Transform your PC into a mean, media-streaming machine

July 09, 2013

If you’re anything like me, you’ve built an impressive media empire inside your PC. You’ve compiled album after album of sweet jams. You’ve got reams of cherished photos from all your adventures, and your video collection spans everything from smartphone gag reels to family movies to high-resolution videos ripped from your DVD collection. Problem is, they are all trapped in your PC. What if you want to watch one of your videos on the big, beautiful HDTV in your living room, or listen to your complete music collection on a storage-strapped smartphone? The solution is simple: Turn your PC into a media slinger, a machine that can stream your music, movies, and photos wherever you want them to go. It’s easier than you might think, though the tricky part is deciding just which server solution you want to use—and how much you want to spend. Pick the right PC for the job The first step is to make sure your computer is up to the task. Server software can place a heavy load on your PC, especially when it first indexes your media library—but also when it’s actively streaming. What’s more, you’ll need to leave your PC running 24/7 if you want your media library to be available around the clock. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Link: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2043851/transform-your-pc-into-a-mean-media-streaming-machine.html#tk.rss_howto