I'm working on building a NAS for a media server and I'm trying to figure out what OS to choose. I'm not apposed to paying for something if it's worth it, but free and open source is always appreciated. Drive pooling is a must and support for raid would definitely be a pro. On top of that I'd like to run all the arr's, Plex, Tautulli, and a few other things. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

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Thanks, TC370

I’m specing a custom sleeper pc with the sole intent of being a set and forget media box. I’ve got some loose parameters for performance requirements, but my real question is about how many drive bays I need. I’d like to keep a low profile, so a smaller Mini-ITX 20 liter case is very inticing, but finding a cheap psu and mobo with 8 sata ports is proving to be a challenge. On the other hand, Micro-ATX cases, psu’s, and mobo’s with 8+ sata connectors are abundant and at relatively cheap pricing, but they’re 40+ liters. Do you think 8 drive bays is enough for future proofing? I have 2 dedicated nas drives and 1 more on the way, but my server is growing fast and I don’t want to have to start all over in a few years. What about the size? Obviously a lower profile is nicer, but is it worth the increase in cost?

Thanks, TC370

I'm trying to offload my Plex Media Server from my computer and I'm trying to figure out if the DS1821+ will meet my specifications.

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I'd like to be able to run 4, 1080p to 720p/480p transcodes simultaneously. From Plex's what cpu do I need guide, the DS1821+'s V1500B CPU is only powerful enough to do 2 1080p transcodes, but some articles and reddit comments claimed it could run up to 8. I don't know what to believe. Can someone who actually has this device confirm or deny this please? I'm not talking about local streams, just transcoding. Historically, I haven't used hardware acceleration because it takes longer for a stream to start, but I'm not apposed to using it.

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On top of that, the 4gb of memory in the stock device is a bit low, and from what I can tell, upgrading the memory will cost a pretty penny since it's not a standard size ram stick AND it only accepts certain speeds. I certainly don't expect to need 32gb, but 4gb seems a little low. Again, can someone who has actually used this device comment on that?

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Thanks, TC370

So I'm looking to offload my current setup from my main desktop onto an actual NAS, but I don't even know where to begin. I've looked at Synology, TerraMaster, QNap, Buffalo Tech, retired workstation, etc, but I don't really know what I'm looking at. I want something in the 4-8 bay range(50+Tb with 8-12tb drives) with good future expansion that meets the following criteria.

Hardware:

• Able to run Plex, Sonarr, Radarr, Prowlarr, (and misc. extra software that shall go unmentioned, but you can probably guess)
• Able to transcode at least 4 1080p streams at a time

Software:

• Easy to operate/navigate
• Reliable
• Hands off
• It just works

Of course I expect to spend hours setting everything up for the first time, but ideally it's a one time thing. Part of offloading my server is so that I'm not constantly checking up on it. Once it's setup, I want it to be out of sight, out of mine. That's why software is a big deal to me. I know Synology charges a pretty penny, but if it shows, then I really don't mind spending a little extra now to avoid unnecessary frustration down the road. Any insight you may be able to provide will be much appreciated!

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Thanks, TC370