//NAS noob
Howdy,
I've been building my media library over the last couple months. I am currently at ~2TB of .mkv's and once I run them all through Handbrake (I've done about 1/3rd so far), probably ~1TB of .m4v's. I'd like to keep both file-types.
I stream to my AppleTV 3 (thus the .m4v's) and use Air Video to stream to my iPhone and iPad when I'm not at home. I am unfortunately running out of space and am seeking a more versatile and capable storage solution.
I currently have a 2TB WD 3.5in USB 2.0 external for my 2011 iMac doing TM backups. I also have a 2TB WD 2.5in USB 3.0 portable external for my 2011 MBA, which houses my media collection for on the go (just in case I don't have internet access).
I've been looking at NAS's, but seem fairly overwhelmed. My router (2012 AirPort Express) doesn't even have Gigabit ethernet, so that's not really relevant (unless I connect the NAS directly to my iMac?). My Macs, being from 2011, don't have USB 3.0... but I anticipate a 13in rMBP this year, if that means anything.
What's best? Where do I start? Would it be easiest to just find some type of 4-bay enclosure that hooks up via Thunderbolt or USB to my iMac and go from there? Should I even be concerned with the networking part? And what's the deal with all the different numbered RAIDs? Should I just get a USB hub with a bunch of external drives?
I'm looking for something between 4 and 8TB, but with the possibility of expansion (i.e. start with 4x2TB, but in the future upgrade to 4x3TB, etc).
Cheers
P.S. I have my router configured with iCloud credentials so that I can access my iMac from inside and outside my network
P.P.S. Yes, I've been looking at other threads. I've noticed Synology is quite popular, Qnap seems underrated, and that consumer-grade drives shouldn't be used with NAS setups. To all this, I respond - holy friggin crap, all of this sounds super expensive
P.P.P.S. To follow that, I don't do any video or photo editing, this would strictly be for housing my iTunes and perhaps iPhoto files. Performance isn't of utmost importance.
Howdy,
I've been building my media library over the last couple months. I am currently at ~2TB of .mkv's and once I run them all through Handbrake (I've done about 1/3rd so far), probably ~1TB of .m4v's. I'd like to keep both file-types.
I stream to my AppleTV 3 (thus the .m4v's) and use Air Video to stream to my iPhone and iPad when I'm not at home. I am unfortunately running out of space and am seeking a more versatile and capable storage solution.
I currently have a 2TB WD 3.5in USB 2.0 external for my 2011 iMac doing TM backups. I also have a 2TB WD 2.5in USB 3.0 portable external for my 2011 MBA, which houses my media collection for on the go (just in case I don't have internet access).
I've been looking at NAS's, but seem fairly overwhelmed. My router (2012 AirPort Express) doesn't even have Gigabit ethernet, so that's not really relevant (unless I connect the NAS directly to my iMac?). My Macs, being from 2011, don't have USB 3.0... but I anticipate a 13in rMBP this year, if that means anything.
What's best? Where do I start? Would it be easiest to just find some type of 4-bay enclosure that hooks up via Thunderbolt or USB to my iMac and go from there? Should I even be concerned with the networking part? And what's the deal with all the different numbered RAIDs? Should I just get a USB hub with a bunch of external drives?
I'm looking for something between 4 and 8TB, but with the possibility of expansion (i.e. start with 4x2TB, but in the future upgrade to 4x3TB, etc).
Cheers
P.S. I have my router configured with iCloud credentials so that I can access my iMac from inside and outside my network
P.P.S. Yes, I've been looking at other threads. I've noticed Synology is quite popular, Qnap seems underrated, and that consumer-grade drives shouldn't be used with NAS setups. To all this, I respond - holy friggin crap, all of this sounds super expensive
P.P.P.S. To follow that, I don't do any video or photo editing, this would strictly be for housing my iTunes and perhaps iPhoto files. Performance isn't of utmost importance.