HP MediaSmart Servers Gain Mac Compatibility

[dwright1974]

Personally I'm not sure why such devices have much appeal if offered up without some sort of data security, either through RAID tech or other means. I'm just not convinced that a server / back up device should be based on a single magnetic hard disk. This is one thing that keeps me from buying any of Apples offerings right now.

Dave

Hi

The server does have data security as it mirrors the drives when there is more than one inserted. If a drive goes pop you simply pop it out and replace it.

I agree you could build your own but what appeals to me is it's very easy to use ... plug it in, some basic config, and it then just sits there in the sitting room/hallway/kitchen cupboard!

- D

 

[madog]

I have a broken down MacBook that shares out a 500GB firewire drive via AFP. All the Macs in the house can use it for Timefinder. So I'm not sure where you are going with that.

For more power, FreeNAS (FreeBSD based appliance) can share files to Windows and Mac, and has a built-in iTunes-compatible media server that can share out one or more of your directories as an iTunes library. Free software, just supply the hardware. And with ZFS in their next major version, growing your library into bigger drives should become trivial.

Well, I was replying to another persons comment, that is totally unrelated to what you are talking about, comparing an old G4 tower to this server, but thanks for the info.

In response to your comment, I don't see how a 500gb drive connected through AFP compares to a 4 drive-bay server that can do all that and more with Win, Mac, and Linux.

No where do I say that this product is better than FreeNAS, or even mention NAS anywhere in my comment; again, only that this product can do more than a G4 or old busted MacBook, and that the person who made the comment I was actually replying to was completely missing the point of this device.

NOR do I say that this product would be better for YOU or your needs. Don't make statements like, "Why buy a BMW? I got a Geo Metro that takes me from point A to point B all the same", cause that would just be stupid and completely missing the point.

 

[Apocrathia]

All it seems to be doing is serving files and sharing an itunes library. You can setup iTunes sharing on any computer with mt-daapd (firefly media server).

A mac mini + loaded drobo + mt-daapd = exact same thing, except you don't have to give HP money.

mt-daapd will even run under linux (how I have it running). HP is doing nothing new, it's just that they are marketing to a different crowd. There really isn't anything special about their home server.

 

[nollchr]

Does this also transcode files?

Will this transcode video and audio like TVersity?

 

[theBB]

Yes actually. The only thing new to the cell phone market about the iPhone is the UI/OS. Nothing else.

The lack of any thought or effort spent on intuitive and enjoyable interface design is what dooms most gadgets, which otherwise have very capable hardware features. Dismissing this as just success of "marketing", as if some scheme to fool consumers, is silly.

 

[max1018]

This seems to be on par with Drobo. Drobo seems to play nicer with Macs, expandable up to 16 TB, and there are a good deal of other apps that can be added to it. Not sure which one I want.

I have the current version of the HP MediaSmart server, it's basically the same as the new ones announced, but obviously without Time Capsule etc, and I have to say that it is a very good way to get a small server going up at home. Because it's Windows anything can be pretty much run from it. Personally I think we find it most useful as a Squeezebox server, and the fact you can load any webserver up etc.

My question is will there be an upgrade for existing MediaServers or is the Time Machine feature going to be kept exclusively for these ones? I can't see why the old one's couldn't do it.

 

[theBB]

What is an iTunes server? Is this different than just changing the default location of your iTunes files to be on a networked disk? Does this mean when one user adds a new song to his library, other users will see that song added to their library automatically? Otherwise, having a external harddisk attached to a router seem to serve the same function.

 

[Le Big Mac]

I use a 1TB Time Capsule today as a complete iTunes media server and, of course, for Time Machine backup. Just set your iTunes database location as the time Capsule disk (set in iTunes preferences) and copy your iTunes folder to that location. Set all your macs to have iTunes use the library located in the folder. This works well with a caveat... if you are doing a Apple TV wireless sync you may have some playback issues if you are simultaneously trying to stream video to the Apple TV. A workaround is to connect a ethernet cable to the mac connected to Apple TV.

I connect a second HD to a USB hub connected to the Time Capsule to regularly back up data on the TC server. This solution is also hundreds of dollars cheaper than the HP server, has a much smaller footprint, work on a Mac without having to use Windows first and looks a hell of a lot better than this HP thing.

When you do this, how do you add media (new songs, vids?)? Does it update your library (xml file or whatever it is)?

 

[JG271]

I bet the hardware is 100% osx86 compatible.

Probably, says serving macs on the website. I'd be cool if it was.

Hm, I don't see too much point in this, you might be better hooking up some externals to a mac mini at this point. Or make a hackintosh server, even better.

 

[nkawtg72]

a few suggestions...

Disclaimer: I for one hate when people generalize and say something sucks or no one should get it, simply because it doesn't necessarily meet their personal needs. So I'm not going to do that here. If you like this HP server, and want it, and think you're making a smart buy, then go for it. If you're looking for suggestions, continue reading.

That said....
I would suggest that anyone who only has Macs and is looking for some of the features that this HP has to consider a different route.

If you have access to an unused Mac that isn't too old, and has modern I/Os, I would start there.

If you don't have an unused machine, and you need to stay at this "low" price point that the HP has, I'd suggest getting a Mac Mini. $99 will get you a 1TB multi I/O drive from MicroCenter.

Giving you all the reasons in this post would take forever, but here are just a few.

-Using an older Mac, or a new Mac Mini, with only 10.4 or better, you will have no need for a monitor, keyboard or mouse (after initial setup). You will have to have 10.5 on at least one networked (client) Mac, and you will be able to Remote desktop into the Server Mac to control it.

-For using it as an iTunes server, simply leave iTunes w/sharing enabled at all times, and Mac/PCs on your network will be able to play any and all music on it. Using Remote Desktop, you can access the server to get into iTunes to go to the ITMS to make purchases to download directly to it. If you already have the music elsewhere, simply use File Sharing to copy the music to it to build the library. You can even use iTunes for video purchasing and management, but it won't be available to the other Macs through iTunes Sharing. However there is a very simple solution to this I can explain another time.

-I've even ripped DVDs to hard drive, placed the resulting Video_TS folders into an organized folder structure, and then used File Sharing from as many as 6 simultaneous Macs on my network to access 6 different DVD rips through their respective Apple DVD Player software. Voila!! A hard drive based DVD jukebox network server.

-blah blah blah

The moral of this story is this. If you are a Mac owner, it would be wise to use a Mac running Mac OS as a media server, because you will have better opportunity to take advantage of all the various features and abilities of the Mac OS to do almost anything.

That's not to say you couldn't use a PC in a Mac environment to do the same. But I would ask, what sense does that make if the person only has Macs in the first place?

If enough people are interested and request it, I could take the time to start a thread that gets into more of the details, in/outs, of what I've said above.

Good luck to all of you wanting to jump into this niche of the market!!!

 

[dwright1974]

All it seems to be doing is serving files and sharing an itunes library. You can setup iTunes sharing on any computer with mt-daapd (firefly media server).

A mac mini + loaded drobo + mt-daapd = exact same thing, except you don't have to give HP money.

mt-daapd will even run under linux (how I have it running). HP is doing nothing new, it's just that they are marketing to a different crowd. There really isn't anything special about their home server.

No it isn't!

It does that plus give you remote access to those files as well as photo sharing apps, and more.

I have a MBP and I don't want it on all the time. My parents live 200 miles away from me and I want them to be able to see the latest photos of my daughter - all possible with one of these Home Servers.

For the cost of the Mac Mini you can get an expandable, low power computer that is based around Windows so you can install additional software. Also, I don't want said Mini with external hard drives plugged in to it, all taking additional power, (thinking green but also saving on the cost of electricity!

I'm not an advocate of Microsoft by any stretch but this is a good product for a home-based server and I do think it is a real shame Apple don't have an offering in this arena.

- D

 

[wizard]

Drobo is nice if not a bit expensive

This seems to be on par with Drobo. Drobo seems to play nicer with Macs, expandable up to 16 TB, and there are a good deal of other apps that can be added to it. Not sure which one I want.

Like the title says Drobo is a nice approach to RAID technology. It is a bit expensive and in base form is not really a server. For many people with large media collections though, I believe it is a better approach simply because of the enhanced security. What Data Robotics needs to do is to come out with a unit that has the server hardware integrated.

It is still hard to justify based on cost though. You can buy a lot of computing hardware for $800 dollars these days, but Drobo is a very nice pre-baked solution. In some ways though Data Robotics would be a good buy for Apple as a company, especially with the Drobos focus on ease of use. Then again Apple did dump their rack mounted server so maybe this isn't a good idea.

Dave

 

[ToneFREQ]

When you do this, how do you add media (new songs, vids?)? Does it update your library (xml file or whatever it is)?

You just add content to iTunes like you do normally and, depending on your iTunes preferences, it copies the content to the Time Capsule location and updates your iTunes library file (which also must be stored on the Time Capsule).

 

[madog]

Disclaimer: I for one hate when people generalize and say something sucks or no one should get it, simply because it doesn't necessarily meet their personal needs.

Good lord thank you. My point exactly!

+2 to you, good sir.

 

[wizard]

Yeah but why sell the unit without the extra drives?

Hi

The server does have data security as it mirrors the drives when there is more than one inserted. If a drive goes pop you simply pop it out and replace it.

The problem here is that they sell the unit without the drives in the base configuration to support any sort of RAID protection. This just seems to be stupid as it is confusing to customers that don't understand RAID or the need for additional drives. Plus in my mind just adds to the configuration issues.

At least Data Robotics, with its Drobo unit, makes sure that the unit either has the right number of drives or has nothing.

I agree you could build your own but what appeals to me is it's very easy to use ... plug it in, some basic config, and it then just sits there in the sitting room/hallway/kitchen cupboard!

- D

There is a lot of value in ease of use, but I'm not sure this is the easiest way to get secure back up storage. Or for that matter secure server / primary storage.

Dave

 

[G4DP]

Ignore - a hen up!

 

[numbersyx]

So to get it to work on a Mac you need a PC?????

 

[adamfilip]

can you access the HP home server as a drive
over the network
like you can a drobo locally

 

[ToneFREQ]

can you access the HP home server as a drive
over the network
like you can a drobo locally

Yes

 

[dwright1974]

The problem here is that they sell the unit without the drives in the base configuration to support any sort of RAID protection. This just seems to be stupid as it is confusing to customers that don't understand RAID or the need for additional drives. Plus in my mind just adds to the configuration issues.

At least Data Robotics, with its Drobo unit, makes sure that the unit either has the right number of drives or has nothing.


There is a lot of value in ease of use, but I'm not sure this is the easiest way to get secure back up storage. Or for that matter secure server / primary storage.

Dave

The 1.5Tb version consists of 2 x 750Gb drives so I assume that would have the drive pool which would mirror the data but granted, the single drive version, the 750Gb version wouldn't have this.

Again, I sound like a bit of a fanboy here but what is easier, following the relatively simple steps to slot a new hard drive in to the box, add it to the drive pool through the software and let the server do the rest or try and set up a home brew solution?

I appreciate the Drobo can be shipped populated but, (and I've never really looked at them in great detail because of the cost) but doesn't a Drobo connect to a computer, rather than in to the network?

I think one of the previous posters hit the nail on the head - if you feel this product meets your needs then get it. It isn't going to suit everyone!

- D

 

[Jiff Lemon]

My question is will there be an upgrade for existing MediaServers or is the Time Machine feature going to be kept exclusively for these ones? I can't see why the old one's couldn't do it.

HP have already confirmed they'll be making the software available for series 1 home servers

 

[pooryou]

Doesn't look like it does anything that having a computer on your network hasn't been able to do since forever...and that's basically what it is anyway. Move along, nothing to see here.

 

[morespce54]

Look nice.
If it wasn't for the initial setup with Windows...
Hey, nobody is perfect!

 

[BoMo]

You just add content to iTunes like you do normally and, depending on your iTunes preferences, it copies the content to the Time Capsule location and updates your iTunes library file (which also must be stored on the Time Capsule).

Exactly. I have three computers and an Apple TV that all access an iTunes Library file and all of my music on an airdisk. It works great. Add music or video while on one computer, and all of the others can access it automatically. I can even access my music across the internet by logging onto my airdisk remotely.

I must be missing something because I fail to see how this $700 product is any better than a $179 Airport Extreme and a $300 USB drive. If you want to match the four drive capability, buy a USB hub.

 

[morespce54]

Doesn't look like it does anything that having a computer on your network hasn't been able to do since forever...and that's basically what it is anyway. Move along, nothing to see here.

Of course it is.
Personally, I use my computers too much and too often to use them as media centers (unplug, plug, unplug...)
So basically, this would serve as a computer that I don't use! Except for storing and distributing medias, of course!

Nothing new, of course, but since I don't have Apple TV nor an Airdisk...

Oh, BTW, is it wireless?