What is a NAS?
A NAS, for Network Attached Storage, is a remote server used to store computer data. In other words, it is a hard drive connected to your Wi-Fi and accessible on a personal network , allowing you to centralize all the data of a home or business. Unlike tools like Google Drive, where you host your data “externally”, a NAS offers you the possibility of building your own private Cloud.
The advantages of a NAS
- First step in the world of dematerialized music
The first big advantage of using a NAS is the possibility of listening to music that you physically have in a dematerialized way. All you need to do is rip your CDs, that is to say, digitize them and store them on your hard drive. Today there are many software programs that allow you to encode your CDs in different digital formats. Obviously favor formats without compression or loss such as the WAVE or FLAC format. You will thus be able to save space and take advantage of the possibilities offered by NAS in terms of sorting and reading lists. With a little patience, you will be able to dematerialize your CD collection without any loss and free yourself from subscriptions to streaming platforms.
- Ability to store and distribute large files
The dematerialization of CDs is an important step, but it is just as essential to ensure that your files are stored securely and accessible. Today, it is possible to find NAS commercially with a large storage capacity (2 TB and more) for a cost varying between 200 and 300 euros. For example, a 3TB NAS can store around 4,000 CDs , which is more than enough for most people.
- Possibility of broadcasting locally, without internet access
Like any hard drive, and that's the whole point of a NAS, you have access to your files even without internet access . The distribution of your files then becomes much easier unlike streaming platforms for which a connection and good speed are mandatory. It is also possible to move your entire CD collection to places without any internet access, which may be the case in a second home for example. Likewise if, as sometimes happens, you experience an internet outage, you will still be able to listen to music.
- Multiple use
NAS are not just for music content. Overall, it's an excellent source of multimedia storage for the whole family or your business. You indeed have the possibility of playing and storing video content but also photo content
Useful information
Sometimes a NAS breaks down or a computer bug occurs. To avoid the loss of all of your content, it is in your best interest to set up a backup procedure . This will save you from having to re-encode hundreds or even thousands of CDs.
You have two methods for this:
The first is to get a NAS with automatic backup functionality. This type of NAS has the particularity of having not one, but two or even three sub-disks and of distributing your data there. In the event of failure of one of them, the operational disks will be able to reconstruct your data.
The second is to buy two NAS of the same capacity and regularly make backups on each of the disks.
Is it possible to stream the content of your NAS to Octavio products?
Thanks to our Octavio Virtuose control and management application, it is possible to broadcast the content of your NAS on Octavio products , whether our network player, our amplifier or our speaker. To do this, go to the library tab of your application.
