Basically, when a device (TV, PS3, smartphone etc.) uses the SIN video files and a film is in a bad unreadable format by the device, kind DTS audio track, MKV movie on the NAS transcode before the streamer and live, no processing time.
Thus, the film plays fine by the device.
And the treatment of preview photos, videos etc. is widely faster with the Intel CPU.
So if you just want a powerful NAS as NAS, take the 214+.
If you have a "connected home" with a smartphone, tablet, want to use the NAS as stereo, storage films, multimedia library, take without hesitation 214Play.
PS: as usual with synology
- Web interface on top, fast and really nice.
- No noise means that the discs that have been put in fat to a large fan that rotates slowly
- Perfect Cooling, discs are always cold
- Very nice packaging to Apple
- Racks not live very well made and removable hot
- Very low power consumption