Is Synology KILLING their BEST Applications?
Summary
TLDRSynology's DSM 7.2.2 update brings important security fixes and enhancements, but also removes key features like Video Station and support for popular media codecs (H.264, H.265, VC-1). These changes affect apps like Surveillance Station, Photos, and File Station, requiring users to convert media formats. While the update is meant to improve system efficiency, many users face reduced functionality. The video speculates that cost-cutting, particularly around codec licenses, might be behind these decisions, suggesting Synology could introduce subscription fees in the future for certain features. The overall impact raises concerns about Synology's direction.
Takeaways
- 🔄 DSM 7.2.2 has been released, nearly a year after DSM 7.2.1, and it brings bug fixes and security enhancements.
- ❌ Synology removed the Video Station application, meaning users will need to switch to alternatives like Plex, Emby, or Jellyfin.
- 🔍 H.264, H.265, and VC1 codecs are no longer supported in DSM 7.2.2, impacting media viewing in apps like Surveillance Station, Drive, Photos, and File Station.
- 📷 Surveillance Station is hit hard by this change, especially for users relying on H.265 for motion detection.
- 🛠️ Synology claims the removals were made to reduce resource usage and improve system efficiency, but the impact may vary depending on user needs.
- 🔧 Workarounds include converting media to supported formats or installing the Surveillance Video Extension Package to maintain some H.264 functionality.
- 💻 DSM 7.2.2 changes make managing features like motion detection harder, moving from central to individual device management.
- 💸 Speculation suggests Synology might be reducing licensing costs related to codecs, potentially indicating a shift toward subscription-based services.
- 🔮 There's concern that other first-party apps, like Note Station or Audio Station, could be removed in future updates to improve performance or reduce costs.
- 💡 The changes raise questions about the future of DSM's first-party apps, suggesting users may need to consider alternatives or third-party solutions down the road.
Q & A
What is DSM 7.2.2, and why is it significant?
-DSM 7.2.2 is the latest update of Synology's DiskStation Manager (DSM). It's significant because it's the first major update since DSM 7.2.1, which was released almost a year ago. This update brings essential bug fixes, security enhancements, and changes to functionality.
What are the key changes in DSM 7.2.2?
-The key changes include the removal of the Video Station app, dropped support for H.264, H.265, and VC-1 codecs, and updates to Synology Surveillance Station, Synology Drive, Photos, and File Station. While bug fixes and security enhancements are important, these removals impact media playback and management.
Why did Synology remove Video Station in DSM 7.2.2?
-Synology removed Video Station to push users towards third-party alternatives like Plex, Emby, or Jellyfin. Synology likely wants to reduce resource usage and support for certain codecs, impacting those who used Video Station for simpler media management.
How are Synology Photos and Surveillance Station affected by the codec removal?
-With the removal of H.264, H.265, and VC-1 codecs, users can no longer view certain media directly in apps like Synology Photos and Surveillance Station without converting the files. Surveillance Station users relying on H.264 for video and motion detection will need to install the Surveillance Video Extension Package to maintain functionality.
What is the impact of removing support for H.265 in Surveillance Station?
-The removal of H.265 support in Surveillance Station impacts users who relied on it for motion detection and efficient storage. Without H.265, users will either need to use their cameras for motion detection or revert to H.264, which increases storage needs or reduces the days of footage they can store.
What are the benefits and drawbacks of DSM 7.2.2?
-The benefits include improved security, bug fixes, and potential system performance optimizations. However, the drawbacks include loss of Video Station, reduced codec support, and the need for more manual file conversions. Some users may experience limitations in media management and NAS functionality.
Why is Synology removing features like codecs and apps in this update?
-According to the release notes, Synology aims to reduce resource usage and improve system efficiency. However, speculation suggests that the decision may also be cost-related, as licensing fees for certain codecs might have been a factor.
What alternatives are available for users affected by the removal of Video Station?
-For those who used Video Station, alternatives include third-party media server applications like Plex, Emby, and Jellyfin. These options provide more robust features and continue to be supported after the DSM update.
Will other Synology applications be affected in the future?
-There is speculation that Synology may remove other first-party applications in the future to focus on improving system performance or reducing costs. While core apps like Synology Photos, Drive, and Hyper Backup are likely to remain, less critical apps could be discontinued.
How should users adapt to the changes introduced in DSM 7.2.2?
-Users impacted by the changes should consider third-party alternatives for media management and prepare for potential further app removals. If Synology's native apps are essential, it's wise to follow updates closely and consider alternative NAS solutions if necessary.
Outlines
🚀 DSM 7.2.2 Update: Big Changes & Fixes
Synology released DSM 7.2.2, a significant update following the 7.2.1 release nearly a year ago. This update primarily includes bug fixes and security improvements, which most users should install. However, some functionality was removed, such as Video Station, which will no longer be available. Plex and other third-party alternatives continue to work after updates, but users relying on Video Station need to find a replacement. This change echoes previous decisions, like removing Photo Station, with no direct replacement for Video Station, forcing users to switch to third-party media servers.
📸 Codec Changes & App Impacts in DSM 7.2.2
The DSM 7.2.2 update removed support for h265, h264, and VC1 codecs, affecting Synology apps like Surveillance Station, Drive, Photos, and File Station. Users will need to convert media to compatible formats, affecting workflows like photo viewing in Synology Photos. In previous versions, photos could be uploaded and viewed from any device, but now media in unsupported codecs must be converted for compatibility. The update also impacts Surveillance Station, where users now need additional steps or packages to maintain codec functionality, such as motion detection with h265 videos.
🔄 Surveillance Station Challenges & System Efficiency
Surveillance Station took a major hit with the removal of h264 support in DSM 7.2.2, requiring users to install a new video extension package to keep certain features. Motion detection users relying on h265 will need to shift management to individual cameras, increasing complexity. Synology claims the update reduces unnecessary resource usage, but for many users, this leads to limited functionality and extra steps. Synology could have avoided this by offering better hardware or reducing running applications, but instead, they are trimming software, pointing to a potential trend of system scaling back.
💡 Could License Costs Be Driving Changes?
Speculation arises around whether the codec removals in DSM 7.2.2 are related to licensing costs, saving Synology money. Users on Reddit have suggested that codec licenses may have been a hidden cost, and Synology could be cutting them to improve profitability. Rather than an honest admission, Synology's release notes cite performance improvements as the reason for these removals. An alternative could have been to offer subscription services for the affected codecs, allowing users to maintain desired functionality without flat-out removal.
💸 Subscription Models and the Future of Synology Apps
Looking ahead, Synology may move towards subscription-based models for its applications, similar to how Active Backup for Business requires activating a free license. The removal of Video Station has raised concerns about other first-party applications like Note Station and Audio Station, which may also face cuts to reduce costs. While the company's core apps like Hyper Backup and Synology Photos are safe, there is growing concern that Synology might shift to subscription services as a way to continue offering basic functionality, aligning with modern tech industry trends.
🤔 Evaluating Synology’s Shift & The Future of DSM
As DSM evolves, users need to reassess how they use Synology devices, especially as first-party applications are removed or downgraded. Synology's value has long been its easy-to-use applications, but if these are scaled back, users might need to explore alternatives like DIY NAS systems or third-party apps via Docker. While DSM is still seen as one of the best NAS operating systems, these changes could signal a shift towards a more limited or subscription-based future, raising questions about whether Synology will continue to meet its users’ needs in the long term.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡DSM 7.2.2
💡Video Station
💡H.265, H.264, VC1
💡Plex, Emby, Jellyfin
💡Surveillance Station
💡System efficiency
💡Synology Photos
💡License fees
💡NAS hardware
💡Subscription services
Highlights
DSM 7.2.2 was released, featuring numerous bug fixes and security enhancements, making it an important update for users.
Video Station has been removed from the Synology package manager, pushing users to find third-party alternatives like Plex, Emby, or Jellyfin.
Synology also removed support for H.265, H.264, and VC-1 codecs, impacting applications like Surveillance Station, Synology Drive, Photos, and File Station.
Users of Surveillance Station can still maintain H.264 functionality by installing the Surveillance Video Extension package.
Synology Photos users now face limitations in viewing media in unsupported formats, requiring file conversion to make photos viewable.
H.265 removal impacts motion detection and storage efficiency, pushing users to either switch formats or rely on camera-specific capabilities.
The update emphasizes resource efficiency and system performance as the reasons for these changes, though the actual impact may be minimal for many users.
These removals signal a shift away from central management toward individual management for specific tasks, such as motion detection in Surveillance Station.
The reduction in supported codecs might suggest Synology is cutting costs by eliminating codec licensing fees.
There's speculation that Synology could introduce subscription services for certain functionalities, similar to how Active Backup for Business operates with a free license.
Synology has historically removed applications, such as Photo Station and Synology Moments, but those were replaced with alternatives, unlike Video Station.
The removal of Video Station may point to a future where Synology shifts more to third-party solutions for media management.
The update could indicate that future Synology devices may not see significant hardware upgrades and might focus on optimizing existing resources.
Some first-party applications like Hyper Backup, Drive, and Photos are unlikely to be removed, as they are core to Synology's offering.
The update raises concerns about Synology’s future direction, potentially moving toward a more limited software environment with greater reliance on external applications.
Transcripts
Soni DSM 7.2.2 was released this past
week which is huge news considering the
DSM 7.2.1 update was released close to a
year ago the new update has a bunch of
bug fixes and security enhancements
which makes it an update that almost
everyone should install at some point
except it wasn't only bug fixes and
security enhancements of course those
are the bulk of the benefits to the
update itself and is the main reason why
at some point you should and most likely
need to update to this version but
sonology actually removed functionality
from the operating system as well for a
lot of people this won't exactly be new
news to you at this point but video
station has been removed from the
sonology package manager and sonology
surveillance Station sonology Drive
sonology photos and file station have
been impacted as well now there's a lot
to unpack here so we'll briefly discuss
the actual negative changes in DSM 7.2.2
and then focus on what can happen in the
future if syy continues to go down this
path and how it can impact you now
killing off video station is what I'd
call bad news but it's bad news for a
select few of you the bulk of people are
using Plex MB or jelly finin as their
media server and while the Plex package
required an update it will continue to
function long term and for that reason
you might experience a few short-term
annoyances but longterm everything will
be fine for those of you using video
station that's it it's gone find a new
alternative because you will no longer
be able to officially use it if you
update your nest to any DSM version
newer than DSM 7.2.2 and if you need
help picking an option I'll leave a link
in the description for a video I did on
Plex vers MB vers jellyfin as one of
those will be your best option now
sonology has removed apps in the past so
this isn't exactly new with the biggest
probably being when they removed photo
station and sonology moments when
upgrading from dsm6 to dsm7 but there
was a replacement application name
sonology photos for video station
they're actively pushing you to a third
party replacement which is pretty
interesting I've said this in videos in
the past but I was never a video station
user though I worked with clients who
were and they opened my eyes to a group
of users who didn't really want any of
the functionality that Plex MB or jelly
fin provided and wanted Simplicity and
for that reason video station was a
great option for them for those people
you're out of luck but it's not only
video station that's gone sonaly also
removed support for h265 h264 and vc1
which are all codecs which allow you to
view different typ of media from the nas
directly this is how surveillance
Station sonology Drive sonology photos
and file station are impacted as
attempting to view or preview certain
media in those formats is no longer
supported and the solution is to convert
it to another format now this is a
massive change for sonology photos
because in Prior versions of DSM you
would upload photos from any device to
the application and they'd be viewable
from just about any newer age device
like iPhones and Android devices but a
web browser as well well now you have to
either upload the photo from a mobile
device with the sonology photos
application or use a downloaded sonology
assistant on a PC to convert those files
from the codec it was initially stored
as to a codec supported in DSM 7.2.2 if
you don't do this the photos won't be
viewable from the sonology photos
application space Rex did a great video
on this and if you're seeing this video
you've probably seen that video but if
you haven't I'll leave a link to it in
the description to summarize this
sonology is expecting client devices
like phones and computers to have that
specific codec in order to view or
stream that type of media from the nas
moving forward and actually convert that
media to a format the nas supports the
point is you will no longer be able to
view it from the nas directly as you
always did in the past a pretty
significant change where the workaround
is basically more steps to get the same
functionality as you've always had those
codecs were used by video station which
is most likely the reason why it's gone
but this has a ripple effect because it
impacts sonology surveillance station as
well which in my opinion is the biggest
hit outside of video station even taking
the sonology photos changes into
consideration since the h264 codc is
needed for sonology surveillance station
and DSM no longer supports it you need
to install the surveillance video
extension package and if you do all
features related to h264 will still work
with surveillance station the way that
it always has but surveillance station
only so Drive photos and file station
still won't be able to view that type of
media without conversion h265 supports
however is impacted in a few different
ways with surveillance station with the
main impact being for users that were
using the nas to conduct motion
detection with h265 video if you are one
of those people you'll need to either
offload it to your camera assuming it
supports it or switch to a different
format which Speaking honestly probably
isn't something you should do h265 is an
enhancement over h264 meaning that you
can record roughly the same amount of
footage at roughly the same quality for
about half the usable storage space that
h264 uses so if you're using h265 don't
switch back to h264 unless you
absolutely must as you're either
increasing the storage requirements
needed to store the same amount of
footage as you always have or lowering
the total number of days that you can
store on your Nas due to the larger file
sizes you'll be working with to maintain
the functionality you've always had now
most cameras have support for motion
detection but you'll have to take this
into consideration when looking at
cameras moving forward to ensure that
they support certain features that
surveillance station once supported and
throwing my subjective opinion in there
it's always easier to manage things in
one location so if you're moving from a
central management to individual
Management on each camera for motion
detection it's going to be harder to
implement and maintain so quite honestly
this is a huge step back for
surveillance station and makes it less
user friendly Central management should
always be the goal and this change
pushes you away from that into
individual management now the changes
are bad enough but the bigger question
we have to ask ourselves is why
according to the release notes these
changes are being implemented to reduce
unnecessary resource usage on the system
and enhance system efficiency so let's
take that at face value and give them
the benefit of the doubt for some of you
this could potentially improve the
performance and reliability of your Nas
device but for most of you this will
have no noticeable impact on anything
and just limits what you can use your
device for and potentially hinders your
actual usage on a day-to-day basis if
you were never using any of this
functionality there will be no
noticeable usable impact but if you were
conversion on a device that has support
is the only real replacement and if
that's not an option loss of
functionality will occur which then
naturally leads us to the question of
what can improve resource usage on the
system and enhance system efficiency
considering it was a big enough goal for
them that they removed an application
that existed while hindering a few
others you can improve the performance
and enhance system efficiency by either
increasing the resources to make the
Baseline for the nest lower than it
currently is with the existing Hardware
or run fewer applications on the NES
either make the hardware better or run
less software if their goal was to
improve existing Hardware I don't think
they'd remove apps and services because
that would entice you to buy a new
device so if you actually believe what
they said in their release notes this
small update makes me feel like the
existing Nas Hardware where from a
processor and memory perspective will
most likely be staying the same meaning
lower spec devices with possibly even
smaller leaps from generation to
generation than we've seen in the past
especially if the software will be
scaled back this was covered by Robbie
over at NAS Compares in his video on
upcoming sonology devices which you
should check out if you're interested in
the hardware aspect as it's a great
overview I'll link it in the description
now if the hardware won't be improved
drastically this naturally points to
limiting the actual applications you're
running on your Nas so there are a lot
of applications that obviously can't go
away either because it's core
functionality or applications that
actually add value to users that would
cause an uproar if they were removed
hyper backup sonology photos sonology
Drive snapshot replication these are
apps that Synology would be stupid to
get rid of but note station audio
station why would they keep these if
video station was arguably a better
product than them and the goal is to
increase system performance you can say
that it's because there are better
thirdparty alternatives to video station
but there are for note station and audio
Station 2 and I'm only using those two
applications as an example but there are
other first-party applications that can
go away as well the point is that it's
such a generic reason that you can apply
it to practically any of their other
applications as well outside of a select
few that Soni really needs to keep which
then leads us to the next point which is
that there's a very good chance that
performance is absolutely not the reason
and it's it's actually around costs I
was reading about this on Reddit when
the DSM 7.2.2 update was released so I
didn't think or come up with this but
could it be that those codecs required a
license that was baked into every
sonology nest and removing them saves
license fees for
sonology yeah it is possible but to me
that would mean they're starting to
Value their applications in terms of
costs for maintenance licenses and
improvements versus their return and
potentially attempting to limit them
moving forward which if this was the
case is something they probably never
did so let's go down that path for a
second if sonaly is looking at their
applications in terms of the operating
expenses to either keep them or enhance
them they'll be allocating a certain
amount from each Nas sale to the
operating expenses for those
applications or setting up a
subscription service for certain
applications which if the codec was a
cost issue should have been an option
for users because it would have been a
transparent and honest reason for the
removal and I know plenty of people that
would pay a subscription per year to
keep things the way they always were
similar to how you have to activate a
free license for active backup for
business or a virtual DSM instance the
framework is there they just didn't
decide to go down that path and honestly
I think that an honest and transparent
approach would have been a better path
forward rather than blaming performance
because you can draw a lot of
conclusions from that suggestion that
sonology definitely doesn't want to
imply if costs are the real reason it
seems like they're trying to save face
by using performance which is a
legitimate reason that consumers could
potentially view as a positive mainly
because codecs are fairly misunderstood
we're making your Nas Faster by remove
something you won't actually use but
every iPhone user actually uses it they
just don't have any idea what h265 is
which is why an honest explanation with
a potential subscription fee would have
been a better approach now do we want
subscription services for basic
functionality no we absolutely don't but
we live in a world where everything is
developed and enhanced by recurring
charges and I don't think DSM will
escape this new reality it's just a
matter of when as a framework for it is
already baked into applications like
active backup for business where you
have to activate a free license so it's
more about when rather than if but
coming out and saying that license costs
is the reason for this change would have
been a better approach in my opinion and
rather than Flatout removing
functionality that some users depend on
they could have offered the alternative
they did and a subscription license for
people who wanted to continue to use
their Nas the way they always have so
let's summarize this I have been a huge
sonology fan for years I don't think
that's surprising but it's not the only
Nas operating system I've used I created
a video on DIY Ness operating systems to
help explain some of the differences
between them and if this frustrates you
check it out because those are
legitimate options you can use if you
ever want to replace DSM but the
overwhelming response I heard in the
comments was that even peing into that
world was way too complicated for a lot
of people they just want something that
works and even though there isn't a
perfect Nas operating system for a lot
of people DSM was always fairly mindless
and for them perfect you buy a Nas
device it comes with the operating
system you configure it and can start to
install your applications on top of it
then you subscribe to your favorite
YouTuber and watch a few videos from
that other guy the majority of people
don't know what abtr RFS volume is and
that's what makes senology DSM so good
you don't need to you walk through the
guide it recommends the best overall
setup from a storage pool and volume
perspective and you can start using it I
still believe that DSM is the best
option for the majority of people and
explained in great detail why in this
video but one of the main selling points
for DSM has always been their
applications I've done tutorials
comparisons and even went as far as to
rank syy best applications and those
videos generally have a lot of interest
because that's what interests you but
this is the first time I've been
slightly concerned with the direction
sonology seems to be heading and even
though it's a small small update in the
grand scheme of things to me someone
with absolutely no inside information
who is attempting to draw conclusions
from release notes it speaks volumes and
not necessarily l in a good way for
these reasons I think you need to start
looking at your Nas differently does it
function as a Nas the way you'd expect
if you had to remove all of the
first-party applications from it and use
it as network attached storage would you
be happy are there third party
applications you'd be willing to use
with Docker or if you had to go down
that route would you just look at
something like unrated or trass where
the same holds true there if you
objectively look at your usage and see
that you're there for Sony's first-party
applications realize that the good ones
aren't going anywhere but it's not crazy
to think that someday you might have to
pay a monthly or yearly fee for them
hopefully that's not the case and only
time will tell so you don't have to
start making drastic changes now and I
don't want this video to come across
that way but I don't personally think
there's a way to positively view this
update in terms of what was removed and
the way that it was removed the bug
fixes are great and necessary and it
shows that sonology is committed to
keeping DSM secure and reliable but the
features removed are what will
ultimately determine how people view
this update and more so what can and
might be removed in the future if costs
are the driving Factor but again just
one guy thoughts if you made it this far
thank you for watching I'll see you guys
next time
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