MediaSmart Home - Video Game Consoles

Serve Up Home Memories for the Holidays - 11-26 - 12-2

MediaSmartHome Team — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:00:10 GMT

The holiday season is upon us, and it's the time of year that goes beyond turkey and stuffing, Christmas presents, and stapling 25,000 miniature imported Italian twinkle lights to the house. It's the time of year we spend extra time with friends and family, from parents and siblings, children and grandchildren, and even the coat-tail relatives we see only on special occasions. With all this time spent with our loved ones, it would seem like a perfect time to whip out the home movies and share memories of the prior year. Jr.'s little league home run, little Cindy's school play, baby's first crawl, and even Mom's destruction of the kitchen during the Thanksgiving preparation. But we don't... Only rarely do home movies make it into holiday festivities. Has the reputation of home movie watching really beenso tarnished by crappy slideshows and 8mm projectors that we just give it a chance in the modern age? Or, is it that modern day hard drive and flash camcorders, the kind that store those digital memories in a folder on your home PC, make it too difficult to share during family occasions because no one wants to huddle around the office computer? It's time...

Is there a PS3 WHS MCE interface Add-IN out there?

Phil23 — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 23:24:36 GMT

I here the XBOX WHS MCE Add-In allows you too control recordings and etc on your XBOX. Is there a Add-in that does this for PS3. I know Xbox already has Windows Media Center but is it not possible to create an Add-in which includes MCE interface that would show up in the remote extender-in this case PS3

Is your system slow after PP1 and the HP Updates? Problems with streaming to your PS3?

Cindy W — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:02:49 GMT

On July 21, HP released a software update for MediaSmart Server, following Microsoft’s release of Windows Home Server Power Pack 1. The HP software update provides support for 64-bit operating systems, plus two optional add-ins that a user may choose to install- McAfee Total Protection Service and PacketVideo PVConnect media server. The 64 bit upgrade prepares the MediaSmart Server for support of Vista 64-bit systems. Users do not need to enable this feature. It is an automatic update. The PacketVideo Connect add-in provides advanced graphics such as photo thumbnails, in-menu browsing, and album art during remote access, as well as broader support for the more popular video, music and photo formats. The McAfee anti-virus add-in will provide Server side anti-virus protection with free virus definitions for seven months. Both of these are add-ins will be automatically downloaded to the Add-In folder in the software folder on the HP MediaSmart Server. The user can add them if they choose just like any other add-in. The McAfee Total Protection Service must index all of the files stored on the Server in order to provide the protection against a virus attack. The PacketVideo PVConnect will, upon installation, create a database of all the...

How To Download CinemaNow Movies to Your MediaSmart Server

Gmajor — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:30:10 GMT

If you've had a chance to the try the CinemaNow offer that came with your MediaSmart Server (MSS), then you have experienced the simplicity of downloading content to your home, and how much easier this is than running to the store, or waiting 3 days for the mail. If not, then you should try it. Since the MSS is a "headless" device, downloading movies at home means using a PC to access the CinemaNow Website, finding and ordering the movie and downloading it to your PC. From there it can be streamed to any Digital Media Receiver (DMR) that supports protected content streaming, in the house. But you've got this great home server and may have wondered how to use it to store, protect and stream your movies. There are a couple reasons you might want to do this: Your MSS is an always on device - so you can enjoy the content anytime. Your MSS can protect the content file from disk failure by using its duplication mechanism to automatically keep a backup copy. Note that most content providers only allow a file to be downloaded once. Some studios only allow 1 license for their content; so if you...

Can not connect with Xbox 360

neon0107 — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:32:31 GMT

Hello All, Newbie here with a problem. I just got my WHS last Friday and Love it. Minus the two issues I am having, everything else is great. The problem is with streaming music, or video to my tv using the 360. On the 360 I go to the appropriate slider and select music. At the top of the screen it has my servername listed so I know it is connected. It then says please wait, while it goes out to get the music. Then it comes back with no media found. I have checked the settings on the server to make sure meadia sharing is checked for all three folders. What could be the problem? Thanks

Are you an "Xbox dad?"

Cindy W — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:37:48 GMT

Are you the de facto IT professional for your family? Does your not-so-tech-savvy extended family call you for help and advice when they can't figure out why their laptop/printer/cell phone/router/whatever doesn't work anymore? Do they ask you how to share or manage their digital media? My family sure does. (Now I know how doctors must feel at family reunions, with everyone asking them to diagnose their aches and pains, gratis .) Jason Buffington write an interesting article last week regarding how he uses the MediaSmart Server to share media in his family, in a household which contains multiple PCs, displays, consoles, stereos, and gaming devices. Even his young kids are easily able to access their tunes and video games from their server. Take a look, and see how Jason (a.k.a. DarkJediHunter) makes it all work together at his house: Serving Up the Goods Thanks, Jason!

Connect XMBOX 360 to server without a Media Center PC or Vista

Notorious FAT — Mon, 19 May 2008 14:51:21 GMT

I just bought my server and i love it. I am trying to connect my xmbox 360 to it, and I can't seem to find a way to do it. I do not have a media center PC or Vista Ulitmate, so I am trying to see if anyone can give me instructions on how to do this or if it is even possible. Thanks Patrick

How To Update Your XBOX 360

Matt Whitlock — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:57:00 GMT

Until recently, video game machines have been designed to be similar to the "plug and chug/never changing" DVD player or other home electronic device. However new video game consoles, like Microsoft's XBOX 360, bear more similarities to computers than game machines past. In order to get the most out of your XBOX 360 and MediaSmart Server, you'll need to attain and install the latest updates.