Share media across network

[EvanDavis]

Ok here we go. I currently have music stored on 2 laptops, a desktop and a Mac Pro.
What I really want is one external unit that I can store music, video etc on that I can share with above computers . I basically want music, pictures and videos stored on an external unit so I don't have to store on each of the computers as I am steadily running out of hard drive space and I haven't even got a ¼ of my CD's uploaded yet. Trouble is when I look at various sites, I haven't got a clue what I am looking at.

 

[V_R]

Well, Some kind of NAS is the obvious answer.

 

[nivrip]

Sky Drive, Amazon Cloud and other Cloud storage sites?

 

[bootneck02]

Well I have an 1 tb 31/2 drive in a caddy where I keep my Music pictures and films on Have a look in Amazon for the caddy about £35 and see if you can pick up a drive at a reasonable price.

 

[EvanDavis]

Sky Drive, Amazon Cloud and other Cloud storage sites?

Nope those are all out of the question. Considering one laptop has 150 gig already

Well I have an 1 tb 31/2 drive in a caddy where I keep my Music pictures and films on Have a look in Amazon for the caddy about £35 and see if you can pick up a drive at a reasonable price.

More after something that plugs into router to share between computers. Something like what V_R has suggested. Just gets a bit confused as to what's what. I shall look more tomorrow and post back with what I find

 

[V_R]

Whats your budget?

Bootnecks answer could be done if your router has a USB socket, Mine does (Netgear Readyshare) and i tried a caddy plugged into the router, was too slow though.....

 

[Ian]

I've got a NAS that does exactly what you've described - it shares all the music, pics and videos across the network so that all PC's (+PS3) can access it.

You can get a standalone NAS for around £100 now, then just add a HDD. Or you can go for an integrated solution like this for about £70:

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/9195853/art/iomega/home-media-network-hard-d.html

There are more expensive NAS units available if you want things like encryption, RAID, webserver, video encoding etc... but from what you've described I don't think it would be worth going for a unit that does all that.

 

[bootneck02]

Great bit of info thanks Ian, I think I may try that, better than my present caddy and and drive.

 

[EvanDavis]

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/9195853/art/iomega/home-media-network-hard-d.html

.

I do quite like the look of this link. + side it has a USB port I would be able to add another drive in case I were to run out of space.