Storage choice dilemma

[Grimley]

Right, where do I start.

I'm going to need a fair bit of hard drive storage fairly soon (with the progress I've been making with my HTPC), I've calculated it to be 3 or or 4 terabytes of media files. I'm not sure what to do though.

My needs are:

Reliablity

Have a backup too

Possiblity of streaming to my telly over my network or at some point in the future, stream to other tellies in the house (not really that important TBH)

I dont want to have those files on something that's on 24/7. I want to be able to turn it on & access them.

Choices are:

Buy a internal HD for the files & an external for backup. Or I could buy two internals & use one in my backup rig as that's not used every day & copy said files.

Buy an NAS. (would that be a waste?)

Build a cheapo file server with some striped raid array.

Any other options I haven't thought about?

Any opinions/advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[chillidog]

Right, where do I start.

I'm going to need a fair bit of hard drive storage fairly soon (with the progress I've been making with my HTPC), I've calculated it to be 3 or or 4 terabytes of media files. I'm not sure what to do though.

My needs are:

Reliablity

Have a backup too

Possiblity of streaming to my telly over my network or at some point in the future, stream to other tellies in the house (not really that important TBH)

I dont want to have those files on something that's on 24/7. I want to be able to turn it on & access them.

Choices are:

Buy a internal HD for the files & an external for backup. Or I could buy two internals & use one in my backup rig as that's not used every day & copy said files.

Buy an NAS. (would that be a waste?)

Build a cheapo file server with some striped raid array.

Any other options I haven't thought about?

Any opinions/advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

simple wd my cloud mirror wireless external network hard drive .if you got the cash around £300 for an 6tb.and around £250 for an 4 tb
plenty to play about with and will do what you wanted it for ie: streaming to your telly etc .

i can stream to all tv,xbox,ps3, pc's in the house. and back up files no problem SIMPLE to use

 

[Tomsk]

I use a cheapo file server running Windows 7 and Stablebit Drivepool.
The actual CPU/motherboard is a low end AMD, but it is in a Xigmatek Elysium case for lots of HD capacity.
It has the added advantage of being a second PC to use for encoding videos.