Is Synology KILLING their BEST Applications?

Summary

Synology'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

00:00

🚀 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.

05:01

📸 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.

10:02

🔄 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.

Keywords

💡DSM 7.2.2

DSM 7.2.2 refers to the latest update to Synology's DiskStation Manager operating system. This update is significant because it brings several bug fixes and security enhancements, making it a crucial update for users. However, the update also introduces the removal of several functionalities, like Video Station, and affects media playback, which forms a key theme in the video.

💡Video Station

Video Station was a Synology application that allowed users to stream and manage video content directly from their NAS (Network-Attached Storage) device. The video emphasizes that this feature was removed in DSM 7.2.2, marking a significant change for users who relied on it. Synology is pushing users towards third-party alternatives like Plex or Jellyfin.

💡H.265, H.264, VC1

These are video codecs that enable media playback in different formats. DSM 7.2.2 removed support for these codecs in several Synology applications, including Video Station, Surveillance Station, and Synology Photos. The removal of codec support forces users to convert media into other formats, affecting the usability of these applications.

💡Plex, Emby, Jellyfin

These are third-party media server applications that many users employ to stream media from their NAS devices. The video mentions these as alternatives to Video Station after its removal in DSM 7.2.2, and while some of these apps require updates, they will continue to function, making them viable long-term solutions for media streaming.

💡Surveillance Station

Surveillance Station is a Synology application for managing security camera feeds and video recordings. The removal of codec support in DSM 7.2.2 has a notable impact on this app, particularly for users who relied on the H.265 codec for video recording and motion detection, forcing them to either convert their videos or adjust camera settings.

💡System efficiency

System efficiency refers to Synology’s stated goal of improving the overall performance of their NAS devices by reducing resource usage. In the context of DSM 7.2.2, Synology claimed that removing certain applications and codec support would enhance system efficiency. However, the video questions this rationale, suggesting that these changes may have been driven by cost-cutting rather than performance improvements.

💡Synology Photos

Synology Photos is an application that allows users to upload, view, and organize photos on their NAS devices. The removal of codec support in DSM 7.2.2 significantly affects this app, as users are now required to convert photos into supported formats to view them, adding extra steps to what was previously a straightforward process.

💡License fees

License fees are suggested as a potential reason behind Synology’s removal of codec support in DSM 7.2.2. The video speculates that supporting certain codecs might have required Synology to pay for licenses, and removing them could be a cost-saving measure. This is presented as an alternative explanation to Synology’s official reasoning of improving system performance.

💡NAS hardware

NAS hardware refers to the physical components of Synology’s Network-Attached Storage devices, such as processors and memory. The video discusses how the removal of certain functionalities in DSM 7.2.2 suggests that Synology may not be planning to improve the hardware of its devices significantly in future releases, instead focusing on software optimizations.

💡Subscription services

The video speculates that Synology may move towards a subscription model for certain applications or features, especially in light of the removal of functionalities like Video Station. The speaker suggests that users would prefer transparent pricing or subscription options for maintaining these features, rather than having them removed altogether.

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