Hello,I have to admit, that I'm not really a veteran on these matters, but I want to learn.The idea is to have a NAS that I can use as media server. It needs to be fast enough to not cause problems for streaming BluRay material with bitrates in the higher end, and I want storage space for like 6TB minimum. Oh yeah, and I would like the noise to be very low.I'm planning to order a ReadyNAS Ultra 2, as I was told that this would suit my needs best, but what do I do regarding the HDD's. I searched a bit on the 3TB HDD's that NETGEAR listed as "Hardware Compatibility list", and I'm honestly not sure which ones to pick as I don't know the difference between them, and how well they would work. I've listed the ones which are available to me underneath, alongside I put in some relevant information, like how big it is, what type and ofcourse - the price:Hitachi Ultrastar 7K3000 HUA723030ALA640.....3TB, SATA-600. Price $370Seagate Constellation ST33000650NS.............3TB, SATA-600. Price $360Western Digital Caviar Green WD30EZRS........3TB, SATA-300. Price $205Western Digital WD RED WD30EFRX..............3TB, SATA-300. Price $200Seagate Barracuda XT ST33000651AS............3TB, SATA-600. Price $345So I see that there is quite a bit of difference in the price, even though the numbers look alike to me. I also see that some of them are SATA-600, while others are SATA-300. Also, would they work best being the same kind?Any shed of light on these matters is greatly appriciated,GAPP

Avoid WD Green disksThe WD RED disks on the other hand are designed for use in NAS unitsThe Constellation and UltraStar are enterprise disksFor your storage needs you need at least the Ultra 4. 4x3TB disks would give you about 8TB of space

First of all, you can ignore the -600 and -300. No mechanical drive is fast enough to saturate SATA-300, and the NAS runs SATA-300 anyway. (SATA-600 is compatible though).Second of all, for streaming BluRay you really don't need a fast disk. BluRay data rates are 50 mbits/sec, which is about 7 megabytes/second. All of these drives are much, much faster than that.Third, the WD30EZRS is not designed for NAS use. Even though it is on the HCL I would avoid it. The Ultrastar and the Constellation are enterprise drives. Enterprise drives are designed to be working 24/7, and they are designed to handle vibration from nearby drives well. They generally also have 5 year warranties. Those features are what make them more expensive. The Barracuda isn't an enterprise drive, but it is a high-performance consumer drive. The WD30EFRX is specifically designed for consumer NAS use, and has a three year warranty.The WD30EFRX uses the least power and is the quietest (leaving out the caviar green). The Constellation and Ultrastar have higher performance and longer warranties, but also use more power and are noisier. The Barracuda is similar to the enterprise drives, though I think I'd choose the Constellation over it, given the small price difference.Personally I'd get the WD30EFRX. It is more than fast enough, is cheapest, uses the least power, and is the quietest. I am using them now, and am happy with them.However, the Ultrastar and the Constellation also have good reputations. Note that Hitachi's disk division is now owned by Western Digital.BTW I agree with mgdm that a 4 or 6 slot unit would be better than the ultra-2. At 20-30 titles per TB, your BluRay library will fill up the NAS fast.

Thanks for the fast replies.So from what I understand, the best thing would be getting a ReadyNAS Ultra 6, and for starters buy 3 or 4x Western Digital WD RED WD30EFRX 3TB, and then when the needs are bigger, get more of either those or maybe there are even bigger HDD's out there at that time.Is that a good solution, and is it wise to mix HDD's?

That would be a good solution. If you also want to use DLNA with transcoding, the best option would be Pro-6 (using plex). For straight streaming, the ultra 6 should work nicely. You probably don't want it in the same room as the home theater, since the fan will be audible. You could construct a baffle if that is essential (I saw a blog entry somewhere from someone who had done that with a ReadyNAS).It is fine to mix hard drives, though keep in mind that future hard drives would need to be 3 TB or larger.The default XRAID-2 raid configuration would work nicely, just make sure you install all 3-4 initial drives together (don't start with one and then add the others, that will limit your expansion later on).

I just realized that the Ultra 6 is far more expensive than for example the Ultra 4. Maybe I should just get the Ultra 4, and ship it with 3x WD Red 3TB, and then add on another if neccesary. I'm also thinking that they will keep upgrading the HDD's, so maybe in 1-2 years when I need more space, there are bigger supported HDD's available for the same price.What would you guys do in my shoes? I want a good solution, which isn't overkill, and of course keeping the price a little down wouldn't kill me(but I rather wanna pay a little extra to get something that works).Any help is greatly appriciated.

ReadyNAS Ultra 2 as Media Server | NETGEAR Communities

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gibxxi
Guide
Dec 15, 2012
XBMC is infinately more configurable than Plex. Plex is a Media Centre software which will be easier to maintain if the WAF (Wife Approval Factor) is an important consideration, or you want something that requires a minimal amount of tinkering or configuration, and you don't desire advanced functionality or add-ons.

XBMC is a better solution if you want advanced features, and don't mind tinkering to get a desirable end result. XBMC also differs from Plex in that each client is a standalone entity (unless your using MySQL Db sharing), whereas Plex uses a central, headless, server application to which each client connects.

Powerline feasibility depends largely on the structure and age of the wiring in your home. If you have old wiring and/or seperate ring-mains, it may be a less attractive option than Wireless. My place is a relatively new build, with a single ring-main, and Wireless performance for me was borderline because of interference. Each system (Wireless vs. Powerline) depends on your individual needs, circumstances, and surroundings.
GAPP
Aspirant
Dec 16, 2012
I live in Denmark, and if I choose to import things from the US, I will have to pay duties of those goods, yes.

The house I'm moving into, is not built yet. It's done in August next year, so all the wiring etc will be very new, which I assume will work in my favor if I were to choose Powerline. I'm only renting it, so I don't have the choice to ask them to wire it with cat5 cables aswell, even though that would be preferable.

I'm e abit of a newbie regarding Media Center software, so could you please specify to me what kind of features we're talking about. I've read on some forums that XBMC is better, but Plex is way easier to setup. For example, I'm testing the Plex on my wireless atm. The server on my PC, and my laptop uses the client. I have to admit, it works really well with even Bluray movies with bitrates on 25k+ running though. I'm not totally sure if I'm doing everything correctly as I looked at the server confirgurations last night, and it seems like the max output is capped at 2MB - 768p. Not totally sure how its working though. :)
gibxxi
Guide
Dec 16, 2012
I don't know all that much about the features Plex is capable of because I only gave it minor testing (after having already been using XBMC for over a year). Suffice to say, I wasn't impressed enough in it's features or performance to want to switch.

;)

To list all XBMC's features here, would take too long, and not really answer whether it's the right Media Centre software for YOU. Best thing I can do here, is direct you to their wiki and allow you to draw your own conclusions...

http://wiki.xbmc.org/

P.S: The FAQ section might be a good place to start.

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ReadyNAS Ultra 2 as Media Server

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