Need a backup device with redundancy... and easy to use!

Question

Level 1

8 points

Need a backup device with redundancy... and easy to use!

I'm seeking suggestions for an easy-to-use external hard drive with redundant drives to:

Store and protect family photos, videos and files. I do have an iCloud account but also want a hard drive to keep copies of family videos which were converted from old Hi8 tapes.
Facilitate easy playback of archived videos on a SmartTV, without moving large video files to a different drive

I currently have a Synology NAS but find I need to be more knowledgable about IT topics and networks than I have time for. I also find the interface clunky and unintuitive to use. It seems I'm always having to contact their support team to accomplish what I perceive should be simple tasks such as updates to the drive.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions that meet the two needs mentioned above.

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 15.7

Posted on Oct 19, 2025 7:20 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Oct 19, 2025 7:48 AM in response to cbailey1213

This is both a request for a backup device, and for a media server.

Please provide some background on the particular engagements you have had with Synology support here — not your experience with Synology support or such, but why you called. I’d expect comparatively fairly few contacts would be needed, maybe past help configuring specific features such as Time Machine server. Is there something else is going on here?

For the first part, Time Machine server gets you coverage of all of the data on your Mac. Synology can provide remote offsite backup for added backup redundancy, as well.

For the second, playback: Playback without moving files around puts you into a media server environment, which means Synology, Plex, or some other media server, or moving everything to Mac and using the Apple features and tools for video available in Photos app and probably also importing home movies into the Apple TV app. This needs local and iCloud storage, and stuff gets moved when there’s insufficient local storage.

Use Home Sharing to share media from a computer to other devices - Apple Support
Manage your library in the Apple TV app on Mac - Apple Support (includes how to import)

How much available storage on your Mac? Do you have enough storage available on the Mac for everything, or have you already needed to offload some of your collection out to the Synology NAS?

Another option for questions can involve the Synology forums: https://community.synology.com/enu

Reply

Answer 2

Oct 19, 2025 10:42 AM in response to cbailey1213

Running your own network and your own media server will always add (some) overhead.

The requirements combination of NAS and media sends you toward using the features of the NAS, such as the Media Server add-on for Synology. Or toward Apple and hosted, or outsourcing your management to your ISP or another provider, if you want to avoid ad-hoc lessons in networking.

The NAS losing connectivity is usually a local networking issue, or maybe an ISP issue. Wi-Fi networks and mesh networks can be wonderfully flaky and particularly with transient local interference and building construction, while wired networks can also have their own configuration and cabling and switching issues.

Is the Synology wired into your ISP gear, as would be common in smaller configurations?

Wi-Fi network clients can lose connection with the local Wi-Fi network, and that too disrupts playback. These disruptions can become more common with older Wi-Fi client gear, older Wi-Fi networking and mesh gear, and areas with multiple uncoordinated Wi-Fi networks active. Seeing various nearby Wi-Fi networks offered can mean slower and unstable connections.

Wi-Fi clients losing the plan is more common than wired NAS boxes losing the plan.

The local Synology boxes I deal with have needed and get occasional updates, but they don’t otherwise need very much attention. I should probably keep some notes, given how infrequently I need manage or troubleshoot.

The monthly Apple subscription is a trade-off for managing costs and hardware costs.

Reply

Answer 3

cbailey1213 Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 19, 2025 8:18 AM in response to MrHoffman

Thanks, MrHoffman.

My engagements with Synology have been primarily related to connectivity issues(the drive losing internet connection) and challenges in accomplishing (what I perceive should be simple) updates to the drive. Their team was always very helpful and responsive. But the solutions typically required more depth of knowledge about nuanced system details than I care to deal with several times a year. Maybe this is just the reality of archiving and a media server.?

One of my motivations in having a local drive is to avoid the cost of services to keep all my files on a remote offsite server. I don't currently keep the full breadth of old family videos on my iCloud account for this reason... just the smaller file sizes like iPhone photos and shorter videos.

For playback, I do love the ease of use with Apple TV and iCloud. It's pretty intuitive for all family members to use. Again, the monthly cost of storing huge files is what I'm trying to avoid. In addition, I just generally feel safer having a local archive on a physical drive.

My Mac has 171.97 GB available. My existing photos account for 150 GB of the 500 GB capacity.

Reply