NAS for Plex and Data Storage

[Minato]

Hi chaps,

Been reading and reading for what seems like countless hours only to find myself more confused than when I started.

I'm currently using my desktop PC as a Plex media server which is fine except my HDD is mostly getting full now, and I don't like having to leave it on 24/7 in case someone wants to watch something. I'm also paying a fair bit for cloud data storage (with pCloud).

I'm planning to upgrade my home networking to a mesh wifi system, with something like an Asus ZenWifi ET12 x2. As part of this I'd like to get a NAS with about 8-12TB of storage for TV shows, Movies, Cartoons for the kids etc. These would be watched on an LG CX OLED, possibly a Macbook or 2021 iPad if out of the house (but this is not hugely important), and any future TVs I buy (likely also LG OLEDs).

I understand that Synology NAS have better software, but QNAP have better hardware. I don't know if I need hardware transcoding or not, but I try to download all TV shows and movies in 4K, with HDR wherever possible. I have gigabit internet at home with 1000mb/s download and about 120mb/s upload. I don't mind paying £100 for a lifetime Plex pass if needed.

I'm terrified of spending £500+ on a NAS and hard drives, getting it all set up, only to find I can't watch stuff properly or it buffers constantly or can't be transcoded.

I'd also like to live sync/backup certain folders on my desktop and laptop to the NAS, just like I currently do with pCloud. If I add a new document in folder X, it should appear in the cloud/NAS version immediately, same if I make any changes to that document. And I need to be able to access those files/folders from my phone or elsewhere when I'm out and about. I think this data storage is pretty basic and every NAS will let me do this.

My budget is <£700 including some hard drives. I understand the Synology 920+ is good, and I can buy one used with drives for £600ish. I have seen there's also a Synology 423+ which is newer, and I can get this new without drives for around £500. I read that the QNAP TS-464 is ideal, but it's not available anywhere for non-crazy prices. If I can spend less than the total budget than that would be even better.

Please help!

 

[ChrisD.]

I've had both QNAP and Synology and I wouldn't go back to QNAP if you paid me.

However before deciding on what box to get, you need to work out if you will be transcoding or not, as that has a pretty large influence on what you buy. You should try and avoid transcoding wherever possible, and match the media you're getting to the device that is going to be playing it back. Things like the Apple TV, Nvidia Shield, and Fire Sticks can direct play the vast majority of files, but if you are downloading to an iPad, it won't play 4K HDR without it being transcoded and for that you really need a GPU, whether that be a dedicated or QuickSync via an Intel CPU.

 

[Minato]

I think since I want to buy this once and not have to worry about it in future, it probably makes sense to get something that can transcode. I can see down the line if the kids want to watch something on an iPad (although this will likely be non-4K cartoons) then this means I should have ability to transcode right?

 

[jaybee]

Have you considered unraid and a home built machine? You could build something small form factor if you wanted it to look nice and be on view. Otherwise can just stash it anywhere on the network. Might be worth a look. I've used unraid for many, many years as I don't like the limitations of off the shelf NAS solutions both in hardware and software. Not sure if some of the NAS boxes still ship with 100mb ports for example?

Briefly though the questions to think about are:

1: Are you likely to outgrow an off the shelf NAS box? (Consider that some only take say 3 or 4 hard disks and one of them might be redundant in a RAID5 array, or mirrored etc). To maximise storage you tend to need to therefore use bigger hard disk drives which can cost a lot. Unraid gives you the option to use more drives, which can be smaller in capacity, older, differing capacities etc, whilst still providing redundancy and only spinning up specific drives required to serve your files.
2: Do you want flexibility of being able to do other things with the server? With unraid you can do almost anything through use of apps/plugins/docker/virtual machines etc.
3: Do you want the flexibility of being able to move your configuration and drives between different hardware platforms in the future? i.e. Say you realise in the future you don't need a GPU/powerful CPU and just want it to sip power, you can move it all into another box easily within minutes and just spin it up with minimal reconfig. Or if you ever want a more powerful all in one server to do other things.
4: Do you want flexibility of growing/resizing the storage without having to start an array from scratch?
5: Do you want redundancy flexibility? Unraid offers some nice features one of which is that if you do have a bit of bad luck and lose 2 or 3 disks in one go, you still only lose some of your data (what was on those disks), rather than the entire array.
6: Cost. Unraid can even work out cheaper as you can use older/recycled/repurposed hardware. Even with transcoding you only need an 8th gen Intel i3 for quicksync.

Briefly in conclusion, unraid offers more flexibility and control if you want it.

 

[Minato]

thanks @jaybee. I did consider it, but honestly I just fancied the plug and play of the NAS. I am almost certain to never use it for anything beyond Plex and data storage, with the possible addition of home cameras in future. I don't have anywhere near as much time as I used to to learn something like unraid and get it all set up and working. And regarding storage, I'm only now coming up to the limits of my 2TB HDD after years and years, thanks to downloading a lot more 4K HDR stuff. So I think a 8-12TB NAS would be more than enough for a long time to come.

I'm leaning toward pulling the trigger on a Synology DS920+ unless anyone thinks this is drastically overkill and I can save a few hundred £ on a lighter model.

 

[krooton]

I have loved my move from Synology to a cheap, always-on UnRAID machine.

It functions as both my NAS and my Plex server, and once I got the hang of setting up some dockers, my life got so much easier.

 

[robj20]

I went with an Asustor for my Plex Nas, for the money it was a fair bit faster than the competition.

ASUSTOR NAS - AS5304T

2.5GbE stores even more with the AS5304T! <br/> The #1 cloud storage device for live stream collection and content creators.

www.asustor.com

 

[bimbleuk]

I started with XPEnology so the software from Synology on a small PC/server. From that exprience I should have gone Synology but went QNAP after comparing the two at the time. My 4 bay has been great and eventually I did add a faster NIC so I could max the uploading.

I played with direct HDMI to TV from the QNAP Hybrid Desktop but as TVs got better I just use PLEX side loaded to the QNAP OS. As I have an LG TV there is a problem that they won't pay for the DTS License so my library has changed to Dolby ATMOS over time. Pity but most stuff I stream is also DD+ ATMOS anyway so not so bad.

I've never had to transcode anything myself and I'd certainly consider Asustor now as well but the QNAP just keeps going 24/7 sipping power.

I also have Pi Hole running in a Docker VM on my QNAP.

 

[martin363]

I have a Synology 220+ which is perfect for your needs, if you need it. It is great for transcoding and hasn't missed a beat, plus you can run Docker on it, which you may or may not want in the future.

With transcoding is simply comes down to whether you want to access Plex outside the home, if you do, then you need it, otherwise likely now. My daughter is at Uni for example, so it is useful as she accesses Plex on it remotely all the time.

Personally, if you are going to get a NAS, see it as a 5 to 7 year investment and get the best you can to future proof, you may regret it otherwise as your needs change.

 

[timmy85]

Recently bought and set up a QNAP ts-464. Never owned a NAS before.

Upgraded the RAM from the stock 4GB to 32GB. Does everything I throw at it. Have 7 docker containers running in container station and have it set as a Plex server to my LG C1 &CX TV's.

 

[TheBiznes]

@Minato
Personally after having looked recently for pure hardware and performance other than the Synology 920+ that you were looking at. Perhaps the Asustor Lockerstor 2 Gen 2 AS6702T or the 4 bay version. Hardware wise it provides 2.5gb network if you later get a non managed 2.5gb switch you go link without aggregation still and achieve 5gb speeds. The Nas has 4 NVME bays in either the 2 or 4 version which can be used as cache or as storage. Welcome when NVME prices are quite good now.

Also HDMI output should you wish to use next to your LG. Streams Dolby Vision and HDR OK as well through HDMI 2.0b. Good powerful processor Quad core onboard also. If you went SSD and NVME with one large HD. You could have a good energy efficient near silent storage solution.

review 2bay​

 

[HEADRAT]

Personally I have always found NAS hardware to be underpowered and overpriced but I can see the 'off the shelf' attraction!

Being a bit of a PC hobbyist I built a NAS around a X10SDV-8C+-LN2F which I picked up off the MM and stuck it in a Silverstone DS380B, it's running Xpenology but I am tempted to migrate to something like TRUE NAS. There is nothing on the NAS that isn't either backed up to Cloud or I'd just download again.

I'm running Docker which is orchestrated via Portainer and running:

amongst other bits and pieces!

Nips along nicely:

 

[Deep]

I have a Synology 1819+ and it's been amazing for me.
I bought it in December 19 and it's still perfect for my use case. I don't do any transcoding but stream 4K Remuxes to various Shield TVs around the house, never buffers.
I've set it up with Docker running Radarr/Sonarr/SABNZBD/Plex works beautifully.

 

[Chuk_Chuk]

I went with an Asustor for my Plex Nas, for the money it was a fair bit faster than the competition.

ASUSTOR NAS - AS5304T

2.5GbE stores even more with the AS5304T! <br/> The #1 cloud storage device for live stream collection and content creators.

www.asustor.com

Does the App for the Asustor allow you to download and watch videos on your mobile phone from the NAS? Specifically an iPhone?

 

[robj20]

Does the App for the Asustor allow you to download and watch videos on your mobile phone from the NAS? Specifically an iPhone?

AiData app lets you download any file so as long as your phone will handle the file then yes. I play .m4v and .mkv on my phone with no issues, that's Android though.

 

[GR63]

Have you considered unraid and a home built machine? You could build something small form factor if you wanted it to look nice and be on view. Otherwise can just stash it anywhere on the network. Might be worth a look. I've used unraid for many, many years as I don't like the limitations of off the shelf NAS solutions both in hardware and software. Not sure if some of the NAS boxes still ship with 100mb ports for example?

Briefly though the questions to think about are:

1: Are you likely to outgrow an off the shelf NAS box? (Consider that some only take say 3 or 4 hard disks and one of them might be redundant in a RAID5 array, or mirrored etc). To maximise storage you tend to need to therefore use bigger hard disk drives which can cost a lot. Unraid gives you the option to use more drives, which can be smaller in capacity, older, differing capacities etc, whilst still providing redundancy and only spinning up specific drives required to serve your files.
2: Do you want flexibility of being able to do other things with the server? With unraid you can do almost anything through use of apps/plugins/docker/virtual machines etc.
3: Do you want the flexibility of being able to move your configuration and drives between different hardware platforms in the future? i.e. Say you realise in the future you don't need a GPU/powerful CPU and just want it to sip power, you can move it all into another box easily within minutes and just spin it up with minimal reconfig. Or if you ever want a more powerful all in one server to do other things.
4: Do you want flexibility of growing/resizing the storage without having to start an array from scratch?
5: Do you want redundancy flexibility? Unraid offers some nice features one of which is that if you do have a bit of bad luck and lose 2 or 3 disks in one go, you still only lose some of your data (what was on those disks), rather than the entire array.
6: Cost. Unraid can even work out cheaper as you can use older/recycled/repurposed hardware. Even with transcoding you only need an 8th gen Intel i3 for quicksync.

Briefly in conclusion, unraid offers more flexibility and control if you want it.

Also returning to unRAID after couple years away using cloud server. Wondering how many streams at 1080P H264 I can transcode to H265 (or what ratio/speed I get) as may have my iGPU transcode my video library to H265 to save space with Tdarr. Do you transcode with 8th gen (got an 8500 on the way with mobo to upgrade server)??