“The biggest drawback of the move to digital content is that the media has to be backed up and places higher demands on storage systems. Sharing the digital media around a home network can also be difficult for the less tech savvy,” McGlaun reports. “To meet the backup needs for consumers who feast on a glut of digital content, HP has introduced a pair of new home media servers called the HP MediaSmart ex485 and ex487.”
“Bundled software includes HP Media collector to copy and centralize digital files from across the network, media streaming to stream photos and music to network computers, iTunes server to share music libraries, and HP photo view and Photo Publisher services among others,” McGlaun reports. “The home servers also act as a central backup device for networked computers and are compatible with Apple Time Machine and Windows Home Server Backup. Both systems can be upgraded with up to 9TB of storage.”
McGlaun reports, “Both the ex485 and the ex487 are slated for retail availability in February and pre-orders will begin on January 5, 2009. Pricing will be $599 for the 750GB ex485 with the 1.5TB ex487 retailing for $749.”
Full article here.
“MediaSmart ex485” What a catchy name.
The world is getting weird when a Windows box maker advertises Mac compatibility for their machines.
As far as this goes, Apple should have been first to market with an iTunes server. Apple needs to get on the ball with this and make the next Mac Mini a digital asset server with expandable storage capability.
get a drobo. solved.
@Jeff,
there has been a growing demand recently for Apple to offer a pro version of iTunes as well. I’d pay for it if they’d allow me back-end reporting alone for starters.
Yea, Apple really hasn’t been paying attention to the needs of the Mac market.
Of course there is a issue with the copy protection/playback on these HP servers…
Wonder if Apple will shut it down?
I do wish Apple would allow a Mac to operate as a media server. Deepdish is wrong, a Drobo will not suffice. What about a shared iPhoto library for multiple, simultaneous users to upload and manipulate photo’s on multiple networked Mac’s. Or an itunes library where any user on any networked mac can upload songs to be recognised immediately by all other macs and sync to their iPod. And a fully shared calendar too!
Best Mac NAS is the Infrant ReadyNAS. The latest firmware supports Time machine, and the thing is expandable and rock solid.
I’ve been using one now for 2 years, and it started off as a 1 TB raid 5, and was expanded (with their RAID software) to 2.7 TB system with no data loss.
Can’t say enough about their product.
I think that if Apple were introduce a Media/Home server, it would be using ZFS…
DROBO!
I have three because the security and integrity of my data is everything. I backup one DROBO with the other through time machine and keep it in the safe. I have a third that I keep at home and bring it to the business once a week for a backup.
Hard drives fail and a having single USB drive as a data-storage location is asking for disaster – yet so many people do just that with their business data. They think they “can’t afford” to pay a few grand to backup their data securely.
Morons!