This recent upgrade to the popular Synology DiskStation DS212j looks to have hit the lead in the “most impressive media server (storage)” stakes.

The Synology DiskStation is a Network Attached Storage device for the home with multimedia support for all your movies, music and photos.

Fast, quiet and customizable via Synology’s impressive DiskStation OS, the media server oozes class and polish.

Just some of the features in this iteration:

• Multimedia streaming to multiple devices at home and whilst away over the internet.
• 24×7 Downloading via bittorrent and multiple other protocols
• Desktop backup
• Personal Cloud – access your files from anywhere
• Photo Station for video and photo sharing with blog and facebook syncing abilities
• Energy Efficient 17.6 watts in operations with scheduled on/off feature
• Max capacity 6Gb (2x 3Tb HD)

If you are looking to make the switch to a dedicated media server from an all in one media hub / player such as the Western Digital WD TV Media Player then this is the Media Server you should compare all others to.

Synology DS212J Hardware

This model is diskless, so you will need to pair it with a couple of Hard Drives such as the Western Digital Caviar Green 3 TB SATA III 64 MB Cache Bare/OEM Desktop Hard Drive – WD30EZRX or for a cheaper option, a couple of 1Tb Drives can be bought for around half the price: Western Digital Caviar Green 1 TB SATA II 32 MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Desktop Hard Drive Retail Kit – WDBAAY0010HNC-NRSN

Media Server Reviews

Five stars for this little device, but first the team at Media Server Reviews hope everyone out there is having a great new year for 2013!

This is the time for new year’s resolutions, so here at Media Server Reviews we have decided to come up with one for you:
2013 is going to be the year that we finally get a media server for that technologically challenged person in your life.

Whether it is grandma or your auntie, it is time we finally got something set up for them that is going to be able to play all their movies and music for them on all their devices at home.

And what better to serve this purpose that the Budget-Friendly Synology DiskStation 1-Bay NAS Server for Home Users

In fact, I think we might nust need to keep this for a while before we give it to grandma. I might buy a couple just in case one accidentally ends up becoming my mobile take-anywhere media center or ends up set up in the back shed.

This is perfect as an entry level device to play all your movies, music and other media, and runs the same Synology OS as the other High End NAS Media Servers.

The most popular HD on Amazon for this device is the WD Green 2Tb 3.5″ HD, and at $157 it is pretty hard to argue with that.

Set up is easy, just plug it in and away you go. This is the ultimate luddite machine, if someone can connect the power and connect the network cable, they will be fine.
?
There are two USB ports and a Gigabit Ethernet port available, if you have a few additional hard drives lying around, you can always connect them up to the USB ports for additional storage, and to see what is on those things anyway?
There is also an Android and iOS app that you can use for photo browsing among other things which is very cool, and makes it apparent that we are actually living in the future.

Once on the network you can stream all your media, movies, photos, music to your appleTV, Playstaytion, XBox, as well as all your mobile devices and pretty much anything else that can show a picture or play a sound.

Have fun, and make sure Grandma has a happy new year!

Media Server Reviews

Whether you are running Windows, Linux or Mac, if you want to share your movies and music on the home network you are going to need some Media Server Software.
There are quite a few available (Windows Media Player, Tversity, Twonky Media Server and MediaTomb are just some of many) and frankly, choosing one can be quite a pain.

So which one do you go for? And what should you base your decision on?

Some of the things you will need to consider are:

1. What will you be using to view or listen with?
2. What Hardware will you be using as your server?
3. What sort of network will you be streaming over?
4. Which formats are your files using?

But this is not all, how much time do you want to spend configuring the software? Do you want to be able to configure every last detail of how it behaves? Or just have everything work straight out of the box?

Luckily regardless of how you answered all of these questions, the chances are unless you are using a NAS to store your media, PS3 Media Server is the best Media Server Software for you.

I thought this just for the PS3?

Nope, PS3 Media Server did originate as software to enable the PS3 to become a fully fledged Media Center, but it has grown to support most players on the market, Software and Hardware.

The software as mentioned earlier, will run on Windows, Mac and Linux, and is a Java based, DLNA compliant UPnP Server.

Installation does not require any additional plugins or codecs, you install, it scans your harddrive(s) for media and checks the network for available media players (renderers).
This is just the easy option, you can set the software to just scan specific folders if required.

There are plugins available for internet TV or Radio, IMDB metadata etc, as well as the ability to access and share the libraries of various media players including itunes.

PS3 Media Server can play from compressed (Zipped or RAR) archives, plays DVD ISOs, FLAC music files as well as just about anything else you throw at it.

The best bit

The best bit actually is that the software is free and currently supported with regular features and new updates.
The second best bit is the Transcoding and muxing abilities of the server.

What does that mean? In absolutely basic terms, it means you can play files on your media players that are not natively supported.
And you can do this on the fly, without having to convert file types or anything beforehand.

Basically if the container type (eg MKV) is not supported by the media player, the TSMUXER will change the container for you, as you select the file to play!
If the codec is not supported, the MENCODER engine will convert that to a compatible one also. All this without you needing to know what you are doing!

Photos are also supported, with the ability to display thumbnails of your photos when browsing, even for RAW files. There are also options for sharing Picasaweb and Flickr albums.

So if you are still sharing your media with “out of the box” sharing software that came with your Operating System, we definitely recommend trying out PS3 Media Server!

You can download PS3 Media Server here

Media Server Reviews

Frequent visitors to Media Server Reviews will have noticed a couple of new categories are appearing on our site.

The old categories of Basic, Mid-Range and Premium were just not useful enough when looking for the right devices for your needs.

The important thing to consider is not how much money a product costs, though that is obviously important, it is about finding the product that matches your requirements – what you want it to do and what needs it will meet. Will it be used as a single place to store all your movies, music and photos? Will it be connected to a TV or Projector? Or will you have other devices playing the media and connecting to your server over the home network?

We have started to break down the reviews into the following categories:

Media Centers – these are the units that run the interface you use to select and play media, they will typically be directly connected to either a TV or AV Receiver. This is where this site has historically placed most attention, these are otherwise known as Media Hubs, Media Players etc.

NAS Media Servers – NAS (Network Attached Storage) Devices are popular as they have all the ‘grunt’ of a fully fledged server, but they are ‘appliances’ – that is they are built for the single purpose, in this case storing and sharing your data – movies, music etc over the network. Many NAS devices have built in Media Services and will integrate with iTunes, Squeezebox and other services, reducing the need to have a computer turned on to stream your media around the house and over the internet.

Media Servers These are also in the same league as the HTPC, the Home Theatre PC, and are for people who enjoy fully customizing their setup.

Some of the reviews coming will be for the amazing Synology DiskStation range, as well as Home Servers, Media Server Software and more.

I really hope you find the new classification useful as you look for the reviews and information you need, we really appreciate your feedback so if you would like to comment below or email info@mediaserverreviews.com

Media Server Reviews

This brilliant little Microserver from HP has to be one of the best choices available for a Home Media Server.

A micro server has great Media Server abilities, coupled with the ability to upgrade not just RAM, Hard Drives, DVD drives and add PCI cards, you can also choose the Operating System and Software you need to do what you want on your home network.

Now is also a great time to pick one of these up, with the current discounts available for purchase online.

Home servers can be a compelling alternative to buying a NAS or other “Appliance” style device, and this Microserver is no exception (customer reviews here).

HP have been the market leader in the small / micro server market for many years now, and the ProLiant Micro Server N40L is arguably the best home server currently available.

Small in size (12.5 x 15.5 x 15.5in) and quiet (just 22 dBA!) when running, this MicroServer makes a brilliant media server either with Windows Home Server (32 or 64bit) installed, or if you prefer Open Source, one of the many Linux Distributions available.

For those even more adventurous, this box will quite happily run VMware allowing you to have several virtual servers and workstations on your network, which in turn will give you a chance to try all the Media Server Software and Operating Systems available, to find the best match for your other devices at home.

How does it look?

Well.. it looks like it does in the picture.. only better up close

The HP logo faintly glows blue when powered on which is a nice touch, and the minimalist styling makes this a server that can quite happily exist on the desktop if need be.

But don’t just take our word for it, you shoud really read the customer reviews on amazon to get an idea of how people have found this to work for them.

MicroServer or NAS?

Currently the price of one of these servers is about the same as a .
When you consider the extra disk bays (4 upgradable), extra processor (AMD Turion II vs Intel® Atom Dual-core) and ability to upgrade and configure everything, the MicroServer seems to be the best bet.

Having said that, the out-of-the-box functionality of either the Netgear or Synology Network Attached Storage Devices can be quite compelling if you want things to just work

You can read more about the HP Proliant Microservers here..

Media Server Reviews

As a Media Server, this NAS is unmatched, with support for Tivo, PS3, XBOX, Logitech Squeezebox and Sonos.

The NETGEAR brand has become quite established in the home, and it is the aim of Netgear to take the ReadyNAS ULTRA family to the next level.

As a Network Attached Storage device, the NETGEAR ReadyNAS Ultra 2 Plus Network Attached Storage RNDP200U is quiet and rock-solid.

What we really love about it though is it’s Media Server Capabilities.

The Media Server capabilities of this NAS are truly brilliant, with it’s ReadyDLNA sporting Tivo, PS3, XBox 360 support and much much more.

SqueezeBox software is included, so you can stream directly to devices such as the Logitech Transporter SE Network Music Player natively!

Similarly, Sonos is also supported, just point your Sonos library to the ReadyNAS  for multi-room playback.

The server is also able to run an iTunes service to playback your music collection to all your iPods, iPhones, iPads as well as on your Macs and PCs. Setup is as simple as enabling the service and moving your files to the ReadyNAS.

In addition to all these great Media Server features, ReadyNAS remote allows secure access to your files over the internet without the use of a VPN, using Explorer for Windows, or the Finder for mac. 

Remote Media Streaming using Skifta also lets you shift your media to a remote player over the internet.

Backup your home computers and media

Paranoid about losing all your movies, videos and other data?

Netgear has ReadyNAS Vault allowing you to easily syncronise your data to the cloud, there is a free 30 day trial where you can check it out, after that you will need to pay for the service.

There is also support for Time Machine and a host of other backup solutions for your home network.

The entrly level model is diskless , meaning you will need to purchase hard drives such as the Western Digital Caviar Green 2 TB Desktop Hard Drive.

ReadyNAS Ultra 2 Plus Tech Specs

Media Streaming
DLNA Certified™ and can stream to media players (see www.dlna.org for latest):

• NETGEAR® Digital Entertainers
• Network DVD/Blu-ray players
• Game consoles, like Sony® PlayStation® 3 , Nintendo® Wii and Microsoft® Xbox®, Xbox 360®
• TiVo® DVRs
• Skifta™ clients

Apple® iTunes® server
Logitech SqueezeBox
SONOS Digital Music Center
Windows MCE compatible

ReadyNAS Ultra 2

Physical Specifications
Intel® Atom Single-core CPU (Ultra 2)
Intel® Atom Dual-core CPU (Ultra 2 Plus)
1GB DDR2 SODIMM
Two (42) Serial ATA II channels
Hot swappable and lockable trays
Two (2) 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports
One (1) USB 3.0 port
Two (2) USB 2.0 ports
Embedded 128 MB Flash Memory for OS
Kensington Lock security hole
Software controlled 80 mm chassis cooling fan
Dimension (H x W x D): 101 x 142 x 220 mm (3.98 x 5.59 x 8.66 in)
Weight: 2.07 kg (4.56 lb), without hard disks

Electrical
60W External AC power supply
Input: 100-240V AC~ 50-60Hz 5A(Max)

Power Consumption
34W typical with 2 x 2TB disks
32W idle, 19W with disk spin-down

Environmental Compliance
0 to 40 C (32 to 104 F)
20% to 80% Humidity (non-condensing)
FCC, UL, CE, RoHS, C-tick, VCCI, CCC, KCC compliance

Available Configurations
Diskless
Half-populated

ReadyNAS Ultra 4

Physical Specifications
Intel® Atom Single-core CPU (Ultra 4)
Intel® Atom Dual-core CPU (Ultra 4 Plus)
1GB DDR2 SODIMM
Four (4) Serial ATA II channels
Hot swappable and lockable trays
Two (2) 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports
LCD Display
Three (3) USB 2.0 ports
Embedded 128 MB Flash Memory for OS
Kensington Lock security hole
Software controlled 92 mm chassis cooling fan
Dimension (H x W x D): 134 x 205 x 223 mm (5.28 x 8.07 x 8.78 in)
Weight: 4.70 kg (10.35 lb), without hard disks

Electrical
120W server-rated AC power supply
Input: 100-240V AC~ 50-60Hz 5A(Max)

Power Consumption
52W typical with 4 x 2TB disks
48W idle, 25W with disk spin-down

Environmental Compliance
0 to 40 C (32 to 104 F)
20% to 80% Humidity (non-condensing)
FCC, UL, CE, RoHS, C-tick, VCCI, CCC, KCC compliance

Available Configurations
Diskless
Half-populated

Read more about the NETGEAR ReadyNAS Ultra 2 Plus here…

Read the latest customer reviews here

Media Server Reviews

This category includes set-top boxes and other devices capable of playing your movies, music and displaying photos.

Popular devices used as media centers are:

• Apple TV
• Roku
• Boxee Box
• WD TV Live
• PS3
• XBOX 360
• Media Center PC

Best Media Player

The best media player will have the following:

• Must have a great, fast and easy to use interface.
• Support for codecs – a common one not supported is Matrosksa (often .MKV extension).
• Be able to stream direct from your media server  or NAS (Network Attached Storage) via your Home Network
• Be able to stream content from the internet, Youtube, Netflix etc
• Support full HD 1080p content

Game consoles are good as they have multiple uses, but the big two PS3 and XBOX both have limitations with the kind of files they support.
You will also want some kind of Media Server to stream your media from. We would of course recommend a NAS for this, although a spare PC or Server with plenty of hard drive space and software such as PS3 Media Server or TVersity can perform the same work with a little more effort.

Media Server Reviews

NAS devices make great Media Servers. The best NAS storage devices such as the excellent Synology DiskStation and NETGEAR ReadyNAS Ultra 2 Plus have built in media streaming software and are DLNA compatible, meaning you can stream your media to many different devices such as ipad, iphone, android, mobile, xbox, playstation, TV and many more.

Network Attached Storage devices will have some or all of the following characteristics:

• Support fast network – 100Mb or 1Gb Ethernet
• RAID protection against Hard Drive failure (at least 2 hard drives required)
• Support streaming to multiple devices
• Support streaming media to remote devices over the internet
• DLNA Support
• Hot-Swappable drives so you can replace drives without turning the NAS off.
• Easy to use, intuitive interface

The Home NAS is the best home network storage solution as it will be plug and play, and will not require the installation of media server software that many high end dedicated media servers require.

It is also a huge advancement on the single disk media players and media centers, as it enables hardware RAID protection against data loss should there be a hard drive failure.

This section will provide reviews of the best Network Attached Storage devices available from some of the leading manufacturers such as Synology and QNAP.

Media Server Reviews

Apple have announced the new Apple TV will sport a new user interface as well as supporting 1080p.
 
The Apple TV MD199LL/A will have 1080p HD programming, including iTunes movies and TV shows, Netflix, Vimeo, photos and more in full HD.
 
It will be able to support the usual web media sources such as netflix, as well as streaming movies from iCloud and from your other apple devices using AirPlay.The new interface will have icons, apps and coverflow similar to iPad and iPhone.
 
Being released next week for $99, it will be interesting to see what happens to the existing Apple TV price on Amazon over the next few days..

Media Server Reviews

Roku introduced their next generation media server dubbed the Roku 2 on July 20, 2011. The first thing I noticed how small or tiny even the new Roku player is. It’s new look includes sleeker rounded edges, more apple TV like. It’s smaller overall but slightly taller than an Apple TV device.

The new Roku comes in 3 different model numbers: the base mode HD with 720p resolution, the XD with 1080p resolution, and XS which adds a Bluetooth motion sensing remote, Ethernet, and a USB port.

[easyazon-image align="center" asin="B005CLPP84" locale="us" height="372" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41RtV9KXtRL.jpg" width="500"]

New with the Roku 2: Hardware upgrades for all models include a faster GPU, and 802.11n wifi. Roku has upgraded and added to their close to 300 channels or “Apps” as Roku calls them.  The Netflix App has added subtitles, 1080p support, and 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus audio. At the time of this article the only other media server that has same support for Netflix is the PS3. Newly added Apps include Facebook, EPIX, Major League Soccer, AOL HD, and FOXNews.com.

The interface has not changed significantly; it is still simple and easy to use. I’ve read reviews that say it is simply boring, but it works fine for me.

Is the extra cost of an XS worth it?

Besides adding Ethernet and USB ports the XS also adds gaming. It comes with Roxio’s popular Angry Birds game out of the box. Unfortunately there are currently no other games available for the Roku 2 XS. Plans for future games include Pacman, Galaga, Angry Birds Seasons, and Angry Birds Rio. Keep in mind that without adding a SD card the XS only has space for four games in total. It won’t be replacing anybody’s Xbox or PS3 anytime soon or ever.

The XS remote has directional buttons and A/B buttons to support game playing. The remote also integrates motion sensing technology like a Nintendo Wiimote that is only used for game play. The enhanced remote comes with the XS but is available separately for $29 retail.

With XS’s USB port you can plug in a flash drive or hard drive and play your own files. Official support includes H.264 MP4, AAC, MP3, JPG, and PNG.

Where the Roku 2 falls short:

• No App for YouTube.
• No real improvements to the somewhat boring interface.
• Required initial setup takes 10 to 20 minutes.
• Limited playback options compared to Boxee or WDTV Live Plus. This includes a small range of supported file types and no support for network play back of those files.
• Loss of component cable support, Ethernet (except the XS), and dual band wireless

Summary:

• The 4^th generation of Roku player has grown a great deal since the first Roku “Netflix player”.
• Good low cost , simple, mainstream user device.
• Added gaming a minor feature.

Check out reviews and more info here..

Other products from Roku: Roku 2 XD Streaming Player 1080p

Media Server Reviews