Panacea for budget

Synology DiskStation is a real jack of all trades. Is similar to using a smartphone: As long as it has not, it is not a lack, but if you have only used one time, you can not do without. In Detail:

1. What is new?
- Compared to the previous generation (213) the comparable model have slightly faster processors.
- An Air version with built-in Wi-Fi, it no longer exists.
- The DS 214play provides hardware encoding for HD videos (1080p) and an Intel CPU.
- The DS 214+ now provides lockable drive bays.

=> Who has a DS 213 has to buy a new device. Tempting could at most hardware video encode the DS 214play be that specializes in the encoding of HD videos.

2. Comparison DS 214se, DS214, DS214 +, DS214play
a) Processor:
- DS 214se: Marvell Armada XP single core 800 MHz, DS214: Marvell Armada XP Dual Core 1.066 Ghz, DS214 +: Marvell Armada XP Dual Core 1.33GHz, DS214play: Intel Atom Dual Core 1.6 GHz.
- DS214se, DS214 and DS214 + have a hardware encryption that not DS214play, she has for over a hardware transcoding of HD video movies (1080p)

b) Memory
- RAM: DS 214se: 256MB, DS214: 512 MB, DS214 +: 1 GB, DS214play: 1 GB
- Plates: 2 shafts, each with max. 4 TB, all but DS 214se are hot-swappable

c) Connections
- USB: DS 214se: 2x USB 2.0, all other: 2x USB 3.0 (rear), 1 x USB 2.0 (front)
- LAN: DS 214+: 2x Gigabit-LAN, all other 1 x Gigabit LAN, all 214se could up on DS Wake on LAN, WLAN can all just about Dongle
- SD card slot: has only the DS 214play

d) user accounts
- DS 214+ and DS 214play allow most accounts and concurrent accesses, the DS 214 less, even here the DS 214se falls back significantly, but still allows 512 accounts, 256 shared folders and 256 concurrent users, which is more for domestic use than enough (for details see Synology website)

e) Power consumption (active / idle state)
DS 213se: 19.14 W / W 3:59, DS 214: 22.64 W / W 9:12, DS 214+ 27.62 W / 9.26 W, DS 214play: 28.74 W / 11.5 W
It is also possible that DS (eg overnight) schedule recording for a specific time and then automatically downloaded to go up again. All models except the 214se you can also by a signal on the LAN port (also from a distance) again wake up (Wake on LAN).

f) Special
- DS 214+: lockable drive bays,
- DS 214play: hardware transcoding of HD video movies (1080p)

=> Ideal for multimedia household is the DS214play. Those who value maximum safety, best took the DS 214+. Who wants to save, despite the smaller sums functional limitations the DS 214se eye that for the private users in most situations anyway is much cheaper, but perfectly adequate.

3. Hardware
a) The DiskStation provides two drive bays for hard drives up to 4 TB. A list of compatible drives there on Synology website. Installation is simply grateful. There are two removable HDD tray, which are then simply inserted from the front into the DiskStation. The plates can be replaced by hot swap (except for DS 214se).

TIP: When the hard drive, there are three basic types: desktop boards (eg WD30EZRX or ST3000DM01), audio / video and surveillance boards (eg WD30EURS) and 24/7 or enterprise boards (eg: WD30EFRX). The best (and most expensive) are naturally Enterprise plates made for 24/7 continuous operation. Surveillance drives are particularly quiet and certified for continuous operation, but not as well suited for RAID systems, so rather not so good for the Synology. Those who want to save some, can also use desktop boards. They are not certified for continuous operation, but the Synology DiskStation runs at private application no 24 hours a day at full load. But I would invest the few euros more and buy a 24/7 plate.

Best to buy two identical, or at least the same size plates. But you can also combine two different plates, the two no smaller capacity may have as the first, if you want to use them as a RAID array. If one uses two different large plates, lies fallow the excess capacity of the larger RAID arrays.

b) The Disk Station has numerous connections. Of the three USB ports (DS 214, 214+, 214play) are the two rear USB 3.0. The port on the front (for whatever reason, unfortunately, only USB 2.0). The DS 214se has only two USB 2.0 ports. The DS has 214play forward an SD card slot. All have a Gigabit LAN network connection (the DS 214+ even 2). An external hard drive can be connected alternatively with DS and DS 214+ 214play via e-SATA.

You can connect eg

aa) a commercially available USB hub to the USB ports - to increase and in this way if needed the connection number.

bb) a UPS (power supply in case of power failure) to avoid data loss during a power failure. Good running eg APC Back UPS ES 700VA. This UPS plugged between Disk Station and outlet and additionally connected via a USB cable with the Disk Station and then controlled by this. It runs thus about 30 minutes without mains voltage on (list of compatible devices on the Synology web site).

cc) a DVB-T or DVB-S receiver (list of compatible devices on the Synpology website). This DiskStation can then stream TV programs.

dd) can transmit a wireless stick, not only to receive data by means of which the Disk Station, but also as hotspot data (list of compatible devices on the Synpology website).

ee) depending on the device 5 to 16 surveillance cameras from which images can then be accessed at the web interface or iOS / Android App (list of compatible devices on the Synpology website).

c) The device is provided with a large cooling fan, which comprises three basic programs (cool, quiet, energy-efficient) can select and relatively quiet. In blow room I would not install it anyway.

d) Using the C (USB / SD COPY) button you can (except for the DS 214se) the contents of a forward infected USB sticks or (in the DS 214play) an inserted SD card with a key pressure without PC completely in Copy a predefined directory.

e) Upon request, the stored data (except for the DS 214play) by hardware encrypted. This is also related to individual directories.

f) The Disk Station is easily recognized on the home network of Windows or MacOS, so that you simply can control from your PC or MAC from all directories. From the outside you can via multiple protocols (including FTP and WebDAV) to retrieve the data easily. WebDAV is even accepted by the very restrictive Apple applications such as Pages, so you can access these directly to the files on your DiskStation.

TIP: In order for the Disk Station on the home network and from outside can be reached, must be released in the router specific ports. UPNP must it be set in Neighbour. Then the built-in Disk Station program EZ-Internet makes port forwarding in dialogue with the router automatically.

g) The Disk Station also operates as a DLNA server, so images, video and music streamed from the internal drives easily to compatible PCs, TVs etc.. A Streaming works over the Internet, so that photos, music and movies (if the connection is fast enough), can also be accessed by iPhone or iPad on the road, for example. Unfortunately does not (yet) to stream content from external drives. For this, the DS 214play is especially good because it can encode HD video. Can stream HD video all unchanged.

h) The Disk Station monitors the function of the plates. If one, she answers. You then put an empty plate a new (at least the capacity needs of the do not have any), the content of ancient automatically copied to the new (if you have configured the Disktstation as RAID array). Meanwhile, the DiskStation works with a plate (of course it works, for example, if the money is missing for a second plate, even from the beginning with only one).

i) is about unsatisfactory that although have the DiskStations a Kensington slot for anti-theft device, but allows the front flap in front of the hard drives in DS 214, 214se and 214play complete, nor secure the plates themselves with a key. A thief could therefore even if the DiskStation is chained, easily remove the hard disks. That's better now in the DS214 +. She has no front door (which is optically perhaps not quite so pretty), but the disks are now locked using a special key.

4. Software (internal)

The functions of the built-in software all here, is beyond the scope of a product meeting (which one can also read up on the website). I would therefore like to confine myself to a few highlights. General is interesting that the Firnmware is constantly being improved and further developed (similar to the Fritz box), so that you constantly get new features to it. The firmware updates are free and run on older models (similar to iOS). The basic software (firmware) is controlled via the web browser based on JAVA. They can be extended with a number of free software packages, including

a) a virus scanner

b) a photo station with which you can provide images albums for the Internet,

c) an audio station to stream audio files via the Internet,

d) a video station concerned for movies stored information from the Internet and video playback incl. DVB-T / DBV-S-playback and recording programming allows remotely,

e) a media-station, which makes the DiskStation to a DLNA server,

f) a download station, by which you can upload files directly to the DiskStation,

g) makes a Time Backup program (such as Apple's Time Machine) copies of predefined folder on an external hard drive or a network drive so you can access the folders and files just as they were, for example, three weeks ago,

h) a cloud station where if a program is installed on your PC or MAC is automatically created by changes in the PC files are a copy (which backed up regardless of the time-backup program) multiple versions)

i) many other programs, such as e-mail server, directory server, DCTP server, iTunes server (but is not very helpful, because it is not streaming to Apple TV, but only to iTunes), etc., etc. There are also software packages from third-party suppliers.

5. Software (external)

a) It is the DiskStation via any web browser to control.
aa) In order to customers that do not have fixed IP (which is have remote access for most home users do), there are two possibilities:
- On the one hand Synology has its own DDNS server, in which you can be free to assign an address (zBmein-name.myds.me)
- Certain services can also more easily accessed via the Quick Connect feature.

bb) The access is of course password protected. You can specify that, in a number of unsuccessful password information, the IP, an attempt was made from which the locked to fend off hacker attacks (plus there is a virus scanner that should install necessarily so).

cc) You can assign access to certain services or folders to each user individually. A guest access is possible. In addition, you can generate individual links to individual files on the DS, then on the one in three people can access without logging on this (but only this) file.

b) For access via mobile phone or tablet are a number apps for Android and iOS available (WP8 is in development):

aa) Mitttels DS Finder you can control the functions of the Disk Station on the go,

bb) for accessing the data drives there are DS file (this app plays eg even videos direct), the HOME directory contains the backed up from the cloud station data, so you can access the latest versions of files Whenever you be working directory has set up on the PC as CloudStation directory

cc) to stream music on the move, there is also a special APP (DS audio) with comfortable player functions,

dd) to reflect PHOTOS, you can use + DS photo.

ee) videos and Freeview TV / DVB-S TV retrieve from the road, there is the app DS video.

ff) is very nice and DS DOWNLOAD. Thus one can DiskStation instruct them to download files from the Internet, then run directly from the data source to the DiskStation (ie not via the mobile phone, making it faster and, if necessary limited data volume of the mobile phone is not charged)

gg) who has connected a camera to the Disk Station, can finally look via DS cam, which then just picks up the camera at home.

6. Conclusion

The Disk Station can all this and much more. Whoever mistrusts cloud services in the network, can be set up with the DiskStation HIS OWN CLOUD around the home and access to stored data from anywhere in the world. One must learn to incorporate something, but be not a real computer expert in order to use all the functions.
The manual (that came as a PDF or can be downloaded) could be better. For the beginner, it explains too little and too superficial. But most of the functions are fairly intuitive to use. Overall, a very worthwhile purchase.

The review is often updated and improved by me. I I'm talking about factual reviews and criticism and take it like to. Many Thanks!