engadgetHD review of the Ceton InfiniTV4

Timothy Daleo
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0

All rights reserved. Engadget HD 2010 All rights reserved. Engadget HD 2010

Many of us have all been waiting for the Ceton InfiniTV4 tuner details and engadgetHD has just published the first review.

A couple of quick highlights from the article:

  • PCI-E drawing approximately 14 watts
  • Maintains Copy Control Information (Provider based)
  • Tuning Adapter Support (one Motorola or two Ciscos)
  • All four of the InfiniTV’s tuners (must) be paired to the same Media Center PC

Many of the Ceton cards restrictions and limitations are due to the CableLabs specifications

The full article can be found at:

http://hd.engadget.com/2010/03/30/ceton-infinitv-4-cablecard-tuner-review

Tim

Where to locate hardware drivers with Windows Home Server

Andrew Edney
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4

Tranquil PC have been in touch to tell us about a really useful article they have posted that should help you when restoring a computer using Windows Home Server.

When you need to Restore your Home PC from the Home Server, you will use the Home PC Recovery CD.  This CD has all the files and drivers you need, but from time to time, you may get a message that there are no Ethernet or network drivers available or installed.  If you get this message, you need to get the drivers for your Home PC LAN device, put them on a spare USB key and then ask the Restore Wizard to Install the drivers.  To locate the drivers please follow the information below.

Every time Windows Home Server backs up a home computer, it saves the drivers for the computer in the backup file. If you need to access the drivers for any of your home computers (for example, during a computer restore), you can open a backup for that computer and copy the drivers to a USB flash drive.

To copy drivers from a computer backup

  1. Connect to the Windows Home Server Console.
  2. On the Computers & Backup tab, click the computer that you need drivers for.
  3. Click View Backups.
  4. Select the most recent backup, and then click Open.
  5. Select a volume to open (any volume will work), and then click Open. A window opens showing the files and folders in the backup.
  6. Plug in your USB flash drive.
  7. Copy the Windows Home Server Drivers for Restore folder from the open window to your USB flash drive.
  8. Remove the flash drive, and then insert it into the computer that is being restored.

Now you can use the USB flash drive to install drivers for your computer’s hardware when restoring a computer. The drivers you are most likely to need during a computer restore are the network driver and the storage-device driver.

If you have still any difficulty with your LAN driver, as occasionally occurs – you may wish to download the Tranquil DriverPack (LAN) – please download the zip file, unzip it and save all of the files to a spare USB stick us as above.

The Tranquil DriverPack is available from :

ftp://92.63.136.57/LAN_Drivers/ (and locate your specific device), or

ftp://92.63.136.57/LAN_Drivers/LANPACK.zip (download the (68.5MB) LANPACK.zip to get all the available LAN drivers)

For more information, including a list of drivers the pack contains, click here: http://tranquilpc-support.co.uk/

Thanks to David at Tranquil for the heads up!

Tech Tip on a Tuesday – TiVo still has Copy Protection.

Timothy Daleo
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1

If you thought TiVo might be an alternative for recording TV and cable to your WHS you may want to take a few minutes and read this.

©1998-2010 TiVo Inc. All rights reserved. TiVo and the TiVo logo are registered trademarks of TiVo Inc. and its subsidiaries worldwide.

Understanding Copy Protection – Why?

The main “thing” to understand is that the service provider (Charter in my case) is the determining factor in selecting which shows have what is called Copy Protection. Some of you may not be aware of how this affects you.

If you use an antenna and TV tuner or a product like the HDHomeRun with your PC, then anything you record (over the air – OTA like VHF and UHF) is Copy Freely, by definition. Copy Freely is free programming you can move and copy wherever you want.  If you have a Windows Home Server you can even tell your Windows Media Center PC to move those OTA TV shows to the WHS. Once those shows are on the WHS you can then watch them from ANY PC with Windows Media Center on your network. It works the way God and Bill planned it to work.

However…

If you have cable service and “premium channels” you need a CableCARD and a CableCARD compatible tuner to watch and record shows through Windows Media Center. The original ATI CableCARD tuner, the new Ceton card, the HDHomeRun CableCARD tuner and TiVo all work and function the same way. All these devices take their Copy Control Information (CCI) from the service provider via your CableCARD. This means that no matter which CableCARD device you use, you are pretty much stuck watching it on the PC that recorded it. If you already have a set-top-box (STB) or cable DVR, which already has a built-in CableCARD and Tuning Adapter, then you do not see any of these background tags since the programming never leaves the STB. Things only get Copy Protected once you record them with a PC or TiVo.

From Wiki at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copy_Control_Information

The two most popular flags used are Copy Freely and Copy Once. Copy Freely is essentially no flag at all, while Copy Once means that a DVR can make one copy, but no more copies can be made. The best examples of these in use are in regards to the TiVo HD and Windows Media Center. A show that is marked Copy Once can not be transferred to another TiVo via the Multi-Room Viewing feature and can not be transferred to the computer via TiVoToGo. In regards to Windows Media Center, shows marked Copy Once can only be played on the same PC in which they were recorded and the directly connected to an Extenders for Media Center like the Xbox 360 — ATI Digital Cable Tuner must be running firmware 1.19.12 or Copy Freely is treated like Copy Once.

So which channels are “Copy Freely” and which are “Copy Protected”? As a general rule of thumb anything over the air (OTA) is usually Copy Freely while channels like HBO, Discovery, HDNet, SyFy are Copy Protected. Again, your service provider makes the determination so you just have to deal with how they tag each show. Yes, Copy Protection is not just by channel, it can be by show too!

Do not be frustrated with your equipment as the PC, tuners and network all take their orders from the CableCARD!

For more information see the review of the ATI CableCARD tuner I wrote last year at:

https://moviesgamesandtech.com/2009/11/15/reviewing-cablecard-recorded-tv-in-windows-media-center-on-a-friday-night/

TiVo and Copy Protection – What does this mean?

TiVo works very similar to a HTPC or Media Center PC. With TiVo you also need the CableCARD in the back of the TiVo and (possibly) a Tuning Adapter. Based on the Copy Protection as described above, your TiVo, while it functions perfectly as a set-top-box, will not give you any advantage over a CableCARD tuner connected to your PC.

So you have to pay $299 for the base TiVo unit and $12.95 per month for the TiVo service. You also need to have an existing cable connection, Tuning Adapter and a CableCARD which ranges from $2-$5 per month. In addition, if you want to record to a PC you have to pay $24.95 for the software to convert the “non-Copy Protected” files to another PC a portable format. Fortunately for HP users the WHS Add-In is free!

Here is some of the fine print:

Files with digital rights management (DRM) or other copy protection are not supported.

* CableCARD required for receipt of digital cable service. Additional fees may apply from your cable provider.

** Broadband Internet connection required for video downloads. Additional third-party fees may apply.

† TiVo Desktop or TiVo Desktop Plus required. TiVo Desktop Plus sold separately.

I just verified on the TiVo site that anything with “Copy Protection” (Charter puts it on almost every channel) will not be shared with PCs connected to TiVo. This is not really a shocker but I did have to look around to find it. The TiVo will work similar to my ATI CableCARD tuner in that only the basic OTA network stations will be free from Copy Protection. Any other channels, like SyFy, HDNet, HBO etc. will not be able to be shared, viewable on other PCs or even encoded for portable devices.

Directly from the TiVo website I found: http://www.tivo.com/mytivo/product-features/dvr-to-go/index.html

Not all programs may be transferred using the Multi-Room Viewing or TiVoToGo features due to the use of copy protection mechanisms permitted under the FCC’s encoding rules. Some shows cannot be transferred due to the copy protection assigned them by the program provider. These shows usually are marked with a red circle-slash icon. (47 C.F.R. 76.1904)

Get used to the Red Circles. They are everywhere!

I am not bashing TiVo, but they do not leave me a lot to work with here. So ok, the TiVo has some good scheduling options but not much more than Windows Media Center considering the price. If there is some great part of TiVo I left out I would be glad to hear about it!

I am heading to my sisters soon to install the HP Add-In on her LX195 and see if her TiVo will record to it. If it does I will try the playback on the Dell Zino I bought her. I will write an article next month on that topic!

The TiVo Add-In only seems to be for the 3.0 Software!

Tim

©1998-2010 TiVo Inc. All rights reserved. TiVo and the TiVo logo are registered trademarks of TiVo Inc. and its subsidiaries worldwide.

Exclusive Review of the Tranquil PC SQA Superstor Windows Home Server and SQA-Ex

Andrew Edney
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10

Last week Tranquil PC announced their new Windows Home Server – the massive SQA SuperStor. Well here at UWHS we managed to get our hands on one for an exclusive review, a few weeks before it’s actually shipping.

Tranquil describe the SQA Superstor :

Do you have a large media collection? The SQA SuperStor is possibly the world’s largest non-industrial digital storage appliance when coupled with suitable HDD housings, i.e. the SQA-Ex – servicing up to 40TB (40,000GB) of data capacity ! That’s approx 9000 DVDs or 60,000 CDs

superstor1_original

Basically, the Superstor is an enhanced Series 2 SQA-5H with the addition of a couple of extra eSata ports. Make no mistake though, that makes a lot of difference to the expansion possibilities. We reviewed the Series 2 SQA-5H here: https://moviesgamesandtech.com/2010/02/09/in-depth-review-of-the-tranquil-pc-sqa-5h-safe-windows-home-server/

THE SQA SUPERSTOR

The SQA Superstor looks pretty much identical to Tranquil PC’s SQA-5H Windows Home Server. In fact, on the model we had to review, it says SQA-5H on the case (although this may change before release).

SQA Superstor Front

The big difference between the SQA-5H and the Superstor is that the Superstor has 3, yes count them, 3, eSata ports, and each one is capable of being used as a port multiplier. Again, on our review model the eSata ports were hand cut on the casing so this is not quite what the finished one will look like.

SQA Superstor Back

Features :

2GB Memory (upgradeable)

Dual core D510 Intel CPU

1TB Low Power / Low noise HDD

4x spare HDD slots

Server recovery pack

3x eSATA ports – all supporting Port Multiplier* (i.e. 5x HDDs can be added to each eSATA port)

3 year warranty

Specifications

Unit dimensions
213 (W) x 221 (D) x 195 (H) – incl feet

Unit construction
Enamelled steel (typically >70% recycled materials)

CPU cooling
Internal CPU and chipset aluminium heat sink (fan less)

CPU
64 bit ready Intel Atom D510 (2×1.66GHz) Dual Core

Memory
2x DDR2 667/800MHz (2GB fitted, one slot free)

HDD
1 – 5x 3.5? Western Digital (Green Power) – or user fitted 3.5? SATA2 HDDs

Colour options
Satin Black or High Gloss White

Front panel
Power, Mode and Backup switches, multi-coloured status LEDs and 2x USB2.0

Rear panel
12V DC power in / 4x USB2.0 / 10/100/1000 LAN / 3x eSATA (with Port Multiplier). Desk Lock

Weight
Base unit (nett) 6Kg (1x HDD fitted)

Packing box
310 (W) x 320 (D) x 290 (H) (external)

Power supply
Universal (50/60Hz – 110/240V) External AC/DC with country specific power cord

HDD support
1 – 5x 3.5” HDD supported (SATA2)

Working temp
Maximum 44’C ambient

Acoustics
~23dBA (1x HDD)

HDD Cooling
Hot swap 8cm Fan, with optimised speed / acoustic control

Mounting options
Desk

Power consumption
21W (base unit, with 1x HDD)

Software
Windows Home Server PP1, 2 and 3 pre-installed
Media Pack, with Start-up CD, Restore CD, Restore DVD and USB boot key
AVA Media CD ripping engine
iTunes Server
Logitech Server

Unboxing the Asus TS Mini Windows Home Server

Andrew Edney
-
7

The very nice FedEx man just delivered the Asus TS Mini Windows Home Server to me.

I will be doing a proper review later but for now I thought I would post a couple of quick pictures.

IMG_2231IMG_2235

IMG_2237

EX470 Memory Upgrade on a Friday night – Video Edition

Timothy Daleo
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14

Do you have a HP EX470 and want to upgrade to the HP 3.0 Software release? If so, you should upgrade the memory to 2GB. This week I made a video with John “Diehard” Zajdler walking me through the EX470 memory upgrade!

EX470 Memory Upgrade

Background

My parents EX470 has been running well since November of 2008. I had the main drive fail last year (just before warranty was up) and HP me sent a replacement drive. I was up and running the next day. Thank you HP for great service and a great product!

Now that the EX470 is out of warranty I am going to upgrade the memory from 512MB to 2GB. It would not have voided the warranty to change the memory before, but I had no reason to upgrade it before now. Once the memory upgrade is complete I will be able to install the HP 3.0 Software upgrade!

In addition, HP never released any documentation on servicing the EX470 so the memory upgrade is at YOUR OWN RISK.

Equipment Needed

  • 2GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667
  • John Zajdler (Optional)
  • Torx T15 and Phillips #00 Screwdriver
  • Two Pints (Optional as always, pints are 16 ounces so adjust accordingly)

Memory Purchase

You should purchase the 2GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300). I installed the Patriot brand but there are other manufacturers out there.

Make sure you get just ONE chip and NOT a pair of 1GB!

Patriot 2GB

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220231&Tpk=N82E16820220231

Kingston 2GB

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820139039&Tpk=N82E16820139039

I bought mine on sale a while back at Newegg so you might want to shop around for the best deal. Do not forget to use BING!

EX470 Memory Upgrade

EX470 Memory Upgrade Video – Watch in 720 HD.

I had seen instructions and videos on HomeServerShow and Home Server Hacks but I wanted to do something a little different. I used my Sony Webbie, a tripod, LifeCam HD, 9 inches of Scotch brand tape and Skype’d up John Zajdler.

EX470 Memory Upgrade

The process is mostly edit free but I had to break it into four videos because of the 10 minute YouTube time limit. In addition,  I had Skype sound issues so keep your hand near the volume.

Conclusion – Upgrade Successful

I was fortunate enough to have one of the best hardware people out there to walk me through the process. With these videos you now also have a copy of that resource. Do not worry and take your time!

After John and I completed the upgrade John asked me to plug it in to give it a try. I connected the power plug and Ethernet connection and waited for the blue lights. Three minutes later I had a third server on my network! Sweet.

EX470 Memory Upgrade

EX470 Memory Upgrade

Thank you to John Zajdler for walking me through the upgrade.

See you next Friday night,

Timothy Daleo

–

–

EX470 Support – Not Available

The EX470 is no longer supported (according to the HP website) so you will not find anything of value on the HP website regarding parts.

EX470 Memory Upgrade

You will find some old part numbers but that is about it.

EX470 Memory Upgrade

EX470 Specifications

These are not needed for the memory upgrade but since support is up I would suggest downloading them and putting them on your server somewhere just incase you ever want to reference the original documentation in a digital format.

HP EX470/EX475 MediaSmart Servers (3493.0KB, PDF)

HP EX470, EX475 MediaSmart Server – User’s Guide

HP MediaSmart Server – Installation and Troubleshooting Guide

Tranquil PC Announce the SQA SuperStor Windows Home Server

Andrew Edney
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2

Tranquil PC today announced the SQA SuperStor, which is a Windows Home Server capable of being expanded to support 20x 2TB HDDs, so if you want to store 40,000GB if data you can!

superstor1_original

In response to many requests to expand the SQA past the 10x HDD* limit, Tranquil launches the SuperStor.

( * not incl USB ports)

Do you have a large media collection? The SQA SuperStor is possibly the world’s largest non-industrial digital storage appliance when coupled with suitable HDD housings, i.e. the SQA-Ex – servicing up to 40TB (40,000GB) of data capacity !

That’s approx 9000 DVDs or 60,000 CDs (or approx 12,000,000 MP files)

Available to order now, shipping from 12th April 2010.

Special Introductory Offer save £40.00

Check out http://www.tranquilpc-shop.co.uk/acatalog/SQA-SuperStor.html

Features :

2GB Memory (upgradeable)

Dual core D510 Intel CPU

1TB Low Power / Low noise HDD

4x spare HDD slots

Server recovery pack

3x eSATA ports – all supporting Port Multiplier* (i.e. 5x HDDs can be added to each eSATA port)

3 year warranty

*Port multiplier technology allows you to connect a single eSATA cable from the host (SQA SuperStor) to the slave (the SQA-Ex). Each drive inserted into the slave unit can be seen and accessed as if it was locally connected. There is no evidence of reduction of data flow when using this technology. Other port multiplier housing can be used but check that the box supports the Silicon Image Port Multiplier Technology, the SQA-Ex is possibly the best choice, not only does it look similar the SQA-SuperStor, but the HDD bays are all tool-less as they are on the SQA-SuperStor

Specification

Unit dimensions 213 (W) x 221 (D) x 195 (H) – incl feet
Unit construction Enamelled steel (typically >70% recycled materials)
CPU cooling Internal CPU and chipset aluminium heat sink (fan less)
CPU 64 bit ready Intel Atom D510 (2×1.66GHz) Dual Core
Memory 2x DDR2 667/800MHz (2GB fitted, one slot free)
HDD 1 – 5x 3.5″ Western Digital (Green Power) – or user fitted 3.5″ SATA2 HDDs
Colour options Satin Black or High Gloss White
Front panel Power, Mode and Backup switches, multi-coloured status LEDs and 2x USB2.0
Rear panel 12V DC power in / 4x USB2.0 / 10/100/1000 LAN / 3x eSATA (with Port Multiplier). Desk Lock
Weight Base unit (nett) 6Kg (1x HDD fitted)
Packing box 310 (W) x 320 (D) x 290 (H) (external)
Power supply Universal (50/60Hz – 110/240V) External AC/DC with country specific power cord
HDD support 1 – 5x 3.5” HDD supported (SATA2)
Working temp Maximum 44’C ambient
Acoustics ~23dBA (1x HDD)
HDD Cooling Hot swap 8cm Fan, with optimised speed / acoustic control
Mounting options Desk
Power consumption 21W (base unit, with 1x HDD)
Software Windows Home Server PP1, 2 and 3 pre-installed
Media Pack, with Start-up CD, Restore CD, Restore DVD and USB boot key
AVA Media CD ripping engine
iTunes Server
Logitech Server

If you want to know more about the SuperStor and the SQA-Ex, then keep an eye on UWHS this weekend. I can’t say any more right now or the Tranquil heavy mob will be knocking on my door!

Home Server Show Podcast 82 Out Now

Andrew Edney
-
5

Dave and the guys over at the Home Server Show have released this week’s podcast, number 82.

home_server_show_small

Here is what Dave has to say about this week’s show:

The Home Server Show 83

News and information on Windows Home Server

Add-In MSS Fan Control

Add-In: Directory Watcher

SageTV MediaShrink

Norco 4220 Case

ASoft’s Add-In Cleanup Tool

Add-In: AdMiniMe on sale

Windows Home Server Commercials on Hulu

And are you playing along at home with the UWHS drinking game? Every time either Tim, myself or UWHS gets a mention you need to take a drink.

I wonder how many it will be this week? Smile

To find out, click here: http://homeservershow.com/the-home-server-show-82.html

RunAs Radio Interviews Kevin Royalty about WHS

Andrew Edney
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1

Kevin Royalty is a friend and fellow MVP, even if his MVP is in Small Business Server Smile Kevin does a lot for Windows Home Server and is interviewed on RunAs Radio on using a Home Server in businesses.

25-03-2010 08-02-20

Show #151 | 3/10/2010 (39 minutes)

Kevin Royalty Uses Home Server in Businesses!

Richard and Greg talk to Kevin Royalty about Home Server. Intended for the home, Microsoft’s Home Server works great for small businesses with ten or less workstations, providing shared file services, an awesome backup solution and even remote access! Home Server offers a starting point before Small Business Server, but even after you’ve moved to SBS, you’ll want to keep using Home Server for backup.

So to go listen to Kevin, click here: http://www.runasradio.com/default.aspx?showNum=151

HP Release Another MediaSmart Update – Patch 3

Andrew Edney
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5

Following on from the release a few weeks ago of the HP MediaSmart 3.0 Patch 2 update, which amongst other things brought a number of CPU issues into play, HP have just released another update – this one called, wait for it, Patch 3.

24-03-2010 16-50-32

Details and specifications

File name: MSSDV33135433ServerUpdate.exe [1/1, 4.14M]

Released: 2010-03-22

Version: 3.3.1.35433

Fix/Enhancement: This update improves the quality of transcoded audio files.

This doesn’t appear to be available directly from Windows Home Server Console yet, but I assume that will change in the next few days.

24-03-2010 16-53-16

The problem this fixes is detailed here: Troubleshooting TwonkyMedia – How To Fix Twonky Issues in 3.0 Patch 2 or at least it fixes some of the issues.

So until then, you can download the small patch by clicking on the link above and install it manually.

Synology Launches DX510 NAS Expansion Solution

Andrew Edney
-
0

Coming only a few days after the launch of the DiskStation DS410, Synology have announced the launch of the DX510 expansion solution for use with the DS1010+ and the DS710+.

DX510-web-frontDX510-web-right45

Here is some information on the DX150 from the Synology website:

Synology DX510 delivers an effortless solution for volume expansion and data backup for selected Synology DiskStations. The DX510 smoothly scales the storage capacity of the Synology DiskStation by an additional 5 hard drives on the fly when firmly connected directly to the Synology DiskStation, ensuring a reliable expansion solution.

  • Plug-n-use
  • Hot-swappable HDD design
  • Hibernation
  • Managed from Synology DiskStation Manager 2.3

The Synology DX510 is connected to the Synology DiskStation using an eSATA cable with custom-designed connectors on both ends, ensuring a reliable connection and maximum throughput. The eSATA 3.0 Gb/sec definition allows the hard drives in the connected Synology DX510 to operate as they are the internal ones of the Synology DiskStation.

SPECIFICATIONS

Hardware

• Internal HDD: 5X 3.5″ SATA or 5X 2.5″ SATA

• eSATA port X 1

• Hot Swappable HDD: Yes

• Size (mm): 157 X 248 X 233

• Weight?4.10KG

• System Fan?X 2(80x80mm)

• Noise Level (fan-only)?30dB(A)

• Power Recovery: sync with the connected Disk Station

• AC Input Power Voltage?100V ~ 240V AC

• Power Frequency?50 / 60Hz?Single Phase

• Operating Temperature?40 ~ 95°F (5 ~ 35°C)

• Storage Temperature?15 ~ 155°F (-10 ~ 70°C)

• Relative Humidity?5% ~ 95% RH

• Maximum Operating Altitude?10,000feet

For those of you who like to see what things look like from the side and back (that would be Diehard again!):

DX510-web-backDX510-web-left

Check out the Synology website for more details: http://www.synology.com/enu/products/DX510/datasheet.php

Price wise, Amazon.com are showing the diskless variant at a little under $1000 with the fully populated 5TB version at $1759.99. Amazon.co.uk are showing the diskless one at around £420.

So if you have some need to expand your existing Synology NAS solution, and this supports it, you should take a look, but it isn’t cheap!

MSS Fan Control Add-In for Windows Home Server Updated

Andrew Edney
-
0

Fellow Windows Home Server MVP Alex Kuretz has been in touch to say that his add-in, MSS Fan Control, has been updated and now supports the HP 3.0 Software Update.

Here is what Alex has to say:

MSS Fan Control is a Windows Home Server Add-In that allows you to change the behaviors of the exhaust fans in the HP MediaSmart Server EX470 and EX475.

In the new 3.0 Software Upgrade for the HP MediaSmart Server EX470 and EX475, HP made a few changes that caused the Add-in to no longer work. Fortunately the fix was fairly simple and I’m happy to announce the availability of version 1.0.0.9 that supports EX47x servers running either HP 1.3 or 3.0 software. Note that this Add-In only works with the EX47x servers, as HP moved the fan controls into the BIOS in the EX48x and EX49x series servers.

While making the changes necessary to support 3.0, I took the opportunity to fix another minor bug with the way settings were initially loaded, plus added a new “Please Wait” dialog to inform the user that Fan Control is busy changing the server configuration.

FanControl1_0_0_9-600x438

You can download the updated add-in from here: http://www.mediasmartserver.net/add-ins

AdminiMe Add-In for Windows Home Server Special Deal for Spring

Andrew Edney
-
0

Fellow Windows Home Server MVP Nick Asseloos, author of various WHS Add-Ins including AutoExit and AdminiMi has been in touch to let us know about a special deal for Spring.

As it is now Spring, or at least it’s supposed to be (it’s currently raining here in the UK – what a surprise), Nick has decided to run a special deal for a week, starting today (20th March 2010) were you can buy AdminiMe for 6$/6Euro/6GBP/600Yen. This deal is only for a week remember!

Nick also mentioned that there is a new update coming in the next week or too – so get in now while you can get the deal.

ASoft AdminiMe for Windows Home Server is a console add-in for Windows Home Server.

It is an add-in that constantly monitors your server without you having to do anything.
As the Home Server is a headless machine that is running non stop for long periods of times, and mostly hidden away in some closet/basement/small room; people don’t look at its ‘health’ to often.

But in reality, it could be that the server’ CPU usage is high for very long periods, or errors are occuring, memory utilization is high,…

To avoid this, you can use AdminiMe! It will monitor your server in the background without you having to do anything. And in case something goes wrong, it will notify you.
Added to this monitoring, it contains a console where you can watch all kinds of parameters in real-time. Things like CPU, memory, network, disks and all kinds of statistics like uptime, longest uptime, # of starts,…

But it doesn’t stop there, it also has shortcuts to the most relevant tools: Event Viewer, Task Manager, Performance Monitor, Remote Desktop.

You also have the option to add your own shortcuts to applications!

And next to that, there is a ‘Run-box’ which has the same functionality as the Windows Run Dialog.

There is also a screen where you can view, which users have open files to the server shares.

All events are kept in a log that can be consulted later on.

Features in AdminiMe 2010 for Windows Home Server
– Multilingual UI (supports German, French, Japanese).
– A console that shows a lot of information:
> CPU Usage (in total or per processor)
> Upload & Download speed of the network traffic
> Memory usage
> Total Disk usage
> Current Time
> System Uptime
> Longest Uptime
> Total Uptime
> # of starts
> First start
> Last start
> Detailed information on the storage (activity, temperature, disk space,…)
> All the files that have sessions open by users
> The logging of all events that occured
Handy features in the console:
> Possibility to create shortcuts to applications
> Shortcuts to important system tools: Event Viewer, Performance Monitor, Task Manager, Remote desktop
> Run box (like the Run dialog functionality in the Windows Menu)
> Automatically shut down the server when no clients are connected
Health monitoring:
– Send a mail in case of problems
– Monitoring:
> CPU (monitors the average usage over a certain amount of time)
> Memory (Memory usage)
> Harddisks (Disk space monitoring, disk temperature monitoring)
> System Event Log (Problems reported in the Event Viewer are monitored)
> WHS Events (Warning / Errors)
> Failed Remote Access Attempts
> System (warns if the system has been running non-stop for x amount of days, improper shutdown)

To learn more about AdminiMe, click here: AdminiMe 2010 Add-In for Windows Home Server

To buy AdminiMe 2010, click here: http://www.asoft.be/prod_adminimewhs.html

You can also download a free version which has 99.99% of the functionality enabled, but it’s cheap, it’s great, so why not support Nick?

Synology Launches DiskStation DS410 NAS

Andrew Edney
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This week Synology launched a new 4-bay all-in-one NAS server called the DiskStation DS410 (not to be confused with the DS410j). Only a week ago Synology released a new version of their DiskStation Manager software.

DS410-web-front DS410-web-right45

Here is some information on the DS410 from the Synology website:

The Synology DS410 delivers an average 110 MB/sec reading speed under RAID 5 configuration in a Windows environment, and 54.9 MB/sec writing. The Synology DS410 provides a reliable solution for data sharing with an easy to use interface, and comprehensive businesses-oriented applications, including a complete backup solution making it one of the best values in 4-bay NAS devices available today.

For users who are limited on time and not familiar with configuring complicated routers, the Synology EZ-Internet Wizard simplifies the process of setting up access to the Synology DS410 from the Internet. The EZ-Internet Wizard steps through all of the settings including firewall settings, port-forwarding, PPPoE setup and DDNS registration.

Running on AJAX technology, the UI is intuitive and easy-to-use. Creating private shared folders for a large number of users is easy with the User Home feature because it minimizes the steps and time for the administrator to create private shared folders. The sub-folder privilege settings further extend the flexibility to allocate permissions for different workgroups.

The Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR) automatically builds an optimal RAID volume with data protection based on the hard drives installed, eliminating the need to have hard drives of identical size, while still offering a manual setup option for advanced users.

The Synology DS410 offers a centralized backup target to consolidate fragmented and unstructured data across a network. PC Users can back up their data to the Synology DS410 using the free Synology Data Replicator software, while Mac OS X users enjoy native Apple® Time Machine integration. A web-based backup wizard is provided for backing up data in the Synology DS410 to another Synology DiskStation or any rsync server via an encrypted transmission, or to an external hard drive via USB or eSATA connection. In addition, backing up to the cloud using Amazon® S3 service is also supported.

The Synology DS410 runs on the renowned system firmware, Synology DSM 2.3, offering comprehensive applications and features designed specifically for business workgroups. Comprehensive network protocol support assures seamless file sharing across Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms. Windows ADS integration allows the Synology DS410 to quickly and easily fit into an existing business network environment with no need to recreate user accounts on the Synology DS410.

Internet file access is simplified by the encrypted FTP server and the web-based file explorer, Synology File Station 3. HTTPS, firewall, and IP auto-block support ensure file sharing over the Internet is protected at a high security level.

Synology Web Station with support for PHP/MySQL web content allows hosting up to 30 websites on a Synology DS410. Synology Surveillance Station 4 offers a centralized interface to safeguard the office environments by deploying IP cameras. H.264 video format is supported to deliver high quality video.The Mail Station add-on turns a Synology DS410 into a mail server with only few steps of installation. The USB printer sharing capability minimizes businesses’ cost by sharing printing resources throughout the office.

DSM 2.3 users are encouraged to develop and install third-party applications on the Synology DS410. Meanwhile, a list of third-party applications that were tested by Synology is available for users to install on the Synology DS410.

Synology DiskStations are designed and developed with energy efficiency in mind. Compared with the average PC counterparts, the Synology DS410 consumes only 56 watts in operation. The support of wake on LAN/WAN, scheduled power on/off and hard drive hibernation can further reduce power consumption and operation cost.

SPECIFICATIONS

Hardware

  • CPU Frequency: 1.06GHz
  • Floating Point: Yes
  • Memory Bus: 64bit@DDR533
  • Memory: 512MB
  • Internal HDD1: 3.5″ SATA(II) X4 or 2.5″ SATA/SSD X4
  • Max Internal Capacity: 8TB (4x 2TB hard drives)
    (See All Supported HDD)
  • Size (HxWxD): 168mm X 184mm X 230mm
  • External HDD Interface: USB 2.0 port X2, eSATA port X1
  • Weight: 2.23kg
  • LAN: Gigabit X1
  • Wireless Support
  • Wake on LAN/WAN
  • Noise Level (fan-only):2 23dB(A)
  • Power Recovery
  • AC Input Power Voltage: 100V to 240V
  • Power Frequency: 50Hz to 60Hz, Single Phase
  • Power Consumption3 56W(Access); 20W(HDD Hibernation)
  • Operating Temperature: 5°C to 35°C (40°F to 95°F)
  • Storage Temperature: -10°C to 70°C (15°F to 155°F)
  • Relative Humidity: 5% to 95%RH
  • Maximum Operating Altitude: 10,000 feet
  • Certification: FCC Class B, CE Class B, BSMI Class B

For those of you who like to see what things look like from the side and back (that would be Diehard!):

DS410-web-right DS410-web-back

Also according to the Synology website, the DS410 also supports audio and video.

Audio Station 2

  • Supported Audio Format: (USB Mode) AAC, FLAC, M4A, MP3, Ogg Vorbis, WMA, WMA VBR; (Streaming Mode) MP3, M4A, M4B
  • Supported Playlist Format: M3U, WPL
  • Internet Radio: SHOUTcast, Radioio

DLNA/UPnP Media Server

  • PS3/Xbox 360 Support
  • Supported Audio Format: verified: AAC, FLAC, M4A, MP3, Ogg Vorbis, PCM, WAV, WMA, WMA VBR, WMA PRO, WMA Lossless
  • Supported Video Format: 3GP, 3G2, ASF, AVI, DAT, DivX, DVR-MS, ISO, M2T, M2TS, M4V, MKV, MP4, MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, MTS, MOV, QT, SWF, TP, TRP, TS, VOB, WMV, XviD, RV30, RV40, AC3, AMR, WMA3
  • Supported Image Format: BMP, JPG (jpe, jpeg), GIF, ICO, PNG, PSD, TIF (tiff), UFO, RAW (arw, srf, sr2, dcr, k25, kdc, cr2, crw, nef, mrw, ptx, pef, raf, 3fr, erf, mef, mos, orf, rw2, dng, x3f)
  • Supported Subtitles Format: srt, psb, smi, ass, ssa, sub, idx, ifo

iTunes Server

  • Supported Audio Format: MP3, M4A, M4P, WAV6, AIF6
  • Supported Video Format: M4V, MOV, MP4
  • Supported Playlist Format: M3U, WPL

There are also a number of other features, check out the website for more details: http://www.synology.com/enu/products/DS410/spec.php

Price wise, Amazon.com are showing the empty DS410 at just under $500 and the 4x1TB DS410 at just under $1,200. Here in the UK, the empty DS410 is around £400, so again, considerably more expensive than our American cousins!

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