Media Servers: Finally the Whole Enchillada
What is a Media Server?
A Media Server is a computer specifically designed for the storing and distribution of audio, video, information, and photos throughout a home through a standard network. It can also provide home automation control for HVAC, lighting, and security. What makes a Media Server ($2500-$8000) so revolutionary is it keeps all of your media (music, videos, photos, etc.) in one place. Thus the need for multiple source components is dramatically reduced. The user interface is also very simple by providing one "point & click" remote and even voice control. The most remarkable feature of Media Servers is all of your media is just as simple to access from any area in your house!
The Basics
A Media Server is connected to you home A/V system just like any other component but it also connects to your computer network. By connecting to the Media Server to your network, it has access to the internet for music and movie downloads to store on its hard drives as well as information like current weather for your area. Music and movies can be downloaded from a number of sources like Google, Amazon, AT&T's Homezone, Vongo, and MP3.com directly to the server for instant use from a simple point & click menu. The Media Server can even replace your current DVR or TiVoTM and has similar capabilities such as freezing, rewinding, and pausing live TV.
When connected to the new Sony VGPXL1B 200 disc DVD/CD changer ($499.00 retail) you have the ability to rip (copy) up to 200 of your CD's at a time to the Media Server. As the music is copied, the server will automatically search the internet for the matching album covers. They are then displayed for "point & click" selection to build play lists or just to hear. This process is repeated until all your CD’s are stored.Since the copying of DVD's is currently illegal, the CD's can be removed from the changer and replaced with DVD's. This provides a much more manageable approach to owning a DVD collection. When the DVD's are inserted they are scanned and the server will find the matching DVD covers on the internet and a blurb about the movie, the actors and any other relevant information about the movie. When the DVD is clicked the information is displayed and the option to play the DVD is provided.
The Sony changer is also a DVD/CD burner. This allows you to create DVD's or CD's from your downloaded movies or music. You can also create your own collage CD's from multiple artists.
Other Rooms
Since the Media Server is a Microsoft based system, the Microsoft X-Box video game console ($300-$400 retail) can also be connected to your server in other areas. Software is installed in the Media Server to find the X-Box's and connect to them. This allows each of the X-Box locations to access all of the information stored on the Media Server. Each location operates independently so each location has the ability to play music or movies independent of the other locations. All that's needed is a TV to view the point & click menu.Home Entertainment Inc. of the Woodlands Texas has pioneered a method to take this flexibility anywhere with the use of the Sony LFX-11 Location Free Television ($1500.00 Retail). They call it "Liquid Media" and it essentially means "anything..., anywhere..., anyti...". This is achieved by connecting the X-Box to the WiFi transmitter of the LFX-11 and the touchscreen menus of the TV are modified to control the X-Box. This allows you to watch a movie or listen to music through the wireless TV up to 85' from the transmitter! You can even connect the X-Box audio (via an amplifier) to any speaker system and have access to all of your music and movies anywhere with touchscreen control of the entire system!
Home Automation
With the addition of LifewareTM software, a Media Server can control your lighting, HVAC, and security systems to provide a complete Home Automation solution.
Summary
While other solutions are available for media distribution and home automation, most require higher cost proprietary hardware, and closed-end software that must be custom programmed for an additional cost. The Microsoft based server is a modular platform that allows for the installation and upgrade of hardware to enhance the server's capabilities. It also has the advantage of having thousands of companies writing many different types of software applications that support new hardware and new features. In short, it truly is the whole enchilada, but at the price of a taco.