I currently have a DS220+, which works fine with Plex, but I often have to transcode movies for the TV, which isn’t very effective. I have to convert movies to MP4 and burn in subtitles.
Now I’m looking for a 4-bay NAS. I saw the DS425+ and the DS925+ (similar to the DS423+ and DS923+). Google says the DS925+ is better and more powerful for Plex use than the DS425+.
But the Plex compatibility list says the DS425+ is better? I’m not sure what to believe, since the DS925+ does indeed have a more powerful processor and more RAM.
I do think it’s a shame that the DS925+ has an AMD processor; I think an Intel processor is faster.
Can anyone with this knowledge help me?
I recently got the Synology DS925+, not for Plex though as I have a dedicated HTPC for that.
When I contacted Synology regarding their DS925+ and Plex they did say that whilst the DS925+ is more Powerful they do not recommend it for Plex especially if Transcoding is required.
I basically keep my Media on the DS925+ and my HTPC which has an Intel i7 12700K and 63GB Ram reads the Media from the Nas.
Für Video Transcodierung ist eine Intel CPU wegen der integrierten GPU schon vorzuziehen. Mit der GPU kann Plex einige Formate in Hardware transkodieren, was wesentlich schneller geht. So, wie ich das sehe, hast du keinen Plex Pass (?), sodass dieses Feature für dich sowieso keinen Nutzen hat.
I would take the DS425+
Thanks to the IntelCPU with QuickSync you can use it for transcoding. With the 2.5 Gbit ethernet it is a bit future proof if you are still running a 1 Gbit network and plan to upgrade it in the future.
And if you really want to add more self host stuff like the Arr-apps or home automation you could transfer them to an Intel NUC and “degrade” the NAS to a simple storage device.
I think you could get disappointed if your starter device troubles with hardware transcoding already and you feel forced to buy a NUC just for this. I wouldn’t recommend that!
What exactly do you mean by this? Which starter divice?
I think you could get disappointed if your starter device troubles with hardware transcoding already and you feel forced to buy a NUC just for this. I wouldn’t recommend that!
Sorry! I’m from Switzerland so english is not my main language.
I meant if you spend a couple hundred $ for a device and think of sharing medias with friends or watch your stuff on your mobile phone on the go the chances are high that your server is transcoding something.
The Intel CPU of the DS425+ has an integrated GPU unit (used for hardware transcoding) which can transcode a couple of videos.
In my opinion the AMD Ryzen of the DS925+ chokes way faster on transcoding, because it is missing the integrated graphic unit. So the device has to use software transcoding wich is way less efficient.
Let’'s say you transcode one two 1080p videos. While the AMD CPU will jump up to a 60% to 100% range the Intel CPU chills at (let’s say) 30% to 40% because it uses the integrated graphic unit.
But keep in mind that the transcoding request ALWAYS comes from the client. As soon as the client can’t play something (7.1 Dolby Atmos soundtrack but your phone can only play stereo) or you are using non-compatible subtitles (often the picture based format like .PGS) the client requests the server to transcode the file to a usable format.
Edit
Sorry I just noticed that you don’t have a Plex Pass. But I would still take the Intel CPU because it uses about 25% less power on access and only about half the power on standby.
Nur mit dem Plex Pass kannst du einen Server mit Hardware Transkodierung nutzen!
Mit dem Plex Remote Pass kannst du von einem Server, der einen Plex Pass hat, aus der Ferne Videos ansehen, sofern der Server Betreiber dies erlaubt.
Haha, I’m from the Netherlands, and English isn’t my native language either.
Okay, obviously, the DS425+ is better, but I just read from another user that if you want to transcode, you need the Plex Pass for €5.99 per month. So I currently have the DS220+ with hardware transcoding, but apparently I’m not using it now, even though Plex does indicate it’s transcoding. But that’s also why movies often don’t work, and I have to convert them to an MP4 or something similar.
Okay, then the Intel is better. What I do have is that my NAS never goes to sleep because Plex keeps it awake. Don’t you have that problem? I’ve asked here before, but they say you can only change that if you remove Plex from the NAS.
I let my NAS run 24/7 and only reboot it for updates. IIRC Western Digital recommends to let the NAS HDDs run all the time because the start/stop process could shorten their lifespan.
Okay, it’s better that it doesn’t go into sleep mode then.
Another question. Maybe you know. I want to put a WD Red Pro 22TB HDD in it, but Synology has never tested them. They have tested their own Synology 20TB drives. But Synology also says in the specs for the NAS that you can use 100TB per volume. I don’t expect any problems with 22TB, which hasn’t been tested.
