Core Features

Q. Why is the HP MediaSmart Server a vertical form factor instead of a stereo-component, horizontal form factor? 

A.  Most consumers will want to place the HP MediaSmart Server next to their router which is typically in their home office.  But the attractive styling and small size makes it suitable for the living room as well. The vertical form factor also provides for cool and whisper-quiet operation.

Q. What processor is in the HP MediaSmart Server ?  How much DRAM is included ?

A.  The processor is an Intel 2.0 GHz 64-bit Celeron tuned for fast throughput.  HP’s testing has shown this processor to yield I/O throughput that far exceeds high-end consumer network storage solutions on the market.  The MediaSmart Server has 2GB of 800MHz DDR2 DRAM standard.

Q. How much power does the HP MediaSmart Server use when on 24/7?  Do you anticipate that this will be a customer concern?

A.  HP has strived to make the HP MediaSmart Server as energy as efficient as possible. If it is on for 24 hours a day, it will consume about the same amount of power as a mainstream PC.  Our goal in product design was to balance the high performance needs of a multi-function device with power savings.  

Additionally, the HP MediaSmart Server can be configured for a predetermined daily ‘Sleep time’ and ‘Wake time’ in order to save energy.  During this sleep time hard disk drives of the Server are spun down, the fans are stopped, and the Server is idle, drawing only 1 watt of power.  You can also send a manual ‘Sleep now’ or ‘Wake server’ command to the Server from either your Mac or PC.

Q:  How many users can access the HP MediaSmart Server at once ?

A:  Maximum of 10 users plus a guest (for someone who brings their laptop to your home and wants to see your photos.)

Q:  Will all users be able to see all files?

A:  The HP MediaSmart Server administrator can set Read/Write, Read Only or No Access privileges for each user, to each shared folder.  The HP MediaSmart Server administrator also controls the remote access privilege for each user.

Q:  Can you load typical office applications, or games onto the HP MediaSmart Server and share those  among multiple PCs?  What are add-ins ?

A:   No.  One can get additional functionality on the HP MediaSmart Server through 3rd party add-ins, but it is not intended to be a general purpose application server. Some add-in examples are:
Whiist - create and administer web sites on your server
Wake on LAN - remotely start a computer on your network so that you can access it via Remote Desktop
uTorrent - download bit torrents directly to your server
TiVo publisher for WHS - play your Music, Videos and Photos on any TiVo in the house.
Lobster tunes - streams music from Windows Home Server directly to a Windows Mobile smartphone through WiFi or 3G.

Q. How do you connect the  HP MediaSmart Server to the home network ?  What other interfaces does it have ?

A.  The MediaSmart Server connects directly to the router on the home network through an RJ45 Ethernet port, and supports up to Gigabit Ethernet speeds.  It also offers  4 USB 2.0 ports and one eSATA port for connecting additional storage to the Server. The MediaSmart Server cannot be direct attached to a PC.

Q. Does the MediaSmart Server offer wireless networking?

A.  Although the HP MediaSmart Server needs to be wired to your network through an Ethernet cable, it supports both wired and wireless devices via your wireless router.

Q. Can a printer with a USB connection be attached to the HP MediaSmart Server?

A.  Unfortunately, Windows Home Server does not support printer sharing.  That said, most printers today offer network capabilities. 

Q. What is the standard warranty for the Server ?

A. Limited hardware warranty and software technical support for one year from the date of purchase. HP offers 24/7 toll free consumer support.

Q: What are the supported operating systems for PC and Mac clients ?  

Q: What applications on the HP MediaSmart Server work with PCs and with Macs ?  How do I access these features ?

General Questions - Page 2 | Competition - Page 3 | New Features - Page 4 | Core Features - Page 5 | Server Storage - Page 6 | Data Protection - Page 7 | Media Features - Page 8 | Remote Access - Page 9

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