NAS for XBMC?
#1
Was going to buy the Synology DS412+; does anyone has any experience with synology nas for XBMC? I was looking at DS712+. as well, it is 2 bay and around $479 compare to $650 for the ds412+
and here is my built htp for client xmbc:

case: Wesena Mini ITX7-2
cpu: AMD A8-3870k
Motherboard: ASRock Socket FM1/AMD A75M-ITX USB 3.0
SSD: Patriout Torqx 2.5" SSD 32GB SATA II
PSU: Pico PSU- 150-XT Plus 150W Adapter Power Kit http://www.mini-box.com/picoPSU-150-XT-1...-Power-Kit
RAM: 2 x 2GB total 4gb
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#2
Why dont you build a homeserver yourself? It'll be a lot cheaper
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#3
Do yourself a favor and build an unRAID server instead. The only advantage a pre-fab NAS might have would be power consumption and noise, but those are both easy to remedy.

You'll get MUCH more expand-ability and data protection.
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#4
$480 isn't bad i think for synology ds712+ server, as have good Mac support, which i use? i'm assuming a good one home built without hard drive will run close to 400, as well
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#5
(2012-03-26, 19:28)wildzx Wrote: $480 isn't bad i think for synology ds712+ server? i assuming a good one home built without hard drive will run close to 400, as well

LOL WUT

Different home made servers
10 HDD Server

10 drive home server for 227$.
I guess thats like 480$ for 2 drives without HDD's ...
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#6
wildzx, it all depends on your budget and available free time.

If you want to spend time, go ahead and build a server. It will be cheaper. On the other hand, if yo prefer to watch movies instead of configuring your server, buy a pe-built NAS like a Synology.

I am 100% satisfied with my DS211j (total cost with 2x1.5TB was 350$). I think I've spent about 10 to 20min on configuration. Now it just works and I have time to spend with my child, drink a beer and relax while watching Planet Earth. Smile

edit- Think about the total space you need also.

deleted, because information wasn't informative. (26/03/2012)


wildzx, about your HTPC. If you don't plan to play games, no need to take a powerful CPU like the A8-3870K. An A6-3500 is more than enough to use XBMC. Just a thought.
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#7
Small htpc pref ion, low power + nas, qnap / synology = freedom and small power build Wink

If you like to build and gain experience putting stuff togheter and tweek then build yourself, also cheaper.
If you are like me, tired of getting things to work and just want to enjoy your media when you get home cos u spend +8 hours 5 days a week at work fixing things, go with htpc and nas.

I had my fair share +10 years of do it yourself. After i combind an asrock with qnap nas im never looking back Smile
Now i spend my time using xbmc and watching media instead of getting xbmc to work an tuning my server lol.
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Intel NUC Haswell D34010WYK | ATV2 | Logitech Harmony One | Onkyo TX-NR808 Receiver | QNAP 809 | APC Back-UPS RS 550
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#8
Having just built my unraid server, I can say that it takes up a decent amount of time drawing out plans, purchasing equipment, and setting everything up.

Though I had hardware issues that I had to chase (bad CPU in the end).

If I was busy and had little free time, I'd have went with the Synology DS412+. The cost, though, is up there.

So it boils down to what you have.. Free time? Or money? Smile
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#9
(2012-03-26, 19:59)Balinus Wrote: wildzx, it all depends on your budget and available free time.

If you want to spend time, go ahead and build a server. It will be cheaper. On the other hand, if yo prefer to watch movies instead of configuring your server, buy a pe-built NAS like a Synology.

I am 100% satisfied with my DS211j (total cost with 2x1.5TB was 350$). I think I've spent about 10 to 20min on configuration. Now it just works and I have time to spend with my child, drink a beer and relax while watching Planet Earth. Smile

edit- Think about the total space you need also.
(2012-03-26, 19:32)Tycho91 Wrote:
(2012-03-26, 19:28)wildzx Wrote: $480 isn't bad i think for synology ds712+ server? i assuming a good one home built without hard drive will run close to 400, as well

LOL WUT

Different home made servers
10 HDD Server

10 drive home server for 227$.
I guess thats like 480$ for 2 drives without HDD's ...

wildzx was aking about the price of a good one home built server, not about the "cheapest 10 HDD money can buy" (as presented by Eskro). So, I'm guessing that a good home server will cost a little bit more than the cheapest version.

And what is your definition of a good homeserver? Having an i7 2600k cpu, 32GB RAM, sparkly white case and a fancy name on it?

Synology will use more unnamed brands than a home build server and if 1 item in your Synology fails (memory, cpu, ...) then you'll have to send it back for repairs.

It has 1GB DDR3 memory and a dual core 2.13Ghz CPU.
So upgrade the Sempron 145 for what, 20$, and you'll have a dual core that's even more powerful.



I'm just saying you can have hardware that's a lot better and cheaper which is a lot more scalable. It just does'nt have the "synology" sticker on it.


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#10
(2012-03-26, 20:11)Tycho91 Wrote: And what is your definition of a good homeserver? Having an i7 2600k cpu, 32GB RAM, sparkly white case and a fancy name on it?

Synology will use more unnamed brands than a home build server and if 1 item in your Synology fails (memory, cpu, ...) then you'll have to send it back for repairs.

It has 1GB DDR3 memory and a dual core 2.13Ghz CPU.
So upgrade the Sempron 145 for what, 20$, and you'll have a dual core that's even more powerful.

I'm just saying you can have hardware that's a lot better and cheaper which is a lot more scalable. It just does'nt have the "synology" sticker on it.

I basically agree with you. Even spending for top of the line MB etc will not impact that much the final price displayed in Eskro's thread.

Just in terms of price, it makes sense to build a home server. My opinion on it is merely about free time actually. I'll correct my earlier post so that readers are not misinformed.

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#11
you must just mean free time in the beginning setting it up
who here has a home built server that you always have to tweak

other than moving files which i choose to do manually to my unraid server I don't touch it
well except for adding another hard drive that is when needed lol

Im just asking
WE ALL WE GOT
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#12
I'd argue that If you do your research before purchasing (which it seems the OP is already doing), you won't spend much/any more time configuring unRAID vs a prefab nas (I'm ignoring spencers' case in this as bad parts are equally likely in hand built and pre-fab (although easier to replace in hand built Wink)).

On the question of quality, even Eskro's dirt cheap build is way overkill for a NAS only. If OP only ever uses it for a NAS and doesn't take advantage of all the other options, I'd say he's still in a better position with Eskro's build than a pre-fab.

My opinion is based on an aggregate of all factors, in general you're going to be better off building to suit. IF as Balinus stated you need something you can pull out of the box and plug in, pre-fab is a viable option. With that being said, assuming that your amount of free time to deal with this is stays constant through the life of the device, consider the following in your decision:

1. If you're like me, you'll out grow your storage in 8-12months.
Pre-fab: replace the whole system
unRaid: buy any hard drive you can get your hands on and stick it in the array

2. Harddrive failure
Pre-fab: all data lost, unless you kept a backup (in which case you need another NAS)
unRaid: Parity drive recovers the lost data over night
(The same pro/cons apply here as #1, some pre-fab NAS' need all the drives to be the same, unRAID could care less)

3. Other hardware failure
Pre-fab: Buy a whole new system or send it in for repair (where you've lost your data and have nothing for a couple of weeks until repair is complete)
unRaid: Salvage from another machine, pick up a part at Best Buy, order from NewEgg

I did a lot of research for a small business client on storage solutions. In the end, I couldn't recommend any of the pre-fab solutions over unRAID. That was before this new solution (freeRAID?) came about which looks promising in that it can run overtop of other OS's
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#13
(2012-03-26, 19:59)Balinus Wrote: wildzx, it all depends on your budget and available free time.

If you want to spend time, go ahead and build a server. It will be cheaper. On the other hand, if yo prefer to watch movies instead of configuring your server, buy a pe-built NAS like a Synology.

I am 100% satisfied with my DS211j (total cost with 2x1.5TB was 350$). I think I've spent about 10 to 20min on configuration. Now it just works and I have time to spend with my child, drink a beer and relax while watching Planet Earth. Smile

edit- Think about the total space you need also.

deleted, because information wasn't informative. (26/03/2012)


wildzx, about your HTPC. If you don't plan to play games, no need to take a powerful CPU like the A8-3870K. An A6-3500 is more than enough to use XBMC. Just a thought.
totally agree, it is time consuming - trying to get everything ready and going crazy trying to get the best at the least value; and than waiting for the parts, putting it to together and so on on on... (even the small parts add up). I never thought i would ever built a pc again and trying to get the perfect htpc drove me crazy.
i picked up 2 x 2tb few weeks ago when they were on sale for 109 each. Cancelled the DS412+ and got the DS712+ for $480 (including shipping).
And the ram on this unit can be upgraded from 1gb to 4gb for like $15 dollars.
Another benefit of synology is that resale value; if i ever need 4 bay or something more powerful; it is very easy and will not cost whole allot.
And i already ordered the CPU and its being delivered...and by the way; am i missing anything from my built list
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#14
I think you're in good shape. Possibly a remote if you don't have one.
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#15
(2012-03-27, 00:43)Bstrdsmkr Wrote: I think you're in good shape. Possibly a remote if you don't have one.
Yes, i have remote issue in back of my mind; but can't seem to find a nice one. i just want a simple and cool remote ( i wondering if i can use the ones that will be included with new Panasonic tv's - new touchpad remotes):
http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/12/panas...-on-video/

...the htpc will be in a cabinet, as well
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