Synology Disk Station 2-Bay (Diskless) Network Attached Storage DS209j (White)
From Synology
Synology Disk Station DS209j is designed to provide users with a cost-effective solution to increase productivity. Packed with the Synology Disk Station Manager 2.1, it delivers ease of use and variety of features. Furthermore, the optional Synology 2.5” Disk Holder provides an easy way for users to deploy 2.5” hard drives on the DS209j, bringing the library quietness, power saving, and higher reliability for the DS209j. Synology Download Station 2 functions as a 24x7 BitTorrent, FTP, HTTP, eMule, and NZB download center. The newly-integrated eMule download engine allows search-n-download capability with a web-browser without installing additional desktop applications. Synology Audio Station supports music, Internet radio stations, and iPod playback with connected USB speakers. An optional direction-free Synology Remote allows you to freely enjoy your music. Web-streaming mode allows your music to be shared with multiple users over the Internet. UPnP support allows users to stream multimedia files with an UPnP Digital Media Adapter (DMA) on a stereo system or a TV-set. Sony PS3 and Microsoft Xbox360 are also supported. iTunes Server is an easy way to share music to other iTunes clients over the network. Password protection prevents unauthorized sharing. USBCopy provides a plug-n-save solution to store data. With just one touch on the Copy button, it quickly backs up the data on an USB storage device to the pre-defined location on the Synology Disk Station. Synology Data Replicator 3 allows Windows users to back up desktop data to the Synology Disk Station. Immediate, Sync, and Scheduled Backup are fully-supported. The Network Recycle Bin ensures all deleted files are recoverable from the recycle bin. Synology Photo Station 3 simplifies photo, video, and blog sharing over the Internet. Customized themes and various selections are available for personalization. The Cooliris support delivers a dazzling 3D photo browsing effect.
- Size: 0 TB
- Brand: Synology
- Model: DS209j
- Dimensions: 10.50" h x 9.50" w x 8.00" l, 5.00 pounds
- Memory: 128000MB DRAM
- Hard Disk: 1GB
- Processors: 1
- Native resolution: 640x480
- Display size: 669.2913385827
Love this thing
This NAS has way too much function than I can use, (which is a good thing). It supports BT and now I don't have to keep my computer 24/7. Very easy to setup too. If you can use a PC you can set it up.
Not everything I was expecting
I bought this product a few days ago and I was intending it to serve as a central media system for my home network. This is my first NAS and I bought it because it has the Bittorrent feature. I was also planning to have it play my media through my PS3 and Denon 3808CI AVR.
I opened up the package and it came with everything I needed to set up a 1TB Hard drive (sold seperately) for SATA. Installing the hard drive was very easy and setting up the software was a snap. It took me a few hours playing with the software to get all the settings just right. By this time, all the devices on my network detected the Disk station 209J, I was downloading Torrents, and uploading my media onto my new server.
This is when the first problem started to arise. I wanted to check the status of the torrents and it took me approximately 10 minutes to access the device through my network. I was not expecting such a slow down. I deactivated the torrents, stopped the media transfer, but the device still responded incredibly sluggish. I powered the device down, let it sit for a minute, and restarted it. It worked fine at this point. I decided to try some of my media from the device.
I have an assortment of mkv, avi, mp3's and the like. Unfortunately the device does not recognize .mkv files. I use PS3 media server software to transcode .mkv files from my labtop to my ps3. My intention was, I know this my sound redundant, to used my Labtop to transcode my media from my Disk Station 209J to my PS3. I tried file sizes between 200mb to 6 gig and all would freeze frame for a split second every 30 to 60 seconds. If I ran the media from the 209J straight to my labtop, it would run very smoothly, but, I would like to watch the movies on my TV, not my labtop. AVI files, which did not have to run through my labtop, also froze frame about every 60 to 120 seconds.
I want to like this Disk station but its not providing what I intended for my network. I looked at the specs of some different models and I noted that the 209J has a CPU speed of 266 MHz and 64MB of memory while the Disk Station 209, for workgroups and Offices, has a CPU speed of 1.2 GHz and 256 MB of Memory. I have just ordered the Diskstation 209 and I will be returning the 209J.
I am hoping the higher CPU speed and Memory will fix a lot of the slow downs that I have been encountering. If you are someone that is looking for a device to backup your media, this might be the NAS for you. However, if you want to use it for viewing media, you might want to consider a different product.
Excellent Design and Execution
After a month's use, my overall impression is that the DiskStation -- I'll call it DS -- is well designed and works perfectly for our purpose. We're using it to store PC backups and security camera videos at a remote site for a small business.
Pros:
Easy to set up on a local network out of the box. The default settings play well with most small networks. Install a harddrive (or 2), plug the DS in, create a volume on the drive(s), create a user (or use the built in admin account), and the DS is ready to go. Other PC's see it and can store files on the drive.
Extensive features that support more complex scenarios like ftp to a remote site or one DS backing up its hardrive to another DS.
Packaging is well though out and includes cables and other stuff you'll need to install the drives.
Excellent support at [...] for downloads and forums.
Cons:
Features and terminology can be overwhelming at first. Until I created and shared a volume I couldn't see my drives on the network. (Yeah, now I know. It would be like plugging a drive into a Windows PC and expecting it to magically appear.) I've configured PC's and routers for years but wandered into new territory here.
The online manual doesn't always match the latest firmware -- some new features are not explained -- and pictures didn't match the insides of the DS. I installed the SATA cables and wondered why they were too short and didn't exactly fit. Swapping them end for end solved this.
Now that it's installed the DS just works. No complaints so far.
