A faster processor significantly improves the performance of NAS devices in the management of files. Chip Intel Celeron J1800 with a clock speed of 2.4 GHz, installed in the model QNAP TS-251 with two-bay, and allows for other useful features, including video transcoding on the fly and the ability to run virtual machines. On a NAS device with Atom processor is not even worth trying to solve the problems of this kind. However, to run the application Virtualization Station, managing virtual machines, you will need at least 2 GB of RAM, and the currently available models cost $ 499. Comes with a memory capacity of only 1 GB.

The main value in the model QNAP TS-251 is what is inside her modest housing.

Given this price – cheaper for the company QNAP, but expensive for everyone else, including equipment Synology – it is not surprising that the main body manufacturer decided to save. Silver and white plastic TS-251 look cheap, while there are no compartments device locks. Fortunately, in this economy and ends (with the exception of only 1 GB of RAM). You get a two-port Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI port for connection of a display, two USB 2.0 ports and two ports USB 3.0. USB 3.0 port on the front panel is used to quickly copy the contents of the device to be connected via USB, on the internal drives.

Support is implemented virtual machines is significantly better than on the fly transcoding. Handed down to us by QNAP device (which was installed 4GB of memory) demonstrated excellent performance, managing while recording 10 GB of files and folders to ensure an average speed of 53 MB / s. Reading speed in this case amounted to 33.5 MB / s. One large file size of 10 GB was recorded at a rate of 105 MB / s. Of course, performance is very important, but it should be noted that in the world there are a lot of fast devices, which are much cheaper. The main advantage of QNAP products are considered to be the operating system and a set of software functions that would otherwise not be called as phenomenal. Complete windowed graphical user interface is implemented in HTML format and displayed in a browser environment. For those who have not seen it yet, be sure to watch the video posted on the website QNAP.

Naturally, it supports all the traditional network interfaces and access protocols (FTP, Telnet, SSH, etc.), multiplayer mode, the ability to share resources, quotas – in short, everything that is present in any device NAS. Implemented as a hosting server and centralized service functions: support for Web server and e-mail, content management, video surveillance, BitTorrent and other means of loading, XBMC playback of multimedia content on the connected display, streaming DLNA and iTunes, as well as the ability to save backups in the cloud.

There are also many other things, but among the latest additions in the first place should be allocated on the fly transcoding video and offline, as well as the ability to run virtual machines. The function of conversion, while in the current beta version is implemented fairly easy, but when working with mobile applications in real time much success in trying to get me to use it and failed.

In transmit to us QNAP device is a pair of 3-terabyte drives Seagate. But the mechanism that would allow these disks to fix inside the body, we have not discovered.

In general, you need to upload files to TS-251, make sure that the functions of multimedia information processing and conversion are activated, and using application QNAP Qfile (exists in versions for Android, iOS and Windows Phone), try to play the files on a portable device . At PC and Mac has its own codecs and transcoding is not required. Unfortunately, the application for Windows Phone, we did not work at all, and Android application failed to reproduce the files recorded in the format of the operating system.

Proceed to practice

Recoding files in streaming mode with video playback on mobile devices, we have carried out only at low resolution (480p or less) and not always successful. On the other hand, direct streaming DLNA worked perfectly (thanks to the wide choice of very functional player for all platforms). Recoding offline in MP4 format also performed very well. If you often have to deal with the video really makes sense to assign all tasks transcoding device NAS. It allows you to create files with a resolution of 240p, 320p, 480p, 720p and 1080p (as well as any combination thereof). Determine the maximum resolution, processed in streaming mode without delay, it should stop. Model TS-251 also supports Plex and AirPlay.

Do you want to perform on a NAS device applications that are not supported by him? Take advantage of QNAP Virtualization Station and run programs on a virtual machine.

With the launch of the virtual machines fared much better than transcoding on the fly. Software QNAP Virtualization Station is very similar to VMware and VirtualBox, except for the fact that its management is performed remotely via a web browser. I have most of the virtual machines is presented in the format of VirtualBox, and Virtualization Station supports only OVA / OVF (open virtual format) and QVM, so the virtual machine of Windows 7 had to be created from scratch.

During testing of Windows 7 virtual machine copes with consoles HTML5 and Java, although not as fast as the machine that is running on the local PC. However, to access the virtual machine anywhere in the world (provided that the remote access to the TS-251 you have) and know that any stored data will be safe in your home, is really impressive. Furthermore, the model TS-251 consumes considerably less power than most of the PC.

QNAP offers several free apps Android and iOS, including convenient remote control.

As already mentioned above, the TS-251 cost $ 499. In the standard package has only 1 GB of RAM, and that to start Virtualization Station is not enough. Modernization will require removing the case (at first, remove wheels) and remove the drive bay, so that technophobia it better not to engage in, and wait for the soon release with 4 GB of RAM for 559 dollars.

Another pitfall associated with the license to use the camera: Surveillance Station comes with two licenses, and Surveillance Station Pro with only one. Therefore, large-scale video surveillance system without having to purchase additional licenses you will not succeed, and each of them is worth $ 55. In fairness, it should be recognized that such a practice in the QNAP is not alone: Synology and EMC / Iomega adhere to the same policy. In any case, you are interested in studying the functional description, it is necessary to carefully read the fine print.

Is it worth buying?

Model TS-251 is one of the functional devices and fast NAS. It costs quite expensive, and for the efficient use of its capabilities in full is required to increase the RAM, but you can place on the device website and e-mail, control cameras, play multimedia content streaming and solve many other problems. Very valuable asset for those who need all those features.

If you are satisfied with a simple network storage that supports streaming, on sale there are many cheaper alternatives.

QNAP TurboNAS TS-251

Pluses:

• good performance;

• rich functionality of the software;

• the proposed equipment can take the place of multiple devices.

Disadvantages:

• There is no locking mechanism compartments with disk drives;

• opportunities for virtual machines need to increase the amount of RAM;

• A new function on the fly transcoding video may not work well.

Findings

Model TS-251 – one of the most functional and versatile devices, NAS, equipped with two compartments, in its price range. But it is worth it quite expensive, and the implementation of mobile multimedia functions leaves much to be desired.

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Acquainted with network drives QNAP HS-251 – in addition to its main purpose, he is able to replace the multimedia processor, which can be the basis of the modern home theater.

All kinds of multimedia devices that use for their work network technologies and cloud services are becoming increasingly popular – they say already seven years, if not more. And if earlier it was possible to use only strangers “clouds”, now nothing prevents create your own by uploading photos and videos, working papers and contacts, in short, all the things without which it is simply impossible to do a modern man.

Application of modern network storage allows the user to access their data from anywhere in the world (of course, subject to the availability in it access to the Internet). Agree to have their own home cloud is very useful, and not particularly expensive.

Company QNAP (Quality Network Appliance Provider) is not new to the PC market – in Russia, its products are known already since 2006. Its range includes devices for solid businesses and home users – specifically for this audience is NAS QNAP HS-251, allowing to organize their own remote storage.

Model comes in a roomy cardboard box decorated in gold tones. Hiding inside the drive itself, 2 patch cord, AC adapter, set screws for mounting hard drives (drives themselves have to be purchased separately) and a colorful instruction – in short, has everything you need to get started.

The housing is made of black matte plastic, complete with a metal top plate, decorated with a brushed aluminum – it looks such a decision more than solid, nothing resembling the familiar “boxes”. Arranged horizontally, so that the device is not likely to stand out from the audio or video, harmoniously joining the home theater.

The front panel has two compartments for hard disk drives, covered by a decorative cap fastened through powerful magnets, while all major interfaces brought to the rear end of the device.

There you can find two ports USB 3.0, two USB 2.0, and again two Gigabit connector Ethernet, HDMI output and a jack for an external power supply.

Heart is filling the hardware platform Bay Trail, the basis of which in this case is 2.4-GHz Intel Celeron J1800. By the way, this platform supports video output HDMI 1.4 and DisplayPort 1.2, a built-in decoder can work with formats such as MPEG2, MVC, VP8, VC1 and, of course, H.264. Supports up to resolution graphics Ultra HD with bitrates up to 100 Mbit / s. and technology hardware video encoding format H.264 Quick Sync.

RAM is organized through four chips SK Hynix H5TC4G63AFR type DDR3, whose total volume is 2048 MB (there are versions with 1 GB of RAM). As a ROM chip used Apacer, and for the work of the two LAN ports are responsible controllers Intel WGI210AT.

Passive cooling, respectively, no fan is not here. It’s good for the fans howling sometimes openly irritated, though with heavy use of the body is heated, so that the top panel is better than nothing bet.

As the operating system uses a proprietary operating system QTS 4.1, having a mass of various functions that can satisfy requirements of the most demanding users.

Installation is simple and unpretentious. After switching on the device by downloading the installer setup, then you can set the modes of operation, create a RAID-arrays, format the drives – in general, to carefully prepare for further operation. Do not worry – a few minutes and the “golden key in your pocket.”

Now it’s time to start creating your cloud service – set up an account, enter your login and password and everything. In addition, you can easily set the standard services Samba / AFP or NFS, and supported the creation of users and groups. You can connect the printer to the store, and then provide a general access to it.

Since the device is equipped with a video output HDMI, it is natural that it is possible to connect the NAS directly to the TV, turning it into a full-fledged media player. All that is required for this – download package HD Station, which includes applications such as YouTube, cataloger online radio stations, Spotify and, of course, the popular media player XBMC (Xbox Media Center), supports video playback 4K, and sound in HD . By the way, the player can be controlled by MCE-compatible remote control, the benefit that the HS-251 is equipped with an infrared port, as well as using a smartphone or tablet.

The model provides excellent compatibility with a variety of formats and containers. In our tests, the correct play files MPEG2, MPEG4, h264 or x264.

But enough about the settings, and interfaces – let’s talk about the most important, that is, the speed of your home network. For testing, we used 3-terabyte hard drive Western Digital WD30EFRX Red. Studies have shown that the NAS confidently cope with large files – the maximum read speed reaches values of 113 MB / s, whereas the “handful” of small 4-Kbyte file reduced this figure to 18 MB / s. The results are very good, so that the NAS easily suitable for home networking.

Rating: 90 points

QNAP HS-251 – is not just fast and quiet NAS. In fact, the model is a versatile solution that can not only implement cloud storage but also to replace the home theater – a software package HD Station makes this unit in the “omnivorous” media player and mobile applications and XBMC Qremote allow you to use almost any mobile device as remote control.

The post Stylish wagon: a review of the NAS QNAP HS-251 appeared first on Raqwe.

If you do not have a network storage system (NAS), then you are depriving yourself of a couple of pleasant moments. First, it is the easiest way to back up data from a connected PC, secondly, NAS can broadcast any information stored there, on the other PC and audio devices in the network. You can also arrange to stream on your TV or home theater.

Network attached storage (NAS) allows to gain remote access to information from any device from anywhere you have Internet access. And it does not require imposing costs. However, one must keep in mind – if you are going to store the information that fail to recreate and can not afford to lose – it is better to make a backup.

Test samples

Dismantle the mid-range (up to 7 thousand rubles.) That can hold at least 1 TB of data, support remote access to the Internet and work with media servers that are certified iTunes and DLNA.

Consider the NAS four manufacturers – Buffalo Technology (LinkStation Live), LaCie (CloudBox), Seagate (Central) and Western Digital (My Book Live).

The configuration of these devices are quite similar – all 3.5-inch hard drive, 1-Gbps Ethernet and power adapter. They differ mostly for its software.

Buffalo LinkStation Live

Among the considered our NAS device is a 6 th. with the possibility of streaming offers the best feature set. Weak as it places – low speed data copying and slow user interface, besides not being intuitive to use and configure.

Buffalo’s LinkStation Live – full of functionality

LinkStation Live 2 TB (model with 1 terabyte of disk costs a little more than 4 thousand rubles.) Allows you to create shared folders, user accounts, workgroups and domains, which provide access to the files by FTP or AFTP, supports multimedia servers (iTunes and DLNA).

There is also a BitTorrent to download torrent files and built-in service Eye-Fi, allows you to copy images from the camera to the NAS via Wi-Fi. It also supports integration with Flickr, a full-featured utility NovaBackup to backup from PC to NAS, the ability to perform backups on other devices and remote access via BuffaloNAS.com.

This unit occupies the second place in the test speed. When data is transferred 10GB (not included in the files and folders) write speed was 17.5 MB / s read speed – 29.9 MB / s. But a single large file of 10 GB showed the best results: 22.7 MB / s – write and 49.1 MB / s – for reading. Streaming NAS performs well, the video at 1080p with a rate of 40 MB / s is no problem.

It is considered one of our NAS, converting video on the fly for viewing in Windows Media Player via DLNA.

As for the installation and configuration, LinkStation Live showed the worst results. But this does not negate the advantages in terms of functionality.

LaCie CloudBox

The device of LaCie is a white rectangle, designed by Neil Poulton. Its not so easy to configure for remote access, but in 7 th. (Disk capacity – 2TB), it offers quite a good performance and functionality.

Lacie’s CloudBox – the most beautiful in the NAS review

Powered NAS operating system Dashboard. In addition to features such as shared folders and user folders, working groups and FTP, you get the BitTorrent, and a full file manager (browser-). In addition to being offered various backup functions – in conjunction with the company’s My Book Live Western Digital, with Genie Timeline for PC and Intego for Mac, plus to this – copying from device to device using Rsync.

In tests CloudBox proved himself well. Working with DLNA and ITunes is ideal, the device is easily coped with streaming video (40 MB / s) on three PCs at a time. The speed of reading and writing data array ClousBox takes first place: reading array of files and folders – 33.7 MB / s, Write – 16.5 MB / s. A single file is 10GB – 31.6 and 63.5 MB / s (read and write, respectively).

For remote access, LaCie offers a special application for iOS and Android (for Windows Phone 7/8 is not here yet). Applications are not as concise as Dashboard OS from Seagate, but they do their job. And the user will receive a free one-year subscription to Wuala – Online Storage Services.

If you add to the listed advantages of client BitTorrent, good design and excellent performance, the device looks quite attractive.

Seagate Central

This is the simplest NAS. To configure remote access you only need to go to the settings page and create an account by entering your desired username, email and password. The selected username will be the name of your network, and the mailbox – login for remote access.

Passive cooling makes Seagate’s Central Silent

To access the settings page, you can use the built-in Dashboard or manually enter the desired URL. Remote access can be managed by SeagateMedia applications for iOS, Android and Kindle or using the site Tappin.

Due to the design having a thin perforated bottom and a lid without a special cooling device is a fan. With such a cooling system it runs smoothly, allowing you to place it near the product (if it retrodizayn NAS fit into the interior).

The device costs a little more than 5 thousand rubles. (2 TB) and is the only one presented in the review of the owner of the port USB, for which a Seagate developed a special interface. There is a special feature that allows you to save all photos to the device from your account Facebook. However, there is a drawback – you can easily make a backup of the data from the PC to the device, but that means backing up data from the NAS to another device Dashboard does not provide.

With tests Central coped well: streaming video (40 MB / s) on three PCs went without problems. This is the only NAS, sending a stream in Ogg Theora.

With the transfer of these problems have arisen. Thus, the write speed of the array of information (multiple files and folders) 10GB 16.9 MB / s and read – 20.1 MB / s. Recording a single large file of 10 GB equals 40.3 MB / s read – 75.2 MB / s.

Quiet and easy to set up Seagate Central is well suited for A / V-systems. But I would like to have added support to the Seagate Backup data from the device, BitTorrent and a bunch with a large number of social networks.

Western Digital My Book Live

Like other NAS, device My Book Live is available on the network without additional configuration – just plug it in to the router, and all. Of useful properties have public shared folders and sub-folders, you can use to share photos, videos and music. There are convenient backup features (including work with TimeMachine Backup and proprietary WD – SmartWare). Secured and backed up the contents of the NAS via a special function, creating a “safe point of recovery.”

My Book Live supports most video codecs (except for Ogg Theora). This is the only NAS of four case that converts FLAC format files for playback on a PC via iTunes.

The device has experienced some complications when reading an array of 10 GB (multiple files and folders) – reading speed was only 16.4 MB / s. But the same writing speed array has more than three previous NAS, – 26,9 Mb / s. Indicators for a single large file size of 10 GB: record – 32.4 MB / s read – 77.1 MB / s.

WD My Book Live has the best set of applications, having a version of its media player WD2go for iOS, Android and Windows Phone 7.

As a result

Thus, the device Seagate Central – absolutely silent, high-speed USB and availability make it an excellent choice for use with A / V-systems. But here it would look more modern. Buffalo LinkStation Live performs well as a tape drive, but folds up to speed and ease of customization. CloudBox from LaCie – solidly made product with useful features at an affordable price. However, it is Western Digital My Book Live has the best combination of price, performance, functionality, and ease of customization. All this and brings him first place in the survey.

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