So I have a friend who wants a device with the following requirements:
1. Provides ability to backup data from PC so easy to restore PC in event of failure. Also, ideally an automatic mirror of data (photos etc.) to another drive.
2. Ability to stream photos, movies (and music) to TV and speakers.
The way I see it, there's two ways to go with this:
1. Buy a NAS with built-in mirroring (RAID 1). Keep all data on the NAS (e.g. Synology DS211J) and access it from the PC + use backup software (e.g. Acronis TrueImage?) to allow backup of PC to NAS for easy restore of everything as is. Purchase separate streamer (e.g. Sony SMP-N100?) to connect to TV to stream photos etc. from NAS via DLNA.
Advantages - Does everything in requirements.
Disadvantages - Price (I guesstimated about £400) and complex to setup.
2. Buy a streamer with built-in storage (e.g. Western Digital WD TV Live Hub?). Manually move photos, music etc. to storage on streamer.
Advantages - Much cheaper solution (about £180) and far less complex to setup.
Disadvantages - No backup for PC, no automatic mirror of critical data so doesn't fully meet requirements.
The examples I've listed are products I've recommended to her from reviews, but I've no direct experiences of them (apart from Acronis, but would like to hear what other people use).
So, my questions are:
(A) Are there any other options people can think of?
(B) In the two options above, does any one have experience of the products listed and any products which might be better?
(C) Someone else has recommended her an Apple TV2. I've shown her mine and she likes it, but I have a Mac so photos integrate really well with iPhoto on the Mac. I've no experience with how this works with a PC though - since it doesn't have iPhoto on the PC, how does it work? Or does it not?!
Thanks all!
1. Provides ability to backup data from PC so easy to restore PC in event of failure. Also, ideally an automatic mirror of data (photos etc.) to another drive.
2. Ability to stream photos, movies (and music) to TV and speakers.
The way I see it, there's two ways to go with this:
1. Buy a NAS with built-in mirroring (RAID 1). Keep all data on the NAS (e.g. Synology DS211J) and access it from the PC + use backup software (e.g. Acronis TrueImage?) to allow backup of PC to NAS for easy restore of everything as is. Purchase separate streamer (e.g. Sony SMP-N100?) to connect to TV to stream photos etc. from NAS via DLNA.
Advantages - Does everything in requirements.
Disadvantages - Price (I guesstimated about £400) and complex to setup.
2. Buy a streamer with built-in storage (e.g. Western Digital WD TV Live Hub?). Manually move photos, music etc. to storage on streamer.
Advantages - Much cheaper solution (about £180) and far less complex to setup.
Disadvantages - No backup for PC, no automatic mirror of critical data so doesn't fully meet requirements.
The examples I've listed are products I've recommended to her from reviews, but I've no direct experiences of them (apart from Acronis, but would like to hear what other people use).
So, my questions are:
(A) Are there any other options people can think of?
(B) In the two options above, does any one have experience of the products listed and any products which might be better?
(C) Someone else has recommended her an Apple TV2. I've shown her mine and she likes it, but I have a Mac so photos integrate really well with iPhoto on the Mac. I've no experience with how this works with a PC though - since it doesn't have iPhoto on the PC, how does it work? Or does it not?!
Thanks all!