This summary of the video was created by an AI. It might contain some inaccuracies.
00:00:00 – 00:24:00
The video provides an in-depth review of the Synology RS-422 Plus NAS, focusing on its performance as a Plex media server. Key components include an AMD Ryzen R1600 dual-core CPU and 2GB of memory. The presenter runs several Plex server tests, examining CPU and RAM usage during various media operations, including transcoding. Tests involve different resolutions (720p, 1080p, 4K), highlighting the NAS's performance limitations due to its non-upgradable memory and lack of hardware transcoding capabilities.
The presenter discusses the challenges with transcoding, especially with demanding formats like H.264 and H.265 (HEVC), and notes significant CPU spikes during 1080p and 4K transcoding, pushing the system to its limits. Various "jellyfish files" and high-bitrate video clips are used to illustrate these performance issues. The NAS struggles significantly with 4K and high-bitrate media files, often freezing or failing to buffer adequately, making it less suitable for high-end multimedia purposes. The overall conclusion is that while the Synology RS-422 Plus is competent for file transmission and backups, it is insufficient for high-demand multimedia applications.
00:00:00
In this part of the video, the presenter introduces the Synology RS-422 Plus and outlines the plan to run several Plex media server tests. The NAS features an AMD Ryzen R1600 dual-core CPU and 2GB of non-upgradable memory, which the presenter notes is the minimum recommended for a Plex media server. The video will thoroughly explain the testing process, focusing on CPU and RAM usage during Plex operations while highlighting the potential limitations of the 2GB memory. The presenter also discusses accessing the NAS locally and simulating a limited connection environment using transcoding, which optimizes files for different network conditions and devices. The tests will include various media files, including movies in 720p and 1080p.
00:03:00
In this part of the video, the presenter discusses the upcoming topic concerning the “jellyfish file” and transitions to explaining the setup and testing with Plex on a NAS device. The presenter mentions the use of a Plex Pass account and highlights that several NAS devices are being tested simultaneously. The central focus is on a specific NAS (the RS422), where the presenter demonstrates accessing movies and enabling transcoding on Plex Media Server to utilize CPU resources, despite the NAS lacking hardware transcoding capabilities. A 720p file of “The Matrix” is played, and the presenter notes the system’s performance, highlighting the importance of CPU and memory usage. Transcoding is explained as the process of converting the file to a different resolution, in this case to 480p.
00:06:00
In this part of the video, the focus is on evaluating the performance of a CPU during video transcoding at various resolutions. The speaker discusses how the CPU handles streaming via DLNA on different devices and in different scenarios, including mobile phones in remote locations. They start by changing the resolution to 480p, which the system handles well with minimal CPU and memory impact. However, lowering the resolution to 240p shows increased CPU usage and some pixelation.
Next, they test a 1080p H.264 file, pointing out that the CPU spikes to 91% during transcoding but remains manageable during native playback. Further transcoding the video to 480p and lower resolutions causes the CPU to spike significantly, nearing full utilization, indicating limitations due to the lack of embedded graphics and a dedicated transcoding engine. Despite this, the memory usage remains stable. Finally, they mention transcoding to the lowest quality, 160p, takes considerable time and the system struggles, as evidenced by the dark orange encoding bar signaling buffering similar to YouTube.
00:09:00
In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses the challenges and expectations when transcoding video files. The speaker explains a failed attempt at transcoding a file down to 160p, indicating that system hanging and abandonment suggest the attempt will likely fail. The focus then shifts to the “jellyfish files,” a set of 30-second video clips used to test video performance. These files vary greatly in size and quality, ranging from a 10 MB 1080p file to a 1.4 GB 4K UHD file utilizing different compression techniques. The speaker highlights the differences between h.264 and h.265 (HEVC) codecs, noting that h.264 is widely supported and easier to work with, whereas h.265, while more efficient, presents licensing and compatibility challenges even for major companies. The segment conveys the complexities involved in video compression and the significant computational work required for higher quality formats.
00:12:00
In this part of the video, the presenter tests and discusses the performance of a system handling various video files encoded in different formats and bitrates. Starting with h.264 files, playback is smooth with the buffering sufficiently keeping up, even up to a 100 megabits per second file. Issues arise when testing 4K ultra HD files, where the system struggles to keep up with both playback and buffering. This demonstrates the system’s limitations and the increased demand on resources when dealing with higher resolution and more complex video formats.
00:15:00
In this segment of the video, the presenter tests a network-attached storage (NAS) device’s ability to handle high-bitrate 4K video files. They attempt to play a 200 megabits per second 4K UHD file but find that the NAS struggles, with the CPU unable to manage the load effectively, leading to recommending against this NAS for handling high-end 4K multimedia. The segment also discusses the NAS’s performance with H.264 and HEVC (H.265) files. While the H.264 files can be played in their original format, the HEVC files require conversion due to licensing issues, which significantly strains the CPU. Though these conversions are possible, the high CPU utilization (as high as 99%) raises concerns about prolonged playback capability. The segment concludes that while the NAS can manage 1080p files and perform some transcoding, it’s not optimal for high-bitrate 4K content.
00:18:00
In this part of the video, the presenter discusses the performance of a NAS (Network-Attached Storage) system when handling different media files with varying bitrates. The NAS struggles with modern media files, highlighted by the issues seen with a 30 megabits per second file where the CPU utilization reaches around 70%, causing the system’s fans to kick in. The NAS performs poorly with high-density media formats, especially at higher bitrates like 100 megabits per second, where the system freezes and fails to play back the content smoothly. The presenter attempts to play a 4K, 120 FPS H.265 file, which significantly overloads the system, pushing total system memory utilization to 92% and causing playback failures. This segment emphasizes that the current NAS setup is insufficient for handling high-bitrate, high-density media files typically encoded in formats like H.265.
00:21:00
In this part of the video, the presenter discusses the performance of a high-density 4K media file on different processors, noting that only high-end CPUs can handle such demanding files. The video demonstrates the intense CPU and memory utilization required to play a 1.4-gigabyte 30-second file, emphasizing its substantial storage demands compared to typical media files. The presenter also explains that the file pauses when off-screen to allow the system to buffer. Overall, the presenter finds the Synology RS4 NAS competent for file transmission and backups, but lacking for multimedia purposes. The video concludes with encouragement to view additional reviews and support the channel.