Media Streaming using WiFi -- the sequel

So, thanks to the word of encouragement/comment from fico, I finally decided to upgrade my router to the NetGear WPN824. The router itself doesn't look too bad -- just a plain white box with blinking blue lights. There are no antennaes on the outside but according to the specifications, there are six internal antennaes. Since I was going to set up the new router, I took the opportunity to clean up my bedroom too and move everything (cable modem, router, wires, etc) to the office. Took a while to get the WPN824 up and running -- a little over 90 minutes. The installation software was a tremendous help. Thought I would be able to "plug and play" but I am not sure if it was the firewall or whatever but, using the Wizard, the router simply would not connect to the internet. I finally got it to work by turning off the firewall and using the installation disc. Don't see any marked improvements with the 802.11g laptop or the older 802.11b laptop but when I tried to connect the PS3 to the media server -- man! WHAT AN IMPROVEMENT. Songs and movies played continuously with no problems -- no buffering, no outages, etc. What a dream. So, for anyone who is having problems with streaming media, maybe you want to check into your router and see if it is rated for media streaming. The WPN824 works like a charm.

Media Streaming using WiFi -- Why Fight?!?!?

So, got a new PS3 and been playing with it for a while. Decide to give the whole "entertainment media" hype a try after about a month of playing Oblivion. In any case, the set up is simple enough -- somethings worked and some don't -- don't ask me why. Documentation on this thing is spotty at best. So far, I've tried streaming music using Windows Media Player 11, TVersity and WinAmp Pro 5.5. While I have success to a varying degree with each of these applications, I wouldn't necessarily say that anyone is the best. Here's a breakdown:

Windows Media Player -- had limited successful with my laptop but could not get it to work with my Media Server (an old Dell 4200 that I wiped and reinstalled the OS). The Media Server doesn't see the PS3 and the PS3 doesn't see the Media Server. I guess the feeling is mutual. The limited success I have with my laptop means that I can stream the music but it doesn't play a single song in its entirety without breaking up or buffering. Also, if I even try to do anything on the laptop while the music is streaming, I immediately loose the network connection. Yes, I upgraded the firmware (version 1.4 from 2004) on my router but my router is first generation of Linksys's WGR614 so I am trying to decide if it is worth the money to invest in a newer router and give this thing a try.

TVersity -- probably one of the easiest software to use. Again, limited success on my laptop and no success on the Media Server. On the PS3, I would start streaming from the laptop for about three seconds and then the PS3 would lose its connection to the router. One the Media Server, the two system again don't "see" each other. Oh well. I guess we're headed to the divorce court.

WinAmp 5.5 -- limited success on both the laptop and the Media Server. Technology wise, this is a completely different solution. Apparently, the music is pushed over the internet. So, you run WinAmp Remote on your media server and share the location where your music files are. You go to the place where you want to listen to the music and use the Web Browser to go to a site, login and start streaming! Sounds simple enough but reality is a different story. Everything was accurate up to the point where you open the browser and start streaming. Well, on the PS3, I could see all 3000 of my audio files but when I tried to play any of them, it would take forever to download/stream the music to the PS3. By forever, I don't mean like 30 seconds -- it's more like 30 minutes and then it was still waiting. In any case, I got tired of waiting and never heard a squeak coming out of WinAmp.

So, after all these trials and errors, I have decided that while the idea behind media streaming is indeed exciting, the reality of it all is very disappointing and definitely not for the masses right now. I guess if I want to listen to music from anywhere in the home, I should just carry around my MP3 player or turn the music up really loud on my stereo (sorry, neighbors!).

Another gripe -- what's with the documentation these days -- have technical writers gotten so expensive that companies can't afford to hire them anymore? Any sort of troubleshooting used to be handled in the opeartion manual but now I had to go from forum pages to forum pages just to cull an ounce of useful information. There are a lot of people with the same questions I have but not many answers. I guess there is really no reason for people who have gotten it to work to visit a forum page after all, right?