Hardware Geeks

HP Has Updated their MediaSmart Server Click Here To Read Updated Review on Newer Version, Which now Supports Macs

A little less than two years maybe, Microsoft announced Windows Home Server an Operating System designed to give consumers the ability to have a server in their home that was dedicated to the backing up of their personal computers and sharing of files.

When Microsoft introduced Windows Home Server during the 2007 CES Keynote they also introduced the HP MediaSmart Server and in November of 2007the HP MediaSmart Server hit the Market with a lot of fan fare. So much fan fare that in one day it climed to the top of the charts at Amazon.com.

Since then HP is the only major OEM to have released a Home Server and they are reaping the benefits. 

For nearly 2 years I have had my own Windows Home Server, one that I built myself and with the dozens of add-ons available for it on the web, I didn’t think it could get any better, I loved it the way it was. So when HP asked me to check out their HP MediaSmart server I really didn’t think I’d get anything new from it that my own home built system couldn’t deliver.

But as usual I was wrong, and the HP MediaSmart Server impressed me right away. From its compact stylish low key design and ease of use, to the power and reliability it delivers.

While I have seen the HP MediaSmart Server a lot over the past 2 years, I really never had one to play with. So I knew it had a nice small form factor but I really didn’t get to appreciate how compact the system was until I unboxed the system and actually had to find a place to put it.

Being that it is so compact you can put it anywhere that has a power outlet and access to an Ethernet port.

I put mines in my living room behind the Television, and since it is so compact it fits perfectly behind my Sharp Aquos, you can’t even tell it is there. But I am sure you have looked at the picture above and see those bright blue LED lights, and I am pretty sure you may be wondering doesn’t that kind of bother you especially when watching a movie in a dark room? If you weren’t wondering that you probably are now.

Well what is so cool about the HP MediaSmart server is that you can actually brighten, dim or completely turn off those LEDS so that they can bother you as much as you want or as little as you want. There are also some easter eggs in he HP MediaSmart server for the LED lights.

But before I even got to playing with the server itself, I needed to unbox the bad boy and I had to set it up on my network.

Setting up a network sounds scary to the average computer user let alone setting up a server on one, but we have to give Credit to Microsoft here because as hard as it may sound all that was required took less than 3 minutes.

Step One: Plug in the Power Cable
Step Two: Plug in the Ethernet Cable
Step Three: Press the Power button
Step Four: Install the included software on your computer(s)

The software you install consists of the HP MediaSmart Server Software and Microsofts Windows Home Server connector. Typically if you build your own Home Server you just have the connector software, which works well. However with the Included HP MediaSmart Server Software you get an additional piece of software that doesn’t run unless you open it and uses hardly any resources that makes your life a little bit easier, because it gives you quick and easy access to shared folders on your server.

Without the HP MediaSmart Server Software you would have to navigate via your Network to locate these folders or open them via the Home Server Connector software which would take half a dozen cicks and some waiting as opposed to 3 clicks in the HP MediaSmart Server Software.

During the installation of the Connector Software your Homeserver should be detected. I have installed HomeServer (Custom Built) and never encountered a problem where it wasn’t detected. But if you run into trouble just double check yours is properly connected to the network and reboot the router/modem if nothing else works.

After the installation you will have to configure a few things, and HP has made it easy to do so because the first time you launch the Connector Software you are greeted with several task which ask you to configure backups, set up remote access, enable webshare, set up iTunes sharing, register a URL with TZO.com or Microsoft. This URL will allow you to remotely access your homeserver, from anywhere in the world as long as it is connected to the internet. 

Once you followed those steps your homeserver is ready to rock, and all you have to do is sit back and relax and let the HP MediaSmart server do what it was designed to do, back up your computers and stream and videos to any devices with access, be it in your home or away from home.

So how do you share pictures with your friends? Well the HP MediaSmart server has something called WebShare, and what Webshare does is let you create Photo Albums, that you can share with your friends and family.

With webshare you essentially create your own private flicker site, where you don’t have to worry about anyone who you don’t want looking at your pictures looking, at your pictures. You do this by creating users and granting them access to certain folders, you can even create groups and mass alert your friends and or family of new pictures.

When your friends and family check the pictures out they can then order prints of the pictures via HP’s SnapFish service.

This is pretty cool if you ask me, but then again I tend to be a cheap bastard and I rather have my relatives pay for copies of a picture if they want them.

Another cool feature with the MediaSmart connect is that it comes with PVConnect. PVConnect is a software that allows you to link your entertainment stored on your MediaSmart server with your DLNA certified devices like your Playstation 3.

Unless you have tried to stream media to different devices in your home, you have NO IDEA how amazing the PVConnect software is and how lucky we are that it’s included with the HP MediaSmart server. (If your HP MediaSmart Server does not have PVConnect simply run an Update and it should download it with PowerPak 1)

As I mentioned above there are tons of add-ons you can install on your HP Media Smart Server, just check out WeGotServed, for a full list of MediaSmart add-in software. My favorites are GridJunction an add-in that allows me to control my UPS, the TiVo publisher for users with a TiVo and my all time favorite add-in is ipsControl, which allows me to control my Xbox 360 for example from the Windows Home Server connector software.

One problem you will have once your MediaSmart server starts to back up and you begin adding on different add-ins, is the storage space begins to deplete really fast.

But with the MediaSmart server you can add additional storage space easily and without even having to turn it off.

The MediaSmart Server will allow you to add up to 3 more internal drives depending on your configuration and you simply open the front door on the MediaSmart Server place the hard drive with Sata connections in a tray and push it in.

You then logon to your MediaSmart Server via one of your PC’s using the connector software and you add the drive.

You can even add external drives, there are several USB ports for you to connect an external hard drive too, and just like with the internal drives you simply add them via the MediaSmart Connect software.

I will be making a follow up post in the coming days on how to do this. I should be reciving a 1.5 Terabyte drive from Seagate codenamed Cuba this week and I plan to do a video tutorial on how to install the drives so keep an eye out for that.

One downside to the HP MediaSmart server is it only ships with 512 MB of memory, and when you begin to add on software to the system it can slow down. Originally if you wanted to upgrade the ram on the HP MediaSmart server you would have to void the warranty. That is no longer the case HP has realized that people need more power on their MediaSmart server so simply adding more memory to the system will not void your warranty. However any damage you cause because you took your HP MediaSmart server apart will void the warranty. There are a number of tutorials on the web on how to upgrade the ram, simply do a Google search. But I plan on doing a quick how to video in the coming weeks.

The MediaSmart server is as easy as it gets, it literally requires little attention. It’s a leave it and forget it type product the only time you really need to worry about it is if there is an update that needs to be installed and requires your attention of if for some reason your network went down and your MediaSmart server isn’t connecting.

When I first started this review I said I loved Windows Home Server, the HP MediaSmart server has made me fall madly in love with it because it improves on what I thought was a perfect product.  For that we award the HP MediaSmart server our 5 Star Must Have award.

The MediaSmart server is available directly from HP, and other retailers and etailers such as Best Buy and Newegg.com.

Post Tags: review  hp  server  windows home server  mediasmart  whs 

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