dvice on Choosing a Second-Hand NAS for Video Editing & Client Delivery

[Enquiries]

I’d really appreciate your advice. I’m a videographer starting a small business and I’m looking to purchase a second-hand NAS to keep costs manageable. My main needs are:

I want to edit videos directly from the NAS using DaVinci Resolve, so speed is important. My laptop only has USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, so I would use a USB-to-Ethernet adapter.

A few times a week, I need to send ~20GB of video files to clients and give them a few weeks to download them. Ideally, I’d like my own secure cloud setup for this rather than paying for an online service.

Around 15TB of total storage capacity.

Cost effectiveness (so I’m considering second-hand/refurbished options).

Data redundancy so I don’t risk losing video projects.

There’s a QNAP TS-453D available locally for about $300 USD, and I was considering pairing it with refurbished drives. However, I’ve heard mixed things about security with that model.

I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed with the options and would love to hear your opinion

[ed]

Thanks for your message, and I completely get where you’re coming from — you’re looking to balance cost, performance, and reliability, especially as you’re just getting your business off the ground.

The QNAP TS-453D you’re considering is from QNAP’s 2020 generation, and while it’s not brand new, it’s still perfectly usable for file storage, Plex, backups, and even some direct editing over a fast enough connection. That said, you’re right to be cautious — it’s a slightly older model, and QNAP’s TS-x64 series (like the TS-464) is the more recent generation with improved CPU and support longevity.

That said, for $300 USD, the TS-453D is a very good deal if it’s in working condition. Just make sure:
• You use a 2.5GbE USB adapter for your laptop to avoid slow editing speeds (your USB 3.2 Gen 1 won’t cut it for large files).
• Stick with RAID 5 or RAID 1, depending on your drive count, to keep redundancy in place.
• Avoid exposing it to the internet directly — use a VPN or myQNAPcloud Link instead of port forwarding.
• You can also install Nextcloud or use File Station sharing for client delivery, with expiry links and password protection.

The security issues you may have read about are mostly related to people not updating firmware or exposing services directly to the internet. If you stick to best practices, this NAS can absolutely serve your needs for years to come.

If you do end up going for newer hardware in the future, something like the TS-464 or even a DIY TrueNAS SCALE setup could give you more horsepower and lifespan — but for now, this looks like a good start.