Advice with respect to Calibre on QNAP TS-451 NAS?

AlanRoberts · 08-19-2015, 08:20 PM

Hello,

Apologies if I'm on the wrong forum, "Devices" seemed more focused on readers, but if there are moderators please relocate me if appropriate.

I want to shift from my old version of Calibre running on my XP laptop to running on my recently-acquired QNAP TS-451 NAS (Intel-based). The NAS supports virtualization, so I believe I have two options:

Run "native"
Run within a Linux or Windows VM

Native is worrisome ground for me, unless someone has already blazed the trail. I've learned (or think I've learned) enough about the QTS operating system for the NAS to know its a light-weight Linux, without full tools, not set-up to download latest-and-greatest packages from repositories, etc. I've also gotten a sense that pulling down the wrong bit of incompatible software could break the core NAS and/or QTS functionality. I don't really want to "brick" my NAS!

The mechanism to isolate/protect seems to be packaging up an application into something called a QPKG ... If I'm understanding correctly keeps libraries private and whatever else is necessary to prevent the app from destabilizing QTS. I don't know how to make a QPKG yet, and given my kindergarten Linux skills it could take some time to climb that learning curve.

If anyone has already pursed this and has a QPKG available, I'd appreciate a pointer. Forum search turned up a somewhat dated description of running Calibre native on a Synology NAS, but I didn't find anything for a QNAP.

A VM would seem to protect me from doing harm, at the cost of more overhead. If I take this second option, does anyone have any recommendation for Windows versus Linux, or is Calibre equally capable on either OS? I can pick up a Win7 OEM license inexpensively enough, and there are more Linux distributions than I'll have time to download and test, so any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Alan

kovidgoyal · 08-19-2015, 10:24 PM

I'd recommend linux over windows if you want to run in a VM -- much lighter weight. And note that the default linux calibre install bundles (almost) all its library dependencies. It is however built for Intel processors, not ARM ones.

wakkaday · 10-04-2016, 06:59 AM

will this work on qnap ts-253a
i want to be able for the nas to update the feeds etc? i guess i would to manage the library via the vm console/browser? (is this possible on a mac / windows - is there an application that make its look better than a browser window)

AlanRoberts · 10-07-2016, 11:39 AM

FWIW, I decided to purchase a Win7 license and install that on a VM. I also wanted the NAS to run Exact Audio Copy for ripping CDs, and act as the "control interface" for CrashPlan, so it was the path with the lowest learning curve (for me).

I think the TS-253A is an Intel CPU-based NAS, so you should be able to pursue either a Windows or Linux OS on a VM. I did push the RAM on my NAS up to its limit when I decided to run a Windows VM, and recommend doing this if you can.

Calibre runs 24x7 on the VM hosted by my NAS, and processes the (few) news feeds I run without any issues. I have those scheduled for the middle of the night, so I don't really pay any attention to the run time; content is available for download to my tablet in the morning.

I'm just using the browser interface to the VM, but if I needed a higher-performing interface there are freeware VNC options that you could make use of for either a Windows or Linux-based VM.

Cheers,
Alan

08-19-2015, 08:20 PM	#1
AlanRoberts Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2014 Device: Android tablet + FBReader	Advice with respect to Calibre on QNAP TS-451 NAS? Hello, Apologies if I'm on the wrong forum, "Devices" seemed more focused on readers, but if there are moderators please relocate me if appropriate. I want to shift from my old version of Calibre running on my XP laptop to running on my recently-acquired QNAP TS-451 NAS (Intel-based). The NAS supports virtualization, so I believe I have two options: Run "native" Run within a Linux or Windows VM Native is worrisome ground for me, unless someone has already blazed the trail. I've learned (or think I've learned) enough about the QTS operating system for the NAS to know its a light-weight Linux, without full tools, not set-up to download latest-and-greatest packages from repositories, etc. I've also gotten a sense that pulling down the wrong bit of incompatible software could break the core NAS and/or QTS functionality. I don't really want to "brick" my NAS! The mechanism to isolate/protect seems to be packaging up an application into something called a QPKG ... If I'm understanding correctly keeps libraries private and whatever else is necessary to prevent the app from destabilizing QTS. I don't know how to make a QPKG yet, and given my kindergarten Linux skills it could take some time to climb that learning curve. If anyone has already pursed this and has a QPKG available, I'd appreciate a pointer. Forum search turned up a somewhat dated description of running Calibre native on a Synology NAS, but I didn't find anything for a QNAP. A VM would seem to protect me from doing harm, at the cost of more overhead. If I take this second option, does anyone have any recommendation for Windows versus Linux, or is Calibre equally capable on either OS? I can pick up a Win7 OEM license inexpensively enough, and there are more Linux distributions than I'll have time to download and test, so any advice would be appreciated. Thanks, Alan

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08-19-2015, 10:24 PM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,866 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	I'd recommend linux over windows if you want to run in a VM -- much lighter weight. And note that the default linux calibre install bundles (almost) all its library dependencies. It is however built for Intel processors, not ARM ones.

10-04-2016, 06:59 AM	#3
wakkaday Groupie Posts: 164 Karma: 13126 Join Date: Nov 2014 Device: Kindle Oasis	will this work on qnap ts-253a i want to be able for the nas to update the feeds etc? i guess i would to manage the library via the vm console/browser? (is this possible on a mac / windows - is there an application that make its look better than a browser window)

10-07-2016, 11:39 AM	#4
AlanRoberts Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2014 Device: Android tablet + FBReader	FWIW, I decided to purchase a Win7 license and install that on a VM. I also wanted the NAS to run Exact Audio Copy for ripping CDs, and act as the "control interface" for CrashPlan, so it was the path with the lowest learning curve (for me). I think the TS-253A is an Intel CPU-based NAS, so you should be able to pursue either a Windows or Linux OS on a VM. I did push the RAM on my NAS up to its limit when I decided to run a Windows VM, and recommend doing this if you can. Calibre runs 24x7 on the VM hosted by my NAS, and processes the (few) news feeds I run without any issues. I have those scheduled for the middle of the night, so I don't really pay any attention to the run time; content is available for download to my tablet in the morning. I'm just using the browser interface to the VM, but if I needed a higher-performing interface there are freeware VNC options that you could make use of for either a Windows or Linux-based VM. Cheers, Alan

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