wappinghigh Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 They only run Celeron processors and 2GB of RAM.. so if they are configured with XBMC and one uses the EV driver and outputs video direct via HDMI... are they capable of outputing seamless, stutter free bluray.iso or 1080p HD video? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wappinghigh Posted February 2, 2014 Author Share Posted February 2, 2014 What nobody knows.. EV is going to sell that driver and nobody knows ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msgreenf Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I don't even know what you are talking about. Also don't assume no one knows 10 hrs after your post on a Sunday... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdepaola Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Generally the capabilities of a NAS as a media player are not going to be great. Let a NAS be a NAS and a media player a media player. At least as things stand right now Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wappinghigh Posted February 3, 2014 Author Share Posted February 3, 2014 Yep. It's critical to the whole EV driver purchase and how you'd set this up. These things run XBMC *on* the NAS.. so the EV driver would control XBMC on the NAS and one would assume you would then output this via HDMI *on* the NAS.. perhaps into a switch or something. Point being: no point doing this if the NAS can't cope with HD video... No point buying the driver, the special XBMC capable NAS.. nothing.. until the NAS is fully tested running XBMC outputting 1080p HD video and audio... How do I know this? Well XBMC runs very differently depending on RAM/Processor speed/video card specs etc ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wappinghigh Posted February 3, 2014 Author Share Posted February 3, 2014 ^ It's one thing to trial and error XBMC on a $45 Raspberry Pi...even a $400 intel Nuc... It's another matter entirely on a $1500 NAS... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Not that you cannot find this info on QNAPs site but...yes they are full HD capable (go ahead and google for yourself what exact formats they support). Also note that the EV driver as such is free, commissioned and paid for by QNAP. And 1500 dollars is looking at the top-range of the units, and even if the (free!) driver or it's playback capabilities - that integrates with the EV MyMovies driver as well - isn't to your satisfaction it's still a good quality NAS to use with any other media-player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wappinghigh Posted February 3, 2014 Author Share Posted February 3, 2014 ^ depends what you call "HD"..where does it say it will support 1080p Blu ray .iso or mkv? You know playback of 32GB+files? Like the Dunes do for example> Like I said. It depends on the video card and RAM. I'm not sure 2MB is enough frankly. I'm suspicious of this until someone has put these NAS drives thru their paces. Sure. The EV driver might be free. And you can use the QNAP as a NAS, but that is not the point. Point is one could buy the QNAP for this purpose and go down the whole "purchase the QNAP with the intention of using HDMI out and put this video feed thru the matrix switch route" (rather than stream out to media players).. that is, they could go down the completely wrong path based on the "free driver" release..only to be disappointed. Remember it's the user who pays for the C4programming and trial and test time etc.. I'm no saying they would be disappointed .. just that like everything out of Taiwan I'd want PROOF it an handle this video (not to mention any HDMI handshake issues) before committing to one approach of XBMC playback vs the other..... Understood? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 So you're trying to find a cheaper all in one solution, but afraid of using a web search engine for some answers on what file formats it supports?You're putting this all on "the end-user shouldn't be the tester" yet you're trying to find a device outside of the direct advise of a dealer to save money on a full NAS and player setup with proper networking to support it all. "where does it say it will support 1080p Blu ray .iso or mkv?" - Why wouldn't you just ask this on QNAP's forums or try and find it in their FAQs or spec sheets? Those are likeyl much better resources for this than this forum - as you're NOT asking about how well the thing integrates into a C4 environment. Do your own web-search work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wappinghigh Posted February 3, 2014 Author Share Posted February 3, 2014 Trying a cheap all in one solution??...With all due respect, No I'm not doing anything of the sort. An end user can well ask which route should I go down..before they commit. It's not just the $1500 cost of a NAS here at stake... like I said it's a whole approach. a 10K Matrix install with XBMC in the middle of the rack vs XBMC out in the periphery... And yes I'm doing my research. Doing just that: http://forum.qnap.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=77304 this is not promising.. ...I've been around long enough to know what Electronics manufactures from Taiwan claim to deliver aint necessarily so.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wappinghigh Posted February 3, 2014 Author Share Posted February 3, 2014 Like I said. What's the point of these NAS's with HDMI and paying for a dealer to get the driver and come out, set it all up.. if they fail at the primary task? It's not like they will be extremely easy and non time consuming to set up..Might as well get the standard NAS, your own XBMC media device and use a different (non EV) XBMC driver.. So tell me. What does the EV QNAP driver actually do (if it's not controlling XBMC)? Are there any other advantages? Quote from the EV website: This driver enables a Control4 system to take advantage of the QNAP QTS operating system for smarter management, control and even playback of your media. That's it. I can't find any other info. So what does it actually do? Does it boot up or power down the NAS for example? I recall this was one of the few formal releases at CES this year.. Do you think the information released so far by EV or QNAP is adequate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 I'm in no way saying you should or should not use this thing - I CAN tell you I'm not pushing it, in no small part that I very much agree that I'd keep my NAS a NAS - not something else. And because I'm tempted to agree that it seems the specs are limiting. As for what the driver does - it allows you to use the proper models as if it's a fully integrated media player, much like any other media player out there (but using XMBC). On top of that, the driver actively 'monitors' if and when there are changes to the stored media allowing the built in media management from C4 to update quickly. This may be limiting now, but my one big hope for 2.6 and onward is a big improvement there - though I only have vague rumors and speculation/extrapolation to go on there. In addition it's fully integrated into EV's MyMovies driver.Yes that seems quite adequate a description. Anything beyond that regarding the QNAP's playback ability is for QNAP to express and work on.The comment on paying a dealer to come out and install it all is the same discussion often repeated here about dealer vs DIY, and not one that I'm going into. Also, I NEVER stated I dislike the idea of a 'central driver database', in that thread I merely pointed out that you err if you think it's a hassle for a dealer to find drivers and find what works well in a C4 environment. Dealer capability non-withstanding, the tools are there already. You want to figure out for yourself what works best for you - which is perfectly fine by me, I'm just saying you're asking the wrong question in the wrong place. You up until now you NEVER asked what the DRIVER was capable of, just what files the DEVICE could play. Those are two completely different questions, even if both are important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wappinghigh Posted February 3, 2014 Author Share Posted February 3, 2014 ^ Again. I'd like the post. If I could. Positive votes quota is exceeded. Cy. I gotta luv ya. I respect you more that pretty much anyone on this forum. So thanks for listening. You obviously picked up on the potential flaws right there... No point me really taking this driver/setup for a spin at this stage until: a/ QNAP XBMC is confirmed to play back mkv and iso HD bluray via XBMC (why replace the Dune or some other XBMC setup that works? I mean what would one do with the files that won't stream?)b/ We precisely know how the EV QNAP driver integrates with C4 media management: until we see what's in 2.6 (you know my feeling about C4media management anyway)c/ What if any other function the driver might have if either a, or b is inadequate..that might justify replacing or adding to my ddNAS with a EV capable QNAP.. (BTW It's up to hardened guys like me, to pick the potential flaws out of a driver release like this.. until it's clarified.. so new guys don't rush out and buy or commit to some setup and gear, or an instal that will not live up to expectations...) I know QNAPS. (I have one already)I know XBMC. (I use it already)I know Control4.(i've had it and loved it for over 5 years)I know EV. (I have several of their drivers.)I know the problems of HD iso and mkv playback. Cheers and thanks. Always appreciate your help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecodeman Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 So Kaleidescape then? I kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wappinghigh Posted February 5, 2014 Author Share Posted February 5, 2014 ^ I dont' know Cody. Nobody can give me a solid answer to a very simple question. Why is that? I've searched now hi and low, looked on youtube etc etc.. nobody... you'd think I was a moron and it's a stupid question.. but like it's the darn most obvious one to me.. always was.. if you are going to put XBMC on your hardware. That's awesome.. but at least tell us what it will run and will it play the files well.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wappinghigh Posted February 5, 2014 Author Share Posted February 5, 2014 It's the old problem.. things look real cool at first..but nobody says the bleeding obvious.. and when it's pointed out suddenly you feel like a lepper.. yet if it doesn't work out, the end user is the one who ends up paying for it all.. why is that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wappinghigh Posted February 5, 2014 Author Share Posted February 5, 2014 They only run Celeron processors and 2GB of RAM.. so if they are configured with XBMC and one uses the EV driver and outputs video direct via HDMI... are they capable of outputing seamless, stutter free bluray.iso or 1080p HD video? Correction some run i3's.. but can you put in more than 2 RAM. And what video cards do they run?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILoveC4 Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Dude. Why not just buy a few Popcorn Hour boxes and call it a day? This is seemingly a constant struggle for you but it's so simple to me. Sent from my Droid MAXX via Tapatalk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wappinghigh Posted February 5, 2014 Author Share Posted February 5, 2014 Well sure. Or the Dunes. But that is not the point. The points is why isn't the industry doing this testing? I mean how easy would it be for someone to be donated the fastest QNAP and for XBMC to put thru it's paces and for someone to play these files so we all can know how they go? You don't even need Ethernet streaming to do this!! This is great becuase it takes that potential bottleneck out of the equation. That is the whole point of these QNAPS. (and this driver) that you can set them up as kinda home servers... and now we have the possibility of controlling them with our C4 systems. But how much effort would it take for someone in the industry to buy a QNAP, load on XBMC (its just a simple app on the QNAP) and play a few high def files and tell us how it goes ? Why should end users pay for all this only to potentially be disappointed ??? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wappinghigh Posted February 5, 2014 Author Share Posted February 5, 2014 This is just typical. Typical of a release like this. It is half baked. Untested. The Taiwanese do this *all* the time. I'm not necessarily criticising EV here. There driver is a great concept! At the end of the day, we pay for all these dealers to swan around to all the conferences and shows and nobody asks the critical questions or can be bothered to test it for us? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdvr Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 No not untested. Why do you always come here to complain, you could have complained to Autonomics, *(and to be fair I do believe you did). ASK EV! www.extravegetables.com why do you expect us to purchase a qnap nas two weeks after they announce it just to please you? Ask the people who made the driver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdepaola Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 They do test them under lots of scenarios. Just because they don't publish their alpha and beta testing results doesn't mean they didn't test them Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 I don't doubt the driver is very well tested - I think the 'debate' here is the quality of the product, not the driver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdvr Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 And I was not referring to the driver. I can guarantee they had the product in their labs to develop the drivers. I would hazard to guess they have played alot of movies on it. And I think THEY have the best knowledge of the products limitation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Meh. It was a commissioned driver. Their goal would not have been to find the best product and make a driver they'll sell lots of . There being a driver says little about the quality of the product the driver is for, and their focus would have been to make it operate, not see how well it holds up to other players. That said, as I stated asking about the quality of the product here is of little use as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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