Home NAS suggestions ????

Am thinking of getting an external disk to backup our home computers (1 laptop, 1 desktop). However have also got a dnla tv, so thinking of setting up the nas as a media server (to hold itunes library, videos, etc) that i could then access via home network.

So .. just wondering what I should be looking for from the nas drive, and also any recommendations ?

Edited by mrt_uk (Fri 25-Jun-10 22:05:11)

I'd recommend a ReadyNAS.

They are not cheap but very good and reliable and even support DNLA and have RAID built in so that your data is safe from single drive failure.

Matt

A cheap 'n' cheerful NAS can be achieved via HomeHub 2A set up as a switch with a USB drive hanging off it's USB port (I've got two 500Gig WD's via a hub running at the mo as an experiment).
The advantages are that it's cheap as chips and you gain a wireless N WAP. The disadvantage is that the drives must be formatted to FAT32.

If you have an old PC lying about, take a look at FreeNAS, a very powerful and free NAS server. It's what I use myself and it's very reliable, and not a major pain to configure - an evening's tinkering can see it built and working.

Edit - I did look at a ReadyNAS myself, but the sheer cost put me off, especially as I have lots of assorted old tin about.

Edited by deleted (Sat 26-Jun-10 00:30:33)

May be this is the right thread to ask this question: As well as being able to use a NAS server to stream media over the network to your DLNA TV is it also possible for the NAS server to stream media from web sites such as Eurosport Player?

I use a Buffalo Linkstation like this one (but not as large a memory!) -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001FNYWFU/ref=s9...

It works perfectly and has done for several years, automatically providing backups to two PC's and three laptops, done using the bundled software which provides incremental backups.

Not sure but don't think so.

Matt

In reply to a post by gomezz:

May be this is the right thread to ask this question: As well as being able to use a NAS server to stream media over the network to your DLNA TV is it also possible for the NAS server to stream media from web sites such as Eurosport Player?

Not usually. Take a look at Windows 7 Media Centre, plus something like Tunerfree MCE.

In reply to a post by mrt_uk:

Am thinking of getting an external disk to backup our home computers (1 laptop, 1 desktop). However have also got a dnla tv, so thinking of setting up the nas as a media server (to hold itunes library, videos, etc) that i could then access via home network.

So .. just wondering what I should be looking for from the nas drive, and also any recommendations ?

Hi, this Netgear ReadyNAS Duo looks good, I would like one myself�

**Special Offer - Claim a FREE 1.0TB with every RND2110 NAS - Offer now available until end of SEPTEMBER 2010**

http://www.transparent.uk.com/cgi-bin/rs000001.pl?SO...

The Netgear ReadyNAS Duo Reviewed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_7hy-c1sL8&NR=1&feat...

Edited by deleted (Mon 28-Jun-10 18:02:31)

very tempted ... thought i'd missed out on the free drive offer (as original offer ended 30th June), but looks like they have extended until sept