View Full Version : Looking for NAS / DVD server solution


pinkysmallz
02-11-08, 11:54 AM
I am new to posting here but have been reading quite a bit lately (have gotten a LOT of excellent tips on how to setup my new apartment).

Basically what I am looking to do is the following:
I have an A/V closet in the BR that is hardwired via ethernet to my den. I would like to place a NAS in my AV closet which will serve up music for my Sonos system / iTunes computers, be general network storage, and I would like to set something up for it to hold DVDs. I have been looking at possibly an XBMC setup in the den that would not store anything locally but get the DVDs off of the NAS drive. While this is one possibility, it doesn't seem like the prettiest / easiest solution out there. My fiance does not like equipment to be around really anywhere, and another Xbox would not make her too happy (granted it would be inside of the entertainment center, but still... I'm sure you all understand).

As I said I already have a Sonos system so the only thing I am looking to do is serve DVDs from the NAS drive. Any suggestions? Thanks a ton in advance!

Osamede
02-11-08, 04:49 PM
I have recommended the QNAP 209 NAS unit in another thread. Just got one myself...

sirwired
02-11-08, 05:07 PM
I'm going with unRAID. Cost, for one durn nice (if I do say so myself) unit? $180 + drives.

For the price of an extra drive, you have the advantage of RAID protection, which protects all your hours of work ripping your media.

The biggest disadvantage to unRAID is it is SMB-only at this time.

SirWired

pinkysmallz
02-11-08, 08:17 PM
Yeah my worry is about only SMB because my better half has her Mac and I want to be able to throw all of our MP3s on there (central access via both our iTunes (one pc, one mac), Sonos access, etc.). I was thinking of getting the Buffalo Linkstation Media Server 1tb

Is the XBMC my best bet for serving the DVDs / videos to my den TV over the network?

Andrew67
02-11-08, 08:50 PM
Yeah my worry is about only SMB because my better half has her Mac and I want to be able to throw all of our MP3s on there (central access via both our iTunes (one pc, one mac), Sonos access, etc.). I was thinking of getting the Buffalo Linkstation Media Server 1tb

Is the XBMC my best bet for serving the DVDs / videos to my den TV over the network?

Mac's will do SMB, but AFP is generally faster.

ginigma
02-11-08, 10:55 PM
Take a look at the Netgear (Infrant) ReadyNAS NV+.