Qnap vs Synology best multimedia NAS under 1K

Currently torn over Qnap and Synology (Surprise surprise)

To start off my rough requirements are the following.
– NAS 4 bays min.
– Plex media server.
– Videos mostly in 1080p streamed in a home with a max of 2 users.
– Potentially 1-2 VRM’s most likely running a flavour of Linux
– $600-$1000 AUD including HDDs

Question 1 – SHR
From a upgrade/future proof/future cost reduction side of things Synologys SHR raid seems like a big enough advantage over Qnap that it would be better only looking at Synology? Thoughts?

On a related note is there any word on Qnap bringing out their own version of SHR?

No, there are no indications Qnap is planning their own RAID or file system. They should, but they seem to trust too much on third-party developers.

Question 2 – Media
I am currently looking to stream to “Dumb” tv’s. Any recommendations for what to use to make them able to connect to PLEX on the nas. Low cost would be ideal

Yes, there are quite a few options. The cheapest option would be USB android TV stick or Amazon/Chromecast stick. Or something more expensive like Apple TV or Nviedia Shield TV.

Question 3 – Transcoding
For transcoding 1080p MKV to a max of 2 users it seems most media centred NAS’s will do fine. True ?

Full HD is not very power demanding task to do. You will be able to do it with DS418play, DS918 or TS-453B/Be series. And you can transcode even more then 2 streams if you want to.

Question 4 – Time frame
With any technology it is always tempting to wait for the next release for something but as always is the case when that something gets released you end up waiting for the next something.
Is there anything news or hints coming out that would make waiting for the next release/generation be worth it?

Yes, there is always that feeling – you want a next model. Thanks to the second-hand market I usually resell my old NAS and use that money for a new release. This way I can always have the latest release for half price.

Question 5 – Personal preference
I assume Nascompares is meant to be neutral on which brand to buy but what would you personally recommend?

You probably have noticed my feelings towards DS918+ it has been an amazing success. The hardware and software on this NAS create a perfect solution. Yes, it doesn’t have PCIe slot for a 10GbE card, but if you are not a video editor you can live without it.

Question 6
How was your day today?

Not getting this question very often, but I am great! Passion all around me.

 

 

What can I connect to a NAS?

Wireless Speaker Sonos

The great thing about Sonos is that you don't need to pay for music subscription service. With the cheapest NAS at home like DS115j or any other, you can have your backups done for all of your devices and still use your network drive as a Sonos music library. Sonos will connect to your NAS via your network and let access your provided music library. If you have little more of IT knowledge, you can even set up your Alexa or Sonos with Alexa built in to play music on your voice commands ("Alexa! Ask DS Audio to Play Music!").

Casting devices

Nowadays it is so cheap to upgrade your old TV and make it smart. All you need is Google Chrome or EZcast alternative plugged into your HDMI port at the back of your TV. Now you have great functionality added to your TV to send a video file directly from your NAS to a TV. No need for wires and chargers and other mess. You can use your phone as a remote to go to your movies or family videos and cast that content on your TV during family or friend gatherings.

 

Apple TV

Amazon Fire TV

You may not have a smartphone, or you just simply prefer to control your content with a remote in that case Amazon Fire TV will be a great addon to get to your TV. It also plugs into your HDMI port and will play content from your NAS to a TV. No wires no mess.

nVidia Shield TV

It gets even better! If you want some more entertainment and all previously mentioned functions - nVidia TV is a great thing to get. You can use it for playing games and watching movies from your NAS. The greatest thing is - shield TV does video transcoding. So even if you have a cheap NAS with a weak CPU, in a combination of shield TV you can now automatically on the fly change video file size and format for a destination device. It is a great way to reduce network load and let older devices to play video content which normally was not supported on the device.