Google Media Server brings PC-based content to your TV

As Google continues to dabble in more and more areas, we suppose it's not too shocking to see it dipping its toes in the blossoming media streaming realm. Available now for Windows-based PCs (sorry, Mac / Linux users), Google Media Server "uses Google Desktop technology such as Desktop gadgets for the administration tool and Google Desktop Search to locate media files," after which it broadcasts said content onto your television via any UPnP-enabled device (you know, like a PlayStation 3). Once connected, users can easily access multimedia files stored on their PC, view Picasa web albums and play back YouTube videos. Give it a go and see how it stacks up.

[Via Yahoo / InformationWeek]

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 2nd 2008 1:04PM]

UM, why bother, Windows Media Player 11 works fine and I have been streaming PC media, through my PS3 to my HDTV for a yr......No need for me to get YouTube content...besides, I think the latest PS3 update allows me to do that...

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 2nd 2008 1:13PM]

get lost B00ble...

[NodNarb012 Posted Jul 2nd 2008 2:17PM]

Windows Media Player 11 doesn't accept some container formats, particularly .MP4 files. This program could be very useful for me if it can handle .MP4 and some of the other containers that WMP11 can't.

[boisvert00 Posted Jul 2nd 2008 1:08PM]

I know this has been discussed in the past, but does anyone have any ideas or thoughts on how to make some movie files more stable? or what format runs the most stable? I used to use a Buffalo Networking DVD unit and it was hit or miss. Most of my movies were encoded using Nero but pretty much when I updated to the newest firmware, the box just stopped working and freezes all the time. I typically encode the files so they are around 1.2 gigs a piece... is that too high? Has anyone had any experience working with the buffalo player ?

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 2nd 2008 1:28PM]

“(sorry, Mac / Linux users)”
No worries, Linux users already have UPnP streamers, PS3 connects flawlessly to it…

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 2nd 2008 11:56PM]

xbox360 connects just fine to a linux upnp server (called ushare).

Ogi

[Buckaroo Banzai Posted Jul 4th 2008 10:05AM]

Will this transcode the media to a specific target format? One of the biggest problems with the 360 dashboard and its VMCE is the limited format support. Dashboard has gotten better in the last update, but it's still not "great", and the MCE implementation is lagging WAY behind.

[Buckaroo Banzai Posted Jul 6th 2008 2:47PM]

Never mind. Just read the stuff that says it doesn't work with the 360's implementation of UPnP.