Transcoding 4K Media on the DS918+ NAS Server

Transcoding 4K Media on the DS918+ NAS Server?

Transcoding on a NAS such as the DS918+ device is the ability for a multimedia file to be changed from it’s existing format or codec to one that is better suited to the destination device. In this file access, the DS918+ NAS is the host device and the device you want to play the file is the client. Transcoding is typically required when a media file is more recently released than the client device that is accessing it, so the newer compression or playback format is unknown to the device you want to access it with.Alternatively you want to access the movie or music on your DS918+ and do not want to use the original file in it full size. Transcoding can enable you to stream a much smaller version in weight or resolution if needed.

Which client devices require transcoding from the DS918+ NAS

Destination devices range greatly and are often referred to as the client device. Common client devices that your DS918+ device will be accessed by are often:

• iPad or Android Tablet
• iPhone or Android Smartphone
• Smart TV or DLNA supported monitor
• Macbook, Laptop or Netbook device
• Sound systems such as Bose, Sonos and Sony DLNA systems
• Home Theatre Systems
• Network and internet-enabled gaming consoles such as PS4, Xbox One and Nvidia Shield

Transcoding between a DS918+ and your media can be of tremendous benefit for those with limited internet bandwidth, download limits or low powered devices.

What are the Specifications of the DS918+ NAS?

The specifications for the DS918+ NAS are below and like all NAS devices, the CPU and Memory play a big part in how well it performs at transcoding. The key factors to consider are if the device features an x86 or ARM-based CPU, does the DS918+ CPU feature a transcoding engine and how much RAM the device arrives with for multiple transcoding tasks. Below are the DS918+ specs:

DS918+ Transcoding on different devices

What is the difference between H.264 and H.265 4K Media on a NAS

H.264 and H.265 are common codecs of modern digital media. H264 is also referred to as AVC by experts (Advanced Video Coding) and is considered the standard for video file compression. This allows for media originally created for large-scale entertainment to be recording, compressed, and distributed to the home and smaller scale production of digital video content watched by you, the consumer. H265 is the newer and more consumer-friendly alternative to H264. It is also known as HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding) and was developed in order resolve issues of enormous 4K media files being just too large for your client device to playback. H.265 has become so popular and data saving that chances are that the YouTube clip, iTunes media or iPlayer content you watched was in .265 and HEVC. Typically a modern NAS such as the DS918+ will playback with JUST H.265 or it will PLayback both H.264 and H.265. The latter pretty much being exclusive to x86 or AMD based NAS CPU devices.

What apps were used for transcoding?

The DS918+ NAS 4K H.265 8-bit 25fps 38Mb/s Test 2 – How well does it perform?

Next, we pushed the DS918+ NAS to transcode a 4K H265 media file. It was an 8-bit recording, but this time running at 25 frames per second and featured a bitrate of just 38 megabits per second. The DS918+ playback results were:

The DS918+ NAS 4K H.264 8-bit 2Mb bitrate 30fps 18Mb/s Test 4 – How well does it perform?

Next, we pushed the DS918+ NAS to transcode another 4K H264. The media file was also another 8-bit recording and 30 frames per second but this time with a much lower bitrate of just 18 megabits per second, our lowest yet. The DS918+ playback results were:

The DS918+ NAS 4K H.264 8-bit UHD 30fps 42Mb/s Test 5 – How well does it perform?

Just to make sure, we ran an almost identical test again with another 4K H264 media file at 8-bit weight and back at 30 frames per second and 18Mb/s bitrate on the DS918+ NAS. This time the results were:

The DS918+ NAS 4K H.265 10-bit 25fps 19Mb/s Test 6 – How well does it perform?

Now we started transcoding with the newer and more efficient H.265 4K format on the DS918+. Using a similar file, but encoded in H265, the media file was a 10-bit recording, 25 frames per second but this time with a much lower bitrate of just 19 megabits per second. The DS918+ playback results were:

The DS918+ NAS 4K H.265 10-bit 30fps 38Mb/s Test 7 – How well does it perform?

We then ran a much denser H.265 4K file on the DS918+. This H265 file was another 10-bit recording, at 30fps  but this time with a much higher bitrate of 38 megabits per second. The DS918+ playback results were:

The DS918+ NAS 4K H.265 10-bit 42fps 38Mb/s Test 8 – How well does it perform?

Test number 8 was an almost identical file to that of test 7, but this H.265 4K file on the DS918+ featured a much higher frames per second count of 42fps. To confirm, this test was a 10-bit, 42fps h265 file at 42 frames per second. The DS918+ playback results were:

The DS918+ NAS 4K H.265 10-bit 50fps 23Mb/s Test 9 – How well does it perform?

Moving it higher and higher, test 9 featured an even more punishing H.265 4K file on the DS918+. It featured the highest frames per second count yet at 50fps. To confirm, this test was a 10-bit, 50fps h265 file at 42 frames per second. The DS918+ playback results were:

The DS918+ NAS 4K H.265 10-bit 30fps 400Mb/s Test 14 – How well does it perform?

After the rather cursory tests of the HD files, we decided to really fire a big 4K file at the DS918+ NAS for transcoding. This time we went in heavy with a less efficient H.265 (HEVC for those that forgot) 10-bit file, running at 30fps. The real killer was the 400Mb/s bitrate. How well did the DS918+ NAS server cope with this 4k transcoding? Here are the results:

The DS918+ NAS Ultra HD 4K H.264 8-bit 24fps 22Mb/s Test 15 – How well does it perform?

Finally we decided to end on an older and currently more common owned 4K type of media file. This was kind of our control tests for most NAS and was no exception for the DS918+. This UHD file in 4K was an 8-Bit file, arriving in 24 frames per second and at a bitrate of 22megabits per second. For those who have owned 4k media for a while and want to consider their older H264 material, this test would be of interest. The results were.

I hope these 4K results were of use to you and this helps you consider which NAS you wish to you buy in 2018, whether it is the DS918+ or something more or less suited to your needs.

Summary

Alternative NAS models with similar performance:

DS718+, DS218+, DS418play, DS916+, DS716+, DS716+II, DS416play, DS216+, DS216+II

DS718+DS218+DS418play

DS918+ transcoding on PLEX

TEST10 1080P 400_x265.mp4

TEST3 4K H264 iphone 6S 30FPS (DS918+ OK).mov

TEST15 4K h264 96fps-syn24FPS In 4K (ULTRA HD) .mp4

TEST12 1080p H264 798Kbps 30FPS.mp4

TEST11 720P H265.mkv

Summary of PLEX transcoding

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