Really thought it was a mistake, really how could this be better than my 485.

Well some things may be right, and some may be wrong.

This processor on his I guess is 600Mhz. Smallnet builder has a chart and the 485 looks much better, see he wasn't looking to close and I didn't point it out to him and will not.

Unfortunetly he streams directly from his server, while I have to go thru HP.

I don't mind but I don't like the interface.

What we did was both upload the same song and then from work we streamed them and compared them.

I am not totally sold on the HP music streamer. I think it is somewhat bright and sounds grainy and sometimes I think it is in mono. I do have some test CD left right you know what I mean that I can check it out with. I guess it would be asking too much for a streaming software to have equalization or bass and treble.

He connects directly with his server, give me some ideas, why use ORB if you have to go thru their server. Alot of this I understand is my misunderstanding.

I'm sure WHS provides more of an opportunity for expansion. But I'm still on the beginning of the bell curve here, and there is no way it should be all that complex, after all they are all just packets.

Like what is all this Firefly stuff. Twonky replaced that right? Don't I have to use Twonky to stream? I don't care about iTunes, don't have any.

Oh yes my videos, don't stream, just video preview failed. They've all been converted and say AVI in the streamer, the only ones that don't say video preview failed are two which are listed as MP4 and these just sit there.

I won't give up until I've got it right.....

I don't see why you couldn't stream directly from the server just like your friend does... provided your media player(s) support that.

These twonky, firefly, upnp streamers, etc etc are really all added-value pieces of software.... you should be able to stream directly from your server in addition to the services these programs provide.

Yes I understand the added value these services provide, but just like everyone else I'm looking for the "BEST" most fantastic, out of this world, thing.

Thanks for helping me to understand better.

What are you using? Is remote access streaming important to you? I realize I am like a child who may not need what I am looking for but want to look just the same, thanks....

Locally I just access the music (and pictures) directly as Shared Folders (files), "pulling" them off as played. I don't even use iTunes -- just have a (big) bunch of MP3's organized by album.

Remotely? I just load them into my cell phone, MP3 player or Kindle, updating the contents as needed. Want to play through another PC? Just attach the cell phone, MP3 Player or Kindle and access the files as though it is a disk.

Why? (1) I don't care to mess around with the remote access, and, more importantly, (2) I do not want to have that accessible on the web in case anyone wants to argue that I am be making it available publicly and, therefore, owe big copyright fees! Why take the risk if I do not need to? Heck, I can fit virtually all my music on the (removable) card in my cellphone and I have that with me all the time anyway!

The "Remote" functionality of WHS IS important to me, but not for streaming anything external to my LAN.

_________________
....JBick

EX475, 2 GB, LE-1640
PC1: Vista-->W7 Ultimate/32, (D-Drive RAID-5 Array)
PC2: Lenovo Laptop, Win XP Home SP3
2xLinksys WRT54G v1.1 and 2xNetGear GS105 Gbit switch

Yes external to my LAN is important to me tho.

I've got a couple of kids living with their mother who need to get educated to things they don't see at home.

OK, I like certain authors like Joseph Campbell, Transformations of Myths Thru Time, good stuff, things to think about. Also there are some things on YouTube that are interesting. These are what I want to post and have available with remote access. You cant get introuble with these, I don' believe, fill me in if I'm wrong, and they have to ID in to get them so they would be the only ones seeing them.

Anyway, I'm thinking it thru and will be dumping server based platforms, I know I can connect directly to the server just need to get everything to mesh.

Windows 7 would help but I'm not going to purchase anything now, the Mediasmart was my purchase for now. I will be looking for some remote streaming software is what I will be doing.

I think I will be trying this Foolbar2000 software it is for audio only, but it seems interesting. I will eventually put it together.]

Maybe the VLC software that just came out is the answer.

When you google you get too much internal LAN software respones not enough external. Media streaming and not remote media streaming.

Say thanks alot I rely on the board to keep me going.....

Check out the Media Streaming forum for lots of good info on ways to stream from the server to extenders or HTPCs at TVs, etc. I personally use SageTV WHS and SageTV HD200 extender and it works great.

_________________
HP MSS EX490 with Intel E6300
4 GB RAM
7 TB Drive Storage

MediaSmartServer.net Wiki, it's loaded with helpful information about WHS and the HP MediaSmart Server.

It's not clear to me exactly what you are trying to accomplish. Can you give 2 or 3 specific scenarios where the server is not doing what you want, so that we can provide suggestions?

The Remote Media Streamer will transcode your MP3's to 128kbit which is probably why you don't like the quality. I'd suggest trying our Fireplay add-in that will allow you to stream your music as I believe it streams the original MP3.

You can also look at Orb or Subsonic for music streaming outside your home.

_________________
Alex Kuretz
Remote Notification: Monitoring and alerting for your Home Server via email, Twitter, text message, RSS, push notifications, and on your Mac desktop
Have you tried our Add-Ins?

Yes, Alex maybe you can help me figure out what I don't understand, such as what is where, and what is doing what?

1)I did read, finally someplace else in a review, that you only get 128kbs with the Media server. I don't know why it took sooooo long for some one to mention it, I never saw it in this site. Well there is alot of info here and I love it here but I have to mention it.

2) It's all packets, so the packets leaving the Mediasmart are throttled to 128 or is it the HP server that throttles it. I mean is it WHS inside the Mediasmart that keeps it to 128 or is it the HP server itself that does it.

I always thought the server just provided the UI and resent the packets, but why would we do that just for sake of convenience I guess? And also to provide a way for newcomers to feel comfortable.

3) The media streamer when I access it from work I do not like the way it sounds, I will set up a test CD and see if it isn't in mono. Ok I've ran out of room. Obviously I do not intend to offend anyone! Thanks

I'm sure most readers can find some point that they wished I'd covered in more detail. I do what I can in the reviews, I believe I have some of the most thorough you'll find.


Transcoding is not packet throttling, it's resampling and compressing the original file into a smaller file. Data is lost in this process. I stream music at work all day from my MSS and haven't had any real complaints about quality though I'm not critically listening. If it's not good for you, then definitely try one or more of the alternate remote streamers I mentioned above.

_________________
Alex Kuretz
Remote Notification: Monitoring and alerting for your Home Server via email, Twitter, text message, RSS, push notifications, and on your Mac desktop
Have you tried our Add-Ins?

Yes Alex, thanks, I am currently installing Subsonic and greatly appreciate you help. Thanks again, great forum.