The following table summarizes the key differences between the Terra movie server models and the Terra Prime movie server models.
| Terra | Terra Prime | ||||
| Compact | Compact | Full-size Prime | Mini Prime SSD | Compact Prime SSD | |
| Storage and Performace | |||||
| Storage type | HDD | HDD | HDD | SSD | SSD |
| Capacity (TB) | 8 | 30 | 120 | 8 | 246 |
| Capacity (4K movies) | 130 | 500 | 2000 | 130 | 4000 |
| Capacity (4K Cinematic movies) | 75 | 275 | 1125 | 75 | 2300 |
| Field replaceable storage | no | no | yes | no | yes |
| Network support | Gigabit Ethernet | Gigabit Ethernet | 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet | 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet | 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet |
| Download performance (4K movie) | ~10 mins | ~10 mins | ~8 mins | ~4 mins | ~4 mins |
| Concurrent playback support (4K movies) | 5 | 5 | 10 | 25 | 25 |
| Characteristics, Power, and Acoustics | |||||
| Typical fan noise (dB) | 25 | 25 | 29 | no fan | 20 |
| Power consumption (W) | max: 32 typical: 20 | max: 32 typical: 20 | max: 48 typical: 43 | max: 23 typical: 15 | max: 42 typical: 22 |
| External power adapter | 150W w/detachable line cord 100-240V, 50-60Hz universal input 12VDC @ 12.5A | 60W w/detachable line cord 100-240V, 50-60Hz universal input 12VDC @ 5A | |||
| Case material | Silver anodized aluminum | Silver anodized aluminum | Silver anodized aluminum | Black painted steel | Black anodized aluminum |
| Case type | Compact long | Compact long | 2U | Mini | Compact |
| Case size (in.) | 7.9 x 1.5 x 14.3 | 7.9 x 1.5 x 14.3 | 17 x 3.5 x 10 | 6.4 x 1.1 x 6.4 | 7.9 x 1.5 x 10 |
Both movie servers are based on the same hardware platform and have identical CPU and RAM configurations. The HDD models use enterprise grade, spinning disk, magnetic storage. The SSD models use data center grade, modern, fast and silent solid-state storage.
Terra Prime (SSD) movie servers provide many experience and performance improvements compared to the HDD servers, including faster downloads, support for more simultaneous playback zones, and quieter operation.
Terra Prime (SSD) movie servers achieve faster, and more consistent, maximum download speeds than a Terra Prime (HDD) movie server. A Terra Prime (HDD) movie server can see download speeds fluctuate by as much as 50% because of how conventional spinning hard disks write data.
Terra Prime (SSD) movie servers experience much less download throttling. Download speeds are throttled during playback activity to ensure pristine playback experiences. Download throttling will occur to a much higher degree on a Terra Prime (HDD) movie server compared to a Terra Prime (SSD) movie server.
On a Terra Prime (HDD) movie server, downloads are throttled when a single playback is active and can be limited to as low as 350 Mbps. Each subsequent playback session will further limit the maximum download speed.
On a Terra Prime (SSD) movie server, downloads are only meaningfully throttled when 10 or more concurrent playbacks are active. Download speed is capped at 2000 Mbps (with 10 playbacks) and that cap will decrease with additional concurrent playbacks.
Terra Prime (SSD) servers can serve more concurrent playback zones – up to 25 – whereas a Terra Prime (HDD) movie server is only rated for 10 concurrent playback sessions. This is because of the faster solid-state drive performance. Under ideal circumstances where all playbacks are equally distributed across all HDDs and the Terra Prime (HDD) movie server is connected to a 2.5 Gbps network, up to 20 concurrent playbacks would be allowed.
Terra Prime (SSD) movie servers are quieter than HDD-based servers. SSDs are silent because they have no moving parts. SSD-based movie servers therefore only emit audible noise from internal, temperature controlled, fans.
The Terra Prime Compact (SSD) movie server has a typical fan noise of 20 dB, compared with 25 dB for the Terra Prime Compact (HDD) movie server.
The Mini Terra Prime (SSD) has no fan and therefore produces no fan noise making it the quietest operating Terra movie server.
The full-sized Terra Prime (HDD) movie server has typical fan noise of approximately 29 dB.
Terra Prime HDD movie servers provide higher storage capacity in certain configurations and use established hard-disk technology that is well suited to long-term storage.
Terra Prime HDD movie servers can provide substantial storage capacity at a lower price. Hard disk-based storage currently (2026) offers capacity at a lower price per bit than that offered by data center grade solid-state storage.
The current Terra Prime lineup offers several storage capacities and form factors.
The full-sized Terra Prime (HDD) provides 120 TB of storage and can hold approximately 2,000 4K movies or 1,125 4K Cinematic movies.
The Compact Terra (HDD) provides 30 TB of storage and can hold approximately 500 4K movies or 275 4K Cinematic movies.
Data stored on either hard disk drives or solid-state drives can degrade over time when the storage device remains unpowered for an extended period.
SSD storage can be more susceptible to data retention loss during prolonged periods without power because data is stored as electrical charges in NAND flash memory. Hard disk drives store data magnetically and generally provide longer passive data retention.
For this reason, SSD-based servers should not be left unpowered for extended periods. If a Terra Prime SSD server will be unused for a prolonged period, keeping it powered helps maintain data integrity.
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