I Too Am Looking for Help Buying a NAS

halfnhalf71 on 09/01/2015 - 16:07

I realise there was another similar post just recently but it looks like we have different needs and I didn't want to hi-jack his thread.
So, my main needs are:
* Storage for media (photos, MP3s and videos of varying formats up to 1080P)
* I'm not sure if transcoding is something i need and the more i read the more i'm confused. I do want to stream HD movies to my Sammy smart TV and music to a networked sound plate. I also want to make these movies available for my parents to stream.
* Recording and storing of IP camera feed.
* 2 bay
*Budget up to about $400 but the cheaper the better.
I am down to 2 options:
* An Asustor as-302t for $360
* Synology DS214Play for $409

Are these really my 2 best options?
Could someone recommend a different setup that would meet my needs? I am new to this so a setup that isn't too technical would suit.

Computing

Comments

  • plmko on 09/01/2015 - 17:00
    +1

    Why don't you build a normal Windows computer and use it as a NAS. That way you can directly record and store the camera feed on the same machine that can transcode, store and play your media.

    • sleepy120 on 11/01/2015 - 18:39

      Use a windows notebook for the power savings if you want to go down that road. External usb 3.5" sata drives.

  • teardrops21 on 09/01/2015 - 17:01
    +1

    As I mentioned on the other thread, I have found synology very easy to use. I do not have any experience with other brand, but would expect QNAP and readynas to be fairly similar.

    I have noticed that synology have a range of 'play' units, that will transcode content to play on almost any tv. You samsung smart TV should be able to transcode all the major file types, I've never had a problem with my samsung TV's. I do also have a Toshiba 'smart' TV but that doesn't handle a few of the common file types. I would assume the 'play' feature would overcome this issue.

    I am assuming that you live with your parents, and are not intending your parents streaming content over the internet. This would work dependent on their TV's, The play feature may be advantageous for this.

    Synology have a surveillance package on their systems and come with a 1 camera license, additional licenses cost $50 per license last time I checked. I have not used this feature on synology.

    I hope you also have a budget set aside for hard drives as these are likely to as big an expense or greater than the NAS unit itself.

    Hope this helps :)

    • halfnhalf71 on 09/01/2015 - 18:58

      Thanks teardrops21
      The reason I was thinking about transcoding via the NAS was purely for ease of use and hopefully to future-proof myself in case video formats change before I need to change the NAS. Not sure if this is a real concern I should have though.
      I live in Melbourne and the parents in Sydney.
      The Asustor comes with 4 camera licenses. It's a division of Asus so am not too worried about it being not as common as Synology and QNap and reviews have been incredibly good for the unit (this for instance http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Asustor/AS-302T).
      Yeah I was going to start with 2 x 3TB WD Reds which i could pick up for $300 and hopefully that will suffice for the near future.
      So essentially I could go for something a lot cheaper like the DS214es at half the price and you think it would do the job?

  • CyberMurning on 09/01/2015 - 17:20

    many threads on here and whirlpool…. summary: synology, qnap, and what is that the one very popular in here? cant remember but you need to install the o/s etc yourself.

    • halfnhalf71 on 09/01/2015 - 19:00

      Yeah and that is the problem. The more i've read the more confusing it becomes. I thought I could get away with a basic NAS but then concerns about the CPU kept cropping up and then the possible need for transcoding and then ove-heating and then not being able to use Plex on some…Not being an expert, it then becomes difficult to determine what I could get away with without going over the top.

      • CyberMurning on 09/01/2015 - 20:24

        then just get synology. most of new model will have intel cpu - tick
        plex - tick

  • WalterPPK on 09/01/2015 - 19:15

    The Synology would be my first choice, every time. I've used Thecus, iOmega and Netgear and they don't come even a little bit close in terms of features. And if you're looking at streaming media, then that's what the "play" Synology NAS devices were made for.

    Is your IP camera on this list? https://www.synology.com/en-us/support/camera - if it isn't but it supports ONVIF then it will still work but might not support all the functions.

    If you're looking at any of the community (non-official) add-on packages, some of them haven't been recompiled for the 215 and 415 series models yet, as these have a new CPU and have only been out for a short time. Best check if there are any particular packages you were really counting on. All the official ones are ready to go, though.

  • conan2000 on 09/01/2015 - 22:16

    I use a Synology DS212J. pretty capable of what you would need it for, I don't think it's sold any more, but I wouldn't think you'd need to spend as much as you have mentioned above. Also, worth nothing that the Synology devices which do the transcoding tend to be more powerful so your power bills may go up. If you're planning on leaving it on all the time definitely worth considering.

    This is the updated versuin of mine I believe: https://www.synology.com/en-global/products/DS214se very low power usage.

  • roiboi123 on 09/01/2015 - 22:35

    I've got an asustor. I wouldn't have recommended them 6 months ago but after the latest update everything has been running very smoothly.

  • halfnhalf71 on 12/01/2015 - 14:00

    Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll have another look and post back on the purchase and the performance!

  • gadgetguy on 13/01/2015 - 21:28

    I have 3: Synology, QNAP and Buffalo - Synology is in a different league.

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