ZyXEL NSA310 1-Bay NAS Media Server (With 500GB HDD) - €90.37 delivered [Dabs.ie]

stephendevlin

iPhone. wrote: »

A few extra things I would love would be an IP Camera/DVR package .

I'm sure if there is a webserver on or attached to the ip camera you an point the recording to a folder on the NAS

Probably wouldn't be powerful enough to be the webserver?

CreepingDeath

iPhone. wrote: »

A few extra things I would love would be an IP Camera/DVR package added to the optional packages list

I've an NSA325, the two-bay version of this, and a couple of other Arm processor based devices ( DreamPlug and Raspberry Pi )

There is a way of extending the NAS's functionality with a USB stick with extra packages.
See FFP Stick on the Zyzel Wiki of NAS Central

I think FFMPEG V 1.1.1 is included in that.

I haven't tried this on the NAS, but have on the DreamPlug.
I've got FFMPEG V1.1.2 compiled and working on a Dreamplug ( Arm V5 device ).
It's normally a transcoder command line utility, but can also point to local Unix Webcams and remote IP cameras.

http://ffmpeg.org/trac/ffmpeg/wiki/How%20to%20capture%20a%20webcam%20input

Example usage...

WebCams
ffmpeg -f video4linux2 -r 25 -s 640x480 -i /dev/video0 out.avi

IP Cameras
In this example I point to a FosCam FI8918W

ffmpeg -r 1 -i "http://192.168.1.10:80/videostream.asf?user=admin&pwd=mypassword" -an -vcodec libxvid test.avi

It captures a frame a second, and "-an" means no audio, and writes it out as an XVid avi file.

There's probably other ways of configuring ffmpeg to also write out a frame as a JPEG to a webserver folder, so you update a web page every minute.

iPhone.

How do I control the recording parameters like motion detection, scheduled recording or even just constant recording without needing a pc turned on all the time?

An app running on the Zyxel allowing this without needing anything else except the IP Cam turned on would be dead handy.

iPhone.

CreepingDeath wrote: »

There's probably other ways of configuring ffmpeg to also write out a frame as a JPEG to a webserver folder, so you update a web page every minute.

I'm presuming if you log in to your foscam IP camera via a web browser you can then record the video stream locally to your PC, do you have any idea how to change the default folder the Foscam records to? for example change it's default from PC local hdd to a folder on the Zyxel instead? and I don't mean via FFP stick, but have it do this by default itself.

SteM

Anyone found a way of limiting the bandwith for the torrent service? Most torrent apps allow you to limit the upload and download speeds but I can't see anything similar in the NSA 310.

iPhone.

SteM wrote: »

Anyone found a way of limiting the bandwith for the torrent service? Most torrent apps allow you to limit the upload and download speeds but I can't see anything similar in the NSA 310.

log in as admin, then under 'applications' select

Download server - Preferences at the top - then select the 'P2P' tab

SteM

Totally missed that setting, thanks.

CreepingDeath

iPhone. wrote: »

How do I control the recording parameters like motion detection, scheduled recording or even just constant recording without needing a pc turned on all the time?

An app running on the Zyxel allowing this without needing anything else except the IP Cam turned on would be dead handy.

FFMPEG is a transcoder, it takes video/audio in, and writes it out in another format. No motion detection.

For motion detection, something like "Motion" or "ZoneMinder" are better suited for security applications I imagine.

Scheduled recording: Maybe FFMPEG kicked off in a cron job.
It takes a command line argument of "-timelimit duration", so you could in theory kick it off at 9am every day for 8 hours eg..

ffmpeg -timelimit 28800 -f video4linux2 -r 1 -s 640x480 -i /dev/video0 out.avi

where 28800 is 8 hours in seconds, and -r 1 is one frame a second.

iPhone. wrote: »

I'm presuming if you log in to your foscam IP camera via a web browser you can then record the video stream locally to your PC

Not on my FI8918W I can't.
It allows live viewing and only JPEG alerts when it detects motion.

FFMPEG was great, it detected the video and even the crappy Microsoft licensed audio codec, and was able to record video and audio on the Foscam FI8918W.

iPhone. wrote: »

do you have any idea how to change the default folder the Foscam records to?

What I'm proposing it that you install ffmpeg on the NAS and pull the data from the webcam/ip camera to a folder on your NAS.
At a crude level that would mean using telnet to login and kick off the command, or CRON to schedule it.
Or if you have an Android Smart Phone, I like "ServerAssist" which lets you send user defined telnet commands from your phone to a Unix box, like the NAS, DreamPlug or Raspberry Pi.

This is very handy when you want to send the shutdown command before pulling the plug. But could be used to send all sorts of commands from your phone to your NAS via telnet. ( Or ideally the more secure SSH )

J@yK@y

johnybean wrote: »

Has anyone managed to add torrents when outside the home network i.e. at work/from your smartphone?

Yes, but only via Dropbox. You need to config Dropbox on your NAS.

Save my torrent file to the zDownload folder in Dropbox (from iPad, Smartphone or anywhere with dropbox access), Dropbox on the NAS automatically pulls this down into the /admin/download/torrent/ folder.

Basq

johnybean wrote: »

P.S.

Has anyone managed to add torrents when outside the home network i.e. at work/from your smartphone?

I've mine set up using No-IP.org so I log into the web interface using that, and add a torrent.

lordgoat

Hi Guys so if i was to get this (or similar)

http://www.dabs.ie/products/seagate-3tb-freeagent--goflex--home-nas-7G7P.html?src=3

Could I then use this to connect to a TV (via hdmi)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cyclone-Micro-MultiMedia-Player-Adaptor/dp/B00534L3B8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365102945&sr=8-1&keywords=hdmi+player

Or feel free to offer new suggestions.

Thanks

Basq

lordgoat wrote: »

Hi Guys so if i was to get this (or similar)

http://www.dabs.ie/products/seagate-3tb-freeagent--goflex--home-nas-7G7P.html?src=3

Could I then use this to connect to a TV (via hdmi)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cyclone-Micro-MultiMedia-Player-Adaptor/dp/B00534L3B8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365102945&sr=8-1&keywords=hdmi+player

Or feel free to offer new suggestions.

Thanks

Hi lordgoat,

That Cyclone Player isn't networked and will only play via USB / SD etc.

You'll need a player that has the ability to connect to your home network via Ethernet / Wireless etc - Apple TV or WDTV for example.

lordgoat

Basq wrote: »

Hi lordgoat,

That Cyclone Player isn't networked and will only play via USB / SD etc.

You'll need a player that has the ability to connect to your home network via Ethernet / Wireless etc - Apple TV or WDTV for example.

Ah I'd hoped I could connect via USB to it! I'll have a look at an old ATV sure!

neacy69

Anyone using one of these NAS with XBMC devices? I have an ARCTIC HTPC running openelec in the sitting room and was thinking of adding another xbmc device in the bedroom so this would be good for sharing the media between them

WeleaseWoderick

neacy69 wrote: »

Anyone using one of these NAS with XBMC devices? I have an ARCTIC HTPC running openelec in the sitting room and was thinking of adding another xbmc device in the bedroom so this would be good for sharing the media between them

I have been using it with XBMC on a ATV2 and also using it on Boxee Box. Works perfectly well on both but definitely noticed an improvement in streaming quality when using a wired connection i.e. homeplugs. That may be due to the crappy Vodafone modem that I was using.

neacy69

WeleaseWoderick wrote: »

I have been using it with XBMC on a ATV2 and also using it on Boxee Box. Works perfectly well on both but definitely noticed an improvement in streaming quality when using a wired connection i.e. homeplugs. That may be due to the crappy Vodafone modem that I was using.

Thanks seems like a good idea to me.
I have homeplugs set up in the sitting room but would probably be using WiFi in the bedroom....

Any good deals on amzaon for these at the minute (I have a voucher)? I can probably just use the case cos I have a 500GB and a 1TB sata drive I could use in this...

Also if I connect a portable hdd with content on it into this device will it share the contents with the networked devices?

BionicRasher

neacy69 wrote: »

Any good deals

I find this site a brilliant price comparison site
Just put in a search for the item and it shows best prices etc. It’s not always 100% accurate but has some nice RSS alerts that are handy

Basic version (NSA-310 Diskless) showing as £59 on Amazon or here at CCLOnline for £35 and I am sure if you try Flubit they will get a better deal

Access

neacy69 wrote: »

Anyone using one of these NAS with XBMC devices? I have an ARCTIC HTPC running openelec in the sitting room and was thinking of adding another xbmc device in the bedroom so this would be good for sharing the media between them

Thats exactly what i have done... htpc with xbmc in sittingroom pulling over wifi from the nsa310 and raspbmc on raspberry pi pulling from the nsa310 from the bedroom.

Also two other laptops and an ipad all running xbmc through a crappy eircom router.

All been going great for the past 6 months or so.

I highly recommend it for this.

missingtime

tui0hcg wrote: »

I find this site a brilliant price comparison site
Just put in a search for the item and it shows best prices etc. It’s not always 100% accurate but has some nice RSS alerts that are handy

Basic version (NSA-310 Diskless) showing as £59 on Amazon or here at CCLOnline for £35 and I am sure if you try Flubit they will get a better deal

Thanks for this. Got it for 40€ on CCLOnline via Flubit and Parcel Motel.

m4r10

missingtime wrote: »

Thanks for this. Got it for 40€ on CCLOnline via Flubit and Parcel Motel.

How do you know it's coming from CCLOnline? I have one on the way from Flubit as well, but can't see from where they are sending it or which company they are using.

On another note, what 3TB drive you guys recommend?

missingtime

m4r10 wrote: »

How do you know it's coming from CCLOnline? I have one on the way from Flubit as well, but can't see from where they are sending it or which company they are using.

On another note, what 3TB drive you guys recommend?

Well mine arrived today from CCLOnline. Must check how much came out of my account as the invoice I got from CCLOnline was more than what Flubit offered.

I have to pick up a 3TB drive as well, at the moment I've the usb drive plugged into the back of it and its fine but slow. I was looking at this one.

m4r10

I got charged €40 for the server. Incidentally, I was looking at the same hard-disk. I think I'll better go ahead and order it then as there's not much difference in them.

missingtime

m4r10 wrote: »

I got charged €40 for the server. Incidentally, I was looking at the same hard-disk. I think I'll better go ahead and order it then as there's not much difference in them.

Hold up! Just doing research here this minute, cheaper price found via the invisible hand plugin on Firefox.

http://www.ebuyer.com/319640-seagate-3tb-barracuda-internal-hard-drive-st3000dm001

Might get it cheaper with Flubit.

Basq

^ I think I read EBuyer won't ship to NI (only mainland UK), so you might struggle to get it from them.

missingtime

Basq wrote: »

^ I think I read EBuyer won't ship to NI (only mainland UK), so you might struggle to get it from them.

Just checked there and they ship to NI

http://www.ebuyer.com/help/delivery

Parcel Motel it I guess.

m4r10

I filled in the details and works out at £97 as they charge delivery to NI, so it's only £5 difference after all.

bromley52

missingtime wrote: »

Well mine arrived today from CCLOnline. Must check how much came out of my account as the invoice I got from CCLOnline was more than what Flubit offered.

I have to pick up a 3TB drive as well, at the moment I've the usb drive plugged into the back of it and its fine but slow. I was looking at this one.

I got mine today as well for the same price and I noticed the same about the CC invoice. I have a feeling that part of Flubits strategy is not to pay the VAT as they are a business and have it sent to you ex VAT.

On the hard drive Pixmania have a Toshiba 2tb hard drive for €87 delivered. From my research it is one is the better drives.

Access

J@yK@y wrote: »

Yes, but only via Dropbox. You need to config Dropbox on your NAS.

Save my torrent file to the zDownload folder in Dropbox (from iPad, Smartphone or anywhere with dropbox access), Dropbox on the NAS automatically pulls this down into the /admin/download/torrent/ folder.

Has anyone any more info on this... i would like to try and set it up to do this but how do you get it all running right? thanks.

stephendevlin

Access wrote: »

Has anyone any more info on this... i would like to try and set it up to do this but how do you get it all running right? thanks.

Save the torrent file to your computer first

Download filezilla (free) and use FTP to transfer the file (drag and drop) into the correct folder

Or click run .. then \\192.168.1.xxx replace the xxx with the ip of the box and navigate to the said folder and drag and drop the files in there. Permissions/setup may prevent you from doing this though

Access

Sorry stephen... you might have misread me there... i was referring to this post...

Originally Posted by johnybean View Post
Has anyone managed to add torrents when outside the home network i.e. at work/from your smartphone?

with the follow up by J@yK@y...

Originally Posted by J@yK@y View Post
Yes, but only via Dropbox. You need to config Dropbox on your NAS.

Save my torrent file to the zDownload folder in Dropbox (from iPad, Smartphone or anywhere with dropbox access), Dropbox on the NAS automatically pulls this down into the /admin/download/torrent/ folder.

Am looking to be able to send a torrent to my nas via dropbox... so have downloaded dropbox to my phone and desktop but not sure on the setup of it all.

stephendevlin

Access wrote: »

Sorry stephen... you might have misread me there... i was referring to this post...



with the follow up by J@yK@y...



Am looking to be able to send a torrent to my nas via dropbox... so have downloaded dropbox to my phone and desktop but not sure on the setup of it all.

Once you add files to dropbox on your phone it will (should) synch with what you have on your NAS . I may be mistaked (dont like /bad experience) with dropbox

Whoops :-)

TheDriver

does the 320 do the same thing as the 310 except with 2 bays? reason I ask is that its on amazon at 57 pounds which seems a good deal if i want to do raid on it in future years but concerned it doesn't do same features such as torrent/rss feeds etc.....or do they just have the same software?

bromley52

I don't know if anyone here has managed to get Serviio on the NSA310 but the following link make it seem possible. One of the posts indicates that someone managed to do it for the 310. If I am going to do it I will need help as it seems complicated.

http://forum.serviio.org/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8933&sid=3d7425c1e95d2920071d27a5ddf1e7c8

J@yK@y

Access wrote: »

Am looking to be able to send a torrent to my nas via dropbox... so have downloaded dropbox to my phone and desktop but not sure on the setup of it all.

I was able to set this up back in Feb. However this seems to be no longer working for new users.

When I set it up I used the NAS Admin console, under Dropbox you have the ability to enable "dropbox", this would take you to a dropbox admin page where you provide your dropbox details which launched a popup window to give permission on dropbox for your NAS drive.
However, I believe since something in March, Dropbox are now blocking this functionality as Zyxel are using an old API to communicate with Dropbox. I believe Zyxel will need to release a patch.

It appears to work fine for users prior to the switch over, but not possible for new users.

Info here: http://forum.nas-central.org/viewtopic.php?f=249&t=8355

ongarite

J@yK@y wrote: »

I was able to set this up back in Feb. However this seems to be no longer working for new users.

When I set it up I used the NAS Admin console, under Dropbox you have the ability to enable "dropbox", this would take you to a dropbox admin page where you provide your dropbox details which launched a popup window to give permission on dropbox for your NAS drive.
However, I believe since something in March, Dropbox are now blocking this functionality as Zyxel are using an old API to communicate with Dropbox. I believe Zyxel will need to release a patch.

It appears to work fine for users prior to the switch over, but not possible for new users.

Info here: http://forum.nas-central.org/viewtopic.php?f=249&t=8355

Correct, if you really want to get Dropbox working there are some beta firmwares you can download from Zyxel German forum.
http://www.zyxelforum.de/beta-f136.html

Access

@ j@yk@y and ongarite

Thanks for the info... i spotted that last night after a bit of research on NAS central and the Zyxel forums.

A lot of peeps are wary of the beta release of the 4.60 firmware for the NSA310... a few bugs reported already, but a quick google translation on the zyxel germany forums shows that there is a final release of the 4.60 firmware to the public set for the 21st of May coming after all beta testing is completed.

So, i only have to wait a month which is fine by me.

The new firmware sorts out the dropbox issues from what i have read along with a few minor fixes too.

7 months on from when i bought the NSA310 and its still going strong. Apart from a few niggles... but its still brilliant for the money and great for streaming media to XBMC units around the house.

The Sparrow

Thinking of buying a NSA310 from CCL or Flubit and getting a Raspberry Pi to stream through to the TV. Do they work well together? I've read the thread and there seems to be mixed opinions but hopefully it has all been resolved by now.

Also, I'll need a drive but I'm wondering whether I'd be able to use my Seagate GoFlex portable hard drive as an internal drive for it? The drive has an eSata connection.

Access

The Sparrow wrote: »

Thinking of buying a NSA310 from CCL or Flubit and getting a Raspberry Pi to stream through to the TV. Do they work well together? I've read the thread and there seems to be mixed opinions but hopefully it has all been resolved by now.

Also, I'll need a drive but I'm wondering whether I'd be able to use my Seagate GoFlex portable hard drive as an internal drive for it? The drive has an eSata connection.

I have the nsa streaming to a normal htpc in livingroom and a pi in the bedroom... all working great, so yeah go for it. Just make sure you use the raspbmc version of xbmc as its the easiest to get up and running on the pi. I have used all versions running xbmc for the pi but raspbmc from the main xbmc.org website is really good since they sorted out the little bugs.

Have a look at the HTPC & Media Centre forum here on boards... it a great resource for setting it all up. And also have a look at the Raspberry Pi forum section on xbmc.org too.

As for the goflex drive you have, have a read back through this thread as a lot of buyers just went ahead and invested in a good 2 or 3TB 3.5 inch hard drive instead as the Nas will be running 24/7 in most cases... apart from it spinning down... it will mostly be running when a device calls for media from it.

It will also format any drive you place into it. There is no way around this as it needs to create its own file structure.

But you will be able to plug any usb key or drive including your goflex into the usb ports both back and front and be able to access them without any format involved.

Brilliant device... any more questions, just ask.

The Sparrow

Cheers... that's a great reply!

I'll wait to see what Flubit offer and then order one and a Raspberry Pi.

SteM

I love the look of XBMC but I've had nothing but trouble with my Pi, just can't seem to get it working consistently with any version of XBMC I've tried. Will keep at it but it's doing my head in to be honest. I have 2 of these running with the NSA 310 and have had no problem with either once the Library functionality is turned off.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/WD-Live-Streaming-Media-Player/dp/B005NYOKC2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366713425&sr=8-1&keywords=wd+live

BionicRasher

Had a Pi and although it was great it broke my heart so had to sell it – constant tweaking and messing around to try to get it all working smoothly with XBMC and my current set up of a PC serving the media content. Plus it looked damn ugly plonked next to the TV and the rug rats kept trying to rip it off the TV with all the wires hanging around it.

I am currently in the market for some kind of device that just plugs in and hides away behind the TV and will just work more or less out of the box so looking like Android device is going to be the choice. This will then talk to the NSA 310 that is going to be running in my little geeks den!

Access

Sorry to hear that lads... i have to admit it did drive me insane trying to setup the pi from day one... but within 2 weekends of evenings, a lot of research on forums and after the latest release of raspbmc (final version) in march, it has been running so sweet with the quartz (apple tv style low power grabbing) skin and the NAS310 from this thread.

And... it runs at 5 - 6 watts of power! (our old dell SFF desktop HTPC runs at 130 - 175 watts)

Like i say, the HTPC forum on boards is brilliant as well as the xbmc forums.

I love the pi so much that i am getting one for the guest room and another for the kids playroom in the near future.

As for the ugliness of the pi... get one of the laser cut cases on ebay (about €6 delivered) for it and attach it to the back of your tv (via the vesa bolting points). No wires can be seen or accessed by small hands then.

nedd

Hi all

I'm a little late to this party but thinking of going for one of these, or the two bay model. Can anyone tell me if I can install Plex Media Server on it?

I see some people set up the ability to remotely add torrents so that is good.

My goal is to remotely add torrents using my phone and then use Plex (or something similar) to watch the content on my Google TV.

Thanks.

Leiva

tui0hcg wrote: »

I am currently in the market for some kind of device that just plugs in and hides away behind the TV and will just work more or less out of the box so looking like Android device is going to be the choice. This will then talk to the NSA 310 that is going to be running in my little geeks den!

Hold off til June as there is a great device coming on stream and the XBMC guys are so excited they have a specific team working with the devs.

http://www.ouya.tv/

http://xbmc.org/natethomas/2012/08/07/xbmc-and-ouya-oh-yeah/


I have configured many a Pi for myself and friends and as others have said the past few weeks have seen some great stable versions of XBMC come along, but I too will be getting my hands on the Ouya when it's released and will be flogging my ATV2 to purchase a couple of them.

johnybean

I stumbled across an rss function on kickasstorrents.ph this evening and while I can add other torrents to the broadcast section of the nsa310 and they start to download no problem, when I add torrents through the kat.ph rss feed they just appear in the list but don't download but they also don't trigger any errors, they just sit there. Does anyone have any experience of adding rss feeds from torrent sites successfully as I think this would be a very handy function to have

TheDriver

johnybean wrote: »

I stumbled across an rss function on kickasstorrents.ph this evening and while I can add other torrents to the broadcast section of the nsa310 and they start to download no problem, when I add torrents through the kat.ph rss feed they just appear in the list but don't download but they also don't trigger any errors, they just sit there. Does anyone have any experience of adding rss feeds from torrent sites successfully as I think this would be a very handy function to have

I would like to know the same thing, I have the NSA325 which i think has the same software. I was getting very slow speeds on the built in torrent client until I realised that if you limit the upload speed, it affects the download speed for no reason (checked all other settings). Also notice that the default location of downloads goes back to the admin folder on reboot even though i had it changed.
Regarding RSS, i tried setting one up but its very vague in nsa. I took one from TPB from a certain user but I can't seem to specify a certain program from that user so concerned it would download all their new programs. Also how do you trigger it to start?

Last question, if you set power off for the night, does it auto check new torrents when it switches on?
Was thinking of putting transmission on it if that does the job any betteR?

stephendevlin

I shyed away from the torrents on the NAS. One less thing to be running the disk on for hours.

Using an old laptop at the moment (accessed by RDP) instead as to try and prolong the life of the 3TB disk.

TheDriver

true but only thing is that most torrents download within a 3-4 hour timeframe anyways.
In reality, HDD should last a long long long time if they are going to last at all. I don't think I have ever had a HDD failure and they have been running 24 hours for years.

TheDriver

I have come across an unusual problem. In download service/libtorrent, I set different folders to download the videos into. When I reboot, it goes back to the default admin folder. Tried it on a number of occasions but to no avail............

iPhone.

Ver 4.51 Firmware available now too.