Streaming friendly solution

[SystmOveRide]

Okay so my last NAS thread didn't get very much attention, so I thought about it and what I really wanted to get out of my NAS, so is it very easy to stream media from a NAS? Like the gigabit ethernet wont slow it down considerably or anything will it?

 

[BuddhaSkoota]

Okay so my last NAS thread didn't get very much attention, so I thought about it and what I really wanted to get out of my NAS, so is it very easy to stream media from a NAS? Like the gigabit ethernet wont slow it down considerably or anything will it?

Gigabit capability is more than enough for multiple users and HD video streams. The limitation usually lies with devices utilizing wireless or streaming over the web.

As for ease of use, it really depends on the device to which content is being streamed. PCs can simply map the device or view via web browser or app. Tablets, media devices and phones normally require an app such as Plex. Most game consoles can natively detect a NAS with DLNA enabled. The initial configuration on any NAS is a small hurdle and many times a relatively easy task that must be performed only once.

Are you looking for suggestions on a particular NAS device, and if so do you have a budget in mind? You can build a very capable NAS yourself (possibly for free utilizing an old PC and FreeNAS) or spend hundreds on something more elaborate.

edit for clarity

 

[SystmOveRide]

I am currently looking at a 4 Bay Netgear ReadyNAS 104 (i think), as I have been told that due to it having onboard CPU etc, and actually being stated it can be used as a media server, it seems to be the most logical choice.

But wait, does that mean it's not as easy as "access NAS from PC, double click media file, opens up in VLC"? So I'll need a certain app for that then?

 

[BuddhaSkoota]

But wait, does that mean it's not as easy as "access NAS from PC, double click media file, opens up in VLC"? So I'll need a certain app for that then?

Yes, you will be able to access the NAS from a PC as stated (view files open them). Apps would likely be needed for smaller or portable devices (e.g. mobile phone, tablet, Roku, etc.), but that's typical and not dependent on the NAS.

The Netgear is a good choice. One thing to keep in mind when shopping around is that all NAS units have a CPU and some method of delivering media content (some better than others), so don't discount the other manufacturers (Synology, QNAP, etc).

 

[SystmOveRide]

Oh no when I meant it had a CPU, there was a D-Link one I was looking at that was super cheap that didn't have a CPU and was literally just a HDD enclosure, so lucky I didn't end up getting that one.

Synology was definitely another brand I was looking at, it's just that for me the 4 bay NetGear NAS is about $250 while a 2 bay Synology NAS is $189, I'm also on a tightish budget and eventually wanting to RAID1 with at least two HDDs for storage so, for the price it's probably more worth while going for the 4 bay NetGear, as even the tech friend i consulted said she would recommend NetGear too