network disk - popcorn hour? others?

[jasjol]

Hi

I am going to buy a network disk to be able to find pictures, MP3 and MPEG2 and also other files without having the computer running. One problem I see seems to be that most are Linux so it is not native windows filesharing? - but on the other hand maybe not a problem?

I have today a MediaMVP - I do not know if that can handle networkdisks.

Popcorn hour seems as one alternative which seems to work with GBPVR but there are many network disk manufacturers.

what do you think - what are you using?

[martint123]

I guess the main reason they get to be embedded linux based is the licensing costs (or lack of). I've never had problems with SMB shares on these things - easily seen by windows and the popcornhour.

They are very slow in comparison with USB and even more so with SATA/IDE. I copied a 3.5gb file to the PCH last night and it was something like 15 minutes to copy.

I just use a couple of "noname" lan drive enclosures with old 500gb IDE drives in.

[mvallevand]

It depends if you want really want a file server or if you want to be able to play media from an extender. You can use the PCH as a share but as martin123 says performance is at the poor end, for streaming media in real time it is adequate especially if only device is accessing it at a time. The Popcorn hour only does PATA so you mind want to consider others if you want low cost TB sized drives.


Every NAS device is a computer so you aren't really turning on off, you are adding one to your network. I've got several and they all do the same thing as Windows shares (SMB or Samba and CIFS) so you should compare performance, security control and check your backup needs on how you are planning on avoiding a hard disk failure. The more you spend the more it costs to keep running so you might not see the savings you expect.

The MVP with mvpmc can connect to both CIFS and NFS but some old versions of Samba share don't mount.


Martin

[jasjol]

Every NAS device is a computer so you aren't really turning on off, you are adding one to your network. I've got several and they all do the same thing as Windows shares (SMB or Samba and CIFS) so you should compare performance, security control and check your backup needs on how you are planning on avoiding a hard disk failure. The more you spend the more it costs to keep running so you might not see the savings you expect.

The MVP with mvpmc can connect to both CIFS and NFS but some old versions of Samba share don't mount.


Martin

Ok I have not the saving i kWh in mind at first. More about not having to have a computer up and running to reach data from another computer - a NAS is more dedicated - and no kids are fibbling with it.

good to here that SAMBA i sworking - then it is all about finding a fast NAS for the money.

mvallevand what NAS devices do you use? which is the best price performance do you think?

I am looking at D-LINK DNS-313 and DNS-323comments?

although it would be good to have a NAS that can be connected as USB to GBPVR computer and to LAN at sametime.

[mvallevand]

The NAS I use are an always on NSLU2 and older Maxtor MSS, a FreeNAS box for speed, and I have shares on every machine in the house. When my Popcorn hour has a drive in it, it is shared. Since I don't use these for video I am not a good example however my next NAS will be something like the Synology DS-207+ you probably want something less expensive (the tradeoff is speed).

Martin

[gazoo]

I use the DNS-323 on my LAN and it's awesome. SMB file sharing works good.. I stream standard def movies (via video library) to the GBPVR sets no problem. I haven't tried my H.264 720p material, but I don't think that's an issue either. I'm on a wired 100 Base-T network and the DNS-323 supports gigE with good throughput I hear. It also supports FTP, telnet (with a mod), and other good stuff. Yes, as always, I hack most everything I buy so I a little more familiar with it than your average Joe. However, I haven't fiddled with it in like 8 months or so..it just runs and runs. Uptime has been like 10 months or so (it's on a big UPS.)

[jasjol]

ok sounds good I found the DNS 313 on sale so I bought that - hope it works as well as DNS323