I' ve quit the ideea of USB hdd to router and want to buy a NAS

[YrbkMgr]

Another worry is being tied up to a proprietary ecosystem... but if it does all the things I need, then I would preffer to buy an off the shelf. Actually I would have liked to buy something with proprietary

This caught my eye and I thought I'd offer my two cents. Personally, if the choice is spending 300 and install proprietary software... that may disappoint me, OR repurposing an older pc that takes up space to do the exact same thing... it boils down to worst case scenario - The pc route falls short of expectations, and you know know more about what you're looking for with minimal expense.

I'm not sayin' I'm right, I'm just sayin' how I see it.

 

[ASUS-RT-AX82U]

Apologies for jumping on this thread, but I felt that since my circumstances are similar, there's no point starting a new thread.

I'm after a very basic 1 bay NAS to share the odd files across my home network. Currently I use my Asus RT-AX82U with a 32gb usb flash drive. But it's a bit of hit-miss and I posted a thread recently on HERE.

Speedwise, the router was enough, but it's unstable and unreliable, hence I'm wanting something basic to connect on the network.

I don't mind building a DIY NAS from a PC , but I really don't want to spend lots of money on something that I'm only going to use now and again. What can you recommend?

 

[L&LD]

One or two-bay NAS from Synology or QNAP if you want a set and forget solution (barring any HDD failures, of course). Anything else is moving sideways. Including DIY when you don't know what you're getting into. Learning is one thing (and I'm all for it, of course), but getting a working system in place asap is something else.

 

[ASUS-RT-AX82U]

One or two-bay NAS from Synology or QNAP if you want a set and forget solution (barring any HDD failures, of course). Anything else is moving sideways. Including DIY when you don't know what you're getting into. Learning is one thing (and I'm all for it, of course), but getting a working system in place asap is something else.

Thanks for your reply @L&LD

I don't mind taking time to obtain an old PC and setup a NAS, so long as it doesn't cost, has better features than a Synology or QNAP.

In fact I've seen a PC on EBAY and thought it would be a good bet.

Let me know your thoughts.

 

[Tech Junky]

don't mind building a DIY NAS from a PC , but I really don't want to spend lots of money on something that I'm only going to use now and again. What can you recommend?

Well, if you're like most of us once you have proper network storage you'll use it more often and expand to more space sooner than later.

Just starting off with a cheap PC and hooking up the flash drive is going to be more stable than using the router as a NAS. Adding drives to said PC is easy enough and then sharing them is just as easy. I recommend using Linux as it's stable and doesn't require a ton of resources and most NAS OS are Linux based as well.

Once you have the PC up and configured I'd go with a 8TB+ drive to start off with to avoid the whole SMR issue. From there if you want to expand or add redundancy it's easy with adding another drive and setting up Raid.

The diy route might take you an hour to setup the os and share the drives depending on the PC power. Once it's setup it's easy to forget about it. It's easy since you're just looking for shares storage and not piling on other functions. Expanding the storage might require moving to a better case down the road for more disk bays but, that's simple if you've built a PC before and if you haven't it's not that bad.

 

[ASUS-RT-AX82U]

Well, if you're like most of us once you have proper network storage you'll use it more often and expand to more space sooner than later.

Just starting off with a cheap PC and hooking up the flash drive is going to be more stable than using the router as a NAS. Adding drives to said PC is easy enough and then sharing them is just as easy. I recommend using Linux as it's stable and doesn't require a ton of resources and most NAS OS are Linux based as well.

Once you have the PC up and configured I'd go with a 8TB+ drive to start off with to avoid the whole SMR issue. From there if you want to expand or add redundancy it's easy with adding another drive and setting up Raid.

The diy route might take you an hour to setup the os and share the drives depending on the PC power. Once it's setup it's easy to forget about it. It's easy since you're just looking for shares storage and not piling on other functions. Expanding the storage might require moving to a better case down the road for more disk bays but, that's simple if you've built a PC before and if you haven't it's not that bad.

Thanks very much Tech Junky. I've never needed more than a couple of terabytes of space on my PC...in fact even that's too much for me. 8tb would be way over the top for my needs. I'd say a 2-3tb hdd is more than enough. As said, I only want to use it now and again. One thing that would make me change my mind is if I know that the data on the NAS could or would be encrypted safely, in which case I'd be willing to go for larger hdd. For now, I'd be very grateful if you could recommend a MINI PC, like one in the eBay link I've posted previously. I can't go for a large pc as I don't have any space....it's got to be able to sit on a shelf.

 

[Tech9]

In fact I've seen a PC on EBAY and thought it would be a good bet.

Very reliable little machines for various DIY projects. Better and cheaper than RPi 4 kits. This one (with little different specs, Core i5 and 128Gb SSD) with 2x 8TB WD EasyStore (also called MyBook) in mirror is what I use for NAS for years and never had any issues with it. I keep the drives NTFS formatted and readable on any other Windows PC. The drives were upgraded once from 2x 4TB. The PC just keeps going and going.

better features than a Synology or QNAP

Once you have capable hardware, the software may have the features you want.

 

[Tech Junky]

Encryption is optional but Linux can do that too. Not being wan accessible is key to protection though to keep people out. Encryption only works for physical access to the drive.

Any PC with space for 3.5" drives will work unless you go external or want to go faster with SSD's.

 

[sfx2000]

I don't mind taking time to obtain an old PC and setup a NAS, so long as it doesn't cost, has better features than a Synology or QNAP.

In fact I've seen a PC on EBAY and thought it would be a good bet.

I don't recommend using an old PC as a starter for a NAS/Server - the risk is a bit too high.

It might work in the short term, but down the road...

 

[dosborne]

My choice would be a Raspberry Pi for your basic needs. If you need more, a 1 or 2 bay (proper) Nas. (A 2 bay gives your more options for future space, RAID-1, etc)

 

[ASUS-RT-AX82U]

Thanks for your help everyone.

@Tech9 and @Tech Junky - I'm willing to take the plunge, but can you please send me an eBay link to a mini pc that can handle upto 4k content? I'd rather go with SSD as it would mean a more compact machine.

@sfx2000 - You mean risk of it breaking down? In that case, I'm willing to take that risk.

@dosborne - I might be wrong here, but I think the Raspberry Pi would be too slow and I doubt ir could handle 4k content, could it?

EDIT: Forgot to mention, I'm also currently looking at a separate POE CCTV system for my home. So I'm not sure whether I can somehow combine both a NAS and a CCTV system in one or whether you think I'd be better off buying separate devices. If you believe I can get a good CCTV recording system with a NAS. then I'd be willing to pay more.

 

[BreakingDad]

He knows things

Does he drink as well?

 

[Tech Junky]

@ASUS-RT-AX82U

While an SSD is nice it's going to get expensive. 4TB - ~$400 / 8TB ~$1000 per drive.

4K recording from CCTV if it's like OTA it's going to make some big files. A 1080 / 1HR recording OTA makes a recording of ~6GB. Since recording 24/7 from such systems roll so, capacity might be an issue when going to SSD over spinner. 4K compounds things a bit with a larger file size. Since there's likely not high def audio involved the file size should be smaller. Also, the system might be using compression on the files.

How Much Space Does Security Camera Video Footage Require? | Digital Trends

Your security camera footage will require different amounts of space depending on its compression algorithm, frame rate, resolution, and more.

www.digitaltrends.com

Looking through that there's the potential of systems with local per camera storage and recommend 256GB SD card per camera.

Considering 4K CCTV? Here's what you need to know

Considering 4k CCTV? We assess three camera manufacturers and show you real world examples. Also, there are three most important questions you need to ask.

matryxconsulting.com.au

Comparing 1080 / 4K results it appears that the FHD will work better than a UHD setup. Then again it all depends on the sensors in the camera being able to pick up motion accurately.

4K CCTV Camera Price: How to Score the Best Deals Like an Insider - Reolink Blog

Wonder what the 4K CCTV camera price is and how to get a lowest priced 4K camera? Check the 4K video camera price list here & learn the insider tips to score a best 4K camera price.

reolink.com

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K734ZTW/?tag=snbforums-20

This system has a 2TB drive for 4 cameras but you can swap out the drive for more retention time. I'm sure other systems can record to a "NAS" directly though this sone only records internally to the system installed drive. So, finding cameras that record to a NAS is one step and then deciding on how much footage you want to store before it rotates / deletes older footage.

I'd rather go with SSD as it would mean a more compact machine.

Most of these systems outside of the PC option are about the size of a BR player / STB. They're not overly large. If you take into consideration of 2.5" vs 3.5" is only 1" difference in size. It's more about the weight of the drives or the longevity of the drives for data written. SSD's should last longer with no moving parts but. the main enticement is the speed.
Taking into consideration the need for recording I would still see a 8TB drive being handy for both personal backups and CCTV use. Though I would probably use separate drives or make backups of the data you "need".

 

[Tech9]

mini pc that can handle upto 4k content?

Handle how? Store files or play on 4K TV?
Storage is not a problem. Playing 4K brings extra requirements.

I'm not sure whether I can somehow combine

Yes, you can. There are many software packages for CCTV. Examples:

Best FREE IP Camera Software (CCTV Viewer) for Windows PC

Choose the Best FREE IP Camera Software for Windows to monitor your premises seamlessly, ideal for security surveillance.

www.guru99.com

10 Best Free Security Camera Software [2023 Reviews]

Here is a review of the best security camera software, and every single one has a free option. Technique questions are answered as well.

filmora.wondershare.com

 

[ASUS-RT-AX82U]

@ASUS-RT-AX82U

While an SSD is nice it's going to get expensive. 4TB - ~$400 / 8TB ~$1000 per drive.

4K recording from CCTV if it's like OTA it's going to make some big files. A 1080 / 1HR recording OTA makes a recording of ~6GB. Since recording 24/7 from such systems roll so, capacity might be an issue when going to SSD over spinner. 4K compounds things a bit with a larger file size. Since there's likely not high def audio involved the file size should be smaller. Also, the system might be using compression on the files.

How Much Space Does Security Camera Video Footage Require? | Digital Trends

Your security camera footage will require different amounts of space depending on its compression algorithm, frame rate, resolution, and more.

www.digitaltrends.com

Looking through that there's the potential of systems with local per camera storage and recommend 256GB SD card per camera.

Considering 4K CCTV? Here's what you need to know

Considering 4k CCTV? We assess three camera manufacturers and show you real world examples. Also, there are three most important questions you need to ask.

matryxconsulting.com.au

Comparing 1080 / 4K results it appears that the FHD will work better than a UHD setup. Then again it all depends on the sensors in the camera being able to pick up motion accurately.

4K CCTV Camera Price: How to Score the Best Deals Like an Insider - Reolink Blog

Wonder what the 4K CCTV camera price is and how to get a lowest priced 4K camera? Check the 4K video camera price list here & learn the insider tips to score a best 4K camera price.

reolink.com

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K734ZTW/?tag=snbforums-20

This system has a 2TB drive for 4 cameras but you can swap out the drive for more retention time. I'm sure other systems can record to a "NAS" directly though this sone only records internally to the system installed drive. So, finding cameras that record to a NAS is one step and then deciding on how much footage you want to store before it rotates / deletes older footage.

Most of these systems outside of the PC option are about the size of a BR player / STB. They're not overly large. If you take into consideration of 2.5" vs 3.5" is only 1" difference in size. It's more about the weight of the drives or the longevity of the drives for data written. SSD's should last longer with no moving parts but. the main enticement is the speed.
Taking into consideration the need for recording I would still see a 8TB drive being handy for both personal backups and CCTV use. Though I would probably use separate drives or make backups of the data you "need".

I'm willing to wire it up, but having read your post, I'm now doubting myself and questioning whether I really need a 4k camera system or not. From seeing YouTube videos, I don't think I'll notice a huge difference in terms of picture quality between a 1080p and a 4k system - The downside would be that with 1080p, I might get a bit of pixilation, but with 4k, I'd have huge files taking up lots of storage space which I couldn't afford. I was only thinking of SSD for speed, but if a standard couple of terabyte 3.5" hdd can do the job, then I'd be happy with that.

Handle how? Store files or play on 4K TV?
Storage is not a problem. Playing 4K brings extra requirements.



Yes, you can. There are many software packages for CCTV. Examples:

Best FREE IP Camera Software (CCTV Viewer) for Windows PC

Choose the Best FREE IP Camera Software for Windows to monitor your premises seamlessly, ideal for security surveillance.

www.guru99.com

10 Best Free Security Camera Software [2023 Reviews]

Here is a review of the best security camera software, and every single one has a free option. Technique questions are answered as well.

filmora.wondershare.com

Yes store them, but so long as I can play them from a media player a 4K TV or is that not possible or does 4k need to be transcoded on the NAS beforehand? Thank you for the links to the CCTV software.



So you don't think I should build a NAS / CCTV system instead???

 

[Tech9]

Yes store them

Then the NAS doesn't care what you store, as far as it fits the storage space available.

play them from a media player a 4K TV

If the media player supports 4K video - yes. The video files are compressed, usual bitrate is under 50Mbps.

Thank you for the links to the CCTV software.

You can run Windows with shares for you LAN + Windows video surveillance software of your choice on the same mini PC. You can use a drive with capacity you want and partitioned the way you want it. I personally use a dedicated NVR with 6x 1080p cameras and internal 4TB WD Purple HDD (for surveillance systems) for storage. It holds full resolution recordings for about 2 weeks. Good external drives are WD EasyStore from BestBuy. They contain either WD Red drives (for NAS use) or WD White drives (re-branded Hitachi Ultrastar datacenter class). SSD is not needed. Having a x86 PC with good specs in your hands opens multiple possibilities. Buying a ready-made NAS box is much more expensive for comparable performance and limited to what the manufacturer offers you in both hardware and software.

 

[Tech Junky]

transcoded

Depends on the format but, video only shouldn't need it. PC is the way to go over the NVR if you want more funtionality.

 

[Tech9]

One advantage with NVRs is camera network isolation. If the cameras are all connected to the main switch and someone manages to break one of them and connect to the Ethernet cable - it's a straight access to the LAN. Cameras with relatively easy access on gates/doors are vulnerable. Also, if the cables run outside, there is a risk of main switch damage in thunderstorms. What looks easy needs more work to be done properly.

 

[ASUS-RT-AX82U]

Then the NAS doesn't care what you store, as far as it fits the storage space available.



If the media player supports 4K video - yes. The video files are compressed, usual bitrate is under 50Mbps.



You can run Windows with shares for you LAN + Windows video surveillance software of your choice on the same mini PC. You can use a drive with capacity you want and partitioned the way you want it. I personally use a dedicated NVR with 6x 1080p cameras and internal 4TB WD Purple HDD (for surveillance systems) for storage. It holds full resolution recordings for about 2 weeks. Good external drives are WD EasyStore from BestBuy. They contain either WD Red drives (for NAS use) or WD White drives (re-branded Hitachi Ultrastar datacenter class). SSD is not needed. Having a x86 PC with good specs in your hands opens multiple possibilities. Buying a ready-made NAS box is much more expensive for comparable performance and limited to what the manufacturer offers you in both hardware and software.

Yes, this sounds like my type of setup as it gives me a lot of flexibility and power. Leaving out the hard drive, can you please give me a link to any ebay PCs that you think can manage such a setup as I want to understand the type of specs we're talking about. One setup can be for 1080p and the other for 4k cctv and so long as I can also use it as a NAS, then that would be perfect.

One advantage with NVRs is camera network isolation. If the cameras are all connected to the main switch and someone manages to break one of them and connect to the Ethernet cable - it's a straight access to the LAN. Cameras with relatively easy access on gates/doors are vulnerable. Also, if the cables run outside, there is a risk of main switch damage in thunderstorms. What looks easy needs more work to be done properly.

I'm willing to take a risk mate as it's impossible to protect everything and most common burglars are not tech savvy enough to do such a thing. I'll have to decide whether to run the wires inside or outside to save it from the storm.

Thanks very much guys!

 

[Tech9]

One setup can be for 1080p and the other for 4k cctv and so long as I can also use it as a NAS, then that would be perfect.

For how many cameras?