Advice on nas drives please

[lordmortlock]

Having (re)ripped my music onto my PC the hard drives getting a bit full. A good opportunity to delve into the word of networked storage.

If I use a NAS does my pc no longer need to be on all the time? Will a NAS 'run' itunes so to speak... so that I can still use airport/remote app or have I got this all round my bum and is it all still run by itunes on the pc?

 

[lordmortlock]

lordmortlock:have I got this all round my bum?

I have haven't I. Does the NAS just work as a wireless external drive? I guess the pc will have to be on and running itunes in order to pick up the info.

I had visions of the nas letting me stream to the airport without the PC. Oh well.

 

[professorhat]

Some devices have something called iTunes Server which can run on them. I've never seen / used it and have heard it has some issues, but worth looking into (we need JD I reckon).

But without that, yes, you definitely need your PC / Mac running iTunes to be able to stream.

 

[Anonymous]

I can recommend the qnap NAS drives they support twonkymedia server, dlna and itunes all builit in one box. So no need to have your pc/laptop when you want to play music !!!

Check out the TS-119 for a single drive solution, they are pricey compared to plain usb/network caddy but the added network functionality and ability to use the web to access your files make it worthwhile. Trust me the low power design will save the extra cost or purchase in electric bils by having your laptop off when you just want to stream music !

No affiliation to qnap I have an old TS-201 for all my music, photos and videos and I think they are very good products and easy to setup.

 

[lordmortlock]

Thanks - so it is possible? Good show. I'd heard about itunes server - time to get the researching furiously cap on.

J6jno - So in theory I could copy my itunes library onto the qnap, connect it to my wireless network/airports and control it using the remote app on my iphone? If so... sweet deal

 

[lordmortlock]

interesting

http://www.qnap.com/pro_detail_feature.asp?p_id=112

EDIT need to purchase hdd seperately

 

[John Duncan]

Yoo hoo...

I haven't tried a NAS with iTunes server on it precisely for the reason that they all appear to only provide a shared library that a running copy of iTunes can share. Which is no use at all if you want it to be the only thing on, and want to use Remote to control it. If anybody finds one, do share.

Nearest thing you'll get is an apple tv, which is dear, only has 160gig in it, and only supports additional storage if you hack it using atvflash or other open source tweaks.

Does depend on what you want to use as a client though cos I forget what you've got - if it's airport express, then you're a bit stuffed as far as I can see, if you want to go down the squeezebox route then plenty of NASs support that - just make sure you get one with Squeezecentre loaded on it already, don't try and do it yourself.

 

[lordmortlock]

A very helpful lass at ripcaster (Anna) seemed very confident remote would pick up directly from the qnap (link in post above) but it doesn't sound very likely does it?

And the more I think about it the more I wonder what I will actually achieve. £350 + GUARANTEED set up faff (still not completely sure how I managed to get three airports working) to basically have another box rather than my PC on all the time. Obviously its a back up too but its not like theres lots of people in my house file sharing. Maybe I should just whack a bigger hdd in my PC and slave it.

BTW (and slightly off topic) can one just stick 1TB in a bog standard dell or will it get upset and thoughtful?

Thanks John, really helpful.

 

[John Duncan]

Should be able to as long as the caddy will take it, but bit eggs/basket if you ask me - I would attach a USB hard drive or plug a standard network drive into your router (I use freecom network drives).

But if you have your pooter on all the time (as I do), no point to a 'proper' NAS really (ie a (misnamed) one that can serve music with your PC turned off, as opposed to one that just offers attached storage).

Lastly - ripcaster really do tend to know what they're talking about, but I do think Anna may be wrong in this case...

 

[professorhat]

See - I knew JD would know!

lordmortlock:BTW (and slightly off topic) can one just stick 1TB in a bog standard dell or will it get upset and thoughtful?

Just need to make sure the motherboard supports whichever hard disk you're putting in. If it's a fairly new PC, you should be okay, but it needs to be the right kind - if it's a Dell, just give them a call and tell them your serial number - they'll be happy to sell you a new hard drive and from the information you can give them, they'll know what drive you need and thus you'll know what you need.

Just make sure you have a backup for all that music - we don't need another "How do I recover my hard drive" post!

 

[Anonymous]

Yes you can copy the itunes library to the qnap but all it will do is manage the files and store them and allow 'other' playback devices to connect to the NAS to 'play' them.

The theory being a NAS box is quieter and cheaper to run than a full pc. You can connect any squeeze device to the network or a LAN enabled amp to the network they will read the music files off the NAS and then play them. This allows you to be platform independant and add other additonal playback devices later for multizones (future proofing!)

ie.

NAS (qnap) --->LAN (wired/wireless) --->SQUEEZEBOX (playback device) ---> AMP ---> SPEAKERS

Look at demo on the sonos site.... http://www.simplysonos.co.uk/flash/index.html

ok the sonos is expensive but the idea is the same, NAS storing music files and streaming over network to playback devices.

The cheapest setup would be a qnap TS-119 + 1TB Drive = £ 300 and a Squeezebox Duet is £220. I would go for a TS-219P as it gives you raid and added protection from drive failure. However it will bump up the price by a further 130 for the 219P with another drive. This would give piece of mind and save having to re-rip CD's if the drive failed as its mirrored.

Keep us informed what you decide.

 

[John Duncan]

Generally good advice, but be aware that Squeezebox requires Squeezecentre to be running on *something*. For most people it'll be their computer, but if you want a NAS to do it, it has to have Squeezecentre installed - again ripcaster is a good source of help as they sell NASs with it preinstalled - I wouldn't want to try it myself and I'm in IT.

 

[Anonymous]

qnap supports slimcenter.... !!!

http://www.qnap.com/pro_application.asp?ap_id=71

the new qnap package 'qpkg' installs are as easy as logging on to the qnap admin page and selecting the software from a list of

available packages (so easy even my dad managed at 65 and hates anything technical - still cant set the video timer after 20 years !)

;o)

 

[The_Lhc]

Or you could just use Sonos and go with any old NAS cos Sonos requires no server software whatsoever...

Obviously it's more expensive and is more of a multi-room system but it's another option...

 

[Anonymous]

Sonos is the dog's b*ll*cks but at 750 for a controller and bridge + NAS cost it would need Wifey approval (boo hoo)

 

[The_Lhc]

Yeah no worries, just wanted to throw it out there so it wasn't forgotten. It does make life a hell of a lot easier when it comes to picking a NAS though...