Server for family use: where to dig?

Question

VPN

Situation:
I want to create a centralized service for family purposes. Users will be 4-6 people, live in different parts of the same country.
I realized what I needed (preliminarily):
Nextcloud - file storage, contacts and notes.
VPN is needed to bypass blocking, as well as to combine several computers and mobile devices into a single local network.
In the future, you may need an interface for displaying graphic files (scenario - friends came, showed photos from the trip), access to video files via a certain file protocol (for a TV or set-top boxes).
Questions:

• The volume of files expected to be stored through nextcloud is about 200 gigabytes. Which hosting to choose? How to optimize costs?
  So far, only one worthwhile idea has come to mind: a basic DigitalOcean server, and the files will lie on amazon s3 (I studied what I could find on the Internet. Where am I wrong? How to do better, how to optimize costs and risks?)
  
• I also thought of attaching backup copies of photos that will be on S3 (does it make sense?)
  
• The VPN should allow traffic to pass through it, and also allow you to connect to computers (TeamViewer) or shared printers / hard drives of devices connected to the VPN. What is the name of what I want to do? What to google? :-)
  
• File protocol for TV / set-top box - where to dig?
  

There is little knowledge in the field of configuring this kind, there is almost no experience, but I am friends with the instructions - the main thing is to direct them in the right direction.

Answer 1

File protocol for TV / set-top box - where to dig?

plex media server. There are customers today even for a coffee maker.
On the issue of the server and hosting - you will go broke on hosting on large amounts of data. It is better to assemble something like hp microserver at home, and on DO to throw the role of a VPN server to bypass blocking.

Answer 2

Another one who wants to share his photos with the whole Internet ...

Answer 3

VPN

From pptp to OpenVPN.
DLNA

Answer 4

1. DO has an analogue of S3 - Spaces, the basic plan of which is enough for you, actually for "cold" storage.
   
2. Doesn't make sense if they're already in a similar storage
   
3. For a VPN, a single-core server is not enough, given your Wishlist, a 2GB 2 vCPU droplet is enough. OpenVPN (2.4+, they added support for GCM encryption, which is less per cent) via TAP interfaces + RDP/VNC
   
4. You need to build on what your TV / set-top boxes can do
   

Answer 5

Most likely "Accord Alt Extra Bold"
Recognition here

Answer 6

ubuntu