This is my planned re-structure of my home A/V system. I wanted to know if using 3 WD streaming media players is the best approach if running a NAS on the network?
Any other suggestions to best maximize my setup?
Cheers,
I perpetually leave my wd tv live on, with usb storage connected to it, basically making it a nas device. Allows me to have a basic nas with zero extra expense.
The problem i have with that is that i have over 2.5TB of data spread over 2-2TB drives. As i understand it, you can only have 1 external USB connected due to the USB port limitations.
Plus i have personal files that i want shared across the rest of the network for the PC’s.
timmer wrote:
The problem i have with that is that i have over 2.5TB of data spread over 2-2TB drives. As i understand it, you can only have 1 external USB connected due to the USB port limitations.
The Live SMP supports USB Hubs. You can connect quite a few drives.
The Live Hub now supports them, too.
Thanks.
So, in theory, i could have one of the Live SMP’s on all the time and that would act as a NAS??
Heck, that’s allot cheaper than the prices i have seen for NAS enclosures!!!
Well, technically, yeah.
But keep in mind you get what you pay for.
As a NAS, you can only expect the Live to transfer between 5 and 8 megabytes per second.
A reasonably priced, purpose-built NAS can transfer 5 to 10 times that speed.
If you’re expecting to stream to multiple devices simultaneously, I would definately recommend a “real” NAS, like the My Book Live, or any other decent product (QNAP, Drobo, etc.)
The MyBook Live, for example, can transfer upwards of 30 megabytes per second.
Good to know.
However i am stiill limited to 3TB at most and am still looking at $300 to purchase. Like you said, you get what you pay for 
I don’t think i have any intentions of doing multiple streaming however i do want to make sure i have sufficient space for the near future and not have to worry about streaming a BR rip across the network.
Right now i am using an HTPC with xbmc and 4TB’s internally. I don’t run into streaming problems
Cheers,
a 3TB MyBook Live is on Amazon for 269 US$ right now.
Don’t know if that’s subject to the same price inflation we’ve been seeing in the boxed Hard Drive market due to Thailand flooding or not…
timmer,
Your setup is very similar to what I have running in the house. As Tony well said, you’ll want to go with a purpose built nas for higher throughput (I assume you are running GbE in your house). If you want to move large files around your network (and you will if you’re storing data and large movie files on your nas), and expect that at any given time that there other people in the house that might want to watch movies concurrently, then you’ll need the extra throughput.
Purpose built nas’s are fairly inexpensive and you can add your existing drives to them (you’ll need to do something with the data on them first as the nas will want to format them with their own OS and file structure first).
I have a lower-end Synology 2-bay nas and with large files acheive about 46 MB/s writing, and 75 MB/s reading using green drives and non-raid. We use the nas for both movie streaming/storage as well as weekly backup of our PC/Laptops.
So, to answer your question, if the WD does what you want it to do as far as its existing features go, then it’s certainly a good way to go with your setup.
Good luck.
Thanks for the reply tjkaz.
currently i have no WD units. This is my planned approach. As it stands now, i do not have an WD units or a NAS. I have an htpc built for the larger TV and within it, i have 2-2TB HDD’s. I keep everything there for HT usage (Movies, photos, music).
I want to centralize all data (My current “Data” storage is on one of the desktops on a 500GB internal HDD). I’d like all centralized and on all the time. I turn my HTPC off at night and is a pain to always have to boot up everytime i want to watch something or if i want to check out some photos on the laptop or desktop. It’s a pain that i need to have my desktop on whenever my wife wants to print something (As the printer is not networked). Plus, i want to start being able to watch movies on our other two tv’s as well.
So, in order for me to implement above, i would need to purchase 3 WD SMP’s, possibly a NAS and a network printer, as well as larger router (Currently I only have a 4port one). I am willing to do this over time, i just want to make darn sure it will meet my requirements.
I also note that i do not think i have GbE in my house but will have to confirm this.
You’re on the right track, and for some of the reasons you mentioned regarding the htpc, that is why I opted for the nas. Most nas’s have a hibernate or even a on and off time feature(s) so they’re not sucking too much power when you’re not using it; like when asleep or away during the day at work, etc. Also, some have a network printer capability (mine does) which will allow you to plug in your non-networked printer into one its usb ports.
As for the router, you’ll have a hard time finding one with more than 4 ports, and if you do, it probably will be quite expensive. All you need to do is find a router that meets your needs and then purchase 4 or 8 port switches. They’re pretty inexpensive, and you will probably be the best judge as to how to place them efficiently in your setup; ie. group as many network components near each switch.
Lastly, if you have ethernet wire in your house, it will proably handle Gb (or close to) speeds. Make sure, and also make sure you purchase components (ie. switch(es)) that are GbE.
Good luck.
