digital media server

(1) Software that makes media files in a computer available on the network. See media server.

(2) Any hardware that is a source for digital media such as a cable set-top box, Tivo recorder (DVR), file server, personal computer, network attached storage (NAS) device or home theater server (definition #3).

(3) Hardware that stores and serves digital multimedia content to a stereo system or home theater. If it handles only CDs and audio, it is more likely called a "digital audio server." Residing in the same cabinet as the A/V equipment, the server plugs into the A/V inputs of the receiver and connects to the home network via wired or wireless Ethernet. It includes a hard disk to hold music and images, and possibly videos. Media servers can often control external CD and DVD jukebox/changers, providing central management of all content whether on hard disk, CD or DVD.

Rip and Copy

An optical drive is provided to rip CDs to a variety of formats, including lossy MP3 and lossless FLAC as well as to copy DVDs if there is sufficient hard disk storage (see MP3 and FLAC). The optical drives are often recordable so that selected material can be burned onto blank media.

The media server uses the network to obtain and store files for subsequent listening and viewing. It may also be able to stream content over the network and receive streaming content (see digital media hub).

The Home Control Center

Media servers are designed to be an entertainment control center for cataloging, organizing and distributing the family's entire multimedia collection throughout the house. They are either specialized devices or full-featured computers interfacing with the user via remotes, keyboards and screen. A DVR may be included for timeshifting TV programs, and Internet radio may also be included.

High-end media servers feature built-in fault tolerance (see RAID), eliminating the need to re-rip and re-copy everything if the hard disk ever crashed.

Media Server Connections

Media servers hook into the network over wired Ethernet or wireless Wi-Fi and to the A/V equipment via a variety of connections. The A/V formats they support are determined by the codecs in the unit.

Media Servers

These top-of-the-line units from McIntosh (www.mcintoshlabs.com) and Escient (www.escient.com) hold thousands of songs at full sound quality using lossless FLAC codecs. Both devices download songs, stream songs to remote locations and control multiple CD/DVD changers. (Equipment courtesy of World Wide Stereo, www.wwstereo.com)

Media Center Edition (MCE)

When placed in the A/V equipment rack, a PC with a Media Center Edition (MCE) of Windows becomes a digital media server. If the Windows MCE machine is in another room, a Media Center Extender allows content to be streamed to the stereo or home theater (see digital media hub). To sell to the media server market, PC vendors offer standard versions of MCE in a PC that looks like stereo equipment rather than a computer. However, A/V vendors create amazingly flexible media servers by enhancing the PC hardware and MCE software. See Media Center Edition.

An MCE Media Server

The Denzel Media Server is a greatly enhanced MCE computer from Inteset (www.inteset.com) that handles audio, video and images. Functioning as both hub and server with more than a terabyte of RAID 5 storage, this high-end unit includes FM, SDTV and HDTV tuners, DVD recording, a digital video recorder (DVR) and three audio zones. (Image courtesy of Inteset, LLC, www.inteset.com)

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