Share your PS3 streaming setups

One More Solo

One More Solo

One More Solo

Soldato
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Shepley
I'm looking to invest in a NAS but thought at the same time I could use it to store files for my PS3 and archive my DVD collection. I appreciate that the PS3 is a bit limited in what files it will play back so I'm curious what setups everyone has. Do you store files in a PS3 compatible format on a NAS or use a server capable of transcoding on the fly?

Not sure whether to just build a low powered PC and set it up as a server (this would take a bit of learning on my part, never used a server) or go for the NAS option and rip my files in a compatible format. What do you reckon?
 
I did use PS3 media server (free) from my laptop to the PS3.

I found the PS3 too noisy (and power hungry) to be a dedicated media player, so invested in a Raspberry Pi and installed Raspbmc, plugged it into my external HDD and off I went. Winning.
 
Id go the same way re RPi, though Im scratching my head regards it being a backup server aswell as a media one :p. Such a shame it doesnt support USB3!

ps3ud0 :cool:
 
I use a WD MyBook World 1TB that I got last year for £50 new. It's not very powerful compared to the newer WD units or to a 'proper' NAS, but it works well for what I use it for and it's been very useful. I have mine running Transmission (torrent client) which I can control from my PC, phone or tablet which is really handy for adding torrents etc. The media server app on it is pretty good too.

The only problem I do tend to run into is that the PS3 won't play MKVs, so I end up having to run them through MKV2VOB which, over a network, takes quite a while.
 
I just got a HP N40L Microserver on the cashback scheme. It cost £130 and threw in a £20 graphics card so it will playback 1080p via HDMI. Will be throwing in two 3tb hard drives under Raid 1 and that's my media server needs sorted really without the need for a NAS. Installed Windows 7 on it so I could install XBMC and... ahem... 'netflix' without the need for server knowledge.


I did used to use the PS3 when Microservers/HTPCs were expensive, now they're so cheap its not worth the hassle of transcoding etc when you can just bung it on a microserver and play it back on the much more user friendly XBMC interface straight via HDMI to your TV

Tis £120 after cashback now, so £140 inc graphics card, then you can just bung in a couple of big hard drives under Raid 1 for a little bit of data security, or not under Raid at all if you want mega storage space (it easily supports 4 hard drives, 5 with a little bit of modding)


A lot of people buy extra ram for it too, but I haven't seen a need yet.
 
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I still use the nice simple PS3 Media Server on my PC. Had a fat and now have a slim, neither one ever made any excessive fan noise at all. Streams with no problems over WiFi. Clean, easy, and gets the job done.

One thing I did find is that if I have another media server running at the same time (Vuze, WMP, etc.) on my PC, it does cause latency in the streaming. Disable those and all is well.
 
SourChipmunk said:
I still use the nice simple PS3 Media Server on my PC. Had a fat and now have a slim, neither one ever made any excessive fan noise at all. Streams with no problems over WiFi. Clean, easy, and gets the job done.

One thing I did find is that if I have another media server running at the same time (Vuze, WMP, etc.) on my PC, it does cause latency in the streaming. Disable those and all is well.
Click to expand...

That's what I've done to this point but I need a NAS for the storage space and I've fancied a media server for a while.

I think a microserver would fit my needs best but not sure I can afford the outlay just at the minute so next best option would be either a NAS and WDTV Live or build my own from cheap parts.
 
I was using my PS3 with the media server application installed but am now using my gfs laptop with xbmc and furk installed.
 
TBH, I had always found the PS3 to be fine just via default streaming from PC/NAS.....no specialist software installed, and *most* files just played. That said, just bought a new TV (Panasonic) and the Viera streaming features are actually very slick so the PS3 has gone back to being just my games machine and the odd BluRay disc :)
 
kevpuk said:
Synology....?
Click to expand...

As far as i know, only the single bay NAS solutions are less than £140, and only by £20-30. If it's going to be for streaming to a PS3 you may as well just buy an external hard drive for that money as a NAS of that calibre won't be anywhere near powerful enough to transcode files, so you'd need to make sure they were a PS3 compatible format anyway.

If it's a choice of a 1-bay synology for £115 or a HP Microserver that has HDMI out and 4 hard drive bays with native hardware Raid 1 support (and comes supplied with a 250gb hard drive which could tide you over until you can afford bigger drives, unlike the synology which is empty), i feel it would be madness to not just save up the extra £25.
 
Maybe I will go for the server then, an all-in-one solution would be neater than setting up a NAS and a network media player of some sort. Will a server n00b like myself cope with setting it up for streaming and storage? I'd probably set up sabnzbd and some other stuff on it too. I imagine WHS is going to be simpler than Linux?
 
Streeteh said:
Depends what you're planning to do with it.

What is your ideal setup?
Click to expand...

Well firstly I just wanted some network storage. Then I thought if I was going to do that I could archive all my DVDs on there too to watch on the PS3, but that comes with complications due to the PS3's limited file compatibility. An iTunes server would be nice too if I was going down that route. Then I might use it for Usenet, torrent downloading etc to save leaving my laptop on overnight.

So priorities (in order):

-Network storage
-PS3 server
-iTunes server
-Usenet, torrents
 
Personally I would ditch the idea of using the PS3 for streaming and instead get a microserver and use XBMC and connect it directly to the TV via HDMI. There's a host of reasons why including universal file format support, lower power usage, better audio (now that the PS3 limits audio for HD footage) and a much, much better interface in XBMC. You could even install emulators on it and have it as an old-school console stand in. XBMC also supports smartphones so if you own one you can install the app and use that to control playback.

For the other things there's no real need for WHS, windows 7 would do the job fine and keep matters much simpler. The NL40 has built in Raid1 support, so you could buy a couple of hard drives and raid them for data security then add them as a network share.
 
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