I was very excited to learn about the Zidoo UHD3000. After watching pretty much every review on Youtube, and some online I was sold. I was always into media collecting and streaming files way back via Plex. Recently with all the streaming tech boom, we have ie Netflix etc. I did not think we had a need for this. That is…. Until I bought an Ultra4K BR for my PS5…WOW. I jumped in, and ordered internationally the Zidoo, this took a few days, and while I was waiting I decide to pick a new NAS. I went with Teramaster 2 Bay + dual Seagate 16 TB Nas-rated drive. I picked up some extra Sodim DDR memory 16 gigs.. which failed upon setting up the Nas..not compatible. I tried a new pair of Crucial same specs as the Teramaster one but failed once again.. Ok, we are not doing this, nor will we buy a proprietary Ram for just a NAS. I returned the NAS and picked up the lasted Asustor AS6704. 4 Bays, Quad-Core 2.0 GHz CPU, 4 M.2 NVMe Slots, Dual 2.5GbE I added 16 gigs of DDR 4, no problem. SYSTEM Zidoo UHD3000 Nas: Asustor AS6704 Drives: 3x Seagate Ironwolf Nas 16TB ( Raid 5) Cache: 2x Samsung 980Pro 1 TB Network Switch: 2.5Gbs Asustor Cat6 cables I then proceeded to buy a ton of 4K Ultra Disc, which I started ripping to straight m2ts passthrough, for 1:1 copy. I set up SMB, Set up link aggregation ( 2x 2.5gbs ) I should not have any issues. Loaded My UHD3000, and scanned the NAS..great all showed up. I started to play some files, and I was happy. Until I found a minor skip/stutter with Dune ( the latest movie) Ok I went back and ripped it via Dvdfab, using Dolby Mkv passthrough… great still a nice 1:1 rip. The file played with zero issues. My issues started with playing a scene from Avengers Infinity Wars - when the wizard attacked earth. Playback started to hiccup, skip, pause for 2-3 seconds etc.. What is going on ? Ok, let’s do some tests. I copied the file ( ripped at m2ts Hdr10, passthrough ) I put the file on an external HD, added to the library, and played with zero issues. I then copied it to another external SSD, the same result * I really loved how fast the SSD was able to fast forward with zero waiting. * more on that later Ok, this must be a cable issue / Network issue. I picked up some new Cat7 cable for the Nas and added a cat 6 on the Zidoo. I removed the SMB, I tried NFS. Played a lot better…It started to stutter in a different part now. I was gutted, sad, and frustrated. I killed my Raid 5 setup * keep in mind it took 24hrs to fully synch. I will now try Raid 1 ( 2 drives as just a back for my rips ) since I had an extra 16TB drive. I put that in the other internal bay of my Zidoo. The movies playing from Raid 1 did a bit better. I decided to purchase as a test an internal 1 TB Sata SSD 2.5 I added to the internal bay via 3.5 adapter. I put some movies on there, as well as some Hi-Fi music files, with zero issues, the DAC is fantastic. I copied the same problematic Avengers movie to the internal 16TB drive.. no issue.. Until I started to hear the drive constantly loading. grunt…noise, while the movie is playing. Loud to a point where it was distracting. Sigh. I went ahead and bought a new Internal 4TB SSD 2.5 via 3.5 converter. There finally, Zero noise, fast playing, zero skipping, zero issues. Raid 1 on the Nas is doing well, I will use that as a backup for my BD rips, I will not play via SMB / NFS This was a frustrating, yet fun experience I must say. Zidoo is up and running, 50+ 4k rips done over the course of a couple of weeks Amazing sounds, visuals, HDR, m2ts, Mkv….. it ALL works. SMB needs to be looked at for sure. I can even play full Mkv using an M1 Max Mac over wifi with VLC player, zero issues. For now, a man and his Nas + Zidoo 3000 are extremely Happy
I am pretty new to all of this. I was torn between the Zappiti Reference and Zidoo UHD3000. I just ordered my Zidoo and waiting for it to get here. I am in the meantime ripping all my blu-rays and 4K movies. I will be using Western digital HHD’s in the machine. I have one 6TB so far. Just curious though. Once installed, how do I tweak and organize titles and what nots while in the Zidoo. Do I need to take the drive out and hook it to my computer again? Or is there another way? I know with the Zappiti, you can make tweaks and adjustments using an app. But that is cloud driven and slows the whole experience down from what I understand. Any idea?
There is a web interface which is local to the box, has just been completely rewritten and is very responsive so you can manage the library on a PC. Zappiti's interface, while good is looking a little aged now and is very slow in comparison. And as you say, cloud based, which is a terrible idea, especially given the financial problems facing them at the moment. You can also enable the SMB server on the 3000 and manage the files themselves as you would any others from a PC. You can map a share or folder on the 3000 to a local drive letter if you want to.
Just wondering too. If I create a "Live Concerts" Folder, will it show up on the title page of the Zidoo, along with Movies and TV Shows? Or am I limited as to what the Zidoo will display?
You can add your own widgets (the little circular icon things) and name/assign them to whatever you like, so yes.
Just got my Zidoo today. Displays movies on poster wall. But does not play any movies. Blank screen with no sound. Display on machine says 0000. Ever heard of this? Did I screw up my fifty rips? Sorry if I am in the wrong thread.
