BMAPC Home Media NAS

[Poag]

So my current media setup si less than ideal. I've got a pair of external USB drives plugged into the back of my mac mini media PC. Its been fine for purpose until recently when i've started keeping media around for the rest of the family to watch (Plex shared).

So i'm looking for a fairly cheap but expandable NAS to move the media onto. As i've already got a pair of external drives giving me ~5TB of space i'd like to use them with the new solution until i can replace them with internal drives, so as to lessen the initial cost.

I've been recommended the D-Link 325, only got 1 USB port however so i'd have to daisy chain. I'm also more inclined to pickup a 4 bay NAS for future proofing.

I don't need on NAS video processing, it'd be a nice plus to replace the MacMini but as its working perfectly well i can't really justify the cost.


So really, the requirement is, fairly cheap, couple of USB ports (2.0 will be fine), 4 Bay. Quiet, power lite.

 

[Trem]

Netgear readyNAS Duo.................................Yes yes I know it doesn't have what you want but you could have mine for a sexual price, make me an offer for less than they go for on Ebay. It has all it's things, boxes and stuff and has no drives so could be a cost effective way of getting you up and running.

I just *really* need to stop hoarding my nerdy stuff

 

[Vae]

Netgear readyNAS Duo.................................Yes yes I know it doesn't have what you want but you could have mine for a sexual price, make me an offer for less than they go for on Ebay. It has all it's things, boxes and stuff and has no drives so could be a cost effective way of getting you up and running.

I just *really* need to stop hoarding my nerdy stuff

I had a ReadyNas Duo but ran out of space so stepped straight to a HP Microserver. A higher initial cost than you may be looking at but I think, probably, a better long-term solution. Doesn't appear to be a cashback offer on at the moment but looks like you could have got one for about £100-£120 + drives until end of Sept.

 

[Trem]

I had a ReadyNas Duo but ran out of space so stepped straight to a HP Microserver. A higher initial cost than you may be looking at but I think, probably, a better long-term solution. Doesn't appear to be a cashback offer on at the moment but looks like you could have got one for about £100-£120 + drives until end of Sept.

Same here, I didn't run out of space I just couldn't resist the HP offer. The ReadyNAS was doing everything I wanted at the time I just.......I just have a problem

 

[Poag]

Sadly the microservers aren't that cheap anymore and aren't really what i was looking for.....


Upon investigation it appears a synology 414 or readynas 104 would do the job, need to confirm the readynas mounts USB tho. Sadly the 104 seems to have alot of bad reviews and people point to the 314 which is double the price.....

 

[Moriath]

Sadly the microservers aren't that cheap anymore and aren't really what i was looking for.....


Upon investigation it appears a synology 414 or readynas 104 would do the job, need to confirm the readynas mounts USB tho. Sadly the 104 seems to have alot of bad reviews and people point to the 314 which is double the price.....

Tried looking at qnap? They have usb and stuff in them.

 

[Embattle]

I've always had Synology products and have found they work well with regular DSM updates, currently have a 1512+.

 

[MYstIC G]

If you do go ReadyNAS make sure you get an Intel based one otherwise you'll be going nowhere when it comes to custom Add-ons.

 

[gmloki]

I've always had Synology products and have found they work well with regular DSM updates, currently have a 1512+.

Agree on the Synology. I found the learning curve to be a bit steep but once you got your directories set up and the standard fayre of couch potato and sickbears etc, your good to go. Plus if your ever away from the ranch, as long as you are on a dedicated IP with reasonable upstream, you can watch/listen to your media pretty much anywhere

 

[Tilda]

I'd love some advice here.
At the moment I have everything on my main PC in the office, including plex server. Then stream to the TV's Chromecast.

Other than not having to have my PC on, is there a significant advantage to be gained by switching to Synology?
If I did get a Synology, is it powerful enough to transcode? Does it run plex?
Or do you then need a more powerful behind-the-tv type setup to transcode and play from the synology?

 

[Embattle]

I run plex on mine since it works best with my Roku3 and general devices such as smart TVs although I don't need or use transcoding, if you need that then the best models are the 214play (2 drive) and 415play (4 drive) since they both have Hardware transcoding engines (H.264 (AVC), MPEG-4 Part 2, MPEG-2, VC-1). Mine currently stores around 4.1TB of data including lots of videos, photos, music and personal files of each family member it also stores all the game files from steam backups etc.

Synology Add-ons - https://www.synology.com/en-us/dsm/app_packages/all_app

 

[Trem]

Plex will give you bad AIDS, just saying.

 

[Tilda]

I run plex on mine since it works best with my Roku3 and general devices such as smart TVs although I don't need or use transcoding, if you need that then the best models are the 214play (2 drive) and 415play (4 drive) since they both have Hardware transcoding engines (H.264 (AVC), MPEG-4 Part 2, MPEG-2, VC-1). Mine currently stores around 4.1TB of data including lots of videos, photos, music and personal files of each family member it also stores all the game files from steam backups etc.

Synology Add-ons - https://www.synology.com/en-us/dsm/app_packages/all_app

Emb, cheers for that - how do I know if I need transcoding? I just assumed it was something good to have! So you run Plex on your Synology and then it streams to your Roku3? Would it also then work to go to a Chromecast/Fire TV?

 

[Embattle]

On my Roku3 I select Direct Play this in essence means it plays it as is, here is a good explanation - https://www.synology.com/en-us/knowledgebase/faq/577

 

[Poag]

Emb, cheers for that - how do I know if I need transcoding? I just assumed it was something good to have! So you run Plex on your Synology and then it streams to your Roku3? Would it also then work to go to a Chromecast/Fire TV?

On plex you can set the quality for local and remote streaming.

So long as your network can handle it, set Local to Max, then the plex server wont transcode.

I've got my local set to 20Mbps 1080p and remote set to 3Mbps 720p.

 

[Embattle]

Synology released DSM 5.1 the other day.

 

[Trem]

On plex you can set the quality for local and remote streaming.

On Plex you also have a catch AIDS button, which if you press it you can catch the AIDS instantly rather than using the bag of shit program for longer than a few minutes to catch it

 

[MYstIC G]

On Plex you also have a catch AIDS button, which if you press it you can catch the AIDS instantly rather than using the bag of shit program for longer than a few minutes to catch it

Is that why it took you so long, because you're too stupid to push a button?

 

[Trem]

Is that why it took you so long, because you're too stupid to push a button?

I'm smart enough to not be a sheep and say Plex is good because everyone else does thick lad

 

[Bodhi]

Plex is good because I've installed it and it works a treat. But I only really use it as a hassle free DLNA server. Until you want it to trnascode audio. Then it fills with aids. And ebola.

 

[caLLous]

To be honest the fact that Plex pissed @Trem off so much makes me like it even more.

 

[Poag]

I'm smart enough to not be a sheep and say Plex is good because everyone else does thick lad

We get it, you dont like plex.

Jesus stop bleating on about it, its really boring, especially when its just you who doesn't like it. At first it was "Oh trem that funny lad" now its "Oh..dear...Trem might be going a bit mad"

 

[Trem]

We get it, you dont like plex.

Jesus stop bleating on about it, its really boring, especially when its just you who doesn't like it. At first it was "Oh trem that funny lad" now its "Oh..dear...Trem might be going a bit mad"

The fact that you get really offended by me saying I don't like Plex, along with all the others is just so laughable, it's a program made by people. It isnt your mum or sister I don't like, this is why I "bleat on about it" because you all take it so personally when I say it's shit. You obviously just don't get it because you plan to wed the program or did you make it yourself and shed your own blood, sweat and tears?

What's boring is that no one will say a bad word about a program for fear of upsetting the other fans of it, there are other programs out there that do the same job with less bloat and for free and concentrate on the job at hand rather than how shiny it can make stuff look.

Get a grip you imbecile.

 

[Poag]

The fact that you get really offended by me saying I don't like Plex, along with all the others is just so laughable, it's a program made by people. It isnt your mum or sister I don't like, this is why I "bleat on about it" because you all take it so personally when I say it's shit. You obviously just don't get it because you plan to wed the program or did you make it yourself and shed your own blood, sweat and tears?

What's boring is that no one will say a bad word about a program for fear of upsetting the other fans of it, there are other programs out there that do the same job with less bloat and for free and concentrate on the job at hand rather than how shiny it can make stuff look.

Get a grip you imbecile.

Wow...taking it a little bit personally i see....

I said it because it got boring, people discussing some aspect of Plex doing something, you come bleating in about plex giving you aids or some other shit.

You dont like it? Fine, i have no issue with people using any other problem. Plex is not the be all and end all of home media. Infact i'm just in the process of assisting a lady at work setup a microserver with XMBC on it, as she has no need of transcoding or remote streaming, we are also unsure if the Turion will handle any transcoding tbh, but it seems happy doing local rendering.


You bleat on about it because you disagree with the masses and want everyone to know about it... you give nothing to the discussion, just the same old same old...

 

[Jupitus]

@Trem and @Poag arguing makes Jup a sad puppy !

 

[Trem]

Wow...taking it a little bit personally i see....

I said it because it got boring, people discussing some aspect of Plex doing something, you come bleating in about plex giving you aids or some other shit.

You dont like it? Fine, i have no issue with people using any other problem. Plex is not the be all and end all of home media. Infact i'm just in the process of assisting a lady at work setup a microserver with XMBC on it, as she has no need of transcoding or remote streaming, we are also unsure if the Turion will handle any transcoding tbh, but it seems happy doing local rendering.


You bleat on about it because you disagree with the masses and want everyone to know about it... you give nothing to the discussion, just the same old same old...

Erm, no, you take it personally when you quote a tongue in cheek reply to a mate on here who I have known for years after he gave a tongue in cheek reply to me. You stuck your oar in to something that is quite clearly people taking the piss out of each other over a long running thing. Am I meant to take your pathetic attempt to *put me in my place* on the chin and think "hmmm you know what, that guy is right, me winding up Meg and Cally on a forum about a program they like and them doing the same to me has gone too far".

I don't "bleat" I bring it up often to wind up the above and they answer back and we abuse each other, anyone with a brain cell would realise that (you see what I'm getting at here Einstein?)

You are clearly an idiot Poag and I don't think a discussion forum is the right place for you, well no, there are forums for you but maybe not one like this where people rip the piss out of each other from time to time. I think you need to get yourself over to mothers.net or do some research on more serious corners of the internet where you can scuttle off to. But do me a favour if you stick around, either put me on ignore, realise what's going or just don't be such a complete and utter tit over a media streaming program.....read that back to yourself......you got all hot under the collar over A.....MEDIA......STREAMING.......PROGRAM.

Sad is not the word for you.

Is this why all the decent people left @Jupitus ? Mugs like Poag ruining any fun we once had? I can see why mate

 

[Jupitus]

Actually, Tremlar, Poag has contributed quite a lot towards the FH community over the years, hosting and admin'ing servers for the community albeit in games or sub-forums you might not be well acquainted with.... he has actually worked for me in real life too, so I know he is a good kid. I also can say with certainty he has no desire to 'ruin' anyone's fun!!

Knowing him, I would say he has been a bit out of character here to be fair, but then I think your last post was a bit out of character too, chum.

Can't we just be friends?

<<<< obligatory eek smiley!!

 

[Poag]

Erm, no, you take it personally when you quote a tongue in cheek reply to a mate on here who I have known for years after he gave a tongue in cheek reply to me. You stuck your oar in to something that is quite clearly people taking the piss out of each other over a long running thing. Am I meant to take your pathetic attempt to *put me in my place* on the chin and think "hmmm you know what, that guy is right, me winding up Meg and Cally on a forum about a program they like and them doing the same to me has gone too far".

I don't "bleat" I bring it up often to wind up the above and they answer back and we abuse each other, anyone with a brain cell would realise that (you see what I'm getting at here Einstein?)

You are clearly an idiot Poag and I don't think a discussion forum is the right place for you, well no, there are forums for you but maybe not one like this where people rip the piss out of each other from time to time. I think you need to get yourself over to mothers.net or do some research on more serious corners of the internet where you can scuttle off to. But do me a favour if you stick around, either put me on ignore, realise what's going or just don't be such a complete and utter tit over a media streaming program.....read that back to yourself......you got all hot under the collar over A.....MEDIA......STREAMING.......PROGRAM.

Sad is not the word for you.

Is this why all the decent people left @Jupitus ? Mugs like Poag ruining any fun we once had? I can see why mate

Then Trem i must apologize, In another thread you came back with the Plex being the devil...style?....in response to me. I'm certainly not in here to ruin anyone's fun, i've been on FH and BW for probably about 10 years now. The only time i've taken issue like this previously was with Bohd and his Sony fetish...(the constant down beating of stuff that wasn't sony in this case)

I'm not getting hot under the collar about X or Y program, merely the repetitive insults to those using it. I took it as a generalized insult rather than a specific, which evidently is incorrect in this case. Lets face it tho...you quote'd me and...

On Plex you also have a catch AIDS button, which if you press it you can catch the AIDS instantly rather than using the bag of shit program for longer than a few minutes to catch it

Now as much as I love people on here and generally do not get involved, when someone responds to me as such, i do feel its somethign directed at me...after all...it is a response to me?

 

[Embattle]

Plex does what I want, if it didn't I would find something else.

 

[caLLous]

Plex is great though...