Giada is no stranger to the compact systems, but the new i80 takes it to a whole new level with power in a compact chassis. The tiny i80 mini-PC is built on Intel’s NUC concept that packs plenty of power in a compact form factor and coupled with a fashionable appearance, as they call it. The i80 is using the latest Skylake-U processors and support dual 4K UHD resolution that makes it perfect for office work.
The Giada i80 features both HDMI and Mini-DisplayPort connectors for your monitors and they are powered by an Intel Graphics 520 GPU unit. There are two different models with different CPU, but other than that the two models are the same. One uses an Intel Core i5-6200U processor with 2.5GHz and 2.8GHz boost while the other uses the smaller i3-6100U processor with 2..3GHz and no Turbo Boost 2.0.
You are able to install up to 16GB DDR3L-1600 MHz in these units via the two SO-DIMM slots which should be plenty for most work situations. The two slots also allow for dual-channel memory usage that gives a clear benefit over units that only feature one slot.
There are plenty of connection and control options. Starting on the front, there are two USB 3.0 ports next to a 3.5mm audio jack and an IR receiver.
The connections continue on the rear where we find the previously mentioned Mini-DisplayPort that supports 4K 60Hz resolutions and the HDMI port that allows 4K resolutions with 24Hz. There are two more USB 3.0 ports on the rear where you also find an RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet connector and a TF card reader.
On the inside, you will find an integrated Realtek ALC662 audio codec that powers the two-in-on jack on the front. The Ethernet is powered by Intel’s i219LM controller.
You can expand the function with a full-length Mini-PCIe card that supports mSATA2, a half-length Mini-PCIe Wi-Fi or BT module, and install one mSATA3 drive as well as one 2.5-inch SATA3 drive with a maximum height of 7.5mm. That is quite a bit of expansion options for such a tiny system. speaking of tiny, the system only measures 116.6 x 111 x 47.1 mm
The larger i80-B5000 model comes with a suggested retail price of $380, but the price for the smaller i80-B3000 model wasn’t revealed at this time. Further details can also be found on the official product page.
ASUS already got a lot of praise for their tiny Mini PCs and they’ve just announced two new systems in the series. The two new systems are called the VivoMini VM65N and the VivoMiniVM65 and they are impressive, compact, 2-liter systems that still pack quite a punch. The systems are built with Intel Skylake i3 or i5 CPUs and come with discrete Nvidia 900M series graphics card to deliver a smooth 4K visual experience and casual gaming. Don’t misunderstand this, it isn’t for gaming in 4K, naturally.
The new system can be equipped with up to 16GB DDR4 memory to be the backbone for the either an i5-6200U CPU in the VM65N and a VM65 uses an i3-6100U CPU. It also only the N model that features the Nvidia GeForce 930M graphics card with 1GB DDR3 memory while the VM65 relies on the Intel HD Graphics 520 iGPU. Both come with ASUS SonicMaster-enhanced audio to make them an ideal choice for a daily computing platform or home entertainment hub.
The tiny 2-liter systems only support one 3.5-inch drive, but you can also mount two 2.5-inch drives via Vivo DualBay adapter, effectively turning them into one as far as the system is concerned. You can get the VM665 series with either a 3.5-inch 500GB or 1TB 7200rpm HDD, 2.5-inch 500GB or 1TB 5400rpm HDD, or 2.5-inch 128GB or 256G SSD out of the box.
The VM65N comes with two USB 3.1 ports that the smaller model doesn’t have, but other than that the connections are the same. You get four USB 3.0 ports, one RJ45 LAN port, HDMI and DisplayPort with UHD 4K support, a card reader, and audio connections.
The price naturally variates based on model and the drives you want it to come with and not all models will be launched in all regions or at the same time. In the United Kingdom the VM65N will launch with a single SKU VM65N-G018Z model that features an i5-6200U CPU, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD, 1TB HDD, GT930M 1GB GPU, Win 10 64bit OS, Intel Dual Band 802.11ac WiFi+ BT, and with a Wireless Keyboard & Mouse included. This system will then set you back £549.99.
In today’s review, I am taking a look at a NAS that comes with a twist that we previously haven’t seen out-of-the-box. I’m talking about QNAP’s TAS-268 NAS which is a 2-bay hybrid NAS that runs both QNAP’s QTS and Android at the same time. The TAS-268 doesn’t just have a twist in the operating system, the physical form also takes a different approach than most NAS on the market.
At the core, the QNAP TAS-268 is a normal NAS with the function that you would expect from such a unit. It doesn’t come with the most power processor, but in return, it also comes with a low price tag despite all the functionality. It is built around an ARM 1.1 GHz dual-core processor and comes with 2GB DDR3 memory. It also features an onboard 4GB flash memory to be used by the Android system. While this doesn’t sound like much, it should be plenty for this device’s functions.
Besides this 2-bay unit, QNAP also released a 1-bay unit with the only difference being the number of drives you can install. But it is the 2-bay unit that we’re looking at today and it supports RAID 0, RAID 1, JBOD, and single disk setup with two 3.5-inch hard disk drives. There are plenty of external connection options on the TAS-268 with one Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 port, four USB 2.0 ports on the rear and one USB 3.0 port on the front.
The front also features an SD card slot for easy and portable storage connection just as you’re used to from your Android phone or tablet – just much easier. You don’t need to remove any covers and battery as it is the case with many phones, instead, you have the SD slot right at the front of the device where you need it.
To complete the convenience experience, QNAP also added the one-touch copy button which allows just what the name promised, copy the content from the front USB port with a single press of the button. How the button shall react can be changed in the QTS system and it is capable of copy operations in both directions, both to and from the USB drives.
With a NAS like this that supports Android, we also need an HDMI port in order to connect it to our monitor or TV and the TAS-2688 also features this on the rear. It is accompanied by four USB 2.0 ports that come in handy for keyboard, mouse, and game controller connection in order to take even better advantage of the Android platform and all the available apps. You can also control the system through the use of the included IR remote control. The TS-268 supports HD and 4K H.265 / H.264 file formats, 4K H.264 with up to 15 frames per second and 4K H.265 with up to 30 frames per second.
Shouldn’t you want to connect the device via HDMI or maybe you just want to get your stored and linked media files onto more devices then you can take advantage of the common DLNA streaming that QNAP also supports. Consoles, Smart TVs, Mini-PCs and much more support this and it is probably the easiest method of streaming content.
Google Play also provides various media apps including YouTube, TED, Twitch and other video apps to be used directly on the NAS. You can install and stream movies, cartoons, TV series, news, and sports at any time in order to enrich your entertainment level.
QNAP introduced their myQNAPcloud system quite a while ago by now and naturally the TAS-268 also supports this. It isn’t just a simple and effective way to set up your new NAS, it also allows you to connect to the finished setup much quicker and easier. By acting as a simplified and locked-in dynamic DNS system it will allow you to easily connect to your NAS, securely, from anywhere in the world and any device as long as you and the NAS both have internet connectivity.
With that in mind, it is incredibly easy to create you own personal cloud system where you don’t have to rely on commercial or free options that thousands of other people use. Keep your files at home where you know who has access and who doesn’t. It is a breeze to sync files to the NAS via QNAP’s own Qsync as well as the Cloud Drive Sync app from the QTS app center that can sync files with Google Drive and Dropbox.
Both real-time and scheduled backups on Windows systems as well as with Time Machine on Mac OS systems is easily taken care of with QNAP’s NetBak replicator and it also features disaster recovery solutions including RTRR, rsync, and cloud storage backup (Dropbox and Google Drive) are also included. So all the bases are covered.
As previously mentioned, you naturally also get the ordinary NAS cross-platform file sharing capabilities from a centralized data storage. Whether you use Linux, Unix, Windows, or Mac OS, your connection is covered. And with the use of apps you get the same connectivity on your Windows Mobile, Android, or iOS system.
So far I have mostly been talking about the software functionality, but that’s just one of the great aspects on this NAS. The design is quite a bit different than we are used with a vertical unit rather than a horizontal oriented. This saves space on the desk with a smaller footprint which can be a vital factor near your entertainment system and similar likely placement scenarios.
The TAS-28 is also a very light unit due to a simple and clever design. Even better, the entire NAS can be set up completely tool-less for your convenience. There is a single thumbscrew at the bottom with which you can open up the chassis and the drive are mounted tool-less too with the included adapters.
Despite having a unique outer design, a lot of the internal design is something that reminds us of previous 2-bay NAS units – just improved with the tool-less drive mounting options and vertical instead of horizontal.
With all this talk about Android, we shouldn’t forget about the base QTS operating system. It provides a web-based user interface to help you easily manage files on the TAS-268. You can install various apps based on your needs to fulfill tasks like storage, backup, management and multimedia applications. File Station allows you to upload, download and manage files anywhere with a web browser. All of your photos, music and videos can be indexed by the built-in Media Library, and easily managed and shared with the Photo Station, Music Station and Video Station. The energy-saving Download Station is your 24/7 download center, allowing you to quickly download files to enrich your collection.
Feature Highlights
Dual-core CPU
Android and QTS operating system
Organize & manage files and backup tasks in one centralized location
Synchronize files between computers, laptops, and mobile devices
Remotely access your files securely from your personal cloud
Stream your multimedia library via DLNA to other devices and your TV
Enjoy direct media playback via HDMI with HD videos and photos
Compact and streamlined chassis ideal for a desktop or living room environment
Packaging and Accessories
The TAS-268 comes in a simple white box with a representation of the NAS unit as well as the feature highlights.
The rear of the box contains some more information as to what’s so special about this NAS, but it’s kept short.
Opening up the box and we find a brand new NAS that is well protected with self-adhesive plastic film – you know the kind we all love to peel off once we get a new gadget.
Besides the NAS itself, there is a quick installation guide to help you get started quickly, a power supply brick and power cord fitting the region you bought it in as well as an RJ45 LAN cable.
There’s also a small remote control included that is about 3 inches long. Shown below are also the four HDD mounting brackets that simply snap into the drive and hold it in place.
The first NAS that I reviewed after I joined eTeknix was QNAP’s amazing HS-251 NAS, so it is a real pleasure today as I have the upgraded model in the testing area. I will take QNAP’s SilentNAS HS-251+ for a thorough spin in my testing area and check on its performance as well as show you the latest version of the QTS operating system that was released recently.
The HS-251+ NAS retains the same basic design that provides you with a completely silent NAS. There are no fans or other parts that can generate any noise apart from the storage drives you’ll be using. This design adds another bonus which is a dust-free inside. This is made possible because the entire chassis is used as a heatsink for the entire unit and inserted drives. There are no fans to draw dust and other unwanted dirt into the system. That makes it very easy to maintain, but it also means that it should be placed on top of a shelve rather than in a tight spot where it could have trouble getting rid of the excess heat.
QNAP’s HS-251+ is powered by a quad-core Intel Celeron processor and while some might take a step back here, it’s a great chip for the system. You get four cores that run at 2.0GHz and with a burst speed up to 2.4GHz, it consumes very little power, which also helps with the cooling, and it has more than enough power to drive a system like this. The CPU is backed by 2GB DDR3L RAM and the NAS has a 512MB DOM for the basic system.
Whether you want to mount 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch drives, the HS-251+ can take both. We only got two bays at our disposal here, so most people will probably choose the larger 3.5-inch drives that provide up to 8TB capacity for consumers at the time of writing. Smaller 2.5-inch drives do however run more silently and it produces less heat, so it’s something that is worth to consider in a system like this. The drive bays themselves are hidden behind a removable front that further helps to keep dust out while it also gives the NAS a sleeker appearance.
Connection wise we find two USB 3.0 ports and two USB 2.0 ports next to the two RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet ports. Sadly none of the ports are located on the front or front end of the sides, but it isn’t a big issue with a flat NAS like this. You can easily both reach and view behind the unit. The NAS supports both printer and storage sharing through the built-in USB ports and over the network, which is a thing that can make the household IT-setup a lot easier.
You can also expand the HS-251+ through the use of QNAPs expansion enclosures UX-800P and UX-500P with 8 and 5 drives respectively. This can provide you with up to 80TB raw storage capacity in the HS-251+ using 8TB drives.
Next to those more normal connections, the QNAP HS-251+ also has an HDMI port from which you can connect it directly to your TV and use it for media playback and even run other operating systems in a virtual environment directly from the NAS. The QNAP QvPC technology is awesome and I’ll be showing you some of those features on the following pages. The HDMI connectivity supports 1080p video playback and the NAS also comes with hardware transcoding capability, making the HS-251+ is an ideal companion at home for multimedia entertainment.
Included with the QNAP HS-251+ is also a remote control that makes the usage from the couch a lot easier, more convenient, and in a fashion one is used to from TVs, DVRs, CD players, etc. With this, it is easy to control the playback and navigate the menus without the hassle of a keyboard and mouse.
The newest QNAP operating system, QTS 4.2, brings an even smoother experience than the predecessors with its flat and modern design. QNAP have streamlined loading times and added an intelligent desktop and multi-window operation that makes controlling every aspect of your HS-251+ fully accessible and easy to use.
It’s easy to centralize your all your files and backups in one place with this NAS, as it allows you to create backup jobs to and from the NAS, sync with computers, tablets, and mobile devices as well as the cloud. The real-time and offline HD video transcoding allows smooth playback of all your files no matter what the connection is like and file formats that might not be supported.
You naturally also get all the other great features such as the headless 24/7 download center, surveillance station with up to 40 channels, official mobile apps for all key functions and management, app center with official and third-party apps to increase the functionality even more, alert functions via SMS and Email services, web server, FTP server, Radius server, VPN server, print server, Plex media server, and much more.
The QNAP HS-251+ also supports the Qsirch function that is a QNAP exclusive. It is one of the best search function available that will find anything that you’re looking for on your NAS with ease and a lot faster than any traditional method will. Simply type in as much as you know about what you are trying to find, including bits of the file name or even words/phrases in the document, and Qsirch will display a list of matches, complete with thumbnails, as you type.
Feature Highlights
Dual-core CPU with hardware encryption engine
Your personal cloud with centralized management, file storage, sharing and backup
Real-time & offline HD video transcoding for your mobile devices, PCs, and Smart TVs
Supports file synchronization between multiple devices to have most up-to-date files
Modern set-top design for your digital lifestyle
Storage is expandable through extra units
Packaging and Accessories
QNAP’s HS-251+ comes in a plain brown box with a sticker that shows us what is inside. We get all the details we need on the sticker itself, from hardware specifications to features, so it has everything it needs to have.
Next to the NAS itself, we find a Quick Installation guide, the remote control, a power adapter and power cable from the region where it has ben bought as well as two RJ45 LAN cables inside the box.
QNAP released their new innovative dual QTS and Android-based NAS a little while ago now they’ve improved more upon it with the addition of Netflix support. Android has grown into on of the largest app platform that can run on a lot of different types of hardware, including NAS servers. The QNAP TAS-168/268 uses this to its advantage and it is the first Android-based NAS that supports Netflix. Users can now simply download the free Netflix app from Google Play and get all the benefits from streaming service directly on their TV or monitor.
Users will simply need to connect their TAS-168/268 NAS to an HDMI display and they’ll be able to enjoy all the benefits of this dual-system. Enjoy the numerous programs and multimedia content on Netflix with a smooth and convenient streaming experience. You can also attach a keyboard and mouse to directly to the NAS besides using the included remote control to take control of the playback.
“Netflix is one of the most popular Internet video streaming services in the world, and we are pleased to announce that it is compatible with our Android-based TAS-168/268 NAS.” said Hanz Sung, Product Manager of QNAP, “with the addition of Netflix, TAS-168/268 users can further maximize their home entertainment options by streaming their favorite movies and TV shows to a big screen in their living room.”
The QNAP TAS-168/268 are powered by an ARM v7 dual-core processor and come with 2GB DDR3 RAM. It is officially certificated by Google and Netflix isn’t the only available multimedia app. With access to the entire Google Play library, you got nearly endless possibilities in games and applications. There is no need to purchase an extra android TV box when your NAS already has these capabilities on top of terabytes of storage. The system can handle 4K (H.265 & H.264) HDMI output which makes it the optimal budget-friendly multimedia NAS that provides near-unlimited entertainment possibilities.
We will also have a full review ready for you shortly on the QNAP TAS-268, so stay tuned for more.
CES 2016: AMD’s FreeSync technology synchronizes a graphics card performance with your monitor’s refresh rate to eliminate screen tearing and create a smooth, fluid experience. Unlike NVIDIA’s solution, there’s no need for a proprietary module which reduces cost and makes monitor manufacturers more likely to adopt FreeSync. Up to now, FreeSync has relied on DisplayPort 1.2a to support refresh rates between 9–240 Hz. Although, to be fair, NVIDIA G-Sync panels also require the use of a DisplayPort connection.
After conducting comprehensive research, AMD discovered that the majority of users still use HDMI 1.4 or HDMI 2.0. As a result, the company decided to focus their efforts on bringing FreeSync to HDMI 1.4a with some custom modifications. Theoretically, this means the next version of HDMI could easily support FreeSync by default.
AMD also unveiled their first FreeSync powered laptop which is a big milestone for the company. The 15.6-inch Lenovo Y700 features a Radeon R9 M380 graphics chip and a quad-core AMD FX-F8800P “Carrizo” APU for $899.
QNAP have brought us some awesome technologies that expand the NAS’ usage abilities and they back once again with a new combination of devices. The newest two NAS devices don’t just run QNAPs own QTS operating system for normal NAS usage, they come with a combination of QTS and Android, allowing you to use the NAS directly with all your favourite Android apps. The two NAS are the TAS-168 1-bay unit and the TAS-268 2-bay unit.
The new QNAP TAS-x68 series uses an ARM v7 1.1GHz dual-core processor and has 2GB DDR3 RAM and 4GB flash memory. You get one USB 3.0 port on the front and four USB 2.0 ports on the rear next to the Gigabit Ethernet port and an HDMI port.
The combination offers terabytes of storage capacity as well as 4K H.265 and H.264 HDMI-out and makes the TAS-x68 an optimal and budget-friendly multimedia NAS with nearly unlimited apps available. And you also save yourself the trouble of getting an Android-based TV box. And there aren’t that many Android boxes that support 4K UHD yet, which the TAS-x68 does.
You got access to both the Google Play market and QNAP’s QTS apps, which should provide you with almost any function from enterprise features to fun games and streaming content. QTS 4.2 still supports all the normal NAS functions from cross-platform file sharing to backup functions, FTP, and WebDAV. VPN setups are also available in both QTS and Google Play, allowing you to tunnel your way to your designated target.
This could very well be the perfect NAS for heavy Android users as well as give new ones the ability to get a device that does a lot more than just store files. The new QNAP TAS-x68 series should be available globally now, which means they will arrive at your local resellers shortly. Early listings have the TAS-168 listed for €199 and the TAS-268 for €250.
Back in April of this year, Google and Asus unveiled the Chromebit, an HDMI stick computer that can turn any compatible display into a PC. Comparable in size to a Mars bar, the Chromebit weighs around 75 grams, measures in at 4.8 x 1.2 x 0.67-inches, and runs Google’s Linux-based Chrome OS. In the run-up to its imminent release, Google has revealed that the Chromebit CS10 will cost a very reasonable $85, according to TechCrunch.
For that money, you’ll get a quad-core Rockchip 3288 ARCM Cortext-A17 processor, an ARM Mali 760 GPU, 16GB of eMMC on-board storage, 2GB RAM, a USB port, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, and Bluetooth 4.0.
The Chromebit was pitched as a competitor against Intel’s Compute Stick, which is both larger and more expensive, priced $110 for the Linux version and $150 for the Windows variation. While the Chromebit is significantly less powerful, it should serve as an effective alternative for those who those who want to perform simple online computing tasks or stream 1080p video.
The Chromebit CS10 will be available from Amazon, Fry’s, and Newegg in the US, and will also go on sale in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, and the UK. It expected to go on sale before the end of the year.
Today’s review is a real pleasure for me as I get to take a closer look and test an elite class business NAS with built-in 10GbE and high availability function. I got Thecus’ N7770-10G 7-bay business NAS on the table and I’m going to give it thorough testing to show you just how amazing it is.
When I review consumer class NAS devices, I often talk about how they are suited for all sorts of media and streaming needs as that is the main focus for that group. The Thecus N7770-10G does all this too and it does it great, but it isn’t what it was designed for. This is a business class NAS and as such it needs a whole other set of features and functionality. You get a complete backup solution that includes the use of external devices, cloud backup, snapshots, and client backup as well as total security thanks to Intel Security Antivirus, AES 256-bit encryption, and VPN server functionality. The N7770-10G still provides all the mobile connectivity and media streaming capabilities as well as centralized authentication control.
The Thecus N7770-10G NAS isn’t built around a low-power ARM or Intel Celeron CPU, instead it’s built with a full Intel Core i3-2120 dual-core processor that has a base clock speed of 3.3GHz. To go with that CPU, you get 8GB DDR3 ECC memory that is expandable all the way to 32GB, dual Gigabit Ethernet, 10GbE card pre-installed, and 7 drive bays for a lot of raw storage.
It is my personal opinion that we have been stuck at 1Gbps ethernet connections for way too long. While we had the ability to link those together to achieve better connections, it is old by now and today’s needs also increase the need for better connectivity. In that regard, I’m glad to see Thecus having this model with an included 10GbE adapter, making it ready for the step into the next speed category. It still features two Intel 82574L Gigabit Ethernet connections too, which you naturally all can link aggregate and trunk. Further, you get a total of six USB 2.0 ports where two of them are on the front and two USB 3.0 ports on the rear. The HDMI port further allows you to turn your NAS into the ultimate multimedia hub by connecting the NAS directly to your TV or monitor.
The N7770-10G supports RAID 0, 1, 5, 6 10, 50 and JBOD modes besides single disk usage. You can create multiple RAID volumes with different modes, only limited by the amount of drives you have available for the pool. Should a hard drive malfunction occur, changing one is simple thanks to online RAID migration and expansion, hot spare, and auto rebuild. You can also pick which filesystem you prefer as the N7770-10G supports EXT3, EXT4, Btrfs and XFS for increased flexibility and ability to suit many different types of environments. Users can simultaneously use different file systems across multiple RAID volumes to get the best of each one.
iSCSI Thin-Provisioning is a thing that many people still read past as they don’t really know what it is, but it is well worth getting the handle on, as you can manage your storage better and get better speeds. Connect through iSCSI for the fastest data transfer speeds available and make wasted disk space a thing of the past with thin provisioning’s flexible storage functionality. Windows Server, NT, and XP users will need to download the iSCIC initiator from Microsoft, but Windows 7, 8, and 10 users, for example, have it built right into the OS. If in doubt, just search for iSCSI from your Windows start menu search.
Two awesome features in Thecus NAS’ that often are overlooked, are the Disk Clone and Disk Wipe functions. Both can be extremely useful for both business and home users. The Disk Clone features allows you to copy the entire contents of a disk to one or many other disks while the Disk Wipe function allows you to permanently destroy a volumes data.
Business data is sensitive data and sensitive data needs to be protected. Thecus N7770-10G offers AES 256-bit RAID volume encryption that allows you to fully encrypt the entire RAID volume. Sensitive data also has to be sent and received with the proper security, for this you can set up the VPN server. It allows users to remotely access a secure network with the equipment already at hand.
Data Guard backup solution is the ultimate software as it provides both local and remote parts. Currently, data is backed up across RAID volumes and external drives. In addition, Data Guard uses innovative technology to sync data across the network to other NAS and servers. It makes managing NAS user-friendly and convenient. But there are many ways to backup your data and the Thecus N7770-10G pretty much supports them all.
With BTRFS support, users can enjoy the simplicity of snapshot backups. Snapshots of data at various time points can be manually or automatically made and just as easily later restored to rollback files or folders to previous states. Rsync is probably the most common used technique and Thecus supports this too. It gives great flexibility with remote backup capability, a flexible scheduler, and the stability of Linux-based transfer.
You can easily create your own cloud solution with the Thecus N7770-10G, but that doesn’t mean that the existing cloud providers should be counted out. There can be many reasons to use these services and Thecus supportsDropBox, Amazon S3, and ElephantDrive cloud backup functionality. The best here is that it is as easy to use and setup as all the normal and local sharing functions.
Data Burn is another great feature that comes in line with the previous mentioned Disk Clone and Disk Wipe features. With Data Burn, you can connect a CD, DVD, or Blue-ray burner and create physical optical backups of your data. In addition, it also supports burning of ISO image files instead. You can of course also use a connected optical drive to easily backup the data to your NAS.
When you buy a Thecus NAS like this, you also get a few extra software pieces that are well worth having. The hardware in itself is solid quality while failovers and redundancies are available for almost all systems. But you also need to protect your files and an Antivirus software is perfect for this. Thecus partnered with McAfee and includes their award-winning software for free.
Acronis True Image is also included for free and it is one of the easiest ways to manage your backups, I use it quite often on both a personal level and for my reviews setups. It is one of the easiest pieces of backup software available with a long set of functions and One-click protection setups.
Keeping an eye on the NAS while you’re on the go isn’t a problem either thanks to iOS and Android connectivity. With T-OnTheGo and the T-Dashboard, you can manage your NAS, and upload to and download/stream from your NAS using an iOS or Android device on the go.
Feature Highlights
Intel Core i3-2120 (3.3.GHz Dual Core) processor
8 GB DDR3 ECC Memory (Expandable to 32 GB)
10GbE card included
1 x HDMI port
Hot-swappable hard drives
RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and JBOD
Packaging and Accessories
The front and the back of the box look the same, and it looks stunning. There is no doubt looking at the package that we’re dealing with a premium NAS. The feature highlights as well as the NAS itself are shown clearly and easy to spot.
The side of the box goes more into detail on the specifications and package content. This is also where it will be marked what market it is intended for, which really only comes down to what power cable is included.
The other side shows the feature highlights and how it can be useful in pretty much any scenario. As the box says, A NAS for every need.
Inside the box we find a power cable for our region, a single RJ45 ethernet cable, four keys for the drive trays, screws for seven 3.5-inch drives and screws for seven 2.5-inch drives as well as a utilities disk, warranty card, and quick installation guide.
QNAP released the new TS-x51+ series of high-performance SMB NAS units consisting of the TS-251+ 2-bay unit and the TS-451+ 4-bay unit. The TS-x51+ series is built around a powerful Intel Celeron 2GHz processor and comes in two versions with either 2GB or 8GB DDR3 memory installed. The TS-x51+ series is an affordable and scalable solution with QvPC and Container based virtualization.
With the TS-x51+ series, you get dual Gigabit Ethernet network connectivity and the NAS supports both volume and folder encryption and the NAS is able to deliver up to 225MB/s throughput and up to 205MB/s transfer speeds with AES 256-bit encryption. You get two USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, and an HDMI-out for a monitor and direct usage.
The QvPC feature allows you to use the NAS as an HTPC replacement where you simply attach a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to use it as a cheap PC replacement where you can view the web, browse the local content, and much more. With Container Station support, users are able to run multiple virtualization systems from Windows over Linux to Android. With LXC and Docker lightweight virtualization, you can also download systems from the built-in Docker Hub Registry.
The TS-x51+ series also features the highly anticipate snapshot function, but that requires a minimum of 4GB RAM. The QTS 4.2 Storage Manager can easily create snapshots within seconds for both volumes and LUN.
The QNAP TS-x51+ series also supports real-time and offline transcoding and features all the amazing streaming capabilities from Apple TV over Chromecast to ordinary DLNA and Bluetooth devices.
Both the TS-451+ and TS-251+ support the QNAP UX-800P and UX-500P expansion enclosures for easy expansion of the available storage and get close to 100TB or raw storage out of these NAS.
The new QNAP 2-bay TS-251+ and 4-bay TS-451+ NAS should be available now, but I could not find a price listing yet. Expect them to arrive at your favorite QNAP reseller very shortly.
Mad Catz didn’t just have a new mouse to present us today, they’re also ready with a new headset under the TRITTON brand. The new headset is called the Katana and it is a HD 7.1 Wireless headset, but it isn’t an ordinary one. The Katana is the world’s first headset to draw its audio signal directly through HDMI to deliver eight channels of uncompressed sound for pure high-definition audio quality. With near-universal compatibility across gaming consoles, PCs and smart devices, the Katana HD features state-of-the-art DTS Headphone:X audio technology that faithfully recreates the spatially accurate immersive sound experience from your favorite game.
The TRITTON Katana is the new flagship headset and comes with a flagship pricetag too. It can currently be pre-ordered for $249 and is expected to ship during December 2015.
The headset itself features 50 mm drivers and crystal clear interference-free chat through an omnidirectional boom mic. The earpieces feature intuitive controls to control your audio, mute the mic, tweak the volume or change the EQ settings. The drivers have a frequency response from 20Hz to 20kHz and the microphone has a frequency response from 20Hz to 5kHz.
Along with the Katana HD 7.1 Wireless Headset and the omnidirectional boom mic, you also get the heart of the operation, the headset nase station with a 1 meter long USB to Micro USB Power Cable. The HDMI pass through is truly a great idea and one that makes the setup a lot easier. No need to worry about multiple audio devices any more.
A 1 meter HDMI cable is also included as you’ll need one extra when using pass through than without. Mad Catz also added a USB to Micro USB headset play-and-charge cable that is 1.5m long and a 3.5mm to 3.5mm chat cable for Xbox One users. No matter what platform you’re using, you’ll be able to use the TRITTON Katana HD Wireless Headset.
Specifications
Wireless Range: 33ft (10m)
HDMI with Full Pass-Through
Driver Size: 50mm
Headset Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
Microphone Frequency Response: 20Hz – 5kHz
Battery Type: Rechargeable Lithium-Ion
Battery Life: 20 Hours
The Katana headset is available in black and orange as well as white and orange version.
QNAP is ready with another NAS in their stylish and fanless series called the Silent NAS HS-251+. It features a quad-core Intel Celeron Processor with 2GHz and comes with 2GB DDR3L memory. The fanless and stylish design makes it perfect as a living room NAS which is further aided by the direct output via HDMI to a TV or A/V receiver.
Next to being able to play media directly via the HDMI port, the HS-251+ also features DLNA, Apple TV, and Chromecast support. You can connect Bluetooth and USB devices to the NAS and also control it via the included infrared remote control. You can surf the web directly from the NAS as well as play YouTube videos and a lot more.
The HS-251+ is also scaleable with QNAP’s expansion enclosures UX-800P and UX-500P to provide a total raw capacity up to 80TB. Attaching one of these expansion enclosures will also add some extra noise to this otherwise silent NAS. Up to eight extra hard disk drives will create a lot of heat and the expansion units need to have a fan built in to keep everything running as it should. It is still a great feature to be able to scale the NAS up once you run out of space.
The fanless HS-251+ is the best choice for those looking for a silent NAS and a Home Theatre PC/NAS combo. You can mount both 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch drives in the NAS and connect it via two Gigabit Ethernet ports. The new HS-251+ Silent NAS is now available.
QNAP launched the world’s first Thunderbolt 2 Turbo vNAS that is ready for high-bandwidth data. The TVS-871T features 20Gbps bandwidth, 4K video capable Thunderbolt 2 connections and it is fully compatible with the Thunderbolt-ready storage expansion enclosures for even more raw storage capacity. The TVS-871T provides the high transfer speed of a DAS and the convenient accessibility of an NAS to make it as flexible as it is powerful. This is a very efficient storage solution for creative media professionals looking to streamline large 4K video and design workflows.
Thunderbolt 2 is relatively new and in that regard it might be limited to some people due to already existing devices and with that in mind it’s great to see that the TVS-871T also features dual 10Gb Ethernet in addition to the Thunderbolt 2 network. You can connect up to two Thunderbolt systems at the same time, which most likely will be Mac workstations. These workstations can process real-time video editing simultaneously and also take advantage of Apple time Machine for backups.
There are two base models available of this NAS, one with a Core i5-4590S 3GHz quad-core processor and one with an i7-4790S 3.2GHz quad-core processor. Both models come with 16GB DDR3 memory, AES-NI hardware encryption engine and one HDMI port for direct display attachment.
The 8 drive bays are hot-swappable and can take 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch drives. With the ability to attach up to six QNAP expansion enclosures, these units can provide up to 448TB raw capacity.
Next to the excellent DAS capabilities, it also works evenly good for NAS applications thanks to being powered by the latest QNAP QTS 4.2 operating systems. You can use it for file storage, backup, sharing, and synchronization. The awesome QvPC technology allows users to used it directly as a cost-effective PC substitute when a keyboard, mouse, and monitor is directly attached to it. You can access the stored data directly, run multiple VMs, surfing the web, enjoying 4K videos with Kodi, monitoring surveillance live feeds from IP cameras, and much more. All the features we love from a QNAP NAS.
Both the new Thunderbolt 2 Turbo vNAS TVS-871T and its storage expansion enclosures TX-500P and TX-800P are now available.
QNAP created their TS-251 Turbo NAS as a great high-performance solution for home users as well as small and medium-sized offices, and today I’m taking a closer look at what it has to offer and how well it performs in our testing area.
The TS-251 provides a high performance and high-capacity storage solution thanks to a great combination of QNAP’s advanced QTS operating system and some great hardware. It is an easy-to-use yet powerful NAS for data backup, file synchronization, remote access, home entertainment, and it is also ideal for users to build a personal cloud where they can access their data easily and secure, outside of the prying eyes of strangers and commercial hosting solutions.
The QNAP TS-251 is built with an Intel Celeron 2.41GHz dual-core processor that has a burst speed up to 2.58GHz. It comes with two DDR3L memory slots and is available in two models, one with 1GB RAM and the one I’m taking a look at today with 4GB DDR3L RAM in two 2GB modules. The TS-251 has 512 DOM storage for the system itself and comes with two hot-swappable trays.
Users of the TS-251 Turbo NAS get two Intel-powered Gigabit RJ45 Ethernet ports that support trunking and link aggregation. There is one USB 3.0 port on the front together with the One-Touch copy button and another USB 3.0 on the rear. You will also find two USB 2.0 ports there. The rear USB 3.0 port is excellent for expanding the capacity of the NAS with up to 8 more drives, making this a great starter NAS that can be expanded at a later time, should you need it. QNAP has the UX-500P and UX-800P expansion units that respectively provide 5 and 8 extra drive bays. They connect to the NAS through a single USB 3.0 cable, making it real easy to set up. That effectively means that you can have up to 60TB raw storage with a complete set of 6TB drives and the TS-251.
The two USB 2.0 ports are perfect for USB printers, pen drives, and USB UPS connection as well as for keyboard and mouse when you’re using the HD Station. This is also where the HDMI port comes into play, as you can hook the TS-251 directly up to a monitor and use it for direct media playback of 1080p videos with 7.1 channel surround sound as well as run virtualization systems.
The powerful Intel x86 processor in the TS-251 can transcode Full HD videos on-the-fly as well as offline, allowing you to play them smoothly on both PCs and smart devices. It allows for up to 5 devices to simultaneously view different videos stored on the TS-251 with on-the-fly hardware accelerated transcoding. Even devices that lack the computing power or have limited file format support will have a great experience and it doesn’t require any complicated and time-consuming file conversions done by yourself.
You can easily stream to all your devices whether they are Smart TVs, PlayStation, or Xbox systems as well as Hi-Fi systems that support streaming. Mobile devices, both Android and iOS, are supported and so is Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Google TV. Plex Media server is also included which is one of the most popular ways to manage streaming content.
For the perfect media experience, you might also want to invest in the optional media remote. The TS-251 features an IR receiver and works like a charm with the QNAP RM-IR002 remote control as well as MCE remote controls. You can also turn your mobile devices into remote controls by installing the Qremote app. All in all, you’re covered when it comes to media features on the TS-251.
You can easily turn the QNAP TS-251 Turbo NAS into your own personal cloud solution thanks the myQNAPcloud. It provides an always-connected infrastructure for everyone, and all without complicated setups and extra services such as static IPs, redirects, and DNS setups. A few simple steps to register your NAS and it’s ready.
Constant synchronization is a breeze with Qsync where any file uploaded to the TS-251 will be made available for all linked devices, such as computers, laptops, and mobile devices. Qsync is especially useful for frequent travelers in managing files and ensuring that different devices have the most up-to-date files with great flexibility.
The TS-251 also offers various data recovery options such as Real-Time Remote Replication (RTRR) for real-time and scheduled data backup to remote Turbo NAS or FTP servers as well as synchronization of files to remote folders from local folders. The rsync protocol is also supported and it is a very popular and simple method to backup data to remote servers on a scheduled basis. Commercial and public cloud services are also supported for both backup and restoration from providers such as Amazon S3, Amazon Glacier, Microsoft Azure, ElephantDrive, Dropbox, and Google Cloud Storage.
Local backup is just as important and in many cases it is the main reason that people invest in an NAS. The TS-251 can do that thanks to QNAP’s NetBak Replicator that supports real-time and scheduled data backup on Windows, including Outlook email archiving. Mac OS X users can use Apple Time Machine for effortless backup, and both types of users can use the USB 3.0 port and one-touch backup button on the front to backup that external storage to the NAS. A wide range of third-party backup software such as Acronis True Image and Symantec Backup Exec are also supported.
I’ve previously mentioned the direct usage functionality of the TS-251 thanks to the USB and HDMI ports, and that all comes together thanks to QNAP’s exclusive QvPC Technology. It allows you to use the NAS directly as a PC with direct access to stored data, the ability to run multiple applications using Windows/Linux/UNIX/Android-based VMs, surf the web on Google Chrome, or enjoy Full HD videos with up to 7.1 channel audio via Kodi.
The Virtualization Station is another feature we get thanks to the QvPC technology and it transforms the TS-251 into a virtualization platform supporting multiple operating systems, fast virtual machine creation, virtual machine import/export, snapshot, and that enables desktop operations on web browsers. With the easy-to-use interface, you can centrally manage all of the virtual machines created on the TS-251 with minimal effort. You can also download VMs on demand from online VM markets and import them to TS-251 without any complex procedure. This feature requires at least 2GB of RAM, so the 1GB model is out of the running here. Thankfully I’ve got the 4GB model here. As previously mentioned, you can also upgrade the memory in the TS-251 at any point with standard SO-DIMM DDR3 modules.
The TS-251 can also be used as Surveillance Station and you can monitor this directly via the HDMI output in real-time with local display, and much more. Surveillance Station offers a professional surveillance solution with a user-friendly management interface, over 2,600 compatible IP cameras, and expandable IP camera channel licenses. Next to real-time monitoring it also supports video and audio recording as well as playback with a wide range of customizable settings. There are also Android and iOS apps available for this.
Downloading files can also be done directly by the NAS thanks to the download center. The new and improved Download center in QTS 4.2 means that the old QGet tool isn’t needed anymore and QNAP has ceased the support for this. The Download Station can download BT, Magnet, PT (Private Trackers), eMule, FTP, and HTTP, and all without the need to have a PC running. You can also install HappyGet app to back up abundant online videos to your TS-251.
QNAP NAS’ offer so much, it is tough to mention it all. In short, it does pretty much everything. There are a few things more worth highlighting such as the Signage Station that lets you creatively present your animated content such as personal animated resumes or life memory books. You get the Notes Station that gives you a private and secure way to share and collaborate on digital notes and Qsirch is probably the most efficient way to search for content on your NAS, it’s quick and effective, and it searches your content intelligently.
You also get the Photo Station and Music Station that help you share the photos and media you want while keeping other things private and limit the availability. Connect and stream internet radio, favorite songs from iTunes server and much more. The TS-251 can do it all.
Packaging and Accessories
The front of the packaging displays the NAS unit itself and the area of operation, in this case, High-Performance Home users and Small offices. Some of the main features are also presented right on the front and it is an overall great looking design. It’s simple, but not boring.
A personal cloud setup is getting more and more relevant as we are getting used to being connected everywhere we go. The rear of the box displays that and shows some of the ways that you can utilize that.
The two sides provide even more information, without being too cluttered. Overall a great package design from QNAP on the TS-251; I like it.
Inside the box, you’ll find a power supply and power cable from the region where it was bought, in this case, a UK power cable. There are two LAN cables so you can use both LAN ports right away as well as screws for 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch drives. Two small manuals help you getting started, setting it up and connecting it for the first time.
ASRock released an upgraded version of their tiny NUC mini PC, the BeeBox. The BeeBox is now available with a quad-core processor, 32GB eMMC SSD and comes bundled with a free copy of Windows 10. The BeeBox is also available in a new silver coloured version now on top of the black, gold, and white versions.
The new quad-core CPU is an Intel N3150 SoC and the NUC comes with 2GB DDR3 1600MHz, upgradeable to 16G. You can add plenty of storage despite the small 0.6l volume of the NUC. You can add both an mSATA SSD and a 2.5-inch drive, allowing you to reach 3TB storage and beyond in the near future with newer and bigger drives.
Beebox is the world’s first mini PC with a Type-C USB port and it is the only one to support triple monitor, H.265 decoding and 4K video playback through two HDMI ports and one DisplayPort. The whole system has low power consumption and is extremely quiet while powered on. It is nearly silent when run in Eco mode where it could be used for light tasks such as torrent downloading. So bedrooms aren’t excluded from the possible locations to place it. Another added bonus is the included IR control so you can control it from the couch or bed.
Have you made the switch to ultra compact systems somewhere in your home or do you still prefer the large systems with endless possibilities everywhere? Let us know in the comments.
AOC expanded their line of stylish monitors with two new ones, a 23.8-inch model called the AOC I2481FXH and a 27-inch model called the AOC I2781FH. Both monitors are basically the same except for the difference in size. They come with an IPS panel for a great visual experience, but sadly only with full HD resolution. The monitors also feature the unique looking and asymmetrical stand.
The two monitors feature a very narrow bezel for that suits the overall design very well. The bezel of the 23.8-inch AOC I2481FXH is a mere 7.5 mm wide and the bezel on the 27-inch I2781FH model is just 9.9 mm.
The monitors feature a wide viewing angle of 178 degrees and a 4ms grey to grey refresh rate. The flicker-free technology that regulates brightness without flickering should further enhance the already great visual experience that these monitors will give while reducing the eye strain. The monitors come with three display connectors, two HDMI and one D-Sub VGA, allowing you to easily connect both modern and older devices at the same time.
The AOC I2481FXH will be available October 2015 and the AOC I2781FH will follow in December. Their MSRPs will be £139 and £199 respectively, which isn’t all that bad. As with all of its displays, AOC offers a 3-year warranty that includes on-site exchange service.
You’ve all heard the dogma that HDMI cables transmit digital signals, so they either work or they don’t, right? While there is a small element of truth to the oft-parroted line when using short cables, it is a myth. The quality of materials (or lack thereof) used for cabling and shielding can result in snowy pictures and electromagnetic interference (EMI), which can interfere with WiFi signals, with more chance of issues the longer the HDMI cable. The innovation of HDMI 2.0, which brings with it 4K video and 60 frames-per-second, will only increase the potential for problems, so it’s welcome news that HDMI Licensing LLC is introducing a new certification program for cables.
The Premium HDMI Cable Certification Program will make it very clear to consumers – through authentication labels, each featuring a unique QR code – which cables are the best. If a cable carries an HDMI Premium label, it has been examined at an HDMI-authorised testing center to ensure that it can deliver a bandwidth of 18Gbps and has a small EMI profile. Smartphone owners can scan the label’s QR code to ensure that the label is genuine.
Cable producers are already working with the HDMI Cable Certification Program, with certified cables to hit the market during the first quarter of 2016.
Thank you Mac World for providing us with this information.
For today’s review I’m venturing a little bit out of my normal area of storage, network, and server components and take a closer look at a very useful gadget for everyone that has a laptop of some sort. Kensington might be most known for their locking system that is present on almost any electronic device, but they do make a lot of different products too. Today I’m taking a closer look at the SD4000 Universal USB Docking Station for laptops.
While a docking station like this would work with any system and as such isn’t limited to portable ones, it will be a rare scenario that someone will connect it to their desktop. That said, it could still provide some beneficial uses there too.
While most laptop manufacturers also provide docking stations for some of their models, they are usually very expensive and only compatible to very few models. The use of a universal docking station like this opens a lot more options and best of all, you can take it with you to any other system that you might upgrade to in the future.
The Kensington SD4000 Universal Docking Station connects to your system via a single USB 3.0 host port and in return it offers you three USB 3.0 connectors, a DVI port, a DisplayPort or HDMI, a Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 port, and headset connections. Those are all useful connections to have, especially on ultrabooks and netbooks that barely have any native connections at all anymore.
The Docking Station doesn’t just serve as USB hub, it also enables 4K Ultra HD resolutions, even when your laptop doesn’t have a graphics card that supports these resolutions. You can connect a single 4K monitor or TV via an HDMI or DisplayPort connection for Ultra HD resolution at 3840 x 2160 pixels.
4K Ultra HD resolution sadly only works with one monitor connected, but you can run up to 2K when using dual monitors. Ideal for users not ready to make the transition to 4K, this option can support the typical two-monitor setup with 1920 x 1200 and 2048 x 1152 resolution for each screen.
Speedy charging for power hungry devices such as tablets is also supported thanks to the 2.1 AMP fast charging USB port labeled with an extra lightning character. The Gigabit Ethernet port is also one that’s often missing on netbooks as they rely solely on wireless.
Features
4K Ultra HD resolution (3840×2160) to one monitor via an HDMI cable or DisplayPort connection
Enables 4K UHD even if laptop does not have 4K graphics card
2K resolution (1920×1200/2048×1152) for two-monitor setup via DisplayPort or HDMI/DVI
3 universal USB 3.0 ports for seamless productivity with your accessories
2.1A fast charging port to power up a tablet or smartphone
Gigabit Ethernet port for wired connectivity to the Internet
Includes speaker port, microphone jack, Kensington Security Slot
Compatible with Windows 8.1/8/7
Specifications
UPC: 085896339830
Best For: Convertible and 2-in-1 Laptops, Laptops, Ultrabooks, Windows Tablets
Compatibility: Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1
Connections: 1 x RJ-45 Ethernet (LAN) Female, Host Interface: USB 3.0, Host upstream link: USB (B Type)
Female, HUB downstream link: USB (A Type) Female
Connectivity: Wired
Features: Extended Display, Kensington Security Slot, Mirrored Display, Power Indicator (Blue), USB Hub Link
Indicator (Green)
Dimensions: 7.71” x 3.34” x 1.08” (19.5 cm x 85 cm x 2.75 cm)
Packaging and Accessories
The package of the SD4000 Universal Docking Station comes in s a simple yet elegant wrapping. It shows what it does on the front without much extra.
The rear of the package explains what type of connectors it has, what’s in the box, and what it is compatible with. Everything you’ll want to know before you purchase.
Inside the box, we find a power supply with both an EU and UK replaceable plug, a setup guide, a USB cable to connect it and the docking station itself.
While Kodi 16’s alpha is making headlines in some places for its upcoming features, Kodi 15 is the latest official and full version. ASUSTOR are the first NAS manufacturers to support Kodi 15 on their 50, 51, 61, 62, and 7 series NAS devices; All those with HDMI out.
Multimedia streaming and direct play is one of the main reasons many people invest in an NAS in the first place and as such it’s nice to see the manufacturers hurrying to get the best experience out to their users. As part of that, ASUSTOR will also release AiCast soon, a powerful and dedicated remote mobile app for Kodi. With AiCast users will be able to conveniently select media and control playback on Kodi from their local network or even remotely.
Kodi 15 brings some nice new features such as a chapter selection window for mkvs and other containers that support chapters, adaptive seeking where the time jumps will get larger the more you press the seek button, and the audio and subtitles can now be selected from a list rather than a spinner. The Language Add-Ons also got an overhaul and are no longer dependent upon release. The overall add-on manager has been reworked too, making it easier to find the add-ons that you’re actually looking for.
If you, like me, are the lucky owner of an ASUSTOR NAS that supports Kodi, then the update is a breeze. Just log in to your ADM control panel and head to your App Central to select the update. All done.
I’ve upgraded mine and it’s a great one. Now I’m looking forward to Kodi 16 getting out of tis alpha stage, so I can enjoy features such as non-linear stretching and the option to select “none” for preferred subtitles.
ASUSTOR has just launched four new NAS units and they are all part of the World’s first Braswell powered NAS units. The new NAS devices are the AS6202T 2-bay and AS6204T 4-bay NAS powered by quad-core processors while the AS6102T and AS6104T are powered by dual-core processors. The choice of CPU brings along quite a few advantages besides having an overall more powerful chip in your back and would be a great choice for both prosumer and SMB users.
Along with the new Braswell CPUs, the four NAS units feature EAS-NI hardware encryption, expandable memory, plenty of USB 3.0 and eSATA ports as well as HDMI and audio out for Ultra HD 4K direct connections. The system is utilizing dual-channel memory and can expanded up to 8GB.
The new units also come ready and pre-installed with the latest version of ASUSTOR’s operation systems, ADM 2.5, that brings along a lot of improvements and strengthening of the core functions. Better backup features and security, enhanced network recycle bins, and iSCSI LUN snapshots are just a few of those.
The four new NAS units from the 62 and 61 series are currently launching in global markets and should be available for purchase very soon. A four units include a 3-year warranty.
QNAP announced the availability of the world’s first Thunderbolt 2 powered Turbo vNAS, the TVS-871T, that features 20Gbps bandwidth and 4K video capabilities through the Thunderbolt 2. The 8-bay NAS unit comes in two version, either with an Intel Core i7 or Intel Core i5 Haswell CPU and 16GB DDR3 memory. The TVS-871T is also compatible with QNAP’s TX-500P and TX-800P expansion enclosures and you can attach up to six of those for a total raw capacity of up to 448TB. With the high transfer speed of DAS and the convenient accessibility of NAS, the TVS-871T is an extremely flexible and efficient storage solution.
“The TVS-871T tackles the most common bottleneck for 4K workflows: I/O speed and storage.” said David Tsao, product manager of QNAP. “It provides unmatched performance for high-resolution file storage and I/O-intensive tasks to increase working productivity focusing more on 4K or 3D workflows.”
The QNAP TS-871T doesn’t just feature 20Gbps Thunderbolt 2, it also has dual 10GbE ethernet ports for an unmatched connectivity as both can run simultaneously for different operations. This Turbo vNAS could very well be the perfect match for Thunderbolt 2-capable Mac systems as 2 workstations can connect to it and process real-time video editing at the same time. Assisting in creative workflows, the TVS-871T delivers powerful and stable throughput for real-time non-linear video editing, and also allows multi-track video editing with the lowest latency. Users can also connect a 4K display to the TVS-871T via HDMI to directly play and organize their 4K videos.
The TVS-871T runs with the latest QTS 4.2 operating system and has the awesome QvPC technology where users can simply connect a keyboard, mouse and HDMI display and use the system as a cost-effective PC substitute. You can use it to directly access stored data, run multiple VMs, surf the web, and much more.
There is a portable “USB-powered-HDMI-displayed-AIO-device” war going on since the arrival of low-cost Android boxes which in turn brought us Windows boxes of the same form factor. The next generation of these devices came and shrunk the form factor even more, bringing the full-fat Windows experience to the System on a Chip (SoC) device while maintaining the size of a large memory stick.
Amongst the-the many rebranded Chinese Android sticks to make it to Europe has been an official offering by Intel in the form of their “Compute Stick”, which serves as proof that they are aiming to claim a slice of this emerging market in both Linux and Windows flavours. Intel were kind enough to send us a Windows Compute Stick to put through its paces, and no sooner had they confirmed we would be getting one had it arrived.
Anyway enough of the backstory, let’s get the shrink wrap off and get this fired up!
Specifications
Name: Intel Compute Stick (Windows Variant)
CPU: Intel Atom Z3735F (Quad Core 1.3Ghz with 1.8GHz burst)
RAM: 2GB 1333MHz DDR3
SSD: eMMC 32GB
GPU:Intel Integrated Graphics (64mb)
LAN: None
WLAN: 802.11a/b/g/n Built-in Bluetooth V4.0
I/O: 1x USB 2.0 , 1x HDMI 1.4
OS: Windows 8.1 32bit
Dimensions: 103 x 12 x 37 mm (WxHxD)
Warranty: 2 Year
Price: £119.98
The box is very nicely packed, no bigger than you would get with a phablet sized phone. There is a small black tab which when pulled slides the inner box out from the cover
With the box slid out, the first thing you are presented with is the compute stick itself
Removing the lining reveals multiple accessories underneath
MSI has been busy getting everything updated and ready for the Windows 10 launch and we’ve seen quite a few new products launched these few days. The latest on is an all-in-one PC called the Pro 24 2M and it is as the name suggests from the professional series of all-in-one PCs.
The Pro 24 2M is fully compatible with Windows 10 and also comes with the brand new operating system installed. It is based on an Intel Core i5-4460S CPU and the Intel H81 chipset. It comes with 4GB DDR3 memory and can be upgraded to 16GB total. The 500GB 3.5-inch hard drive takes care of the storage while it also features a card reader and plenty of other connectivity options.
The Pro 24 2M can be used with two types of stands. By default it is delivered with the holder, in this diagonal stance it’s an ideal standing work solution. Optional there is a foot stand, which makes it possible to make use of more flexible modes and angles.
You get Gigabit Ethernet, four USB 2.0, and four USB 3.0 ports next to the HDMI and D-Sub VGA outs. It also features two serial ports and audio jacks. The monitor is a 23.6-inch LED backlight panel with full HD resolution and 2-point touch. It also comes with a front facing 1MP web camera.
Interested in something that serves more than one purpose? Samsung seems to have the same idea and has just revealed their first display with a Qi wireless charging stand. The SE370 seems to come in two sizes, a 23.6-inch and 27-inch, and provides a way to ditch the old data cable for charging your smartphone.
Samsung says that all Qi wireless charging smartphones are compatible with the stand, so there won’t be any smartphones featuring the wireless charging technology left out. The idea is quite brilliant because let’s face it, most of us want or already have a wireless charging pad on their desks. So why use more space than needed? What’s better that to have the charging station integrated into your display that will always be plugged in and on your desk?
In addition to the wireless charging feature, the display features a PLS panel, 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, 4ms response timing and a contrast ratio of 1000:1. Besides the latter, the 23.6-inch model comes with a 250 cd/m2 brightness ratio, while the 27-inch model features a 300 cd/m2 ratio, both having a 170° viewing angle. Also, when talking about connectivity, the SE370 seems to come with one HDMI 1.4, one DisplayPort 1.2 and one D-Sub connectivity options.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_uNw-ueAZM
The extra features found on the display consist of Eco Saving Plus, Magic Bright, Magic Upscale, Game Mode, Eye Saver Mode, Flicker Free, FreeSync, Image Size. Samsung did not mention a price or release date, but the latter information is bound to follow soon enough. Stay tuned!
Thank you Venture Beat for providing us with this information
There is some good news if you are in the market for an NAS that is more than the average of the mill unit. You might remember the pretty amazing NAS unit from Thecus that we reviewed a while ago, the N5810 Pro with built-in UPS, and that unit is finally available. Shops have changed their listings to availability within 1-2 days, meaning it has arrived at the central depots and is ready to be dispatched to customers.
The Thecus N5810 Pro is a 5-bay NAS with five LAN ports, plenty of USB connections, direct HDMI connection, status display, and built-in mini-UPS. That isn’t something you’ll find any other place. The NAS is built around an Intel Celeron quad-core J1900 processor and comes with 4GB DDR3 RAM that can be further upgraded by the user.
The mini-UPS Lithium-ion battery with 2000mAH (14.4V, 28.8Wh) allows your NAS to continue its operation during minor power outages and safely shut the system down if it should last too long. The NAS also comes with all other features you’ll want from sharing over apps to security and user setup. The HDMI port allows you to use the NAS as a PC at the same time with easy to install apps such as VLC VideoLAN media player.
We were early with our review as we had one of the very first units to ever leave Thecus own complex and you might not fully remember all the details, so here is the link to our review of the Thecus N5810 Pro if you want to read more on this amazing NAS.
In a move that might snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, information has been revealed that the new R9 Fury GPU will not support HDMI 2.0 nor DP 1.3. This comes from a forum post on Overclockers.co.uk by what appears to be an AMD representative. Asked to confirm if the card would support HDMI 2.0, this was the answer given by AMDMatt:
If this post is accurate, the Fury will not only not be supporting HDMI 2.0. HDMI 2.0 is critical as the industry moves to 4K, something AMD has been pushing heavily. HDMI 2.0 allows for 4K @60Hz, something currently impossible with HDMI 1.4. DisplayPort 1.3, also not supported enables 2 4K @60Hz screens to be driven or 5K and 8K in certain modes at 60Hz. Both are also required for HDCP 2.2 which allows BluRay 4K discs to play with copyright protection. While DisplayPort 1.2a does allow for 4K@60Hz, users with HDMI 4K TVs, which have become quite prevalent, will be left at a console level 30Hz. Fury Nano, if also similarly handicapped will have it’s HTPC ambitions hurt as well.
For now, there is no need to get riled up just yet. This is just one post so far and AMDMatt might be misinformed. It will be best to save any pitchforks till official word comes out from AMD on their HDMI and DP support. The flexibility of DP also means that an active adapter can convert the DP 1.2a signal to HDMI 2.0, but HDCP 2.2 will be lost. If this report is true though, it makes AMD’s other mistakes this time seem trivial. Missing one of HDMI 2.0 or DP 1.3 is serious enough I tend to believe that one of the two is supported until I get official confirmation from AMD. Either way, AMD best act fast before the internet rumour mill goes out of control.
If you were hoping for high frame rates on your new 4KTV for living room gaming, HDMI 2.0 is vital.
XMBC entertainment center was originally built for the hacker-friendly Xbox and last year they broke away from that naming. It has long been the go-to media player for HTPC builders and to show the change in direction the app was taking the developers decided it needed a new name. Now it is called KODI but it is essentially just the next version of XMBC.
It is still a great update and Thecus NAS is now onboard with that app as well. It wasn’t like the Thecus NAS servers were lacking multimedia functionality in any way, even sporting VLC as we saw in our Thecus N5810 Pro review a little while ago.
The Thecus NAS servers with HDMI output now support KODI and you can install it directly from the app central. Connect the NAS to your TV or monitor with an HDMI cable and enjoy all those stored moment directly. I’ve recently made the switch to an NAS with direct output and it is amazing. I love it every day and have since repurposed my HTPC into another job.
Kodi is supported by the following Thecus NAS models:
N16000PRO, N12000PRO, N8900
N6850, N8850, N10850
N7710, N7710-G, N8810, N8810-G
N5810PRO
To install KODI, you’ll need Firmware 2.05.08. You can also read up on KODI and Thecus on their own if you’d like to know more.
