Couple newbie questions
#1
I am very interested in running NAS and money is an issue. My question is if I can scrape up enough money to build a cheap NAS. Could I run that through my ROKU XS temporarily using Plex? I can't afford to do both the NAS and HTPC at the same time. I thought then in a year I could get the HTPC and switch to XBMC. Would that work? Or do people think I would be better off just building an exclusive XBMC with hard drive on site by one TV? I was worried about noise,heat and being able to use on other TV's.

Any suggestions in addition to all the ones in other threads as far as the cheapest build for either the NAS or the HTPC? By the way currently I would guess I maybe have 3-4 GB of stuff I want on here between music and movies. But I am guessing that will go up if I get going on this.

Thanks, looks cools.
Reply
#2
3-4 GB ? I guess you mean TB Smile

a NAS (Network Attached Storage) is just a fancy name for a very simple , dedicated device that does nothing but serves files on a network over filesharing protocols such as SMB and NFS. Usuallly these devices contain an embedded and stripped down operating system.
"Building one yourself" is technically wrong: you are most likely building a fileserver and not a NAS, but in this context it doesn't matter much. In similar fashion, the devices sold by QNAP and Synology are becoming less and less NAS-like and more and more 'servers'.

Any other networked device you have will be able to open files server by the fileserver or NAS, so yes - you could get or build one and upgrade your media center later.

If plex will run on something you build - I have no idea, you might get a better response on the Plex forums.

I strongly recommend against putting loud and noisy disks anywhere near your TV - I personally think having the disks seperate (either in a NAS or in a cheap dedicated fileserver) somewhere in a cupboard or attic is much nicer and can make it easier to create a silent media environment.
Reply
#3
Thanks for the response. yes I meant TB. I am just bringing up Plex because I know it runs on the Roku I have on my TV. I don't have any other device that I currently place by my TV I have a PC in a spare bedroom. An Ipad. the Roku.

I do have a old case very similar style to this-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6811144161

Could I use this to put some hard drives in as a server? I wasn't sure if it would hold too much heat. I think the general answer is going to be, I don't know enough about what I am doing to do this right now. I better do some reading on what I need. But will take any suggestions.
Reply
#4
The old case would still need a motherboard & drives to run.....If it was me and the bedroom PC had a (wired) ethernet connection + space/connection for another SATA hard drive (or even USB), I would put a hard drive into the PC for use as a library & buy something cheap for XBMC at the TV like a raspberry Pi or a Pivos Xios.

Hang on... That IS meBig Grin
Linux PC in the bedroom using Mediatomb to share via UPnP, Raspberry Pi at the TV for viewing.

Depends on how much the bedroom PC is used, but if, like me, its on a lot then it's not costing any more in electricity to use it as your NAS as well. If you do this the library could be transferred to proper NAS device and/or you buy a HTPC when funds allow. The cheap XBMC device could then be relegated to a bedroom, kitchen etc.
Reply

Logout Mark Read Team Forum Stats Members Help
Couple newbie questions0