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The_MjW · (This post was last modified: 2017-08-27, 14:43 by The_MjW.)

I've always used Kodi on my computer with gigabit ethernet to the router and HDMI to the TV. Which means I always had more than 3TB of internal storage.

I'm planning to move all my Kodi needs to a NUC with Win10 but the NUC is somewhat limited when it comes to internal storage.

I thought of a NAS , but I have absolutely no experience with it.
I'm thinking I could use it for Time Machine to back up the iMac and I could also use it to store all my current 1080p, and future 4K videos to play with Kodi on the NUC. All devices will be connected by gigabit Ethernet to the router.

Theoretically it should work but seeing that there will be more networking included you never know. And there is going to be a whole lot more network traffic.

So I'm turning to you that have experience with a NAS and an HTPC. How is performance? Is it good? Any issues? Do you miss internal storage?

**Klojum** · 2017-08-27, 14:47

A NAS is better for the less experienced or starting NAS user, as it has a ready-to-go OS on it. Synology would be my weapon of choice because of their quality firmware and updates.

Other users might build their own PC/NAS and use their own selected OS, all for a lower price. Like I did, using a simple PC, use Ubuntu (Linux) as a server, set some parameters for sharing via NFS, and it's ready to go.

Performance can be as good as can be expected from a gigabit network, via SMB or NFS protocols, upto 110 MB/s.

The_MjW · 2017-08-27, 15:20

(2017-08-27, 14:47)Klojum Wrote: A NAS is better for the less experienced or starting NAS user, as it has a ready-to-go OS on it. Synology would be my weapon of choice because of their quality firmware and updates.

Other users might build their own PC/NAS and use their own selected OS, all for a lower price. Like I did, using a simple PC, use Ubuntu (Linux) as a server, set some parameters for sharing via NFS, and it's ready to go.

Performance can be as good as can be expected from a gigabit network, via SMB or NFS protocols, upto 110 MB/s.

Thanks for your quick reply. I was actually thinking on something like the Synology DS216j with 2x2TB Seagate Barracuda HDDs.

110MB/s sound more than enough to stream a 4K video from the NAS to the NUC if I'm not mistaken right?

**Klojum** · (This post was last modified: 2017-08-27, 15:44 by Klojum.)

You will get 110MB/s if your total network is set up properly in terms of hardware and software (network drivers). In the Synology fine print, you will see that network speeds were achieved in a controlled environment (or similar pretty terms like that).

The DS216j is probably a good starting point, although the 'j' version is always the simple/slower variant of the Synology NASes. The DS216play has transcoding features as well because of a different chipset.

The_MjW · 2017-08-27, 16:32

Even if I get 80MB/s it should still be enough to stream a 4K video. I will check 4k data rates to be sure though.

Simpler is ok. Slower though, you mean transfer speeds?

Not sure if I'm going to use the transcoding feature. I will be running AirVideo on the NUC to stream to iOS devices, as I do now with my computer. Which will put even more pressure to the network since the NUC will have to pull the video from the NAS to transcode it and then stream it to the internet.

**Klojum** · 2017-08-27, 17:50

Slower transfer speeds, as in below maximum gigabit speeds.
My experiences are with older NASes though. And harddrives have become faster and more responsive since then.

Some testvideos are 400mbps, meaning 50 MB/s, which halfway gigabit speeds. Assuming not all of your 4K collection has that high a bitrate, you should be fine.

**Tinwarble** · (This post was last modified: 2017-08-28, 03:53 by Tinwarble.)

(2017-08-27, 16:32)The_MjW Wrote: Even if I get 80MB/s it should still be enough to stream a 4K video. I will check 4k data rates to be sure though.

Simpler is ok. Slower though, you mean transfer speeds?

Not sure if I'm going to use the transcoding feature. I will be running AirVideo on the NUC to stream to iOS devices, as I do now with my computer. Which will put even more pressure to the network since the NUC will have to pull the video from the NAS to transcode it and then stream it to the internet.

The max bitrate for Blu-ray is 48Mbs (that bits not Bytes) and I believe the max for 4k is about 128Mbs, so most NASs can handle that and actually will handle multiple steams.

If your buying a NAS stay away from anything that uses a ARM SoC as they are usually slower than NASs with a x86 SoC, though not always. If you want to go cheaper, instead of buy a NAS and using 2x2TB drives you can pick up something like a WD MyCloud 4TB NAS for about the same price as a external drive and they'll do around 80MBs up, down is much better.

But if you go with something else I personally would stay away for Seagate drives and use WD Reds which are made for NASs and you'll get long life from. I just had another Seagate drive go bad on me that was used less and was newer than any of my WD drives.

P.Kosunen · (This post was last modified: 2017-08-30, 19:27 by P.Kosunen.)

(2017-08-28, 03:51)Tinwarble Wrote: If your buying a NAS stay away from anything that uses a ARM SoC as they are usually slower than NASs with a x86 SoC, though not always.

Many new'ish ARM chips can fill gigabit network easily.

**Tinwarble** · 2017-08-31, 02:44

(2017-08-29, 15:23)P.Kosunen Wrote:
(2017-08-28, 03:51)Tinwarble Wrote: If your buying a NAS stay away from anything that uses a ARM SoC as they are usually slower than NASs with a x86 SoC, though not always.

Many new'ish ARM chips can fill gigabit network easily.

Yes, but many cheap NASs using ARM don't.

P.Kosunen · 2017-08-31, 13:29

(2017-08-31, 02:44)Tinwarble Wrote: Yes, but many cheap NASs using ARM don't.

Entry level Synology or Qnap should be good enough for read speeds. Cheaper ones probably lacks at software support etc and wouldn't recommend anyway.

**Tinwarble** · 2017-08-31, 19:17

(2017-08-31, 13:29)P.Kosunen Wrote: Entry level Synology or Qnap should be good enough for read speeds. Cheaper ones probably lacks at software support etc and wouldn't recommend anyway.

Yes, but as I said you only need 48Mbs for BD and about 128Mbs for 4K, that's not the issue. The issue comes in managing your files on a NAS, you don't want to spend all day waiting for a 20+GB file to be copied to it.

If that were the case you could just plug a couple of drives into most routers and probably have no issue streaming, but then you'd only have about 15MBs (or so) upload speeds, which from experience is a PITA.

P.Kosunen · 2017-09-01, 15:09

(2017-08-31, 19:17)Tinwarble Wrote: Yes, but as I said you only need 48Mbs for BD and about 128Mbs for 4K, that's not the issue. The issue comes in managing your files on a NAS, you don't want to spend all day waiting for a 20+GB file to be copied to it.

If that were the case you could just plug a couple of drives into most routers and probably have no issue streaming, but then you'd only have about 15MBs (or so) upload speeds, which from experience is a PITA.

Those entry level Synology/Qnap devices can do over 50MB/s on writes also.

https://wegotserved.com/2015/07/07/revie...-server/6/
http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/storage/80...15/?page=3

Even single disk Synology DiskStation DS115 writes over 80MB/s.

**Tinwarble** · 2017-09-01, 21:16

(2017-09-01, 15:09)P.Kosunen Wrote: Those entry level Synology/Qnap devices can do over 50MB/s on writes also.

https://wegotserved.com/2015/07/07/revie...-server/6/
http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/storage/80...15/?page=3

Even single disk Synology DiskStation DS115 writes over 80MB/s.

And again, you need to read my statement:

Quote:If your buying a NAS stay away from anything that uses a ARM SoC as they are usually slower than NASs with a x86 SoC, though not always.

This does not mean that there aren't ARM NASs that are fast enough, but as a rule x86 is still better.