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Review: Synology DS216j

by Parm Mann on 14 March 2016, 16:30

Tags: Synology, Marvell (NASDAQ:MRVL)

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qaczbn

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Conclusion

...while the hardware can be considered somewhat basic, it's the software that continues to elevate the Synology NAS experience.

If you've kept an eye on the NAS landscape and find yourself eager to dip your toe into network-attached waters, the Synology DS216j should be on your radar.

Priced to appeal to network novices, this £140 dual-bay unit is well suited to home users seeking reliable centralised storage, a wealth of handy features and a user experience that few other NAS suppliers are able to match.

Whether you're seeking a powerful DLNA media server, multi-device backups or home surveillance, the DS216j proves to be a capable and efficient performer. The dual-bay unit does miss a couple of niceties - namely quick-release drive trays and front-facing USB ports - yet while the hardware can be considered somewhat basic, it's the software that continues to elevate the Synology NAS experience.

Ready to purchase your first home NAS? Put the DS216j near the top of your list.

The Good
 
The Bad
Lots of features for £140
Capable dual-core performance
Energy efficient hardware
Class-leading operating system
User-friendly configuration
Ideal for NAS newcomers
 
No front-facing USB ports
Drive access could be easier



Synology DS216j

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The Synology DS216j is available to purchase from Amazon.

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At HEXUS, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If any company representatives for the products reviewed choose to respond, we'll publish their commentary here verbatim.



*UK-based HEXUS community members are eligible for free delivery and priority customer service through the SCAN.care@HEXUS forum.



HEXUS Forums :: 3 Comments

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To be honest, although I would never say no to a speed boost on principle, I haven't really noticed any significant delays with our DS215J. We chose Synology because it was easy to set up as a Subversion repository (SVN can be downloaded from their site) and the only criticism I could give is that it was difficult to set up RAID when adding a second disc. We should have splashed out on both disks in the first place.
Anybody know if you can install TWONKY on this?
jnutt
Anybody know if you can install TWONKY on this?
No official Twonky server. The official one is called Video Station / Media Station. Regarding muxing and transcoding, DS216j is part of Group 2. You should search for “Can my Synology NAS transcode videos for my device?” (I am too new in this forum).

Plex and Servioo are part of community packages, but they have mostly the same limitations as the official ones.