Hi All,
First time looking into NAS solutions. Here are the requirements:
-Data centrally stored.
-Ability to access data from anywhere through web browser.
-Ability to mount NAS as one of the drives on MAC and PC on home network or other wifi/cellular network. Dropbox like storage with files on your local drive would be the best.
- Easy and Useful iPhone & iPad app for data access.
-Ability to stream videos on iPad (home network only, too expensive to stream videos on cellular network)
-Automatically upload photos, videos to NAS from iPhone & iPad (preferably without using iPhoto)
- Ability to play most common video formats (including mkv), photos and music on Smart TV (a very near future purchase) which connects to a sound bar.
- iPhone app to control videos, photos, music playback on TV instead of standard TV remote (controlling such content through standard TV remote is too complex)
- Compatibility with Apple TV ( a very near future purchase). I don’t store videos in iTunes. I only store music in iTunes.
- Can be used with home video surveillance system. 4 security cameras (purchasing next year)
-Raid 1, as I am only looking at 2 bay NAS at this stage.
-Since NAS is going to be my main storage drive, I want to use one of the free drives on my iMac to backup NAS through Time Machine. Or I can hook-up another drive to NAS through USB port be able to back it up through Time Machine.
I have heard good things about Synology DS215j and FreeNAS but open to other suggestions. I have a spare i7 computer lying that I can use for FreeNAS but people are saying it will be overkill and energy bill is going to be higher. I am not too concerned about utilising existing spare computer. All I am concerned about is that above requirements are met in most easy and stable way. I am moderate computer literate with beginner’s level of knowledge in networking. I have no idea of SAMBA, Plex and this kind of stuff at this stage. I am expecting at least 5 years of life if I buy a system.
Please advise which NAS will tick the most boxes and is better. Then I can invest more time into that.
Thanks
First time looking into NAS solutions. Here are the requirements:
-Data centrally stored.
-Ability to access data from anywhere through web browser.
-Ability to mount NAS as one of the drives on MAC and PC on home network or other wifi/cellular network. Dropbox like storage with files on your local drive would be the best.
- Easy and Useful iPhone & iPad app for data access.
-Ability to stream videos on iPad (home network only, too expensive to stream videos on cellular network)
-Automatically upload photos, videos to NAS from iPhone & iPad (preferably without using iPhoto)
- Ability to play most common video formats (including mkv), photos and music on Smart TV (a very near future purchase) which connects to a sound bar.
- iPhone app to control videos, photos, music playback on TV instead of standard TV remote (controlling such content through standard TV remote is too complex)
- Compatibility with Apple TV ( a very near future purchase). I don’t store videos in iTunes. I only store music in iTunes.
- Can be used with home video surveillance system. 4 security cameras (purchasing next year)
-Raid 1, as I am only looking at 2 bay NAS at this stage.
-Since NAS is going to be my main storage drive, I want to use one of the free drives on my iMac to backup NAS through Time Machine. Or I can hook-up another drive to NAS through USB port be able to back it up through Time Machine.
I have heard good things about Synology DS215j and FreeNAS but open to other suggestions. I have a spare i7 computer lying that I can use for FreeNAS but people are saying it will be overkill and energy bill is going to be higher. I am not too concerned about utilising existing spare computer. All I am concerned about is that above requirements are met in most easy and stable way. I am moderate computer literate with beginner’s level of knowledge in networking. I have no idea of SAMBA, Plex and this kind of stuff at this stage. I am expecting at least 5 years of life if I buy a system.
Please advise which NAS will tick the most boxes and is better. Then I can invest more time into that.
Thanks