If, a few months ago, anyone told me I'd eventually have an HP MediaSmart Server in my house, I would have laughed them right out of the room.
"Me? Why would I EVER want something like that? I build my own Windows PCs, Linux file servers, and I even already have a network storage array, sitting happily in my basement, loaded with MP3s, videos, photos, and random documents we do not store locally on any of the desktops in our home. And speaking of desktops, we have multiple laptops, Windows and Mac PCs, so I'm fully capable of supporting a complex, heterogeneous and sophisticated environment, right? Why would I NEED a server dedicated to my media and backup when I already have these things already, right?"
Well, I guess that is why I have one now. The opportunity presented itself, and here I am to talk about exactly how it fits in, why it makes sense for me, and why it might make sense for you, too!
Join me in the coming weeks as I attempt to set up and configure my first "headless" Windows system, dedicated to serving my multimedia needs, among other things. I can't promise you that it will always be pretty, but I'll do my best to give you the perspective of a more technical user, and what you might love (or hate) about having a product like this in your household.
More to come, soon...
