Synology DS214play 2-bay NAS Review

Storage/NAS by stefan @ 2014-03-10

DS214play is one of the latest 2-bay NASes from Synology which has at its core the Intel Evansport CE5535 processor coupled with 1GB of DDR3 RAM; this product is capable of doing on-the-fly Full HD transcoding to DLNA-enabled devices and runs the latest DSM software version.

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Packaging, A Closer Look Part I

The latest NAS we are reviewing, DS214play has been shipped with a similar packaging as we have seen on other 2-bay models, with a plastic handle to aid transport:

 

 

 

 

On one of the box sides, the manufacturer has attached a sticker which shows some of the hardware specifications along with the package contents:

 

 

 

After lifting the top cover, we will also find the next three steps written inside:

 

 

 

Synology always packs the bundle in different compartments for easy removal:

 

 

 

The power lead is separated from the rest of the bundle, which is located in a plain cardboard box:

 

 

 

Inside the box we have just mentioned, we will also find the documentation, which is located inside a re-sealable transparent plastic bag:

 

 

 

Here we will also find the necessary mounting screws, the power adapter but also a single LAN cable:

 

 

 

Inside the Quick Installation Guide, we have some drawings with explanations which will show us how to set up the product before starting software upload:

 

 

 

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Comment from jmke @ 2014/03/10
Quote:
Since the NAS is mainly aimed at home use, we would have liked Synology to include a slightly modified design chassis in order to include a HDMI port in the back but also an IR sensor in the front (remote oriented) for being able to operate XBMC straight on our Full-HD television.
can't agree more with your assessment! this little device can easily be placed near your TV and be your one device, instead of having to rely on an external media player; I think QNAP does do HDMI and XBMC combo.

on a Synology related note, DSM 5.0 was released today!

live demo http://www.synology.com/en-global/products/dsm_livedemo

 

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