If you put TV, loudspeaker, amplifier, player and network hard disk next to each other, the story of the ugly duckling urges itself. TVs delight with slender shapes and sharp pictures that bring them into the living room. Loudspeakers are often made of noble wood, so that they can seduce with acoustic as well as optical stimuli.
No more computer needed
Amplifiers and players are not so charming, but they are also attracted by their metal shells. Network hard disks, also known as home servers or NAS (network attached storage), often look as technical as their name suggests. They want to let them disappear in corners.
TV with the NAS on smartphone and tablet
Test: Synology DS213
Live TV for TV with DVBLink TV Server
Meanwhile, many manufacturers - Synology in particular - are struggling against this bad image. Although the DS213 is also no beauty, but with its black housing it remains almost inconspicuous. On the other hand, if you study your data sheet, it immediately gains in attractiveness. There you can find terms such as a TV recorder, audio station or smartphone app, which immediately arouses the curiosity of home cinema and hi-fi fans.
Not every Blu-ray player works
The owner will not be disappointed when he puts the DS213 into operation. When he starts the device wizard on the computer, the user is welcome to use the menu, which is easy to understand: The owner opens the Synology Assistant, which detects the hard disk on the network and goes to the configuration menu in the web browser. There he finds the package center. The packages are apps as they are familiar with smart TVs, smartphones and tablets that extend the functionality of NAS systems.
The user can also watch TV with the video station. This requires only one TV tuner stick, which one connects via USB to the NAS. Currently, however, only terrestrial reception by DVB-T is possible. The installation is simple: Open the NAS configuration menu via the web browser and the video station. From there, you start the channel search, as you know from set-top boxes. Then the TV stations are available on the network.
Most comfort is available through the DS video app on smartphones and tablets with iOS operating system. There you can select a TV program by fingertip. Because the application can not play the stream itself, an additional player app is needed.
Practice: Apps for streaming and network
We have used the free OPlayerHD Lite. When you type in DS video to a TV channel, the player app and the TV stream is automatically started.
A program magazine is also integrated. It also helps to program recordings that can be created individually or as a recording series. The recorded programs can then be retrieved via the app.
If you have a smartphone or a tablet with Android operating system, so far does not enjoy the App DS video. However, you can follow the live TV program with some experience through the web browser or a web address that Synology offers. But it is much more complicated. The same goes for a computer.
However, the Synology Video Station is not designed to access the live TV program via a TV or Blu-ray player. However, the TV recordings can be played, because the DS213 provides it as a UPnP server to all compatible clients: network-compatible TVs and players, as well as smartphones and tablets
Anyone who wants to stream live TV via his TV must install the DVBLink TV Server for Synology NAS package on the NAS. At a price of EUR 25.21, the owner is also given the option to distribute satellite signals in SD and HD quality in addition to DVB-T.
Conclusion
Buying advice: 10 Tips for buying network hard drives
The Dutch company DVBLogic has been offering similar solutions for computers for several years. Synology's network drives are the first of its kind, supported by DVBLogic. Layers in the field of network technology should leave the solution however rather the fingers or know someone who helps with the installation. It is worthwhile, however, to invest a little more time in this solution. Up to four tuners can be operated with the DVBLogic package while the Synology solution is only for one receiver.
The DVBLink TV Server also starts installation in the Synology NAS Web Configuration Menu. However, it leads to DVBLogic's somewhat complex installation menus. Here you can not only configure the TV receiver, but you can also book additional, paid electronic program guides (EPGs). At the end of the installation, the user is presented with the available TV channels. After a while, the EPG data are supplemented and can be used to program TV recordings from here.
If you now switch on your networkable TV or player, the DVB link DLNA TV Server appears under the available network memories. Once selected, TV Channels will show the available TV channels: each channel as a single file.
Playback requirements: The TV or player supports the file format. In our tests the Blu-ray players worked Panasonic DMP-BDT220 and Samsung BD-E6100, but not the LG BP620. Except for live TV, these UPnP clients can also access TV recordings.
The live TV offer and the recordings can also be used via smartphones or tablets, if you install a UPnP player. We used the free app UPnPlay (not for iOS).
Practice: Tips for the Networked Home
There are also applications for Apple, Android and Windows Phone devices for recording applications. If you are a bit familiar with the field of networking technology, you can also use it outside your own home.
Despite all these freedoms, there are also limitations: At the moment, no Pay TV channels can be decoded using the CI module. The user must specify a reception mode. In addition, only one client can access the TV streams with an installed tuner.
The TV receiver does not have to stand next to the TV, but can be anywhere in the home network. This not only makes long cable cables superfluous, but also brings live TV to the entire home.
The media server app, for example, makes the DS213 the central supplier of video, photos, and music on the network for UPnP and DLNA clients. In the center of the package you will also find the right app for media streaming with Apple TV, iTunes and iPhone. If you want more comfort for your picture archive, install the Photo Station. The app DS photo + for smartphones and tablets allows the user to easily access his or her pictures - even from the road .; For music, there are corresponding applications with the audio station and DS audio NAS and opens a mobile version of the configuration menu in the web browser. For the everyday use of the NAS system, no computer is required. Finally, there is a package called VideoStation. It first improves the capabilities of the NAS as a UPnP server of video content. The DS213 accesses the Internet to download covers and information about films and TV series. If you install the appropriate app DS video on your iPad, iPhone or iPod, you can conveniently browse through the covers you see.
No comments:
Post a Comment