How to Use Thecus NAS as Home Media Center

Home Entertainment used to be simple – turn on the TV, adjust the ‘rabbit ears’, and sit down for an evening of laughter and drama.

Today, it is not so easy – we have HDTVs, cable, Blu-ray discs, and DVDs, and now the internet and home networks have changed the way we access movies, music, and other entertainment. As a result, media servers are now something that consumers need to not only know about but also know how to use.

With Thecus NAS box, you get two counts:

• First, a NAS from Thecus Technology Corp. is an easy way to backup and integrate data from connected PCs and other smart devices. On average, each member of a family has at least one PC or laptop, one mobile device, and one USB drive or external HDD. This means there may be more than ten devices containing various media or other files. It is inconvenient to transfer data between devices with different specifications, let alone find one target file hiding in one of them. Thecus NAS are thus able to provide a solution as data centres for families to share movies, music, photos, and other files.   
• Second, a NAS can help you build media library and stream files to any PC, smart TV, mobile device, or networked audio device in your household. Thecus NAS servers make remote access possible, so you can access your data from, and stream your media to, any device connected to the internet.

Local Display
Most of the Thecus NAS are equipped with an HDMI output which can be used to connect your NAS to a TV screen, a monitor, or a projector. Anyone would agree that these are better options than watching your media files on a tiny screen.

This is made possible through the use of the Local Display module. This module will not only enable you to manage the NAS without the need of a computer, but will also let you play your videos, music, and photos through a third party multimedia player such as XBMC. Furthermore, you can make XBMC a personal multimedia player, customized to your needs. For example, by adding the right plug-ins and using a DTV USB dongle, you can gain access to your local digital TV broadcast. And with XBMC Remote, you can sit on the sofa and enjoy modern home entertainment.

Remote Access
While someone is using the function above and enjoying media in the living room, Thecus NAS enables to access and open files from other devices at the same time. Intelligent NAS operates servers on both desktop and laptop computers. It is  a software designed to offer novice users an all-in-one application to manage and access everything that comes with their NAS.

No matter whether you’re in at home or not, your mobile devices are always in control of your NAS server with applications and third-party apps, such as T-OnTheGo, Thecus Dashboard, FTPManager (for iOS systems), ES File Explorer (for Android systems), and Twonky Beam. These applications help expand the usage of your mobile devices by providing your own cloud server.