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A Taiwanese-based company that specializes in Network Attached Storage products, Synology produces a wide variety of NAS devices for home and professional environments.

Synology review: How a NAS can enhance your Apple device experience

Synology NAS

I’ve been a long time user of Synology NAS products, having first reviewed them on 9to5Mac in 2016. At the end of the last year upgraded to a 4-bay DS920+. Upgrading from a 2-bay to a 4-bay model has unlocked even more use cases for me, but I still get the impression that to most people, a NAS is a scary and uninviting concept.

Hopefully, in this post, I can highlight how a NAS can dramatically enhance your Apple experience, and that the whole venture is a relatively straightforward thing to integrate in your life, and get ongoing value …

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How to easily back up your Mac with Time Machine and a Synology NAS [Video]

In the past when I’ve covered my experience with Synology NAS products, it’s usually been from the perspective of using one of Synology’s more powerful offerings as a media server for Final Cut Pro X libraries. Today, I’d like to flip the script and talk about Synology’s entry-level NAS, the compact DS220j. I’d also like to begin regular discussions of more common needs for the everyday Mac user, such as Time Machine backups, private cloud storage, etc.

Being an entry-level model, the DS220j is marketed as a personal cloud solution for data sharing and backup, and I find it to be a good fit for those applications. In this first hands-on video, I’ll walk you through what it takes to set up the DS220j as a Time Machine backup solution for your Macs.

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How to set up Plex on a Synology NAS drive

How to set up Plex Synology NAS

Using a dedicated device like a Synology NAS drive to host your Plex media library offers a variety of advantages over using a Mac. In addition to being able to configure a large amount of storage at a low cost and freeing up your desktop or notebook from the workload, a Plex setup with a NAS drive offers features like 4K video transcoding, the ability to record TV shows for free, and much more. Read along with our detailed guide on how to set up Plex on a Synology NAS drive.


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Hands-on: Synology’s MR2200ac mesh router enhances its AirPort Extreme alternative [Video]

A couple of years ago I replaced my Apple AirPort Extreme router with Synology’s RT2600ac. I made this move partly because of the rumors about Apple exiting the router business — which it eventually did — and partly because I desired a more robust feature set.

This was around the same time that consumer mesh networks were really beginning to gain in popularity, but unfortunately, Synology didn’t offer a mesh networking solution at the time. The good news is that Synology now has a mesh router in its repertoire in the MR2200ac. Watch our hands-on video walkthrough for more details.
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Back to the Mac 009: How to use a Synology NAS for Time Machine backups [Video]

Synology just launched its newest prosumer NAS box, the DS1618+. This 6-bay machine comes with a quad-core 2.1GHz CPU, and 4GB of DDR4 non-ECC memory that can be upgraded to 32GB of ECC RAM.

What makes the DS1618+ particularly special is its expandability — and not just eSATA storage expandability that we usually associate with Synology products. The DS1618+ features a PCIe 3.0 x8 expansion slot that can accommodate either an M.2 card for cache, or a 10GbE NIC for significantly faster throughput. Such an addition makes the DS1618+ ideal for connecting to machines with 10 Gigabit Ethernet, such as the iMac Pro.

There are many reasons why individuals and companies employ the use of NAS boxes. In household environments, they can act like a media server, storing high quality video rips for local streaming. Others, perhaps those in corporate environments, like to use NAS setups as a storage solution for video editing.

But there is another key reason why you might want to consider a NAS, especially in light of Apple’s decision to abandon its AirPort and Time Capsule products — Time Machine backups. In this hands-on video, I show you how I use the DS1618+ as a quiet and reliable Time Machine backup solution.


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Final Cut Pro X: Revisiting the Synology NAS, this time with 10GbE

I’ve used a Synology NAS to store Final Cut Pro X libraries in the past, but the process wasn’t very straightforward at the time, and performance was never good enough to convince me to use it over the long-term. This was especially true as I started to dabble more in 4K workflows.

As we all know, the iMac Pro features built in 10GbE connectivity, which opens up the possibilities when it comes to using a NAS as a Final Cut Pro X storage solution. Final Cut Pro X also received updates in the last year in order to better facilitate working from network attached storage.

Is a 10GbE NAS a viable storage solution for Final Cut Pro X users?


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A possible AirPort Extreme replacement? Hands-on with the Synology RT2600ac [Video]

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Since the news broke that Apple is getting out of the router business, I’ve been looking to replace my AirPort Extreme. I wanted something with more power-user features, and the Synology RT2600ac stood out as a likely candidate. The $229.99 RT2600ac, which is the follow-up to last year’s popular RT1900ac, contains a wealth of new additions, and is considerably more power-user friendly than Apple’s AirPort Extreme.

Synology’s routers run the SRM operating system, which makes managing the RT2600ac similar to driving one of the company’s popular NAS boxes. But does this router make a good replacement for the easy-to-use AirPort Extreme? Have a look at our hands-on video walkthrough as I showcase 15 of my favorite RT2600ac features.


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How to store Final Cut Pro X libraries on a NAS by using a disk image workaround [Video]

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If you’ve ever tried to store a Final Cut Pro X library on an external hard drive connected to your local network, or via an actual NAS from a company like Synology, then you’ve likely been greeted with an unsupported volume type error. This error is there to let you know that you must store a library on a local, SAN, or supported SMB location.

However, it is possible to save a library on a NAS by properly wielding a disk image created via the macOS Disk Utility. Depending on your local setup and network speed, it could make a viable network storage option for your Final Cut Pro X libraries. Have a look at our hands-on video walkthrough to see how it works, and learn about this method’s pluses and minuses.
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Review: Synology NAS, a solid backup solution and great home media server with Plex

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I’ve recently been testing the brand new Synology DS-216+ NAS ($299), a network-attached-storage product meant for consumers. Although Synology products include a variety of features, I will be focusing on two primary functions that I consider most essential and most useful to people today: Mac backup and home media management (TV shows and movies).

With Apple no longer shipping optical drives in most of their products, I think now is a great time to convert your home movie collection of DVDs and Blu-rays to digital files, which a NAS is great for storing. The Apple TV 4 was another big factor: with an app, I can now view all the TV shows and movies, stored on my NAS, from my TV.

Before I owned a NAS, I was worried about two things: whether the features would be useful and how much hassle would be necessary to get everything up and running. Hence, my review starts with an explanation of the setup steps involved …


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Synology shows off Apple Watch apps, its first router & new hardware for upcoming DSM 6.0 OS

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Update: The DSM 6.0 beta is now available to download. 

Today Synology is announcing a number of updates to its popular network-attached storage products including its first Apple Watch app, a new version of its DiskStation Manager web-based operating system, and new hardware including the company’s first router product. 
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Synology debuts economical 5-bay DiskStation DS1515 & compact RackStation RS815 NAS solutions

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Synology today unveiled two new multi-bay network-attached storage (NAS) solutions: the $649 DiskStation DS1515 and the $599 RackStation RS815. Both models take advantage of Synology’s excellent DiskStation Manager 5.1 system for managing “remote access, scalability, unparalleled reliability, cross-platform file sharing, and 24/7 security solutions.”

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Synology’s OS and hardware make great NAS systems for Apple and cross platform homes/businesses because they not only make huge Time Machine backups a snap, but they also provide apps for streaming media and other files to iOS, Apple TV, Android, PC and just about every platform.

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Synology gets even better w/ version 5.0: Why every Mac & iOS user should have a DiskStation

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I’ll admit, I’ve never felt the need to purchase network-attached-storage (NAS) hardware for storing and accessing my media or backing up my files. These days most of my content, from photos and movies to back ups of important files for work, are already stored in the cloud. My photos are (supposed to) auto backup to Photostream in iCloud, iTunes has all of my music downloadable from all my devices from the cloud, and any important files and everything else go directly to Dropbox or Google Drive. Around 90% of my content is already stored and accessible from anywhere in the cloud.

That being said, for the last year or so I’ve been hearing more and more about Synology DiskStation products. Coworkers can’t stop talking about them, and the products have received a lot of praise from many other reviewers as well.

I’ve been putting the Synology DiskStation hardware and brand new DiskStation Manager 5.0 software to the test in recent months to see if I could really benefit from a NAS solution despite all my content already being on the cloud and backed up. With today marking the release of 5.0, the company’s biggest software update yet, I thought now would be as good a time as any to share my experience. 
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Jordan’s holiday gift guide – the perfect companions to your Mac & iOS setup

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We’ve already heard from Michael, Zac, and Ben on their last minute gift picks for the holiday season. For my gift guide, I’ve decided to only include products that I’ve personally been using on a daily basis. I review a lot of products in all of these categories, and below you’ll find only the best of the best that have earned a permanent place in my setup for both at home and on the go:
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9to5Toys Last Call: $6.50 Macworld 1 yr. subscription, Free (after rebate) MEElectronics headphones & Scosche USB car charger, 50% off ZAGG, more

From 9to5Toys.com:

A large majority of the deals we cover each day come from a variety of ‘Daily Deal’ websites or are so popular that they don’t even last 24 hours. We know you can’t be at your computer every second, so we’re going to round up the best deals each day to make sure you have a fair shot at the deals you want. Be sure to follow 9to5Toys.com so you never miss a deal... Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+.

Today’s Featured deals:

SOLD OUT Today only: 1-Year subscriptions to Macworld w/ exclusive digital access for iPad $6.50 (Reg. $84)

Free After Rebate: MEElectronics Black 3.5mm Stereo Headset, Scosche Dual USB Car Charger

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SOLD OUT 50% off ZAGG’s invisibleSHIELD screen protectors for 9to5 readers

Other great deals we love:

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9to5Toys Last Call: Up to 83% off Incase Apple accessories, $40 Logitech Ultrathin iPad keyboard case (Refurb), Mac/iPad deals, more

From 9to5Toys.com:

A large majority of the deals we cover each day come from a variety of ‘Daily Deal’ websites or are so popular that they don’t even last 24 hours. We know you can’t be at your computer every second, so we’re going to round up the best deals each day to make sure you have a fair shot at the deals you want. Be sure to follow 9to5Toys.com so you never miss a deal... Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+

Today’s Featured deals:

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Up to 83% off Incase Apple Mac/iPhone/iPad accessories (Bags, Cases, Sleeves, more)

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Sold out. Logitech Ultrathin Bluetooth Keyboard/Cover/Stand for iPad (red/black/white-refurb): $40 shipped

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Apple Deals:

Apple MacBook Air 11.6″ 1.3GHz i5 Haswell processor, 128GB SSD, 802.11ac WiFi $949 (Reg. $999). Also available with a 256GB SSD for $1,149 (Reg. $1,199).apple-macbookair-haswell-deal-amazon

MacBook Pro 13″ (MD101LL/A) 500GB, 4GB RAM, 2.5GHz i5 $999 (Reg. $1,199)

Retina MacBook Pro (MD212LL/A) 128GB SSD, 8GB RAM, 2.5 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor $1,399 (Reg. $1,499)

Apple iPad 3rd Generation 16GB w/Verizon LTE, Retina display (Black or White) $399 shipped

Apple iPod Shuffle 4th Gen. 2GB (blue, silver, orange, green) $38 + free shipping

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The Summer 2013 Mac Bundle Ft. Parallels Desktop 8 For Mac for $50 (89% off)

Other great deals we love:

Synology releases DiskStation Manager 4.3 public beta w/ revamped iOS apps

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Anyone that reads 9to5Mac often knows that we are big fans of Synology’s DiskStation network attached server products. On top of making a selection of well priced storage options under its DiskStation brand (a couple of which we’ve reviewed), Synology’s big draw for us has always been its web interface and ecosystem of apps that goes well beyond Time Capsule and your average NAS. Today, things are about to get even better for DiskStation users as the company announces the public beta release of the latest DiskStation Manager operating system, DSM 4.3, alongside revamped iOS apps and tons of new features.
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Synology launches new 8-bay DS1813+ NAS with 4 GbE ports for $1099

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If you’re fed up with Time Capsule and looking for a reliable, feature-filled NAS solution that also packs in some killer iOS companion apps and AirPlay support, we’re huge fans of Diskstation NAS Enclosures from Synology. We’ve reviewed the Synology NAS experience in the past, such as the two bay SD212 Diskstation, but today the company has announced its latest 8-bay unit with the launch of the new “DS1813+” model.

The new unit is similar to the 5 bay DS1513+ model it launched earlier this month, features the same screwless drive bays supporting 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch drives, but also includes four GbE ports and speeds up to 350 MBps reads and 200 MBps writes. On top of some nice iOS, web, and Android apps for managing all of your content, Synology also offers apps for printer sharing, VPN server, ERP software, mail server, web server, anti-virus, and network video surveillance built-in. 
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Quick Review and Gift Guide: Synology DiskStation, AOC 27″ IPS Monitor, DLP portable projectors

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As we approach Christmas and the end of the year, we thought we would throw together some of the more interesting review items we received over the past months.

27-inch AOC LED IPS super slim monitor


First up is the $299 27-inch AOC LED IPS super slim monitor (I2757FH) that has a vague Mac aesthetic with a silver stand and ultra-thin bezel around the edges. This one comes with two HDMI ports, a VGA port, AUX audio ports, and some small speakers. The 27-inch IPS LED display is very nice, but it is obviously not as crisp as a Thunderbolt Display of the same size. And, after some adjustments to the default washed-out look, I was very happy with the color representation. Front capacitive controls are easy to deal with, and overall build quality is very nice, especially for AOC, but the downsides include: the lack of a USB hub, it is not easily wall-mountable, and the super small and poor tiny 4W speakers. You are definitely going to want to have separate speakers.

This AOC display would be best suited in an office/dorm room/bedroom doing double duty as a PC/Mac external display and perhaps display for an Apple TV/Cable box. Recommended at $299, or check out the USB Display link powered 22-inch display

Synology Diskstation NAS…
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