How to create a personal video server?

So I have this spankin new 17" Pbook. I love the new flexibility it gives me after being chained to my desk for years. I've ripped a bunch of my DVDs and would like to be able to create a virtual video library for my own use at home. I could store them on an external HD, but there's a chain again. I'd like to be able to access my movies from anywhere in the house.

Here's what I've tried so far:

- Connected an old S900* clone (remember those? -- dual 200mhz 603s -- ahh yeah) via ethernet to my D-Link wireless router.
- Transferred a test video to the S900
- Logged on wirelessly across the network from my Pbook to the S900
- Opened the video file in VLC
- It played, but got choppy periodically
(*S900 running OS 9.2 with 144MB RAM and 10Base-T)

I chalked it up to the outdated nature of the "server" computer. So I then repeated the experiment using my Dual 533 G4 tower (OS 10.3.7, 640MB RAM, faster ethernet) in place of the S900. It wasn't much (if any) better.

So here are my questions:

1) Is setting up a personal video server possible at all?
2) If so, is the performance problem I'm seeing a function of the speed of the computer, network connection, RAM, etc?
3) If it is possible can I achieve it cheaply (i.e. with the S900 or a beige G3 desktop -- I'm selling the PowerMac G4 soon)

I'd appreciate any insights. After all -- why did I get this fancy computer if not to watch a movie while washing the dishes?

- Marty

I'd like to learn more about this...

RoadKill -- Thanks for the reply. I'm eager to hear more about how you achieved this. I don't know anything about the streaming server stuff. Hinted movies are even new to me. Looking forward to any new info...

RoadKill said:

I have setup a system like this.

Briefly the steps are:

1. rip my disc to .mp4 with handbrake
2. open in quicktime pro and export as a hinted movie
3. install the Darwin streaming server on the machine you want to use as the server.
4. configure the server from http://[I]server_ip_address[/I]:1220
5. copy your hinted movie to the specified.
6. make a web page with links to your movies or use quicktime to Open URL rtsp://server_ip_address/movie_name.mp4

Am running late for work so maybe put more flesh on these bones later.

Click to expand...

Affirmative on both...

I have QT Pro and am exporting a hinted movie at the default settings now. Also, yes, the machine will be running OSX -- the S900 will catch fire if I install OSX. It will likely be a beige G3 at 233. I'm testing on the dual 533 G4 for now.

RoadKill said:

ok, first off to make hinted moveis I think you will need to buy Quicktime Pro (or wait till Tiger and buy Quicktime Pro7)

Info on hinted movies can be found here

Can you run OSX on the hardware you want to use as the server?

Click to expand...

Wireless by...

D-Link DI-524 802.11g. Thanks for jumping in. This is a fun group experiment. Have you have success with this before?

andypress said:

Are you using 802.11b? They usually don't have enough bandwith to playback video over.

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