Top Components for a Personal Media Network
A Personal Media Network must support
modern, high-quality media, be secure, and be flexible. The following
components follow the Overall Design
of the Personal Media Network.
Media Server
The Media Server should be a standard PC with:
- 2+ TB hard drive space
- 1Gbps+ Ethernet Interface
- pcHDTV HD-3000 Card
Reat the full specifications for the Media Server
HDTV Video Player
The HDTV Video Player should be a Roku PhotoBridge
HD (either a HD1000 or HD1500). This device, when loaded with the
latest version of CinemaSix, can
play back HDTV-quality television shows recorded on the Media Server.
It can also play back backed-up DVD VOB files as well as MP3 files.
Also, LiveSpy for the
PhotoBridge allows you to watch internet cameras from around the world
and is a fun and educational addition to your PhotoBridge.
MP3 Audio Player
Several options are available for MP3 Audio Playback. The one that I
have the most experience with is the Roku SoundBridge. It plays back MP3 files from the Media Server and
has a great user interface.
Gigabit Switch
Once you have several media players streaming at 20Mbps+ from your
media server, you'll need a gigabit switch in order to keep from
saturating the link to your media server. I recommend the 16-port Belkin F5D5141-16. It was just $100 when I purchased it,
which is an excellent per-port price. It is rack-mountable, only 1U
high, and works very well.
Last modified on 29 Mar 2011 by AO
Copyright © 2024 Andrew Oliver