NAS - Anyone???

[crazyfool]

Just built my htpc (got hd playback working finally ), now the thing is i really only want 1 hdd inside the htpc for tv recordings and i want either an external drive or nas. What i cant decide is which one... i dont really want the htpc to have internet access (viruses, resource hogging norton etc...) but it could be networked wirelessly to the nas if there was a way to block internet access from the router... but what i also need to know is will for instance streaming a dvd from the nas affect the picture quality and is the extra expense really worth it?

[circuitmonkey]

Well depending on the resolution of video you intend to stream, wireless just may not be good enough.
IMHO, there's no substitute for the dependability of 100MB or GB Ethernet in situations like this.

My current set-up at home has a little Synology 106j streaming to both and Xbox 360 and a Neuros OSD via 100MB Ethernet and runs just fine without me having to worry about wireless signal degradation and resulting throughput.

[Papipap]

I agree with circuitmonkey: you can't beat a wired connection for reliability, especially for HD stuff. If you get something with two ethernet ports, then you can connect one to the network for file transfers and one directly to the htpc, if you really don't want the HTPC to have an internet connection. I have my NAS connected to the internet on one port and have my xbox directly connected to the second NAS ethernet port.

[DanceswithUnix]

How do you intend getting TV listings without internet access, or are you just using Freeview and its EPG?

edit: +1 for the wired connection btw.

[crazyfool]

i installed the tv pack so i can get epg from the signal like a freeview box and yeh its just a freeview tuner... think i'm just gonna go with an external drive now tho cos my htpc build is costing more by the minute so i need to save money lol... thanks for the help tho guys and in a couple of months once i get it all sorted i'll probably invest in a nas unit

[staffsMike]

Not much to add, but glad you got the box working mate, what was it in the end?

[crazyfool]

just needed a firmware update for the drive
But then i realised that the case is too big by about 1cm to fit under the tv so i'm gonna get the micro fusion instead... oh well...