Whats the difference?

[admin_exported]

Excuse my ignorance - but what is the difference between an external hard drive and a NAS? I have all my cds ripped to lossless and stored in itunes on my mac mini. Potentially looking at using a Squeezebox Touch through an external DAC into my amp. My CD73 is gradually giving up the ghost.

 

[Andrew Everard]

A NAS (Network Attached Storage) device is an external hard drive, but is connected to a network router so that it can be accessed by any device on the network. It's possible to share drives connected directly to a computer (by USB, for example) in this manner, but that does require the computer to be on; the NAS, sitting on the network, can be accessed even when your computer is off, making it suitable for music storage and playback via devices such as media streaming clients.

 

[Anonymous]

Perfect, thank you Andrew.

 

[Overdose]

Yes, but could an external HDD with external power supply feed music files to the client via USB? No network availability mind you, but music storage aplenty.

I'm just about to go down a similar route myself and need to address similar issues.

 

[idc]

Whether it is a NAS or hard drive, if it has a USB socket, you can connect it with a USB cable to your PC. The NAS also gives you the option to connect wirelessly.

 

[Anonymous]

You won't regret paying a bit more for the extra functionality that you get from a NAS. It is infinitely easier to access your files/media and so much more adaptable.

 

[Anonymous]

Definitions aside, a modern NAS is in fact a computer running a dedicated set of services, including access to hd drive(s), but often a lot more, a dlna server, bittorrent downloader, itunes support, ftp server, printer sharing, automatic backup software, .. This is all loaded in the firmware (although there are also ways to change/add contents if you are more experienced), and configurable using a web interface.

 

[Anonymous]

Check out the very informative WhatHiFi vidio on networking your ITunes library here.

Enjoy,

Nick

 

[Andrew Everard]

idc:Whether it is a NAS or hard drive, if it has a USB socket, you can connect it with a USB cable to your PC.

Unless, of course, that USB socket is only intended for the connection of an additional drive to the NAS.

idc:The NAS also
gives you the option to connect wirelessly.

Assuming the NAS is connected to a wireless network.

 

[Miggs]

nicholasc1585:

Check out the very informative WhatHiFi vidio on networking your ITunes library here.

Enjoy,

Nick

This link takes you to a KEF speaker? The ITunes video is there but not with this link.

 

[Anonymous]

Miggs:nicholasc1585:

Check out the very informative WhatHiFi vidio on networking your ITunes library here.

Enjoy,

Nick

This link takes you to a KEF speaker? The ITunes video is there but not with this link.

The link takes you to the Video page, which is currently showing the latest video (now Kef speakers), just below is the NAS video. unfortunately, there is'nt a direct link to the NAS video only. Sorry, its the nearest I could get

.

Nick