Modern home network and cinema on the couch + Update (about transcoding)
A few days ago I already published an article with this title on Habré, but for many reasons, the article came out extremely unsuccessful. Taking into account the fair comments and rethinking the problem, I decided to correct and put the text more consistently and succinctly, without emotion and extra pomposity.
So, the article, first of all, will be interesting to those who are just planning to organize a “global network” at home, which will store collections of video, audio and photos and from which all this can be listened to and viewed with maximum comfort.
Therefore, basically, we will describe some kind of “ideal” network structure and the minimum set of necessary network devices, as if we were organizing a network from scratch. However, alternatives, for those who already have some working network infrastructure at home, we will also consider so that everyone has the opportunity to compare and choose the best upgrade option for themselves.
All of the following is based on the author’s many years of experience, who, through trial and error, decided on the composition of the home media network and now would like to share the experience gained in public, in order to show himself and others to look. ;)
')
Who is interested - I ask under the cat.
In the beginning, let's define the minimum composition of our home media network (we will call it that).
Suppose at the moment we have only the “tail” of the ISP, the computer (main) and all.
To determine the composition of the network, we need to determine what we want from it.
I suppose most ordinary users want the following:
1. Unlimited (for the next few years) storage capacity (where our favorite movies, music and family photos will be stored).
2. If we are talking about video, then “silent” download of torrents 24/7 (i.e., it is highly desirable without using the main computer).
3. Access to the storage (ie, to our video, audio and photos) from anywhere in the house and from any device that is connected to the home network.
4. Reproduce "everything and everything", regardless of format, container, etc., etc. - i.e. omnivorous (but again, not a basic computer, since we are talking about a “cinema on the couch” and “from anywhere in the house”, and this is certainly not about a laptop).
5. “I want like in the movies -with blackjack and whores! with the effect of presence! ". Those. large screen and preferably with 3D.
For many users, it is also extremely desirable to have access to the repository not only from anywhere in the house, but also from anywhere in the world where there is Internet access, and also to manage the download of torrents. But, as they say, Nice To Have, so we'll just keep this “Wishlist” in mind.
When designing our home media network, we will deliberately avoid using a home computer, stationary or portable. A computer is a multifunctional device, it can be turned off, occupied by another family member, busy with another, resource-intensive task, with which compressed video can be played simultaneously in parallel, etc. A portable computer (laptop, ultrabook) may not be at home with the owner at all. All this should not prevent other home users from having free access to the repository with media content (movies, music and photos) at any given time. In addition, a computer (if it is not equipped with a software media server with a separate console) may itself be difficult for some home users, if their skills in working with a computer (or a specific OS, program, etc.) are not large enough.
If we talk about the network from scratch, then our network requirements are implemented by at least three devices:
A. The repository itself, which can fulfill the requirements of Clauses 1 and 2.
B. Router, which provides access to the repository (to media content), according to our requirements in paragraph 3 and the Wishlist in mind.
C. What we are looking at and / or what we are looking at in accordance with paragraphs 4 and 5.
The last item in the option “WHAT and WHAT” is valid only for those who plan to purchase a new modern TV or projector for home cinema. For those who already have a TV and it does not support network access and playback of networked media content (DivX, AVI, MKV files, etc.), and the purchase of a new TV is not planned - we will only talk about "what" We look.
Before examining in detail the criteria for each of the three devices and some alternatives, a few words about network media players.
A modern networked media player, as a rule, is also a repository at the same time, and supports torrent downloading and is an all-round audio-video player . Those. fulfills all requirements except paragraph 3.
Further, for brevity, we will call our storage - NAS (Network Attached Storage). This abbreviation is popular in the market for 2 or more network disk arrays, but in our case it does not matter. Single-disk network storages are usually called simply “network drives”, because in contrast to full-fledged NAS, they, as a rule, do not have all those functions that have become classical for modern NAS, and which will be discussed below.
So, if a modern media player is an “all-in-one” one, is relatively not expensive, then why don't we put it as the center of our home media network and home theater?
There may be several answers.
All these arguments are certainly not critical and can be more than offset by the low cost of the media player itself, however, in my opinion, there is no beauty of the solution when using a media player. It is, as it were, a decision from the side. Moreover, the player shows only on one TV, and for watching on another TV in another room you will need to use a media streamer (the same as a network media player, only without the ability to install a hard disk), or transfer the player to another room and mess with wires.
And when viewed on another TV, both devices should be turned on, which may not always be possible if, for example, in a room with a media player, someone from the family is sleeping.
Therefore, we will not consider in detail the circuits with media players; we will touch only media streamers for those who already have TVs, but not network ones. Ardent fans of media players, as central home media processors, can still read the article further, just for the sake of interest, to see what else a home media network and a cinema can be on the couch.
Please note that we will not consider any USB flash drives, DVD, BD, and USB external drives as transport (delivery options) for media content to the viewing point (playback device). All this is also a decision from the side, because requires extra operations and pre-recording content on the media, which in itself requires certain knowledge and skills, and not everyone can be done by simply watching a movie from a home movie library.
As we decided above, we will simply call the storage NAS.
What is a NAS? First of all, it is an array of several disks combined in RAID 0 or 1 for dual-drive arrays and RAID 5 for three-drive or higher. Other RAID options are possible, but their implementation will depend on the specific NAS model. RAID 0.1 is all dual-drive NAS, and RAID 5 is all three-drive and higher.
Which NAS is best for home storage? It depends on the size of the collection and on the need for additional services for working with media content in the repository.
You can define some basic parameters that you should focus on when choosing a particular NAS model.
1. Support for large disks, 2GB and above. (Basically, count the volume of your existing collection and multiply by 2. A NAS of this size will guarantee you several years of quiet life without having to search for free space for the next BD rip. For the average user, I think NAS 2x2TB RAID 0 (striping, disks are combined into one logical - 4TB) is the ideal starting point.)
2. The ability to scale without loss of content. Those. the ability to add new drives and change the RAID configuration without losing existing data. (If you increase the number of disks from 3x and more, I strongly recommend switching to RAID 5, it will significantly increase the reliability of the array, although it will take the capacity of one disk from you.) The lack of this opportunity can turn into a big problem for you in the future if you want to upgrade.
3. Availability of LAN1000 interface (Gigabit network). This is a required parameter. Feel free to skip all NASs with a LAN10 / 100 interface - filling in storage with such an interface even with one BD rip (~ 30GB) can turn your 30-minute wait, but imagine that one rip is not one, but 100 (a neighbor brought rewrite).
4. Availability of DLNA certification. DLNA is an international standard that allows different devices to communicate and share media content with each other. It is the presence of DLNA support in the NAS that allows you to easily and comfortably play video, photos and audio from the storage on any home device with DLNA support, whether it be a TV or a smartphone.
5. The presence of a torrent or EMule client, for quiet downloading files. The NAS, as a rule, works 24/7 and is installed far from the living area (on the balcony, mezzanine, in the closet), so as not to disturb the residents with the noise of disks and coolers.
The presence of additional “idlers” in the NAS, such as different photo and audio web albums, the ability to connect IP cameras, access via FTP, SMB, security policies and restrictions on the access rights of different users to different parts of the content - all this improves interaction with the collection ( including from anywhere in the World) and makes working with content more comfortable. Some NAS can even serve as a hosting service and allow you to host websites and publish them on the Internet.
It is also not superfluous to be able to support third-party NAS mini-applications to extend the basic functionality.
All of the above possibilities are in the NAS from the manufacturer Synology . QNap and Thecus products also deserve attention, but they are not so rich in functionality and performance, which may sometimes be required in transcodung video (which we'll talk about a bit later).
As we defined earlier, except for the “tail” from the Internet provider, we have nothing.
The router for us will perform two main functions:
1. provide Internet access to all network devices (NAS, PC, TV, etc.);
2. to interconnect all network devices into a local network, thus allowing them to exchange information and media content.
In my opinion, the best solution for these tasks would be a Wi-Fi router with LAN1000 support (we considered the need for a Gigabit network above).
At the same time, if there is such a physical opportunity, all stationary devices in the house, such as NAS, Desktop PC, TV, are better connected to the network with a cable, twisted pair, this will provide additional reliability and throughput, which is so necessary for high-definition video.
If you connect via a twisted pair is not possible, then you can use Wi-Fi standard N and only that.
Unfortunately, the bandwidth of Wi-Fi b / g for high-definition video, and, especially, if different people watch different movies in different rooms, is definitely not enough. And again, when copying large amounts of Wi-Fi b / g files from or to NAS, it will be a kind of bottleneck and will require a huge amount of such valuable time (and in some cases a loss of time will mean the failure of the whole event;).
So, therefore, our router must support Wi = Fi N (b / g / n), LAN1000 and have a built-in switch, for example, to 4 ports of the same LAN1000, for connecting fixed devices. For some, you may need a USB port to connect, for example, a network printer or a network drive, but this is already a matter of taste and is not mandatory.
The best performance in Wi-Fi shows devices with support for Dual-Band and MIMO .
In my opinion and from my own experience, the most "purely" cope with the transfer of large amounts of media over Wi-Fi devices Linksys . This does not mean that others are doing poorly, but from those that fell into my hands, Linksis showed himself best when working in Wi-Fi. But, again, everything here may depend on the layout of the apartment and the installation site of the router.
This is perhaps the most diverse topic in which there are no absolutely correct or ideal solutions, as they say, there is no comrades ’taste or color.
But to consider some key points when designing a home theater is still possible.
We will not deal with the choice of acoustics in this article, because it requires an analysis of the characteristics of the receivers and the multichannel acoustics itself, and this is another, completely separate topic.
If we are talking about designing from scratch, then we are going to purchase either a TV or a projector. There is one piece of advice, and both should be online and support DLNA. This will guarantee you no need to purchase a separate media player with a separate remote control and power supply. All modern TV and projectors with DLNA support already have a built-in and rather omnivorous player (as a rule, all the functionality of such a device is provided by the capabilities of a single center processor, as in a media player). And the ability to periodically update the firmware will solve compatibility issues with various audio-video formats, if any, arise with your particular collection of films.
The most attractive in this context are TVs with Smart TV or Google TV technology. They have a network, and DLNA, and an Internet browser, and Skype, and a host of different media services that will make your pastime in your home theater as comfortable as possible. It is also worth bearing in mind that for most Smart and Google TV you can purchase accessories - wireless keyboards with trackball, etc., which will significantly simplify surfing the Internet and work with files in the storage.
Many network TVs already have a built-in Wi-Fi module. If not, then almost certainly Wi-Fi can be implemented using a USB Wi-Fi dongle . But here it is necessary to check the possibility of supporting a specific dongle TV, and remember that to reliably and comfortably watch high-definition video over Wi-Fi, it is necessary to support N (IEEE 802.11b / g / n) standard. As a rule, manufacturers publish a list of dongles and accessories supported by the TV. Sometimes accessories are made by third-party manufacturers, then you have to tinker with the search.
Well, once again recall that LAN1000 (cable) is still better than any Wi-Fi.
And this is someone that more like it. )) For example, the projector seems to me to be not quite perfect in terms of a picture. The light has to be turned off in the room, the screen texture is visible, a cooler is noisy, a cooling lamp, a wiring harness under the ceiling, a separate console. I prefer the ISP matrix and LED backlight. However, supporters of the projectors may have their own arguments - the size of the screen and, as a consequence, the presence effect.
An example of a projector with Wi-Fi and DLNA support.
I can’t write anything concrete ... I personally personally believe that the technology is still far from perfect, even in 3DMAX cinemas, not to mention home versions. Eyes with a head get a little tired (and some just spin), regardless of the implementation of 3D technology , 2-3 films in a row are unlikely to look, even on a very soft sofa.
Although the future, of course, it is for such technologies that create the effect of presence, there is no dispute.
Thus, if there is a desire and funds to buy a projector or a TV with 3D support and a few pairs of glasses, respectively, feel free to take it, since the 3D mode can be turned on and off, the home theater will only benefit from it.
It's all very simple. If you have a TV and it is not networked, then your choice is a media streamer. A small omnivorous network box that streams over a LAN or Wi-Fi (both are usually built-in, although Wi-Fi dongle support is also possible) video from the storage to your TV. The better the streamer, the better the picture and omnivorous. Since the streamer works only when you are watching something, there is no need for additional services in the tape drive, except for the Internet browser and You-Tube support, etc.
In the market of media streamers (as well as media players) two leaders and competitors, the manufacturer of processors for these devices, have long been formed. RealTek and Sigma Desing.
The most popular and functional processors at the time of writing this article are Realtek RTD1186DD, Realtek RTD1073DD (the first one can also record video from a digital TV tuner and supports 3D) and Sigma SMP8910 and SMP8670 (the first with 3D support).
There are also players and streamers on the market based on chipsets from other manufacturers, but their characteristics are noticeably inferior to the two leaders.
Therefore, if you choose a streamer (or player) on the above-mentioned chipsets, you can rather boldly orient not so much on the characteristics (which are almost the same for most models now), but rather on the size and design of the device, so that it fits the TV and does not spoil the movie theater surroundings . HDMI is well with almost all players and streamers, the rest of the interfaces will probably not be interesting for a home theater.
Recently, Dune products have recommended themselves very well. IconBit and Popcorn also deserve attention (the latter is a unique and unsurpassed leader in media players, because Siabma is a subsidiary of Sigma Desing itself through two tribes).
A few words about PC-based home media centers, since these devices cannot be ignored by the home network and the cinema on the couch.
These devices are a mini-computer running Linux (as a rule) or Windows and can combine the functions of all the above devices, storage, router and media player.
For experienced users to assemble and configure such a device is not difficult.
However, for most common “juzverej” assembly and configuration is almost not available in the absence of special knowledge and training, and operation can be difficult if the HMC will require to intervene in some internal processes that go beyond viewing the video.
However, one such neatly assembled and configured device placed on entresol (on the balcony or in the closet), so as not to administer it in the future, can be a worthy replacement for the previously described version of the home media network. It is best of all to control this media center through the remote control via the infrared port displayed on the TV. On the spec. case hold handy wireless mouse and keyboard.
In general, if you have the skills - go for it (the system will be much cheaper than NAS, a router and a new TV).
If not, I recommend using ready-made solutions available on the market. It will be more expensive, but the quality of devices specially tailored for specific tasks will be higher than the all-in-one option.
There have been ready-made HMC variants on the market for a long time, but they are not particularly popular among users (probably due to increased complexity in setting up and operating).
Transcoding is the process of converting video on the fly (or a separate video or audio stream) into a format supported by the TV / player / streamer, that is, directly during playback.
The need for transcoding occurs when a TV or player cannot play (decode) a video or audio file. If the file was attempted to be played on the DLNA network, then in case of failure, the TV (or player) returns the DLNA server (in our case, the NAS fulfills its role) about the inability to play the content, and separately reports what exactly failed to play, the audio track or video.
If the DLNA server belongs to the advanced category, it automatically starts the transcoding procedure, the entire file or a specific audio or video track.
There are two types of transcoding.
In the first case, the file is simply remixed, i.e. repackaged on the fly in another container. Audio and video stream formats (codecs) remain the same.
In the second case, the entire file content is encoded into the most compatible format in the opinion of the DLNA server itself, or in the format set by the user by default.
A small excursion into the past.
It is not strange, the transcoding itself owes its appearance not to the fact that TV or players periodically encountered unreadable files. Transcoding, as a necessity, appeared after the release of the PS3 game console, which was extremely demanding on the video format, received only m2ts files, although it physically could perfectly reproduce high definition video in h.264 with AAC or AC3 sound. Then in the most popular media server “PS3 mediaserver” (DLNA server), then only for PS3 owners, a transcoding function appeared, which was remoused by MKV files “on the fly” (repackaged) into M2TS, and the AVI from DivX is already fully distilled to MPEG1 or 2 (which the PS3 also understood).
PS3 mediaserver and now remains one of the most popular media servers for the PC.
However, it has a very unfriendly interface and is rather complicated to configure. I personally had problems with it when generating mini-images for previewing videos in the catalog on TV.
The undoubted advantage of this midia server is accessibility for the Linux platform.
Another very successful media server with transcoding function is Nero MediaHome . I settled on it for its user-friendly interface and the good work of autodetecting which format you want to transcode the video if it cannot be read by the TV.
The disadvantage is that there is no version for Linux.
Another promising media server is Serviio . There is automatic transcoding and a version for Linux.
Why do I focus on the Linux version? Because most modern NAS have firmware based on Linux, and therefore allow you to install third-party applications for Linux.
To date, only NAS Synology has implemented video transcoding in the base firmware (though only in remux mode).
It should be understood that transcoding on the fly is quite a resource-intensive task, and requires a sufficiently powerful processor and enough memory in the NAS.
And if for a simple remux, the power of a 1GHz Marvel processor is enough, then for a complete transcoding to another format you need at least an Atom and 1.5GHz.
In this regard, you can immediately weed out as inappropriate for our purposes budget products Synology, QNap and Thecus "for the home", there is almost everywhere Marvel or Cavium, and Atom only in expensive products for "home and office" or in devices exclusively for business. "
Synology products have another nice feature in the form of focusing on cloud technologies, cloud media services (implemented in NASe) and the availability of applications for using these services for iPhone and Android smartphones.
It seems to me that the article describes almost all possible options for implementing a home network with a cinema on the couch, through which I myself went.
I would be glad if someone this information will help determine their own choice.
So, the article, first of all, will be interesting to those who are just planning to organize a “global network” at home, which will store collections of video, audio and photos and from which all this can be listened to and viewed with maximum comfort.
Therefore, basically, we will describe some kind of “ideal” network structure and the minimum set of necessary network devices, as if we were organizing a network from scratch. However, alternatives, for those who already have some working network infrastructure at home, we will also consider so that everyone has the opportunity to compare and choose the best upgrade option for themselves.
All of the following is based on the author’s many years of experience, who, through trial and error, decided on the composition of the home media network and now would like to share the experience gained in public, in order to show himself and others to look. ;)
')
Who is interested - I ask under the cat.
Start
In the beginning, let's define the minimum composition of our home media network (we will call it that).
Suppose at the moment we have only the “tail” of the ISP, the computer (main) and all.
To determine the composition of the network, we need to determine what we want from it.
I suppose most ordinary users want the following:
1. Unlimited (for the next few years) storage capacity (where our favorite movies, music and family photos will be stored).
2. If we are talking about video, then “silent” download of torrents 24/7 (i.e., it is highly desirable without using the main computer).
3. Access to the storage (ie, to our video, audio and photos) from anywhere in the house and from any device that is connected to the home network.
4. Reproduce "everything and everything", regardless of format, container, etc., etc. - i.e. omnivorous (but again, not a basic computer, since we are talking about a “cinema on the couch” and “from anywhere in the house”, and this is certainly not about a laptop).
5. “I want like in the movies -
For many users, it is also extremely desirable to have access to the repository not only from anywhere in the house, but also from anywhere in the world where there is Internet access, and also to manage the download of torrents. But, as they say, Nice To Have, so we'll just keep this “Wishlist” in mind.
Note:
When designing our home media network, we will deliberately avoid using a home computer, stationary or portable. A computer is a multifunctional device, it can be turned off, occupied by another family member, busy with another, resource-intensive task, with which compressed video can be played simultaneously in parallel, etc. A portable computer (laptop, ultrabook) may not be at home with the owner at all. All this should not prevent other home users from having free access to the repository with media content (movies, music and photos) at any given time. In addition, a computer (if it is not equipped with a software media server with a separate console) may itself be difficult for some home users, if their skills in working with a computer (or a specific OS, program, etc.) are not large enough.
If we talk about the network from scratch, then our network requirements are implemented by at least three devices:
A. The repository itself, which can fulfill the requirements of Clauses 1 and 2.
B. Router, which provides access to the repository (to media content), according to our requirements in paragraph 3 and the Wishlist in mind.
C. What we are looking at and / or what we are looking at in accordance with paragraphs 4 and 5.
The last item in the option “WHAT and WHAT” is valid only for those who plan to purchase a new modern TV or projector for home cinema. For those who already have a TV and it does not support network access and playback of networked media content (DivX, AVI, MKV files, etc.), and the purchase of a new TV is not planned - we will only talk about "what" We look.
Before examining in detail the criteria for each of the three devices and some alternatives, a few words about network media players.
A modern networked media player, as a rule, is also a repository at the same time, and supports torrent downloading and is an all-round audio-video player . Those. fulfills all requirements except paragraph 3.
Further, for brevity, we will call our storage - NAS (Network Attached Storage). This abbreviation is popular in the market for 2 or more network disk arrays, but in our case it does not matter. Single-disk network storages are usually called simply “network drives”, because in contrast to full-fledged NAS, they, as a rule, do not have all those functions that have become classical for modern NAS, and which will be discussed below.
So, if a modern media player is an “all-in-one” one, is relatively not expensive, then why don't we put it as the center of our home media network and home theater?
There may be several answers.
First of all
, and what is most critical in my opinion, you can install only one disk in a network-media player. If you take the most popular and affordable 2TB hard drive, then with today's rip sizes with BD (~ 30GB) and taking into account the size of the current audio-video collection of the average user (I focus on myself and my circle of friends), then 2TB as once enough to put all this in one place, along with family photos. But in order to expand the collection further, and even more so for several years without expanding the storage capacity, this will already be problematic. Most likely, old files will have to be deleted, and these are unnecessary actions, the need for periodic revision of the archive and the risk of removing the necessary information from a family (film or photo).Secondly
, for the reason described above, it is desirable to install the maximum possible size of the disk in the media player, and this, for today, only HDD. SSD on 2TB if you get it on special order, then its price will not be quite adequate ... So HDD. But the media player usually stands next to the TV, and therefore the noise from the HDD will be heard (no matter how quiet the drive is and no matter how quietly the cooler works in the player). If while watching a movie, the noise from the disk can be neglected against the background of the volume of the movie itself, then at night, in absolute silence, the disk noise will be heard, especially the periodic parking of the heads, when the disk goes to sleep. And if in this room someone sleeps? We'll have to turn off the player, which means that the torrents are no longer loaded 24/7.Thirdly
, a media player, this is an additional device in the very mind, with its own separate remote control and power supply. The problem of additional remote control can be solved using one universal remote control for all equipment in one room, for example. But you still have to switch the remote between devices.All these arguments are certainly not critical and can be more than offset by the low cost of the media player itself, however, in my opinion, there is no beauty of the solution when using a media player. It is, as it were, a decision from the side. Moreover, the player shows only on one TV, and for watching on another TV in another room you will need to use a media streamer (the same as a network media player, only without the ability to install a hard disk), or transfer the player to another room and mess with wires.
And when viewed on another TV, both devices should be turned on, which may not always be possible if, for example, in a room with a media player, someone from the family is sleeping.
Therefore, we will not consider in detail the circuits with media players; we will touch only media streamers for those who already have TVs, but not network ones. Ardent fans of media players, as central home media processors, can still read the article further, just for the sake of interest, to see what else a home media network and a cinema can be on the couch.
Note:
Please note that we will not consider any USB flash drives, DVD, BD, and USB external drives as transport (delivery options) for media content to the viewing point (playback device). All this is also a decision from the side, because requires extra operations and pre-recording content on the media, which in itself requires certain knowledge and skills, and not everyone can be done by simply watching a movie from a home movie library.
Storage
As we decided above, we will simply call the storage NAS.
What is a NAS? First of all, it is an array of several disks combined in RAID 0 or 1 for dual-drive arrays and RAID 5 for three-drive or higher. Other RAID options are possible, but their implementation will depend on the specific NAS model. RAID 0.1 is all dual-drive NAS, and RAID 5 is all three-drive and higher.
Which NAS is best for home storage? It depends on the size of the collection and on the need for additional services for working with media content in the repository.
You can define some basic parameters that you should focus on when choosing a particular NAS model.
1. Support for large disks, 2GB and above. (Basically, count the volume of your existing collection and multiply by 2. A NAS of this size will guarantee you several years of quiet life without having to search for free space for the next BD rip. For the average user, I think NAS 2x2TB RAID 0 (striping, disks are combined into one logical - 4TB) is the ideal starting point.)
2. The ability to scale without loss of content. Those. the ability to add new drives and change the RAID configuration without losing existing data. (If you increase the number of disks from 3x and more, I strongly recommend switching to RAID 5, it will significantly increase the reliability of the array, although it will take the capacity of one disk from you.) The lack of this opportunity can turn into a big problem for you in the future if you want to upgrade.
3. Availability of LAN1000 interface (Gigabit network). This is a required parameter. Feel free to skip all NASs with a LAN10 / 100 interface - filling in storage with such an interface even with one BD rip (~ 30GB) can turn your 30-minute wait, but imagine that one rip is not one, but 100 (a neighbor brought rewrite).
4. Availability of DLNA certification. DLNA is an international standard that allows different devices to communicate and share media content with each other. It is the presence of DLNA support in the NAS that allows you to easily and comfortably play video, photos and audio from the storage on any home device with DLNA support, whether it be a TV or a smartphone.
5. The presence of a torrent or EMule client, for quiet downloading files. The NAS, as a rule, works 24/7 and is installed far from the living area (on the balcony, mezzanine, in the closet), so as not to disturb the residents with the noise of disks and coolers.
The presence of additional “idlers” in the NAS, such as different photo and audio web albums, the ability to connect IP cameras, access via FTP, SMB, security policies and restrictions on the access rights of different users to different parts of the content - all this improves interaction with the collection ( including from anywhere in the World) and makes working with content more comfortable. Some NAS can even serve as a hosting service and allow you to host websites and publish them on the Internet.
It is also not superfluous to be able to support third-party NAS mini-applications to extend the basic functionality.
For information:
All of the above possibilities are in the NAS from the manufacturer Synology . QNap and Thecus products also deserve attention, but they are not so rich in functionality and performance, which may sometimes be required in transcodung video (which we'll talk about a bit later).
Router
As we defined earlier, except for the “tail” from the Internet provider, we have nothing.
The router for us will perform two main functions:
1. provide Internet access to all network devices (NAS, PC, TV, etc.);
2. to interconnect all network devices into a local network, thus allowing them to exchange information and media content.
In my opinion, the best solution for these tasks would be a Wi-Fi router with LAN1000 support (we considered the need for a Gigabit network above).
At the same time, if there is such a physical opportunity, all stationary devices in the house, such as NAS, Desktop PC, TV, are better connected to the network with a cable, twisted pair, this will provide additional reliability and throughput, which is so necessary for high-definition video.
If you connect via a twisted pair is not possible, then you can use Wi-Fi standard N and only that.
Unfortunately, the bandwidth of Wi-Fi b / g for high-definition video, and, especially, if different people watch different movies in different rooms, is definitely not enough. And again, when copying large amounts of Wi-Fi b / g files from or to NAS, it will be a kind of bottleneck and will require a huge amount of such valuable time (and in some cases a loss of time will mean the failure of the whole event;).
So, therefore, our router must support Wi = Fi N (b / g / n), LAN1000 and have a built-in switch, for example, to 4 ports of the same LAN1000, for connecting fixed devices. For some, you may need a USB port to connect, for example, a network printer or a network drive, but this is already a matter of taste and is not mandatory.
Note:
The best performance in Wi-Fi shows devices with support for Dual-Band and MIMO .
For information:
In my opinion and from my own experience, the most "purely" cope with the transfer of large amounts of media over Wi-Fi devices Linksys . This does not mean that others are doing poorly, but from those that fell into my hands, Linksis showed himself best when working in Wi-Fi. But, again, everything here may depend on the layout of the apartment and the installation site of the router.
What we look at and What.
This is perhaps the most diverse topic in which there are no absolutely correct or ideal solutions, as they say, there is no comrades ’taste or color.
But to consider some key points when designing a home theater is still possible.
Note:
We will not deal with the choice of acoustics in this article, because it requires an analysis of the characteristics of the receivers and the multichannel acoustics itself, and this is another, completely separate topic.
If we are talking about designing from scratch, then we are going to purchase either a TV or a projector. There is one piece of advice, and both should be online and support DLNA. This will guarantee you no need to purchase a separate media player with a separate remote control and power supply. All modern TV and projectors with DLNA support already have a built-in and rather omnivorous player (as a rule, all the functionality of such a device is provided by the capabilities of a single center processor, as in a media player). And the ability to periodically update the firmware will solve compatibility issues with various audio-video formats, if any, arise with your particular collection of films.
For information:
The most attractive in this context are TVs with Smart TV or Google TV technology. They have a network, and DLNA, and an Internet browser, and Skype, and a host of different media services that will make your pastime in your home theater as comfortable as possible. It is also worth bearing in mind that for most Smart and Google TV you can purchase accessories - wireless keyboards with trackball, etc., which will significantly simplify surfing the Internet and work with files in the storage.
Many network TVs already have a built-in Wi-Fi module. If not, then almost certainly Wi-Fi can be implemented using a USB Wi-Fi dongle . But here it is necessary to check the possibility of supporting a specific dongle TV, and remember that to reliably and comfortably watch high-definition video over Wi-Fi, it is necessary to support N (IEEE 802.11b / g / n) standard. As a rule, manufacturers publish a list of dongles and accessories supported by the TV. Sometimes accessories are made by third-party manufacturers, then you have to tinker with the search.
Well, once again recall that LAN1000 (cable) is still better than any Wi-Fi.
TV or projector
And this is someone that more like it. )) For example, the projector seems to me to be not quite perfect in terms of a picture. The light has to be turned off in the room, the screen texture is visible, a cooler is noisy, a cooling lamp, a wiring harness under the ceiling, a separate console. I prefer the ISP matrix and LED backlight. However, supporters of the projectors may have their own arguments - the size of the screen and, as a consequence, the presence effect.
For information:
An example of a projector with Wi-Fi and DLNA support.
3D
I can’t write anything concrete ... I personally personally believe that the technology is still far from perfect, even in 3DMAX cinemas, not to mention home versions. Eyes with a head get a little tired (and some just spin), regardless of the implementation of 3D technology , 2-3 films in a row are unlikely to look, even on a very soft sofa.
Although the future, of course, it is for such technologies that create the effect of presence, there is no dispute.
Thus, if there is a desire and funds to buy a projector or a TV with 3D support and a few pairs of glasses, respectively, feel free to take it, since the 3D mode can be turned on and off, the home theater will only benefit from it.
Media streamers
It's all very simple. If you have a TV and it is not networked, then your choice is a media streamer. A small omnivorous network box that streams over a LAN or Wi-Fi (both are usually built-in, although Wi-Fi dongle support is also possible) video from the storage to your TV. The better the streamer, the better the picture and omnivorous. Since the streamer works only when you are watching something, there is no need for additional services in the tape drive, except for the Internet browser and You-Tube support, etc.
In the market of media streamers (as well as media players) two leaders and competitors, the manufacturer of processors for these devices, have long been formed. RealTek and Sigma Desing.
The most popular and functional processors at the time of writing this article are Realtek RTD1186DD, Realtek RTD1073DD (the first one can also record video from a digital TV tuner and supports 3D) and Sigma SMP8910 and SMP8670 (the first with 3D support).
There are also players and streamers on the market based on chipsets from other manufacturers, but their characteristics are noticeably inferior to the two leaders.
Therefore, if you choose a streamer (or player) on the above-mentioned chipsets, you can rather boldly orient not so much on the characteristics (which are almost the same for most models now), but rather on the size and design of the device, so that it fits the TV and does not spoil the movie theater surroundings . HDMI is well with almost all players and streamers, the rest of the interfaces will probably not be interesting for a home theater.
For information:
Recently, Dune products have recommended themselves very well. IconBit and Popcorn also deserve attention (the latter is a unique and unsurpassed leader in media players, because Siabma is a subsidiary of Sigma Desing itself through two tribes).
HMC (Home Media Center)
A few words about PC-based home media centers, since these devices cannot be ignored by the home network and the cinema on the couch.
These devices are a mini-computer running Linux (as a rule) or Windows and can combine the functions of all the above devices, storage, router and media player.
For experienced users to assemble and configure such a device is not difficult.
However, for most common “juzverej” assembly and configuration is almost not available in the absence of special knowledge and training, and operation can be difficult if the HMC will require to intervene in some internal processes that go beyond viewing the video.
However, one such neatly assembled and configured device placed on entresol (on the balcony or in the closet), so as not to administer it in the future, can be a worthy replacement for the previously described version of the home media network. It is best of all to control this media center through the remote control via the infrared port displayed on the TV. On the spec. case hold handy wireless mouse and keyboard.
In general, if you have the skills - go for it (the system will be much cheaper than NAS, a router and a new TV).
If not, I recommend using ready-made solutions available on the market. It will be more expensive, but the quality of devices specially tailored for specific tasks will be higher than the all-in-one option.
For information:
There have been ready-made HMC variants on the market for a long time, but they are not particularly popular among users (probably due to increased complexity in setting up and operating).
Pro transcoding
Transcoding is the process of converting video on the fly (or a separate video or audio stream) into a format supported by the TV / player / streamer, that is, directly during playback.
The need for transcoding occurs when a TV or player cannot play (decode) a video or audio file. If the file was attempted to be played on the DLNA network, then in case of failure, the TV (or player) returns the DLNA server (in our case, the NAS fulfills its role) about the inability to play the content, and separately reports what exactly failed to play, the audio track or video.
If the DLNA server belongs to the advanced category, it automatically starts the transcoding procedure, the entire file or a specific audio or video track.
There are two types of transcoding.
In the first case, the file is simply remixed, i.e. repackaged on the fly in another container. Audio and video stream formats (codecs) remain the same.
In the second case, the entire file content is encoded into the most compatible format in the opinion of the DLNA server itself, or in the format set by the user by default.
A small excursion into the past.
It is not strange, the transcoding itself owes its appearance not to the fact that TV or players periodically encountered unreadable files. Transcoding, as a necessity, appeared after the release of the PS3 game console, which was extremely demanding on the video format, received only m2ts files, although it physically could perfectly reproduce high definition video in h.264 with AAC or AC3 sound. Then in the most popular media server “PS3 mediaserver” (DLNA server), then only for PS3 owners, a transcoding function appeared, which was remoused by MKV files “on the fly” (repackaged) into M2TS, and the AVI from DivX is already fully distilled to MPEG1 or 2 (which the PS3 also understood).
PS3 mediaserver and now remains one of the most popular media servers for the PC.
However, it has a very unfriendly interface and is rather complicated to configure. I personally had problems with it when generating mini-images for previewing videos in the catalog on TV.
The undoubted advantage of this midia server is accessibility for the Linux platform.
Another very successful media server with transcoding function is Nero MediaHome . I settled on it for its user-friendly interface and the good work of autodetecting which format you want to transcode the video if it cannot be read by the TV.
The disadvantage is that there is no version for Linux.
Another promising media server is Serviio . There is automatic transcoding and a version for Linux.
Why do I focus on the Linux version? Because most modern NAS have firmware based on Linux, and therefore allow you to install third-party applications for Linux.
To date, only NAS Synology has implemented video transcoding in the base firmware (though only in remux mode).
It should be understood that transcoding on the fly is quite a resource-intensive task, and requires a sufficiently powerful processor and enough memory in the NAS.
And if for a simple remux, the power of a 1GHz Marvel processor is enough, then for a complete transcoding to another format you need at least an Atom and 1.5GHz.
In this regard, you can immediately weed out as inappropriate for our purposes budget products Synology, QNap and Thecus "for the home", there is almost everywhere Marvel or Cavium, and Atom only in expensive products for "home and office" or in devices exclusively for business. "
For information:
Synology products have another nice feature in the form of focusing on cloud technologies, cloud media services (implemented in NASe) and the availability of applications for using these services for iPhone and Android smartphones.
Conclusion
It seems to me that the article describes almost all possible options for implementing a home network with a cinema on the couch, through which I myself went.
I would be glad if someone this information will help determine their own choice.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/144680/
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