NAS server Vs Networked Hard Drive

jimogr

Hi There,

Looking for some advice on what type of networked storage to go for. The main thing I want it for at the moment is to stream video files to various devices on a home network.

Option one is the Networked hard drive, something like the Buffalo-LinkStation

Option two is more of NAS server, something like ZyXEL NSA-320. Which will work out a bit more expensive when a hard drive is added, but has a lot more options and support for stuff like itunes server, print server etc... And also has the option of adding a second hard drive in time.

At the moment I'm not sure how or if I would use all the added features of the ZyXEL.

Does anyone who has either have any advice. What use do you get out of your NAS? Which option would you go for?

Thanks for any input,

Jim.

numbnutz

Hi Jim

I have put a few of these into clients networks.Worth a look.
http://go.iomega.com/en/products/network-attached-storage-nas/ix2/ix2/#overviewItem_tab

PogMoThoin

From my experiences I would avoid Zyxel and Iomega like the plague, they don't make great networking products. Zyxel routers are pure crap, Iomega drives are the same. I've had lots of bad experiences with both and would recommend neither. They don't fix any issues and don't support their devices for very long with updates. I've had a good experiences with Buffalo, they make very decent routers which are even good enough to take custom firmwares like DD-WRT but they also don't support their Linkstations for long enough either.

In my own house I have a HP Proliant as my media server. It was on €120 cashback offer last month (may have been extended). I have it running Windows 7 Pro and I can run other things on it, like uTorrent, Sabnzbd, Couchpotato, Sickbeard and Headphones, something you can't do on a locked down NAS. It may be above your budget though.

Have a look at Synology. It comes with it's own package centre, you can install Sabnzb and the other softwares as apps on it.

bluferbl

I'd go for a NAS, it'll just be a device on your network and available to all computers on the network. Make sure it has a gigabit network interface (even if you don't need it now). I have a Buffalo NAS which has worked fine...I can access it from my phone if I want to!

Teekasaurus

Any notable advances in technology since these posts were made, I'm about to fork out for one of these bad boys. Any thoughts? Thanks.

davo2001

Teekasaurus wrote: »

Any notable advances in technology since these posts were made, I'm about to fork out for one of these bad boys. Any thoughts? Thanks.

Wait for the 400 series, should be available in a few weeks ;-)

http://www.buffalo-technology.com/en/ls410d-eu-linkstation-410-series.html

Teekasaurus

Brilliant, thanks David.

BostonB

I just use an old PC.

Teekasaurus

I've only got a 4 year old xp 1gb 160gb hd netbook, have a handful of android devices too. At present i'm using a barely functioning 3 year old seagate media hard drive, which is very limited and awkward to use. My LG TV doesnt recognise it. Somehow the LG HTS does but i'd prefer to have something with bittorrent and DLNA so i can hop off it straight from the TV, or ideally the Horizon box if they work out the kinks.

BostonB

I find I can get everything working as DLNA shares.