33 MA XIMUMPC JUNE 200 5
use Windows Media Connect
software, which requires UPNP,
simply won’t work with Windows
Server 2003. Some software,
including BeyondTV , doesn’t
work properly with Windows
Server either.
The nice thing about Linux
is that it allows you to take
advantage of the aforementioned
MythTV , which may be a little
rough around the edges, but
is a nonetheless a perfectly
viable alternative to MCE2005 or
BeyondTV , and it’s free. Keeping
a Linux box up, running, and
secure, however, can be more
of a challenge than keeping XP
patched and installed.Q: Where should I store
my server?A: Any kind of well-ventilated
closet with power and a wired
Ethernet connection will work.
If you use a linen closet, make
sure there are a couple of inches
on each side—including the front
and back—for air to circulate
around the case.Q: What’s a headless
confi guration? How can
I confi gure it for my
machine?A: A headless confi guration is
one without a monitor, keyboard,
and mouse. Once Windows XP is
installed, you can enable Remote
Desktop, which lets you connect
to the desktop of your PC from
another XP machine. Using
Remote Desktop is just like
logging into your machine, but
you can do it from anywhere!
You can install applications,
confi gure software settings, and
even reboot the machine.
Once Remote Desktop is
enabled, you can disconnect the
mouse, keyboard, and monitor.
To enable Remote Desktop, open
your System control panel, then
go to the Remote tab, and check
“Allow users to connect remotely
to this computer.”Q: What should I do to
keep my data backed up?A: We recommend that you
store your fi les on a mirrored
RAID array, and perform frequent
backups. RAID will protect you in
the event of a hard drive failure,
but it can’t do anything
to protect you if a
virus or worm erases
your media fi les.
External backup
drives—such as
Western Digital Media
Center 250GB drive—
include software that
lets you automatically
schedule periodic
backups of your crucial
media folders.The Western Digital Dual-Option
Media drive offers everything
we love in a backup drive. Its
software works flawlessly, and
it even has a media reader on
its front.THE SCOOP ON MEDIA
CENTER EDITION 2005
Using MCE2005 for your streaming media
server involves a few extra steps, tricks,
and tweaks, but for someone who wants
to stream media to multiple rooms in
one house, MCE2005 and Media Center
Extenders provide a turnkey solution.Q: How do I get Media Center
Edition 2005?A: You can buy a new PC with MCE2005
installed on it, but you won’t be able to
purchase a stand-alone copy of the software
at Best Buy or any other retail stores. It is
possible, however, to purchase MCE2005
online, if you also purchase a qualifying piece
of hardware. Hardware websites, such as
Newegg.com, and many vendors listed on
Pricewatch.com will sell MCE2005 if you also
buy a hard drive, for instance.Q: What are the system
requirements for MCE2005?A: System requirements are similar to those
of any streaming server, the big difference
is the list of compatible TV tuners. MCE2005
requires a hardware MPEG-2 encoder on
each TV tuner. Hauppauge PVR-150 and
higher tuners work fi ne, as does the new ATI
TV Wonder Elite. You’ll also need to buy a
MCE2005 remote and a compatible IR blaster
to control your cable or satellite box. Both the
remote and the IR blaster should be available
from the vendor that sells you your copy of
MCE2005.Q: How many Extenders can I
connect to MCE2005?A: MCE2005 can connect to up to fi ve Media
Center Extenders to stream videos and music to
separate rooms of your house.Q: What’s the downside to
MCE2005?A: Unlike more open applications—such
as BeyondTV and MythTV — MCE2005 is rife
with digital-rights management technology.
Microsoft is fi rmly in bed with the content
providers, offering them advanced DRM
features that really screw the consumer. DRM
lets Microsoft prevent you from using certain
features on a per-show basis. For example, you
may be prevented from archiving certain shows
to DVD or saving some shows for more than a
specifi ed period of time. In our eyes, this is a
big negative for MCE2005.BUILD YOUR MEDIA SERVER