Nas home server for 4k streaming

Dogfood09 · 15 Aug 2018 at 17:23

Hi all,
Can anyone recommend a nas for me, the plan is to stream my movie collection which contains 4k movies to my nvidia sheild using plex. Currently using my desktop pc, but I don't like to keep it powered on all the time. Really know very little about home servers , so would appreciate some kind advice. Have a maximum of £600 to spend. Need hard drives too.

Many thanks

BigT · 15 Aug 2018 at 20:10

How many TB of storage does that £600 have to provide?

Dogfood09 · 15 Aug 2018 at 20:11

Ideally around 6tb to start off with

BigT · 15 Aug 2018 at 20:25

I’d probably go for something like an HP microserver, 3x 3TB (one as parity leaving you 6TB usable) and a copy of UnRaid. It’ll have an awful lot of flexibility and I love the Unraid eco system and use of docker. There’s a Plex docker for your needs and it can do a whole load more.

I don’t have personal experience but the Synology NAS appliances are also well regarded and I know can run Plex server.

deuse · 16 Aug 2018 at 07:07

I use a Qnap nas to my android TV using Kodi.
4K runs just great with no transcoding.

Dogfood09 · 16 Aug 2018 at 07:21

What qnap do you have ?

deuse · 16 Aug 2018 at 07:54

Dogfood09 said:
What qnap do you have ?

https://www.qnap.com/en-uk/product/ts-853a

It's got 2 HDMI out as well.

Dogfood09 · 16 Aug 2018 at 08:07

Nice, way above my price range though

deuse · 16 Aug 2018 at 08:44

Dogfood09 said:
Nice, way above my price range though

I bought a 2 bay nas...then a 4 bay nas....then this 8 bay one.
It would have been cheaper to buy the 8 bay in the first place

deuse · 16 Aug 2018 at 09:13

Dogfood09 said:
Nice, way above my price range though

You live any where near Birmingham?

Dogfood09 · 16 Aug 2018 at 11:29

No, I'm a Surrey boy, Gatwick

Dogfood09 · 16 Aug 2018 at 11:30

deuse said:
I bought a 2 bay nas...then a 4 bay nas....then this 8 bay one.
It would have been cheaper to buy the 8 bay in the first place

Does the 2 and 4 bay have the same features, looks like this is what I need

StevieP · 16 Aug 2018 at 11:40

BigT said:
I’d probably go for something like an HP microserver, 3x 3TB (one as parity leaving you 6TB usable) and a copy of UnRaid. It’ll have an awful lot of flexibility and I love the Unraid eco system and use of docker. There’s a Plex docker for your needs and it can do a whole load more.

I don’t have personal experience but the Synology NAS appliances are also well regarded and I know can run Plex server.

This, this and this again!

I've had Synology NAS's in the past and the UI is great (it's what you are paying for after all!) but your are dependent upon them continuing to support Plex (they stopped on a great many models, mine included, so I can only imagine they will again!) - personally I went for a HP Microserver with unRaid - works superbly and gives you sooo many other options!

deuse · 16 Aug 2018 at 16:10

Dogfood09 said:
Does the 2 and 4 bay have the same features, looks like this is what I need

In the Qnap range?

I think so. The OS is the same.

Dogfood09 · 16 Aug 2018 at 16:22

Will have to do some more research , i take it I can just sling one hard drive in for now and not have it back up, until I can fill the other 3 bays and it will work as normal?? And what is the benefit of having HDMI? Can I connect it to my tv and play the files directly? Apologies if these are stupid questions , really have no clue, just want one place where I can store all my media instead of having external drives everywhere.

Many thanks guys

deuse · 16 Aug 2018 at 20:06

Dogfood09 said:
Will have to do some more research , i take it I can just sling one hard drive in for now and not have it back up, until I can fill the other 3 bays and it will work as normal?? And what is the benefit of having HDMI? Can I connect it to my tv and play the files directly? Apologies if these are stupid questions , really have no clue, just want one place where I can store all my media instead of having external drives everywhere.

Many thanks guys

Kind of. All drives must be the same TB\Speed.
If like me you have raid 5, you will lose some storage space for backup.
And it takes no time to fill up a 4 bay.

Dogfood09 · 16 Aug 2018 at 20:13

So in theory if I buy two 3tb drives, one drive would have my media on it and the other would have the same media (copies) in case of drive failure? Can you choose not have it backed up and use the full storage of both drives ?

Dogfood09 · 16 Aug 2018 at 23:18

Think I might give up trying to find the right nas for me, don't know enough about them, so will just get me 2 4tb external drives and attached them to the sheild , will save me some money too

deuse · 17 Aug 2018 at 10:25

Dogfood09 said:
So in theory if I buy two 3tb drives, one drive would have my media on it and the other would have the same media (copies) in case of drive failure? Can you choose not have it backed up and use the full storage of both drives ?

You can use every TB if you want. It's called JBOD(just a bunch of discs) https://blog.storagecraft.com/jbod-vs-raid-enterprise-storage-systems/

But if a drive fails you lose the lot.

AyeAyeAhoy! · 28 Aug 2018 at 11:28

Dell T20 is what I use (the Xeon one) with UnRAID installed. Should be easily in your budget, and transcodes / serves 4K no worry over the network using Plex. Mainly stream it through Amazon Fire TV 4K's.