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Bubba - Stand Alone Platform ( i386 ) / Future Bubba

Want new functionality in Bubba? Discuss it here.
9812713
Posts: 4
Joined: 15 Apr 2007, 13:30

Bubba - Stand Alone Platform ( i386 ) / Future Bubba

Post by 9812713 »

== Disclaimer ==
First off, I know that this idea will never happen, because I realize that your revenue is generated from the Hardware, and not the software..

==My Story==
I haven't bought your product, (the bubba server) .. yet, because I can not afford the $400+ CDN it would cost, just for the bubba server.

== My Idea ==
I would like to see the release of a CD (installable) version of your product for the i386 platform, which would allow people to try the server on an existing computer they may already have at home. I know, that doing this, would likely balloon the hard drive requirements, for NIC cards, basic video, chipsets, and other PC related hardware drivers.

However you still could charge what you *think your Web-based GUI is worth.

Products like (open-filer) and (freeNas) are great *if you just want a SMB server. Infact, Open Filer sucks for user-friendliness.

==My purposed -- Future Bubba Hardware==
Some of these ideas have been posted already, but this is just what I would like to see.

ARM9 Processor @ 500 Mhz
a 128 Meg of RAM
GIG Lan
(usb)
SATA interface
At least Raid 0/1 (2 drives) .. However you may consider having different levels of your product.

Perhaps a Raid 0/1/5 JBOD (3 drives) .. option.

I'm anti WIFI, but perhaps this would be an add-on, via a Mini PCI card, or something.
--
All in consideration, This should be voted on, since I am looking at spec's of other comparable NAS's on the market, that don't hold a candle to the flexibility of your product.

-wil
:: Fish ::
4season
Posts: 8
Joined: 17 May 2007, 01:41
Location: Colorado USA

Mega-Bubba?

Post by 4season »

I might be interested in a "Mega-Bubba" that's optimized for the latest versions of Slimserver and high quality Apple Lossless and FLAC files--but that's assuming that I decide to buy a Transporter (it apparently requires Slimserver 6.5.x and up, which in turn requires MySQL and so forth) and I haven't committed to that yet.

And since it makes managing the music collection via iTunes so nice and easy, I think Firefly should remain too.

But so far, I'm really enjoying Bubba because it is so small and resource-efficient: Even the housing has been pared down to the bare minimum required to contain the hard drive, with hardly a millimeter to spare.
9812713
Posts: 4
Joined: 15 Apr 2007, 13:30

Post by 9812713 »

Don't consider my post a threat, but in the world of electronic, " it's Adapt or Die " ..

Honestly speaking I have been looking into NAS's for a Long time, and to date I have not purchased anything .. What is stopping me ? Well here is an example of a New Nas ( not open-source) and I do believe they limit the amount of downloads, but having a product line will only secure survival.

Example, 6 months ago I was prepared to buy a Qnap TS 101 Nas enclosure .. But then read that it limits download to 3 per any given time .. I am curious how their new product the Qnap TS-109 will shape up ..

http://www.qnap.com.tw/pro_detail_hardware.asp?p_id=78

I'm not Advertising, but this company is trying to provide the public with what they need .. ( Read the hardware requirements.)

A SoC chip processor, 128 meg of Ram, a SATA drive support, supporting a 1tb drive, and for the leisure of backing up or adding more storage, a eSATA port ... Again .. If this product had the Excito interface, and debian core, you could kill this product.
:: Fish ::
jimcuk
Posts: 11
Joined: 25 Jun 2008, 09:39

Post by jimcuk »

yes I am currently looking to purchase one of these , I like the bubba because of the open source software but am unsure of the platform/hardware and low specs, I like the Qnap TS-109 because of its greater specs but dislike what looks like a lack of openness in its software
so I am anxiously waiting for news on the new bubba to make a comparison

regards
JIm
eeeuser1
Posts: 37
Joined: 03 Dec 2007, 05:06

Post by eeeuser1 »

jimcuk wrote:yes I am currently looking to purchase one of these , I like the bubba because of the open source software but am unsure of the platform/hardware and low specs, I like the Qnap TS-109 because of its greater specs but dislike what looks like a lack of openness in its software
so I am anxiously waiting for news on the new bubba to make a comparison

regards
JIm
It's not really closed, you can use qpkg manager to add lots of stuff, mostly built by other people in the 'free' world.
jimcuk
Posts: 11
Joined: 25 Jun 2008, 09:39

Post by jimcuk »

thanks for the response eeeuser1
Do you have a Qnap TS-109
if so how do you find it, goodpoints/bad points
what could be improved if anything

Regards
Jim
tobbenet
Posts: 16
Joined: 25 Jun 2008, 08:30

Post by tobbenet »

It might be worth checking out the Qnap forum? http://forum.qnap.com/

A good way of getting a "feel" for a product is to check the forums. In my own opinion I find the Bubba forums riddled with praise and good reviews about the Bubba. The Qnap forums is filled with "Bad translation", "Improve quality!" threads etc.

It could be that the QNap has a larger audience and the Bubba has a more high-tech user following, but still.

And the new Super Bubba seems to be right up there with the top notch Qnap in regards of hardware.

But that's just my 5 cents..
jimcuk
Posts: 11
Joined: 25 Jun 2008, 09:39

Post by jimcuk »

yeah good advice tobbenet, I did not realise Qnap had a forum, off over there now for a check

thanks
Jim
jimcuk
Posts: 11
Joined: 25 Jun 2008, 09:39

Post by jimcuk »

wow that was a quick visit the first thread I checked out scared the bejezus out of me

http://forum.qnap.com/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=3048

that has all but made my mind up for me to wait for the next bubba

regards
Jim
eeeuser1
Posts: 37
Joined: 03 Dec 2007, 05:06

Post by eeeuser1 »

jimcuk wrote:wow that was a quick visit the first thread I checked out scared the bejezus out of me

http://forum.qnap.com/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=3048

that has all but made my mind up for me to wait for the next bubba

regards
Jim
Thats a V1.x f/w, it's now V2.1 so the comment is no longer relevant

I use 2 209 Pro's @ work and they are flawless and fast, and sync to each other every day.
Had about a 100 days uptime, but it's now only a few as I recently upgraded from 2.0 to 2.1Fw
jimcuk
Posts: 11
Joined: 25 Jun 2008, 09:39

Post by jimcuk »

Hi
have also just found out qnap 109/209 has a propitiatory EXT3 file system
meaning it cannot be read in another pc a very annoying problem in an other wise nice system

regards
Jim
imbecile
Posts: 2
Joined: 31 Jul 2008, 16:45

Post by imbecile »

jimcuk wrote:Hi
have also just found out qnap 109/209 has a propitiatory EXT3 file system
meaning it cannot be read in another pc a very annoying problem in an other wise nice system

regards
Jim
ext3 ist the standard linux file system, nothing proprietary abut it. Most likely the bubba uses it too. And since you access it only over various net protocols, the file system is more or less irrelevant when it comes to accessing your data from other computers. You just can't just stick the hard drive into a windows machine and read the data. But why would anyone want to do this?

I'm very likely gonna buy myself a bubbatwo in a few weeks whenI moved to my new appartment. Only need to figure out the most elegant way to get all the movies to my flatscreen tv from there. Most htpcs suck. So I guess I'm gonna end up with another box, which most likely is on x86 basis which sort of defeats having a low power low noise data storage, since you still have a loud energy guzzler anyway.
imbecile
Posts: 2
Joined: 31 Jul 2008, 16:45

Standalone

Post by imbecile »

Anyway, making a full low noise fanless open software media box out of the bubba, with video ports and maybe even an IR remote controlled user interface, this would be home media heaven.

But as it stands, such a device is pretty hard to implement, with the hardware that is on the market. The nvidia tegra chips soon to come out have integrated graphics acceleration and an integrated sound chip I think, and the power envelope that would allow this, but I'm pretty sure they won't have integrated sata interfaces. And also, I'm pretty sure nvidia, considering how they do with their nor mal graphic chips, won't provide linux drivers for their tegra systems, and they won't even open up the specs for others to develop the drivers. So not a real option.

The other option would be to put additional embedded sound and gfx chips into the box (maybe a radeon E2400). But that is also amajor redesign.

And in both cases you gotta come up with the software too. Just putting vlc on the box won't cut it. So my guess is, this won't happen anytime soon.

And I still gotta get me some loud heat producing box to put the pictures on the screen.
jimcuk
Posts: 11
Joined: 25 Jun 2008, 09:39

Post by jimcuk »

No

as I said qnap 109/209 uses a propitiatory EXT3 file system not the standard EXT3 file system

regards
Jim
jimcuk
Posts: 11
Joined: 25 Jun 2008, 09:39

Post by jimcuk »

and the reason you would want to move your drive is in case you had a hardware failure and needed to access your files.
you would indeed then just stick your drive in another computer windows or linux, and there are tools available to access a standard EXT3 file system
a linux live cd could be used for instance

regards
Jim
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