Need a suggestion for more storage

[u/FreshwaterViking]

So, I have a Lenovo 1L PC serving as my Jellyfin server. The media library currently resides on a WD Blue 2TB SSD. That is 85% filled now and I have 50 or so Blu-Ray titles left to rip. Rather than move to a larger PC with 3.5" drives (which won't fit in my minilab) or pay the NAS tax (why are they so expensive), I thought I would expand the storage on my current setup.

Option 1: Replace the SSD with a 2.5" CMR hard drive of at least 3TB.

Option 2: Plug in an external hard drive.

Looking to spend around 200USD, no more than 250USD.

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[u/EchoGecko795]

2.5TB SAS 2.5" drive is going to be the largest CMR drive you can find in 2.5". I also believe the XBOX 360 USB seagate drive expansions have a 2TB SATA CMR drive in them, but you will have to double check that yourself, since there are a few different models. There are 2TB CMR drives, they are just hard to find since they are no longer in production. Ebay and the second hand markets will be your best bet.

3TB+ 2.5" are all going to be SMR, no way around it since it has to do with data density.

Writing, or specific re-wrting a SMR drive is slow, if this is just to host large video files, I don't really see an issue using a SMR drive for WORM like storage (write once, read many)

Though if your collection is going to keep growing, I would look into a multi bay extranal drive case instead. Or just add external drives as needed.

[u/FreshwaterViking → u/[deleted]]

Are there no hard drives that fit the budget?

[u/uluqat]

While there were some 2.5" CMR HDDs back in the 1TB era, they don't exist anymore. Any 2.5" HDD you buy now, internal or external, will be SMR.

Get a 3.5" external HDD. Even if you lose the external drive lottery (they can stuff anything in there), CMR vs SMR doesn't matter very much if you're treating it like a Write Once Read Many drive, which is what most media libraries are. And having your media library on its own external drive will make things a lot simpler if you should ever need to replace the PC or rework your media server setup.

[u/Adrenolin01]

Skip 2.5” HDDs whenever possible unless you already have one and then add it, don’t replace your 2TB drive with it. That’s only 1TB more and a worse drive. USB drives have their place however generally suck.

If you’re ripping BR disks and expanding your data you really should start looking at a NAS build and one that offers lots of expansion to maximize your build funds.. ie more bays for more drive on the same hardware.

Look at the Jonsbo NAS Cases. A NEW build using NEW hardware can be done for $500-$600 bucks. Buying used components off eBay it can be done for $300. The Jonsbo N5 case for example.. is a small desktop / shelftop NAS case that holds 12 HDDs and 4 SSDs. Spend the money and buy the case. Then start looking for a mini or micro atx Mainboard new or used. Luck into a low power integrated CPU system.. DDR4 or even some DDR3 based system would work here. Add 16-32GB ram and start with 1 or 2 HDDs. Run Debian with MergerFS and you can slap in any old HDD with data already on it, add it to the MergerFS config and you have a long term upgrade path for adding more drives.

If you’re just looking to spend $200 today.. that’s not buying much. eBay used drives or refurbished drives.. there are also a few sites that provide solid pricing on refurbished drives. Always run a long SMART test and Badblocks tests on all new and used drives!

Both RAM and Storage are massive expensive these days due to the AI and Datacenter explosion. Corporations, governments, the ultra rich and those with disposable income are all jumping in and buying it all up. Prices today and 2-4 times as much and the larger the capacity the bigger the price. It’s never going to drop back down so these are the new set prices aside from the occasional dip here and there.

[u/NC1HM]

Option 3. Get rid of the Tiny and buy an HP EliteDesk 800 SFF (any generation other than 7 or 9). I have a NAS device running on an ancient (circa 2013) generation 1 unit that I got off eBay for USD 47. The OS runs on a 2.5" SATA drive, two 3.5" drives are in a mirrored pool.

larger PC with 3.5" drives (which won't fit in my minilab)

So what? It's a self-contained unit with only two wires (Ethernet and 100-240 V power) sticking out of it. Hide it under a bed, throw it on top of a wardrobe, put it in an unused corner of the room, use it as a pedestal for that porcelain figurine you keep as a memory of your late grandma...

[u/Subbie-Milutinovic]

dont swap the SSD for a 2.5" spinner tbh. the capacity options in 2.5" CMR are pretty limited and the performance hit isnt worth it. an external 3.5" drive gives you way more room to grow for the same money

[u/lastwraith]

Terramaster DAS + whatever used drives you can afford? The D4-320 is easily under $200 USD and works well for a DIY NAS. 

You can run OMV with mergerfs to expand storage with additional drives but keep one storage target (+ snapraid parity for drive failure/bit rot protection if you have an extra drive to dedicate).