Using a NAS for a torrent box

[fireaza]

Hi guys,
I'm currently doing my torrenting on my gaming PC, which isn't ideal since this wastes power when I leave it running overnight. I'm also not using a VPN to protect myself from copyright trolls, but I plan to correct this soon with a privateinternetacces subscription.

So I was thinking I could get a NAS, since they basically just a small, low-power PC. However, they run a custom OS right? I probably wouldn't be able to install utorrent and the privateinternetacces client software on one would I? Can they be eaisly hacked to run Linux or something? Or should I be looking at a different solution?

Thanks

 

[laviniuc]

i would lookt at it the other way around actually, build and use a light pc as nas. http://www.freenas.org/ is a great os to make a nas around.

 

[fireaza]

Would a normal desktop PC even be able to come close to the small size and low power use of a NAS? It seems like in terms of hardware, a NAS would be ideal, aside from the OS issue. Also, would installing a NAS-focused OS be necessary when it's basically only going to be running utorrent?

 

[laviniuc]

qnap has Download Station part of the turbo nas which would do the trickt i guess.
http://docs.qnap.com/nas/4.1/SMB/en/index.html?download_station.htm