Airport Extreme + Airdisk + PS3 = Media Centre??

[mike m]

Hi Everyone,

Actually, first time posting, so Double Hello!

I currently have this setup in my bedroom/office:

MBP + Samsung 22" LCD + AEBS + 500Gb MyBook Airdisk

My MBP connects to the network wirelessly and apart from normal internet stuff, I watch my collection of DivX films/tv shows via Front Row. My brother accesses the airdisk and watches stuff in his room on his MB as well - works great.

However, we want to get a media centre going downstairs in the living room as well, and we don't have enough for a mac mini (ideal) so we thought a PS3 might do the job.

I've found many articles/posts saying that it works as a media centre, and plays DivX/Xvid etc. so that's fine. What I haven't been able to find out, is how it plays with Airdisks.

I know there is the Media link thingy by Nullriver, but that depends on a mac being on, an the media library being connected to it - what we want is for the PS3 to connect directly and stream media from the Airdisk without the need for any computers to be in the house.

Anyone had experience of this, or has any advice?

 

[pilotError]

The Airport Extreme isn't a media server. You need a media server NAS (one that supports uPNP) or you need software running on your Mac that does the uPNP support.

If you buy media software, there's no reason you can't have the movies stored on the Extreme Disk, as it becomes just another drive, but the software has to be running (Mac has to be booted).

 

[mike m]

so the ps3 definitely can't browse an Airdisk/network hard disk? Arse.

Is the 360 a viable alternative, or same deal?

 

[marcel500]

I use the PS3 along with Eyeconnect (Elgato) on my MBP. Works great! I can even access my time capsule or in your case extreme plus harddisk...

 

[pilotError]

so the ps3 definitely can't browse an Airdisk/network hard disk? Arse.

Is the 360 a viable alternative, or same deal?

Same deal from what I understand.

However... You can boot the PS3 into Linux and you should be able to mount the Airdisk. I don't know how you do that off the top of my head (the linux part), but a buddy of mine in work uses it as there are better media software under Linux than the PS3 provides.

 

[knux11]

you can get an external drive with built in upnp support and it will do what you're looking for. I was just looking at this option this morning.