Why would you stream media from a NAS to a PC?

[ChrisNY]

I just got a NAS to keep my media on and have it accessible from any computer in the house. Now one of the features touted by this NAS is that it has a built in streaming media server, so it can stream your media to, for example, Windows Media Player on your PC.

My question is, why? What's the advantage? I mount my server as a network drive, it looks just like local storage, so I can just access and play any media file from any computer I have, just playing it like any other local media file. What would the benefit of streaming be? I guess I can see it for some device that doesn't allow direct file access to networked storage, but for a PC?

Just curious to increase my understanding, thanks for any insights.

 

[thiggins]

"Streaming" implies that the NAS is pushing the content, which is not the case.

Media serving usually involves the implementation of a UPNP AV / DLNA server, which can communicate with devices that can't browse a network, find and index media content themselves.

In some cases, the media server might also allow the media player to play content using a UDP-based streaming protocol.

In your case, Windows has the media serving capabilities that Windows Media Player needs.

 

[yejun]

It is more reliable on a wireless network. The video will not stop even connection drop occasionally.
You can use a DLNA remote control to control media player. For example, use your laptop control your htpc. If you use file sharing, traffic will go through your laptop, but if you use DLNA your laptop simple actors as a remote.

 

[thiggins]

It is more reliable on a wireless network. The video will not stop even connection drop occasionally.

Really? My experiments show UDP streaming is less reliable, since it is more sensitive to packet loss.

 

[yejun]

Really? My experiments show UDP streaming is less reliable, since it is more sensitive to packet loss.

But video simply drop some frames instead of completely stop.

 

[PowerMAC]

... one of the features touted by this NAS is that it has a built in streaming media server, so it can stream your media to, for example, Windows Media Player on your PC. My question is, why? What's the advantage?

Indeed, the situation you describe there makes it kinda vague, however the advantage will become clear if you set it up like this;

a media server like Twonky Media Server or PS3 Media Server is installed on the NAS and can stream all your videos, that are also stored on the NAS, directly to your XBOX360 or PS3 in the livingroom (pc is not needed).

 

[smr]

TiVo Compatibility with NAS

I have TiVo Desktop software on my Windows 7 Home Theater PC connected to a local drive that contains all of my high definition programs. I tried in the past to store these files on a NAS, but the TiVo software prevented transfering files over the network.

I see ChrisNY mentioned that "I mount my server as a network drive, it looks just like local storage, so I can just access and play any media file from any computer I have, just playing it like any other local media file."

Can a NAS be configured to look like a local drive?

 

[thiggins]

Can a NAS be configured to look like a local drive?

Yes. Same was as you map any other shared folder / drive.