Backup solution/Media Server for home use

[penfold]

For any backups I've done at home I have always done this manually to an external HDD as I only ever had 1 machine which stored data on. I still have 1 machine, but the wife also has a laptop which she does work on and stores lots of photos. Now I have started looking at NAS devices which I can use to automate a backup from my machine and the laptop. Briefly looking around I have seen that there are lots of options and have spotted this found via HotdealsUK which seems a decent price.

Currently I also connect the laptop up to the TV if I would like to watch any photo's/video which is stored on the computer but I would like a media player which I could connect to the TV and use instead.

What I would like to do is have a media player which I could connect up to the TV and leave there which I could also use as a backup solution via wireless. I have seen that I could get a microserver, but I would like something which could sit queitly under the TV without taking too much space (that and I don't think she would be happy with another computer).

The most important thing is a backup solution that will just run in the background so Mrs Penfold doesn't have to even think about it, but if I'm spending the money I would like to consider all the options. I don't really need a media server but wondered if I could kill 2 birds with 1 stone by getting a backup solution which would allow me to run a media server in the living room.

Any suggestions?

[penfold]

No-one? Not even for a decent home NAS device?

[tommej]

You can use freenas for both your needs!

Building a home media server using FreeNAS - Sam Kear dot com

[LeMarchand]

I'm just putting together something similar, after considering a NAS box. (Rejected because I wanted a few more bells and whistles and I read many aren't compatible with my TV).

Unfortunately I've got as far as getting the parts. Should get it put together this weekend, but still haven't decided on an OS. The current favourite is Windows 8 (mainly as I can defer paying for it until October or even later). I believe WHS 2011 does all the backup stuff (and the media stuff) for £40, and I also have considered W7 (have a spare copy).

Sticking with MS for familiarity reasons and because I know there are various bits of software that I can use to automate many processes, but that FreeNAS idea looks interesting...

[penfold]

I've looked at FreeNAS briefly (albeit a few years ago now) but then I still need to find something with a small footprint and low power consumption to put it on.
@LeMarchand - it was actually your post that got me thinking more seriously about what I wanted. I need to setup a proper backup system for home as I've become too lazy to manually do it & I need something that can run when my wife does work on her laptop. But if I'm going to get something that will backup over wireless I would like it to be able to run it as a media server connected to the TV also, but that depends on the cost. I figured if I was going to be paying for a decent backup drive, it might be worth considering paying a little more and getting better value for something which can do more.

I'm not keen on the idea of putting another computer next to the TV as there is enough tech there already so would like something small.

[MatthewL]

We use the following here:

NTBackup
BackupExec
BackupAssit
FBackup

I will be looking at FBackup tonight at home as I am getting lazy when at home too.

[j17sparky]

What about a NAS and a RasberryPi as the mediacentre PC. OS ran off SD and media stored on the NAS.

The problem you may find is you start using the NAS as a file server rather than a backup server and you will end up in the same situation where you need another device to do backups.

[LeMarchand]

@LeMarchand - it was actually your post that got me thinking more seriously about what I wanted. I need to setup a proper backup system for home as I've become too lazy to manually do it & I need something that can run when my wife does work on her laptop. But if I'm going to get something that will backup over wireless I would like it to be able to run it as a media server connected to the TV also, but that depends on the cost. I figured if I was going to be paying for a decent backup drive, it might be worth considering paying a little more and getting better value for something which can do more.

I'm not keen on the idea of putting another computer next to the TV as there is enough tech there already so would like something small.

Almost exactly the same problems, then. Luckily for me, Mme LeMarchand wasn't too worried by size (unless it was HUGE) and was even OK with a 4U server case. Unfortunately the full depth ones are a bit too deep for our cabinet (and a bit out of budget) and the short depth ones were WAY over budget.

The problem with small is that it limits your backup capacity. You could get a case that (assuming your TV is freestanding) will fit on the VESA mount holes, but you're generally limited to 1 drive. (Pretty sure it's a 2.5" drive, too). If you can go a bit bigger, you've got much more HDD capacity to play with.

This one was high on the list for a while, but got the push in favour of one with 2x5.25" bays (I put a caddy in one to give me a 2.5" SSD boot drive). However, the case I got was a lot bulkier than it looks, and a bit cheap - OK if you're cash-strapped, but I wouldn't recommend it. If it's any help, here's what I'm hoping to finish putting together over the weekend.

[zag]

Qnap 419p+ is a perfect solution for this. I've got 2 of them and use them to stream all media and backups.

The best thing is they sit in standby all the time and just wake up when you try to access them. They consume very little energy in standby.

[penfold]

@j17sparky - Good point, I might have to reconsider what I was going to do to ensure I don't end up spending twice the money I wanted to
@LeMarchand - Would be interested to see how you get on, but I'm thinking it's a bit beyond my budget for all that. I may have to put it on hold for a month or so.

[petay87]

Have you had a look at XBMC as media centre software? I used it in the past and it worked really well.

[penfold]

Qnap 419p+ is a perfect solution for this. I've got 2 of them and use them to stream all media and backups.

The best thing is they sit in standby all the time and just wake up when you try to access them. They consume very little energy in standby.

Bit pricey for me I'm afraid.

[penfold]

Have you had a look at XBMC as media centre software? I used it in the past and it worked really well.

I've run XBMC on an old broken laptop and while it worked well, I still need to put it on something which consumes little power and also get a remote. That was initially my first thought to do what j17sparky had suggested and put XBMC on the PI. But then I don't know enought about how to do it and where to get a remote from. I've read a few things, but the more I read the more it seems you need to get additional things which would bump the cost up.

[LeMarchand]

@j17sparky - Good point, I might have to reconsider what I was going to do to ensure I don't end up spending twice the money I wanted to

I originally wanted a sub-£100 box! Got most of what I wanted, though I would have preferred the ability to add more drives and had to ditch the Blu-Ray burner to save £50. Seriously considered the NAS route, but did a lot of reading and decided that for a bit more cash I could do a lot more with the box without the need to carefully type in loads of Linux commands. Plus it's not something I've done before, so some new stuff to learn and (if you're a techie) a fun project.

I am planning to update the eBuyer list with comments etc when it's been up and running for a while, though I may do an Amazon List as that's where a lot of the other stuff came from. Will post here if I get it all done.

P.S. Have a remote from the other machine that I'm hoping will work - if not I'll have to get one (£15-£20).

[petay87]

I've run XBMC on an old broken laptop and while it worked well, I still need to put it on something which consumes little power and also get a remote. That was initially my first thought to do what j17sparky had suggested and put XBMC on the PI. But then I don't know enought about how to do it and where to get a remote from. I've read a few things, but the more I read the more it seems you need to get additional things which would bump the cost up.

I picked up a Bluetooth keyboard with built in touchpad for £10 a while back and that does the trick for me.