Synology NAS storage

[gex23]

Looking for an NAS storage device to store backups / video / music / photos that I can stream to my Android phone, AV receiver, macbook, TV - it also needs to be compatible with Mavericks OSX for time machine backup.

So i'm looking at the Synology DS112J NAS - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007KWLXRK/?tag=cliospnet01-21

which will be coupled with this Seagate 2TB 7200rpm Barracuda HDD :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006H32Q3S/?tag=cliospnet01-21

Any issues with the above setup? Or any (cheaper) viable alternatives?

Cheers

Anthony

 

[M26]

I've just bought the ZyXEL NSA-320 after a colleague told me he was using the NSA-310 and it was really good.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004BE6MVW/ref=ox_ya_os_product

 

[Nik]

Synology gets lots of votes on here, do a search, there's been a few threads about them. I've got the 212j+, the two bay version of yours and can highly recommend it.

 

[Jay_A]

I have a DS211. been using it for a couple of years and would be lost without it now. Awesome bit of kit.

 

[Nigel]

I've got a 211j. It's brilliant. I'd go for a dual bay minimum for future upgrade or to allow raid/backups. Wish I'd gone for the 4 bay version.

 

[Homer-Simpson]

I am currently running 1 x 3612xs and about to expand it with a second unit. I previously ran a 1512+ and that was also spot on.

I did have an issue that was related to firmware a long time ago but they fixed that pretty quick.

 

[Dink]

i'd probably splash a bit more and get WD red's.

i've slowly upgraded my HDD's in my Microserver to red's as i didn't like the idea of normal hdd's on 24/7 plus i like the extra warranty

 

[dk]

Bought the 2 bay model with 2x 3Tb red drives last month, good bit of kit, personally unless you are happy losing every file on there if the hard drive fails (which they do with no notice, that's the nature of the beast, I work in the industry) then I'd spend the extra and get the 3 bay one and use raid 1.

 

[gex23]

Cheers for the feedback, I think i'll go for the 213j which has twin bay storage, coupled with initially single Seagate Barracuda NAS 3tb HDD.

This, however, has been suggested as an alternative, much more powerful for transcoding / streaming files on the fly, plus 4 HDD slots and potentially an optical drive slot :

http://www.ebuyer.com/430446-hp-proliant-g7-n54l-2-2ghz-microserver-ebuyer-704941-421

Though it seems far more complex to set up?

 

[Nik]

Yeah, if you want to run a Plex server and use the Plex client on your devices then most NAS boxes will struggle to transcode due to the relatively low processing power.

If you have all your files already in a supported format across all your devices though, then using XBMC, or just normal DLNA streaming will be fine. For example I only ever really download MKV / h.264 movies which don't need transcoding to play on my smart tv, macbook, xbmc device etc.

 

[dk]

the 213j is a great product, but it doesn't support plex because of the new processor architecture used in it.

 

[gex23]

Yeah, if you want to run a Plex server and use the Plex client on your devices then most NAS boxes will struggle to transcode due to the relatively low processing power.

If you have all your files already in a supported format across all your devices though, then using XBMC, or just normal DLNA streaming will be fine. For example I only ever really download MKV / h.264 movies which don't need transcoding to play on my smart tv, macbook, xbmc device etc.

the 213j is a great product, but it doesn't support plex because of the new processor architecture used in it.

Hmm it would be nice being able to run plex and have more flexibility - but not if it's going to cost be a whole lot more.

 

[Dink]

Cheers for the feedback, I think i'll go for the 213j which has twin bay storage, coupled with initially single Seagate Barracuda NAS 3tb HDD.

This, however, has been suggested as an alternative, much more powerful for transcoding / streaming files on the fly, plus 4 HDD slots and potentially an optical drive slot :

http://www.ebuyer.com/430446-hp-proliant-g7-n54l-2-2ghz-microserver-ebuyer-704941-421

Though it seems far more complex to set up?

that's exactly what i've got. running ubuntu and plex on it.

i've stuck a ssd boot drive in the optical bay as i had a spare and not likely to be installing an optical bay.

 

[gex23]

that's exactly what i've got. running ubuntu and plex on it.

i've stuck a ssd boot drive in the optical bay as i had a spare and not likely to be installing an optical bay.

Sweet! Mind if I PM you in the near future about it? Also do you run OSX and as such time machine?

 

[Dink]

Sweet! Mind if I PM you in the near future about it? Also do you run OSX and as such time machine?

yeah if you wan't to pm me that's fine but don't know how much help i'll be, i just looked up how to install plex on ubuntu.

nope never used or ever will use OSX.

 

[dk]

IMO, buying a microserver is a whole different kettle of fish to buying something like a synology thats already setup, has plugins and is dead easy.

 

[Nik]

Agreed, we would probably both claim to be IT geeks yet both chose the NAS solution.

As much as I could by a microserver and get it to do almost everything I want, it's an extra level of hassle and maintenance.

The NAS does everything I need and a lot more I didn't know i needed until I had it, all very simply and quickly. Things like the iOS apps that Synology provide offer a lot more functionality and convenience than you'd get with the microserver.

 

[dk]

Nail, head.

I see a server and think 'work' lol

 

[Gareth]

I must admit that is very true, it is a lot more work than having a NAS, but once setup its fine. I've just ordered the new Microserver G8 which I'm going to put a Xeon in, so I will have an N40L with 8GB RAM and the add-on remote access card for sale very soon if anyone was interested.