NAS. Drive map or DLNA?

[whealsie]

Ok so I have a NAS and all is working well with a mapped drive in my main system. My question is triggered by my Tangent Quattro in the dining room. I have connected this to the DLNA server on the NAS. It plays flacs just fine too. My question "what is better, DLNA or mapped drive?"

 

What do you use?

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Whealsie - Very good question. Usually this is an either/or situation. Either DLNA is supported or a mapped drive is supported. Does the Quattro support both?

 

I have a bias for mapped drives in terms of total control and functionality, but DLNA for convenience. I really can't back up this bias with any hard data. It's just a feeling I have.

 

[whealsie]

Hi Chris, great site you have put together here, it is fast becoming a crucial resource. Many thanks.

 

for the Quattro I could use:

 

DNLA

Shared Folders

 

on JRiver:

 

DLNA,

Shared Folders

Mapped Drives

UNC path

 

I prefer it the way round I have it. DLNA for the Quattro and Mapped Drives for JRiver.

 

I was curious as to which way people set up their NAS boxes. It seems that we all just get on with it whichever way is convenient and assume that they are equal. I just wonder if they are? (Bits are bits again?)

 

Kind regards

 

Whealsie - Sussex, UK

 

[CharlyD]

How your content is accessed over a network (e.g. from a NAS)depends on the capabilities of your receiving device (e.g. the Quattro or JRiver). A UPnP (or DLNA) Media Server provides Content Directory Services allowing browsing based on tag content (e.g. Artist/Album/Composer/etc.) by networked clients. JRiver, running on a PC on your network, can access such a service or it can access the content directly through the file system and build its own database from the content tags (access via UNC path or mapped drives).

 

I use both setups for access by my office system (JRiver/USB DAC/Headphones) and home theater system (AV Receiver/5.1 speakers). My content libary is on a NAS running TwonkyServer. JRiver builds a much more comprehensive database than Twonky, so I use UNC access for JRiver. The AV Receiver is DLNA compliant and accesses the Twonky server. Many UPnP servers also allow access by folder, but this is not nearly as useful as browsing by tag data.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Charly - I use Twonky on a limited basis. I try to use Asset UPnP from the dBpoweramp people. It's highly customizable and offers much more than Twonky. The only issue is it can't run on a NAS by itself. I run it on a Windows machine and point the app to a mapped drive on the NAS.

 

http://www.dbpoweramp.com/asset-upnp-dlna.htm

 

[CharlyD]

I completely agree with your assessment of Asset vs. Twonky. I also have Asset running on my PC, but it is great to be able to access my library with the PC off or not have play stop when the PC is shut down. I'm still waiting for a well-designed UPnP media server which runs on a low-price NAS. Gotta happen soon!

 

[whealsie]

Hi Chris

 

There is a Twonky plugin on Netgear ReadyNAS Duo. It is optional though as it has it's own DLNA plugin which does the same job for free.