# Spring-ish Cleaning



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

I was doing some tidying in my basement and found three old computer cases. Across all three cases, there are 4 x IDE optical drives, 1 x 320GB SATA HD, 1 x 80GB IDE HD. Each case has all its components in them. I also have an old motherboard I found.

To throw or not to throw?


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## ebackhus (Apr 21, 2005)

File server time!


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## bry623 (Apr 8, 2002)

I agree with e, do something with it.

One of our original malware guys had an old box that he used to get viruses on them, so he could learn how to clean them


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Check them out if you get them working you have another backup solution


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Yes as Joe said this goes back to your other thread and best of all, it's free.


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## SteveThePirate (Jan 12, 2012)

Install a Linux distribution on it and try linux. Some distributions will make them seem brand new again. If you no longer want them then give them to a local charity or community centre or school that may need them


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Joe and corday, yes, i was thinking of using one of them to make that NAS for all my videos so i can watch on tv. But the thing is, besides those 2 drives mentionned above, i have nothing else. Still gonna need to spend on a couple drives to get my raid array set up in the nas. I like the raid idea bc iwith enough drives in the right type of raid configuration that has good fault tolerance, i can put all my videos on that nas and no need to back them up..since backing up that much will be exp (yes i know raid isnt a backup solution)

If i go that route, what are the components i would need to make the nas using a raid config (minus the drives).. Like
Psu, ram board etc. just wanna see how much i can use of what i already have lieing here bs how much i will need to buy.. To see if its worth it for me.

Where would the nas (case) need to be? Near my tv or near my pc(which is by my router)? Would it need to be connected by a cable/wireless? I have a long cat5e wire already if that helps


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

How to Set Up RAID on Your PC | PCWorld


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

A raid card, now this is for information only so you can pick up some info The Best NAS Hardware: Hard Drives and RAID Cards | bit-tech.net
but if you want to go ahead and do it (once you check the hardware you have ) then the folks in networking can guide you better as they work with this stuff more frequently.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Cordays link says i can do raid without a raid card. If i can save on buying a card i think ill go that route bc my boards says it supports jbod, raid 0,1,10

Im less concerned about setting up the raid than i am with understanding how i can use the raid computer with all its drives as a network accesible computer.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Multiple hard drives working together: All about RAID setups | PCWorld
Working with RAID 0, 1, 10, 01, 5 and JBOD
How to Setup a RAID System | Hardware Secrets
that should give you a start


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Joe i knew the 2 first links and the last one talks about how to set up raid 1 or 0 but i think i will be doing something with atleast 3 drives minimum bc my video files currently take up 3tb of data so if i do raid 0 or 1 i dont have fault tolerance for raid 0 orwith raid 1 i have no more storage lol

Lets say i wanted to have atleast 9tb of available storage with atleast 1 drive for fault tolerance, which array do i need? If i understand its raid 5 right? AND then if i want 2 drives for fault tolerance, it would be raid 6.

Can u find me a link that explains how to set it up if i need those requirements pleas:flowers:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Standard RAID levels - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
How to Set Up a RAID Array
RAID – What Is RAID? And Setup Guide For First Timers | Republic of Gamers
you might be looking at raid 10 and a minimum of 4 drives for that, you can have more they all need to be the same size if memory serves


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

What do you mean by this?



> you can have more they all need to be the same size if memory serves


Would it be cheaper to take the bullet and just exclude the 3tb drive i have now and just start building my array with 4tb drives or do i get more dollars worth continuing to use 3tb drives


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

The drives need to be the same size of Gb's (my memory)


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Please see my edit above joe thanks


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

You can use 4Tb drives if you wish but honestly get advice for Fjandr or Wanderer,ITBarry they know more than I do so you will get better guidance.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Can you move this to the networking forum then so they will see it


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Moved and I put a call out for someone to look in and assist


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## IT-Barry (Sep 6, 2010)

*Raid 5*
4 x 3TB - Will give you 9TB - With a fault tolerance of 1 drive

*Raid 6 *
5 x 3TB - Will give you 9TB - With a 2 drive fault tolerance 
(Doesn't matter what drives die)

*Raid 10*
4 x 3TB - Gives you 6TB with 2 drive tolerance 
(If the wrong two drive's die your data will be gone.)

6 x 3TB - gives you 9TB with 3 drive safety
(same as above, highly unlikely but if the wrong 3 drives go you will lose everything)

You have the right idea with Your Raid levels.

Personally for your case I would go with Raid 6, but as you stated your board doesn't support Raid 6.

EDIT -

If do you use 4TB

*Raid 5*
3x4TB - Gives you 8TB - 1 drive can fail
4x4TB - Gives you 12TB - 1 drive can fail

*Raid 6*
4x4TB - Gives you 8TB - Any two drives can fail

*Raid 10*
4 x 4TB - Gives you 8TB - 2 Drives can die, but if two go on the same mirror - Good night vienna.


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## JimE (Apr 16, 2009)

Donate or recycle. There are likely numerous organizations in your city that accept computer donations.

Don't just "throw it out".


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

Hello,

In addition....

Might be worth it, easier and cost effective to buy a diskless NAS if you'll only use the HDDs for file server. There's no complicated setup needed, it's a straight forward process.


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## IT-Barry (Sep 6, 2010)

Also onto the point made about Raid disks having to be all the same size.

For Raid you can use different size drives, but you can only use the lowest sized drive to create your array, this wastes higher capacity drives in the array and overall you're wasting space.

Personally I've never mixed and matched sizes, but if you have 2x2TB 2 x3TB lying about you could mix and match them.

If you are buying new get all the same size.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

> Moved and I put a call out for someone to look in and assist


Thanks joe :thumb:



2xg said:


> Hello,
> 
> In addition....
> 
> Might be worth it, easier and cost effective to buy a diskless NAS if you'll only use the HDDs for file server. There's no complicated setup needed, it's a straight forward process.





> NAS devices specifically are distinguished from file servers generally in a NAS being a computer appliance – a specialized computer built from the ground up for serving files – rather than a general purpose computer being used for serving files (possibly with other functions).


Source: File server - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I still don't understand what distinguishes a file server from a NAS and which would best serve me if I just need to storage video files to be accessible in my home. 



> Also onto the point made about Raid disks having to be all the same size.
> 
> For Raid you can use different size drives, but you can only use the lowest sized drive to create your array, this wastes higher capacity drives in the array and overall you're wasting space.
> 
> ...


So if i have a 3TB now, I should keep buying 3TB drives then, right? Otherwise, if I start buying 4TB drives to add to my array which includes this current 3TB drive, all the new 4TB drives will lose 1TB of capacity?

What should I do in that case? Exclude the 3TB drive from the array altogether to allow for a 4TB drive array?



> Personally for your case I would go with Raid 6, but as you stated your board doesn't support Raid 6.


Disregard my board. I won't be integrating the RAID/NAS into this build; it will be installed in one of the spare cases I found in my basement today. With that being said, I will need to buy everything else (unless I ended up needed a bigger case to accommodate more drives, but well see about that).

I like *RAID 5* because in the event that one drive fails, I think I will have time to get a new drive before a second drive fails and I lose data. Having the second drive fail before I get a new one is very unlikely, but however plausible, the data is dispensable. RAID 6 is more fault tolerance than I think I will need for this kind of data.

Now that that's decided, what do you suggest I do with my single 3TB drive? Give it some more friends or exclude it and bring in the 4TB squad? I'm not sure if this was a suggestion to use 4TB or simply you explaining the possible RAId combinations with 4TB drives:



> If do you use 4TB





> Might be worth it, easier and cost effective to buy a disk-less NAS


After doing some reading, it is my understanding that a disk-less NAS is simply buying a NAS that doesn't come with the required HDs. Is that it? :facepalm:


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

NAS with harddrives are also available and will be inexpensive than buying the diskless NAS then buy the external harddrives to be inserted inside the diskless NAS. You'll be able to stream videos as long as you have a good amount of bandwidth.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

> NAS with harddrives are also available and will be inexpensive than buying the diskless NAS then buy the external harddrives to be inserted inside the diskless NAS


Sorry I didn't understand this.


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

We maybe getting ahead of ourselves if you consider we only have a 80 gig and a 320gig drive.

For you to hardware raid with a raid controller would result in a 80gig mirrored drive. You would not be able to access the rest of the 320. This is what was meant by then needed to match in gb.

"Lets say i wanted to have atleast 9tb of available storage with atleast 1 drive for fault tolerance, which array do i need? If i understand its raid 5 right? AND then if i want 2 drives for fault tolerance, it would be raid 6"

First off you don't need raid 10 or 6. Those are for business/industrial usage not for home use due to disk waste/ vs benefit.

For home use and with the video requirement you need only two drives in a raid 1 array. Advantages are both disks can be read at the same time for different data segments [good for reading video] and you have failover. Unfortunately the cost is two 9TB drives.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

> For home use and with the video requirement you need only two drives in a raid 1 array. Advantages are both disks can be read at the same time for different data segments [good for reading video] and you have failover. Unfortunately the cost is two 9TB drives.


I don't think you read the rest of the thread. You would have noticed that I dont want RAId 1 because it won't supplment anymore storage to what I already have. I mentionned that RAID 6 is too much fault tolerance for me (like you say) but RAID 5 seems right.

Please read by big post above.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Another thing: if I get a NIC for this NAS that supports a Gigabit connection, do you think I will have problems playing the videos (that are stored on the NAS) on my Samsung TV?

I was thinking about having it connected to my router, but I'm worried that streaming HD will chew up too much bandwidth. I will be playing large .mp4 and .mkv full HD files (roughly 10-12GB each).


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## IT-Barry (Sep 6, 2010)

A NAS is basically ready setup to do it all for you, does the raid, has the bays, network card, little configuration required all done through a web browser really.

File Server you have your OS and you need to setup all of your components and manage it yourself.

Diskless NAS - it's just the enclosure you can buy the drives yourself and set it up.

A NAS presetup with drives, cost's a lot more than what you would pay if you just bought the drives yourself and set it up.



> Another thing: if I get a NIC for this NAS that supports a Gigabit connection, do you think I will have problems playing the videos (that are stored on the NAS) on my Samsung TV?


Depends on your switch speed, and your TV is it wireless? wired? and what function of your tv will you be using to access your files? Samsung Allshare?

I've used allshare in the past via wireless with a scabby xp machine and it worked just fine, so I don't think you will have much problems if you have a tower setup with allshare on it.

Depends on your upload speed really if you have it connected to your router, personally I wouldn't have any problems my uploads like 9.4

But that only matters if you are streaming from outside your LAN.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

So I bought a second 3TB HD for only 121$ CAD (tax incl.). At that price, I might buy another one right away so I will have 3 x 3TB HDs and I can atleast begin building my NAS in RAID. What do you think? Is that a good price? Should I buy more now or should I hold off because by the time I need more storage, the prives for mechanical drives will have goen down again?

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B00829...c=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

This my router: Linksys Expert E2500 Dual Band Wireless N Router 802.11B/G/N 4PORT 10/100

This is my Samsung TV's model: LN40D551K8FXZC (Version AA01)

These are the available ports (minus the side HDMI and USB ports) (photo)

I have about the same upload speed as you and will be streaming from my HAN.


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

Raid5 is not good for video due to its comparative slowness.
Where do you mention the reasons for not doing raid1?


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

> Where do you mention the reasons for not doing raid1?


Post 12.

What do you mean by comparative slowness?


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Some info on the subject from today's ZD NET: Buy a 180TB array for 6¢/GB | ZDNet


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## IT-Barry (Sep 6, 2010)

I would go with Raid 5

Onto the slowness issue.

Raid 5 writes slower, and if 1 drive does go on the raid, then you will notice poor read.

The read is a decent speed and personally I wouldn't say you would have any problems streaming video from it, its just not as good as the lesser raid numbers for performance, but the lower raids aren't suitable to your requirements anyway.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Corday said:


> Some info on the subject from today's ZD NET: Buy a 180TB array for 6¢/GB | ZDNet


What was this addressing? It was an interesting read but I don't recall asking anything to do with such a thing.



IT-Barry said:


> I would go with Raid 5
> 
> Onto the slowness issue.
> 
> ...


My 9TB suggestion was me being conservative and thinking ahead for when I will get more data; who knows if I will ever get there. If you would like to suggest me a better RAID level (for assured video playback) at the expensive of the storage I'd be able to use, I'd love to hear you out; seems to me like you're thinking of a setup that would better suit me.


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## IT-Barry (Sep 6, 2010)

The best you can get with Raid 1 is 4TB space(2x4TB).

Raid 5 all the way regardless of what size drives you use long term.

You'd end up using a Raid 1 run out of space and have to make another NAS up, either with bigger drives(when they come out) or with Raid 5+

With you posting you have bought another 3TB, the best you will get with Raid 1 is 3TB

Raid 5
3 x 3TB - You will get 6TB space and have the 1 drive cushion
4 x 3TB - You will get 9TB space and have the 1 drive cushion

I don't see how you will have any problems streaming video unless you have network bottlenecks or one of the drives fails.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Can I do RAID 5 with 3 x 3TB and then if I need more storage, change it to 4 x 3TB down the line (still RAID 5)?

And from everything I've read so far, I understand that I need to connect the RAIDed NAS (once it's built) to my router. But how to I access the network if my TV doesnt have wireless capabilities? Am I gonna have to use my CAT5e to link the TV to the router as well (or get a wireless tranceiver for my TV to get on the network)?

That's the most important concern I'd like resolved before I spend on anything else. I bought this new 3TB drive because I need it regardless of my plans to build this NAS.


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## IT-Barry (Sep 6, 2010)

Yes you can expand but it depends on the raid controller or Nas box, some do some don't.

The TV question I looked up your model and it says it supports Samsung All Share if you connect a wireless receiver to it you can use serviio on a pc or OS setup NAS.

You could technically setup All Share just now and serviio on your pc without the need of NAS.

Personally I wouldn't go too crazy with a NAS I had one myself but got rid of it after about a month.

Technically what Josh has said about Raid 1 is legit, you could easily setup raid one, cheaply with 2x3TB and really you wouldn't have a problem, if space isn't a major issue. I only suggest raid 5 for future use and more than 4TB space.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Ok, I will look into the TV thing and post back.


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## JimE (Apr 16, 2009)

I would skip RAID 5 and use a software solution such as FlexRaid. Drive usage ends up being the same as RAID 5 (ie: you need a drive for parity). But, you can mix and match drive sizes. The only restriction is that the parity drive has to be at least as large as the largest drive used. Performance is better and only limited by the actual drive speed. FlexRaid, by default, writes a single file to a single HDD. Thus the speed is only restricted by the speed of that drive, as opposed to RAID 5 where a file is written across ALL of the drives in the array. You can also swap or add drives without rebuilding the entire array and restoring from a backup.

I'm using FlexRaid in my new media server and I would never go back to RAID 5. Performance alone is night and day.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

> You could technically setup All Share* just now* and serviio on your pc without the need of NAS.


Sure but I'd still need the transceiver otherwise it's pointless.



> Personally I wouldn't go too crazy with a NAS I had one myself but got rid of it after about a month.


Why's that? You're making me doubt building one now lol



> you could easily setup raid one, cheaply with 2x3TB and really you wouldn't have a problem, if space isn't a major issue


Space is of a greater concenr that redundancy. I don't want to go with RAID 1 because for the type of files that I will be storing on the drive--dipsenisble ones, RAID 1 would just be a waste of a drive.

I don't like RAID 6 for the same reason: it's a bit more insurance than I need. 

RAID 5 is appealing because I don't lose too much drive space (and therefore don't waste money on drives to just sit there like ducks) but I still have fault tolerance from a single drive.

Point being, I can lose these files and it wouldn't bother me because I can easily re-download (however long that would take). The fault tolerance that's offered with RAID 5 is just for convenience, in case one drive does fail. Otherwise, I'd have gone with RAID 0 but that's just asking for a drive to fail, in my personal opinion. I would only ever install RAID 0 on an array that has only the OS and program files that can both be easily re-installed.



> I only suggest raid 5 for future use and more than 4TB space.


I'm pretty sure that I will get to 4TB, even surpass it. Which is why, again, I like RAID 5.

Dogg,

I had never heard of FlexRaid before but I like the way you don't lose any storage room (like you would in a RAID array) and are still have protection in the form of parity. The only problem is, I don't understand that would work.



> [FlexRaid] turns independent hard drives of various sizes, makes, and models into one massive parity-protected storage pool.


Source: FAQ - FlexRAID

If I have, say, 3 x 3TB drives "aggregated...into a single massive protected pool," and the drives are all completely full, how is all of the data protected if there is no empty drive to account for fault tolerance? Where does the data from the failed 3TB drive go if FlexRaid claims to have a protected pool?

Also, most importantly, while referring to the image below, 










I can see the end result: a single 34,8 TB drive. But how are the contents of each drive organized within that massive pool? The website's screenshots make it seem like once you navigate into that massive 34,8 TB drive, all the physical drives are just enumerated, as they were in the first portion of the above image. What's the point of that?

Edit: 



> The only restriction is that the parity drive has to be at least as large as the largest drive used.


Ah, I see. So that the parity drive can cover the loss of even the biggest drive, in the event that that's the drive that fails. Makes sense.



> FlexRaid, by default, writes a single file to a single HDD. Thus the speed is only restricted by the speed of that drive, as opposed to RAID 5 where a file is written across ALL of the drives in the array.


Let's say I'm download a new video file and would like my default download directory to be on any of the included pooled drives. That's where FlexRaid would not compare to RAID. RAID would allow me to create a single hard drive, in the more literal sense that if I double click on that 34,8 TB drive in RAID, it will open a single directory with all my media files. That's what I want. I don't want to double-click on that 34,8 TB drive in FlexRaid to be bombarded with the same enumeration of drives I had before pooling the drives; what would be the point of that?


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## Fjandr (Sep 26, 2012)

Somehow I missed this thread, or I would've jumped in earlier.

First, if you are wanting a cheaper solution you can set up software RAID using Linux very, very easily. You take a performance hit because the CPU is doing all the work that a dedicated controller's CPU would otherwise be doing, but that's not a huge deal given you wouldn't be doing anything else with the machine.

I'd personally use RAID 5 if you're going to be running more than 2 disks and cost is a concern. You'll take a write performance hit for sure, but read speeds are more than adequate. If you absolutely don't care about fault tolerance and are willing to risk the cleanup involved with losing a huge array, you could even run RAID 0. I'm personally not comfortable with doing that, but it is an option.

You'd then set up CIFS or a Samba share to provide network access to your files.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Im still looking to know how my tv will access the network that the NAS will be connected to.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

A little on all share How to use Samsung AllShare on your TV and PC - WhistleOut
It appears you can use either wifi or ethernet but from what I have read you need to set it up correctly or it can be buggy.I also see folks using servio Serviio media server perhaps someone could tell you how well that does.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

> It appears you can use either wifi or ethernet


That's all I wanted to know: the medium, not the software. This changes everything since I realized my TV doesn't have WiFi capabilities. The last I want is an Ethernet wire dragging (even if it's nice installed around the room) or a wireless transceiver handling large files of that sort. 

I'm going to hold off the NAS for now until I figure out something else. I have the new 3TB drive to continue storing any surplus data for the time being. I can afford to wait.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

*Re: Annoying Calls*

If the TV has an HDMI input, a wireless blu ray player would work as your receiver of the wi-fi signal.


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## IT-Barry (Sep 6, 2010)

Solidify said:


> That's all I wanted to know: the medium, not the software. This changes everything since I realized my TV doesn't have WiFi capabilities. The last I want is an Ethernet wire dragging (even if it's nice installed around the room) or a wireless transceiver handling large files of that sort.
> 
> I'm going to hold off the NAS for now until I figure out something else. I have the new 3TB drive to continue storing any surplus data for the time being. I can afford to wait.


You can buy a wireless adapter that plugs into the ethernet port and USB port of your tv. 

Set it up before for a home user.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

IT-Barry said:


> You can buy a wireless adapter that plugs into the ethernet port and USB port of your tv.
> 
> Set it up before for a home user.


About how much do those go for and how's the signal. My TV is about 15 feet from my computer and router?


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## Fjandr (Sep 26, 2012)

If you get a wireless adapter though, you'll have to make sure it's compatible with the TV. Some devices won't work well, or sometimes at all, if the adapter isn't one specifically certified by the TV manufacturer for a given model of TV.

If the above turns out to be an issue, another possibility is getting a small wireless access point and connecting it to the TV's ethernet port. If you have other networked devices next to your TV (Wii, Xbox, Playstation, etc.), you could even go for a wireless multiport router, and provide all of the other devices with connections locally. You can get adhesive velcro or 3M Dual Lock and just attach it directly to the back of the TV (making sure not to obstruct any ventilation holes).


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## IT-Barry (Sep 6, 2010)

Looking at about $40 for your WiFi adapter, need to use the official Samsung one according to manual, its just USB too, no Ethernet port plugin required.

The guy I set it up for streams his videos, music and pictures using serviio from his pc up the stairs down to his tv with no problems.

But it will vary I guess, can hardly say its going to be 100% until you try it and see.

Not much of a tech wizard with tv's so not sure if that's just a scaremonger tactic or not.


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## JimE (Apr 16, 2009)

A RAID5 array and a FlexRaid array can/will appear the same (ie: a single drive letter). You don't/can't access the drives seperately. 

For a normal RAID configuration, the number of drives is limited by the number of ports on the hardware controller (typically 4).

Using FlexRaid, there is no limit. Any drives connected and visible to Windows can be added to an array.

Any RAID array, whether it is hardware or software, functions the same. An array (regardless of the number of discs used) is assigned a single drive letter. You access that array like you would any other single drive. You cannot see/access the drives independantly.

My comments concerning "single drives" were related to speed. RAID 5 will write a single file across all drives in the array. FlexRaid will write a single file to a single drive. Huge improvement in write times.

A side benefit of this, is that you can disassemble the array and all of the data is still present on the individual drives. So you could remove any of the drives, install it into another computer, and all of the files (on that drive) are useable. With RAID 5, you have to copy all of your files off of the array before reusing the discs.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

> RAID 5 will write a single file across all drives in the array. FlexRaid will write a single file to a single drive. Huge improvement in write times.


I get it now.



> A side benefit of this, is that you can disassemble the array and all of the data is still present on the individual drives. So you could remove any of the drives, install it into another computer, and all of the files (on that drive) are useable. With RAID 5, you have to copy all of your files off of the array before reusing the discs


Yes, that's very convenient.

Barry, forget about the adapter. I got out my long CAT5E cable and connected the TV to my router and I able to access the files on my current computer through Windows Homegroup. I'm just doing this to get the feel of how navigating the TV will be while accessing files on another drive connected by the network. This fiddling has led me to reconsider building a NAS for the following reasons:

1. The NAS has to be on in order for someone to be watching movies. I was planning on recycling my old PC which is anything but quiet, which would pose a problem if I'm trying to watch TV and all I hear is the NAS buzzing in the background. When I watch Tv now, I transfer the clip to a flash drive and then pop it in the TV and shut down the computer (even though this computer isn't that loud). I just don't like learning computers, TVs or devices on if they don't need to be. I used to do the same with my Xbox 360; you'd never catch me with an "Away for 14 hours status" lol If I'm not using it, it's off. Personally, that's how I make sure my drives stay warm and my components last longer.

In the end, having heard all that can be done (RAID, FlexRAID, NAS, etc.) I think I will continue to store my video files on either external HDs or internal HDs (I might pop this new 3TB external out of it's enclosure and replace my 500GB internal HDD with it). That will give me another 3-4 years leeway.

I appreciate all the help I've gotten and am sorry to say I changed my mind. The way I have it now is just way less complicated (not to mention less costly) and that's how it needs to be since my amateur family will be using it also. They know how to do it now from HD to flash drive.

I know it might seem like my arguments in favour of keeping my current setup are trivial but I really think it's for my entire family's best interest. Searching titles from a NAS with a remote pointed at the TV would be tedious. Much easier to search them in Windows Explorer and pop them onto a flash drive.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

*drives stay cool (man than 15 min limit is getting old lol)


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## JimE (Apr 16, 2009)

An actual NAS, as opposed to a pc/media server, would be much smaller and quieter. As with any hardware, some models are quieter than others. And as it's a NAS (ie: Network Attached Storage), it doesn't have to be in the same room and they are meant to operate 24/7. It can be anywhere in the home with access to the LAN, even a closet. The main benefit, is ease of access to media by any devices on the network.

As for usage, your current limitation is your access point. Numerous devices (ie: TVs, DVD players, Blu-Ray players, media players, Xbox360, etc.) can access files stored on a device on your network. Some are much better at browsing/searching than others. 

In any case, if you are happy with your current process, stick with it.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Solidify this is your thread and your choice all your getting is the info and advice on which way you could go,nothing is written in stone, putting things bluntly (not a criticism ) your money your choice.nothing wrong with keeping things as they are if that suits you.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

> It can be anywhere in the home with access to the LAN, even a closet.


My router is right behind my computer and the TV is 15 from both of them, so it would be counter-productive to wire the NAS from the router into another room. But I see your point.

Thanks joe. I know your guys have your hands full with threads here (and possibly on other forums) that's why.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Can someone tell me if I atleast got this drive at a good price lol? 
http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f138/spring-ish-cleaning-811330-2.html#post5000586


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

You may have got it a few dollars cheaper with a google search but probably not but a huge amount.
Use a search before committing it takes a few minutes but may save a little.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

I'm curious to see where you found it cheaper than 121$ with s&h included to Canada.. because I looked pretty hard before buying.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Wow i want his so bad: unRAID Network Storage Build - YouTube

Not only for the ipmi remote control or because theres a girl selling it but because it looks badass (case) and that icy box thing is so cool. She said she was gonna put 2 more icy boxes in there for a total of 3 of them but the board only has 6 sata ports? Anyone know how shes gonna do that? Pcie sata expansion card?

I waaaaaant this so much haha!:grin:


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Dogg, I read an extensive FlexRAID tutorial and I've decided to give it a try.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Solidify said:


> So I bought a second 3TB HD for only 121$ CAD (tax incl.). At that price, I might buy another one right away so I will have 3 x 3TB HDs and I can atleast begin building my NAS in RAID. What do you think? Is that a good price? Should I buy more now or should I hold off because by the time I need more storage, the prives for mechanical drives will have goen down again?
> 
> http://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B00829...c=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_details_o00_s00_i00
> 
> ...


I've been trying to stream my computer's hard drive contents to my TV using a CAT5E cable. The problem is that even with everything set to share on my PC, the TV doesn't see the content I want to access on my computer. 

My TV doesn't have built-in WiFi so I'm just using the Cat5E cable to bridge the router and TV together. I've read up on Samsung's AllShare software but I don't know if it's available for my TV model.

Can someone help me with this?

If I can get my TV to stream that content with the Cat5E at the bare minimum, I've been thinking of just using a Powerline adapter to have a "wireless" connection between the two.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

It has all share listed 40" 551 Series full HD Widescreen LCD TV - FEATURES | SAMSUNG


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

I tried setting up my TV wireless but it's asking for a Samsungs Wireless Receiver because it doesn't have Wifi capapbilities.

AllShare Play: Share and Play Content Instantly from the Cloud | Samsung Doesn't tell me where I can download and install Allshare for my PC...


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

This is from the spec page 

General Feature
Allshare (Powered by DLNA) Yes 
Smart Phone Remote support Yes 
Wireless LAN Adaptor Support Yes 
One Foot Connection Yes 
ConnectShare™ (USB 2.0) Movie 
Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) Yes 
Auto Channel Search Yes 
OSD Language English / French / Spanish 
Auto Volume Leveler Yes 
Auto Power Off Yes 
Clock&On/Off Timer Yes 
Sleep Timer Yes 
Game Mode Yes 
Picture-In-Picture 1 Tuner PIP 
you can get all share or link from the samsung app store


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Ok I'm installing Allshare, I'll report back.


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## IT-Barry (Sep 6, 2010)

Serviio media server

Works well with Allshare and it's free.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Barry can you check the specs page, since Solidify has mentioned the TV wanting a Samsung wireless receiver, perhaps you might have a suggestion for that.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Guys, I'm gonna see if Allshare works first since it's made for the TV. And Im not sure if I'm gonna use a wireless receiver or just user a hardline with powerline to my TV to rid myself of the cable. Bc powerline will offer better transfer rate than wireless.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

I have a powerline set up for my son which works well for when he is gaming got it from here with help from Rayda they stopped the gigabit one which is what I have also it is UK HomePlug 500AV from Solwise


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## IT-Barry (Sep 6, 2010)

You can also buy wireless receivers that fit to your tv on the back and get power from the usb.

Cost a fair bit but certainly better than powerline if you ask me.

Probably the same price too


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Hm, I'll look into your suggestions and get back to you soon. Thanks.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

So Allshare's a flop. Apart from the their horrible tech support, the software just bunches all my folder contents into a conglomeration of files. And since I have more than 900 movie files, the list takes forever to load. To top that, I can't access my files from TV unless I first start the content (i.e.: film) on the PC and then click "resume on TV". This would be so tiring. The whole point of me doing this was so that I didn't need the computer.

Oh well, on to the next options. But first, I need to figure out if I'm going to staple this CAT5E cable around my wall nicely or opt for a wireless solution. :ermm:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Do make the choice first then look at servio as suggested


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

joe, could you rank order the following interfaces according to their throughput? I'd like to know which gives me more bang for my buck...

-Powerline
-CAT5E the entire way
-Samsung Wireless transceiver (or another generic one)


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

I would leave that to network folks they have a better knowledge all I can say is wired is the more stable and usually has the best throughput thinkbroadband :: Home Networking Guide


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Ok thanks for the article


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

So i decided im gonna use my cat5e cable to bridge the tv to the router which 15-20 feet away. I have a special Arrow staple guy that has round insulated staples for wires (who knew..did some diging in the garage). Im gonna stapple it this summer but for now i just wanna know how much somethjng:

The spool is longer than i need.. How much free cord should i leave after the final wall staple on each end.. Wiggle room?

I figure your collective experience will know through trial and error

Any other wire stapling tips to make the visible cord look somewhat clean?


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

Do you ever move the stands/desk to clean/vacuum ?

BG


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Yes, regularly.. Good point. But couldnt i just unplug it from the tv and then movebthe tv stand


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

I found the answer to my prayers, and just to show you guys how stocked I am about it:

Plex Media Server - YouTube​
Edit: A couple of files that played via the USB still don't work at the moment. Not sure why if it's sending the same file just over the network. Also, the movie folder doesn't have a search function which is a no-no for me. Might have to look into that. Forward and rewind doesn't work, although pause and play do.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Solidify if you post a youtube vid please check the HTTP as HTTPS messes with the sizing you can remove the s and it sorts it.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

Ok sorry, didn't know. Can you see the video though?


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Yeah you can see it, the HTTPS makes the page shrink


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

I'm not sure what you see but the page is fine for me now and besides, I can't edit anymore. 

Onwards, Plex keeps blowing my mind. The meta-data that it added to the films when building the database also included subtitles and cover art. When I watch a film now, the subtitles are already integrated into the video file without me having had to find the appropriate .srt file to play it with.

Plex is a Godsend.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

The page should be ok as I edited it lol glad you like plex


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