[NOOB] How to Check These NAS Deals Showing Lately for Your Required Task

samkenny on 21/07/2022 - 11:29

I have been seeing all these deals pop up for NAS and even the prime deal of 18TB hard drive.

What I wish to mainly do: Store videos, music and photos (backup as I mainly use Google photos for convenience) and stream 4k HDR atmos movies locally to the TV (use Plex for that even though I can search the file locally using VLC)

Was it the best option to simply buy the 18TB, connect it to my PC and call it a day since Plex is running all the time?

Or get a "dumb" NAS that connects to my PC to provide additional storage but allows it to have redundancies?

I am really good with computer building and all but not with external NAS storage/network, Linux something something. Would really appreciate your help based on past deals on Oz to look out for the future…

Computing NAS

Comments

  • spackbace on 21/07/2022 - 11:45
    +1

    Have a think about the future and what you want to do. Do you want a 4K Plex library? Because 18TB will soon get swallowed up. Do you want backup to save you downloading that file again if the hdd dies? Coz then you need 2 bays minimum

    I've gone through a few different setups but now have a 5 Bay DS1520+. Does everything I need from it and plays the 4K Remuxes perfectly fine. Have redundancy so I don't need to go re-download my library

    • samkenny on 21/07/2022 - 12:09

      Thanks for replying.
      So, 5 Bay DS1520+ appears to be able to operate in a standalone environment and you connect over to it via network?
      Completely didn't get why files are needed to be "re-download"…(I did say noob and now I know how boomers feels in a tech store).

      Since my gaming PC is the most powerful thing running 24/7 (GTX3080..not sure if matters for 4K HDR/Plex), don't see the need for a server for essentially, 1 person for local access only.
      I do have another PC 6700K, GTX 1070. Would that be a better idea to covert into a server and simply buy drives? Share it locally for anything to access including Plex and my main PC?

      • freefall101 on 21/07/2022 - 12:26
        +1

        NAS stands for Network Attached Storage. The DS1520+ is a NAS so yes, it is storage that operates alone and you connect to it over a network.

        The hardware on the NAS needs to be able to support what you need for plex server, so usually plugging a drive straight into a router is out but anything like Synology is in, or a dedicated computer.

        Reason to use a NAS over your existing computer is just noise and power consumption. If it's just for you and you're running your PC 24/7 anyway you might as well do it through your PC. Just install plex server and away you go. I do the same thing as it's just me and my partner and usually we watch things together. If you had half a dozen people streaming from your PC while trying to game you might see issues. Only reason not to use the 6700K is power consumption, it would eventually cost more than just buying a NAS.

        Other benefit of a NAS is separate backups, if something happens to your PC then you have the NAS. However I just use the cloud for that and don't worry about backing up games/media.

        • samkenny on 21/07/2022 - 12:44

          Thanks for the detailed reply. It does answer a few of the questions I had. Shame about not being able to repurpose the 6700K even though it should be idling 90% of the time. I don't think I will really run it 24/7 (more like minus sleeping hours for the main PC and 6700K turned on when needed).

          Yes, that is how I recently got started with Plex. Running it from my PC and no dramas watching 4k HDR movies (was worried it was trying to transcode when the original is the best quality). I get the appeal of some people wanting to access it not locally. Not, me. The obvious thing was, want to increase my capacity and all these NAS deals are showing. My current PC is a mini itx with NVME drives, so tough to shove drives in that one.

          So, that is when I thought these "NAS" is simply added storage without needing to connect to the motherboard directly via 2.5G.

          • spackbace on 21/07/2022 - 13:10

            @samkenny: For me it was all about getting it away from the main PC, having easy redundancy and power draw. Ability to stream elsewhere is a side-bonus, but wasn't the main reason. I had hdds of stuff building up in the PC, but the NAS offered me a better, central solution.

            Completely didn't get why files are needed to be "re-download"…(I did say noob and now I know how boomers feels in a tech store).

            In case of HDD failure, the NAS is setup to cover it. So while nothing on there is really key to my life, it would be annoying to have to go back and get all those files again. Yes, this means losing 1x HDD worth of storage, but worth it in the long run

    • Chandler on 22/07/2022 - 09:19

      Obligatory #raidisnotabackup. Redundant disks are great for availability (disk dies, keep watching Plex anyway) but not so great for data retention (accidentally delete a video? It's deleted on both disks). Both redundancy and backup are important, in my opinion.

  • Twodogs on 21/07/2022 - 12:28

    What type of videos ?

    • samkenny on 21/07/2022 - 12:35

      Essentially a library in the hopes that one day I will watch it again (a complete lie). E.g. Anime from 2005 is kept in an amazing state (folder has album covers, manually rated it, etc.). Nice to look at but never to watch it (different age/time). Now, ain't nobody got time for that… Plex server is what I started using recently with a plugin to detect it correctly and presents mostly correct…so, to answer the q: anime, amv (if can get back into it), 4k HDR atmos movies and 100 TB of p… (jk).

      • Twodogs on 21/07/2022 - 12:45

        Ok how much space does this collection of videos , photo's etc take up and are you adding to it constantly ? if that 18TB external hard drive is more than enough you could just run a backup program on your pc so you would have the redundancey a nas gives you .

        • samkenny on 21/07/2022 - 12:52

          Yes, I thought as much but didn't want to FOMO in on the prime deal. Don't want a situation of external drives everywhere when I run out. Thus, because I have a mini itx pc, want to keep the enclosure in a different room and connect via ethernet (i.e. NBN cabinet with the router). Now, not sure how windows will handle storage connected via ethernet in terms of speed/plex 4k hdr streaming locally.

          • Caped Baldy on 21/07/2022 - 13:39
            +1

            @samkenny: Link to NAS streaming performance
            https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MfYoJkiwSqCXg8cm5-Ac…

            Sounds like you want a NAS. Do you have a budget?

            I bought a terramaster and added treuNAS to it. I'm thinking about putting DSM7 now because trueNAS lacks a good phone photo backup system.

            • samkenny on 21/07/2022 - 13:49

              @Caped Baldy: Thanks for this table. I definitely saw this in the comment section of another deal. Hence, the reason why I am not sure about a "standalone" NAS as opposed to a full PC. Most list they can't do 4K HDR.

              The budget is flexible depending on the amount of storage. Not in a rush, hence, keeping an eye out for a deal. But, no idea what to keep an eye for…

  • adaminperth on 21/07/2022 - 14:41

    If you know how to build a PC yourself, you'll get more bang for your buck putting together a PC and running truenas on it.

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