCIe card are mutually exclusive.

    source: ThinkCentre M720 Tiny product specificationschecked 2026-07-26claim: claim-m720q-platform-spec

  3. evidence grade b · official sourcesupports

    The i5-8500T has 6 cores, 6 threads, Intel 64, AVX2, UHD Graphics 630, Quick Sync Video, VT-x, VT-d, and EPT.

    source: Intel Core i5-8500T processor specificationschecked 2026-07-26claim: claim-i5-8500t-spec

1 further grade d record · modeled or inferred
  1. evidence grade d · modeled or inferredsupports

    The five configuration records are explicit evaluation fixtures selected for feasibility work; they are not observed retail SKUs or tested lab specimens.

    source: Super Evil Robots Repositioning Master Planchecked 2026-07-26claim: claim-ser-candidate-configuration-model

show evidencecompare another box

decision pair

configuration
Lenovo ThinkCentre M720q Tiny — i5-8500T / 16 GB / 512 GB NVMe
workload
One concurrent 1080p Jellyfin hardware transcode
application
Jellyfin Server 10.11.x
application version scope
>=10.11.0 <10.12.0
deployment method
Jellyfin Docker container in a Debian KVM virtual machine
runtime chain
KVM virtual machine → Docker Engine on 64-bit Linux
runtime nesting depth
2
profile identity
modeled-exact-evaluation-profile
evaluated as of
2026-07-26

The configuration is an exact evaluator profile, not a retail SKU or serial-numbered specimen. The result only answers One concurrent 1080p Jellyfin hardware transcode under the recorded assumptions.

assumptions used for this static snapshot

concurrent streams
1
source resolution
1080p
hardware acceleration configured
must be answered
media storage available
must be answered
decision context
existing hardware

comparable verified setups

No other exact configuration has an accepted Grade A run for this workload. Modeled checker results are not presented as verified comparisons, and any future run must share the same protocol and fixture before it is treated as directly comparable.

how to use this answer

  • Resolve every “must be answered” assumption on the actual machine.
  • Confirm the actual hardware matches the modeled configuration identity.
  • Inspect the limiting factor — and whether it is a capability limit, an assumption limit, or an evidence gap — rather than converting the result into a score.
  • Do not treat prerequisite fit as measured stream quality or throughput.

Accepted Grade A records attached to this pair: 0. The candidate result exposes official requirements, modeled inputs, and missing facts. Any measured claim remains limited to the fixture and scope of its attached run.

re-run with your assumptions

receipts

6 sources · 0 accepted grade A runs · best evidence grade B · reviewed 2026-07-26

record identity, publication and review

record id
config-lenovo-m720q-i5-8500t-16-512::workload-jellyfin-1080p-transcode
canonical path
/compatibility/lenovo-m720q-i5-8500t-16-512/jellyfin-1080p-transcode/
publication
candidate · noindex
reviewed
2026-07-26
review again by
2026-08-25

evidence boundary

Grade A count: 0. A Grade B source can establish a documented specification or requirement. Grade D records are modeling inputs. Neither is proof of measured throughput, thermals, power, reliability, or physical fit.

7 attached evidence records

a grade describes how well attested a statement is, not how good the hardware is. grade a is a lab run we reproduced with a published method. grade d is a model, a reasoned inference, or a single unverified report.

  1. evidence grade b · official sourcesupports

    The M720 Tiny family supports i5-8500T configurations, two DDR4-2666 SO-DIMM slots, an M.2 SSD, and an optional 2.5-inch SATA drive; Lenovo specifies that the 2.5-inch HDD/SSD and PCIe card are mutually exclusive.

    source: ThinkCentre M720 Tiny product specificationschecked 2026-07-26claim: claim-m720q-platform-spec

  2. evidence grade b · official sourcesupports

    The i5-8500T has 6 cores, 6 threads, Intel 64, AVX2, UHD Graphics 630, Quick Sync Video, VT-x, VT-d, and EPT.

    source: Intel Core i5-8500T processor specificationschecked 2026-07-26claim: claim-i5-8500t-spec

  3. evidence grade b · official sourcesupports

    Jellyfin recommends 8 GB RAM, SSD storage for application data and transcode cache, wired gigabit networking, and properly configured hardware acceleration for transcoding.

    source: Jellyfin hardware selection guidechecked 2026-07-26claim: claim-jellyfin-hardware-requirements

3 further grade b records · official source
  1. evidence grade b · official sourcesupports

    Jellyfin publishes an official Debian-based container image and documents 10.11 tags, but does not establish the pilot's additional KVM guest layer.

    source: Jellyfin container installationchecked 2026-07-26claim: claim-jellyfin-container-deployment

  2. evidence grade b · official sourcesupports

    Jellyfin 10.11 is a documented stable server release line and requires a 64-bit operating system on ARM.

    source: Jellyfin 10.11.0 release noteschecked 2026-07-26claim: claim-jellyfin-10-11-release

  3. evidence grade b · official sourcesupports

    Jellyfin says Intel 7th through 10th generation integrated graphics remain capable for existing owners, but are no longer recommended for a new purchase because Intel deprecated the relevant toolkit.

    source: Jellyfin hardware selection guidechecked 2026-07-26claim: claim-jellyfin-legacy-intel-guidance

1 further grade d record · modeled or inferred
  1. evidence grade d · modeled or inferredsupports

    The five configuration records are explicit evaluation fixtures selected for feasibility work; they are not observed retail SKUs or tested lab specimens.

    source: Super Evil Robots Repositioning Master Planchecked 2026-07-26claim: claim-ser-candidate-configuration-model

    limitation: This is a modeled or inferred claim. It cannot establish measured performance.

source ledger

Official facts and first-party modeling are shown separately. Source prose, tables, and diagrams are not republished.

  • 6 sources
  • 5 with a public link
  • 1 component manufacturer specification
  • 1 first party modeling policy
  • 1 oem specification
  • 2 official application documentation
  • 1 official release notes
component manufacturer specification · 1 source
  1. Intel Core i5-8500T processor specificationsIntel · component manufacturer specification · checked 2026-07-26
first party modeling policy · 1 source
  1. Super Evil Robots Repositioning Master PlanSuper Evil Robots · first party modeling policy · checked 2026-07-26 · docs/super-evil-robots-repositioning-plan.md
oem specification · 1 source
  1. ThinkCentre M720 Tiny product specificationsLenovo · oem specification · checked 2026-07-26
official application documentation · 2 sources
  1. Jellyfin hardware selection guideJellyfin Project · official application documentation · checked 2026-07-26
  2. Jellyfin container installationJellyfin Project · official application documentation · checked 2026-07-26
official release notes · 1 source
  1. Jellyfin 10.11.0 release notesJellyfin Project · official release notes · checked 2026-07-26

record and source history

This projection is generated from homelab graph version 0.1.0. The generated lifecycle index exposes only history events that are explicitly present in the structured record. It does not invent an earlier revision when the graph contains only its creation baseline.

  1. — current candidate record reviewed against the attached evidence set.
  2. — next required review under the monthly pilot-record review interval.
  3. This route does not map to one simple lifecycle entity. Inspect the generated index for its component records; no route-level revision is implied.

inspect the complete generated lifecycle and change-history index