Hardware Components
I have spent a considerable amount of time going through the software options of the DS410j. It is time to take a very short look at the hardware.
First, I have to say that fit and finish of the DS410j is first rate. I prefer the front-loading caddies of the QNAP devices, but that is only personal preference. When one looks at the 2 machines side by side, I would have to give the nod to the DS410j when taking into consideration the Wife Acceptance Factor (WAF). The DS410j has a look that would fit in with the decor much better than the QNAP device.
When looking at the DS410j expansion capabilities, this is an area that I was somewhat disappointed in. The expansion possibilities consists of only 2 USB ports on the back of the device. If you have a printer and a UPS that you wish to connect to the DS410j, you end up without any expansion at all, unless you make use of a USB hub.
I found the DS410j to be very quiet. The LED’s are mostly unobtrusive, however, one might find the blue power LED somewhat bright in a darkened room.
As with the QNAP machine, the CPU will not win any speed contests, but Linux is not a demanding OS. I had no troubles with streaming any media, so I consider this a moot point.
Conclusions and Costs
As a reviewer, I have found it difficult to sit down and compare one item to another. I do not have a 10-point or 5-star system to rate an item being reviewed. Comparing the DS410j to the previously reviewed TS-219P or the forthcoming TS-410 is not something I feel is of much use to the reader. What I try to do is present the item, show off the features (or lack of), and document the costs. Trying to say this item is better (or worse) than another is, for the most part, very subjective. A feature that I could care less about may be of the highest importance to a particular reader. For example, my printer is Ethernet enabled, so I really do not care about the USB printer capabilities of the DS410j. Someone else may consider this quite important. The point is that ratings systems for the most part are quite subjective. I try to show you the features and capabilities and let you make your own conclusions.
Unless, of course, there is something I feel needs to be mentioned.
So, what do I think about the DS410j? Hardware-wise, I find it to have excellent build quality. Horsepower-wise, it is adequate for what it is intended to do. It won’t make your electric bill go up, much. The area that I found lacking is external input ports. 2 USB ports seem rather stingy for such a device. And no eSATA ports?
Software-wise, there is an excellent feature set to be had. Linux is different in some respects to Windows, and similar in other ways. Windows has a tendency to hold your hand more than Linux, while there are some aspects of Linux that outshines Windows (PHP and MySQL).
I did find the built-in help system much more helpful than the QNAP system. Like the QNAP, I did find the web-based User Interface quite appealing and easy to navigate. And the DS410j does support Windows, Mac, and Linux OS’s.
Media-wise, I found the DS410j quite capable. Transcoding for DLNA codecs did not seem to cause the DS410j to slow down or stutter.
Driver-wise, I was relatively happy with what I found. If I had more time, it is possible I could have tracked down IP camera drivers or figured out completely the parameters needed to manually define one.
Finally, the MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price):
$427
£259 (ex VAT)
€286 (ex VAT)
