Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Synology manufactures some of the best network-attached storage (NAS) devices around, and has spent considerable resources making the user interface for their devices convenient, intuitive and powerful. Among the software features bundled with their NAS operating system is a "Surveillance Station" software package, which can, when used with one or more IP cameras, turn the Diskstation into an internet-enabled video security system. While the ad copy for the Diskstations may discuss the maximum number of cameras each of the different models can accommodate, it may not make clear that, out-of-the-box, each Diskstation has a "license" to use only one camera. You simply can not connect more than one camera to the software without buying a "license" code for each additional camera. Why Synology would choose to intentionally cripple one of their software titles, and charge such an exorbitant ransom to enable it, escapes me. For example, I have a DS1511+, currently Synology's flagship 5-bay SOHO NAS. According to Synology's specifications, this device is capable of supporting up to 20 (!) IP cameras. (The word "support" here is used generously, as very few cameras are fully "supported" -- with many you won't be able to record audio, or stream a live view to anything other than Internet Explorer with ActiveX plugins). As with every Diskstation, the DS1511+ only includes a "license" for 1 camera. To fully enable the 20 'supported' cameras, one would have to purchase 19 of the CLP1 license packs. Do the math (Amazon doesn't like people mentioning prices in their reviews), and you will discover: THE LICENSING COST FOR THE CAMERA SOFTWARE WILL EXCEED THE COST OF THE (EXPENSIVE) DS1511+ HARDWARE! According to the Synology moderators who locked (!) a discussion thread on this topic in their support forums: "The ability to use 1 IP camera per DiskStation out of the box is for evaluation purposes and is not provided as a license key." Therefore, the Surveillance Station software that they advertise so proudly in the ad copy for each of their NAS devices is properly understood as an EVALUATION TRIAL COPY. This came as a surprise to early adopters of Synology products, who previously enjoyed a copy of Surveillance Station that was unburdened by additional camera licensing requirements. Much to their surprise, a firmware update pushed out by Synology disabled the functionality of their software, and rendered their previous purchases of additional cameras wasted. Imagine how you would feel if you updated your Windows operating system, only to be told that now you owed Microsoft an additional $50 printer "license" for a device that previously functioned, and was now disabled. Will Synology push out additional firmware updates in the future that disable additional components of their operating system? Will they begin charging a per-hard-drive "license" fee for their multi-bay units? If history is any indication, they might. Plan your purchases accordingly.