9to5mac explains that Apple is working on a new media home server that will compliment the need to share music, movies, photos and more via an internet connection. Additionally, they explain files could be accessed remotely through the web as well.
The rumored device is similar to a device developed by HP called the HP MediaSmart Server. A device such as this would appeal to those that have the need to efficiently store, access and share files from any computer or mobile device connected to their home network. For example, a home with three computers an two Apple TV’s could access the same media from this home server seamlessly. The idea itself is grand, however execution is big here. Common problems that plague the Apple TV and Time Capsule would need to be avoided before people make the plunge and trust their data connectivity to another, new device.
Speculation a few months back was that nearly all the data being transferred would be stored in the cloud, however logistical and infrastructure issues may have kept this from being further researched by Apple. As 9to5mac notes, building out data centers and server farms for backup procedures and data storage is very expensive and can quickly become more of a headache than expected. Not to mention Apple had some achy infrastructure and server scaling issues this past summer.
We heard in August that Apple had some plans to expand the Time Capsule platform to include a lot of this functionality and more. We aren’t sure if this device will be shown at Macworld but here’s what we’ve heard:
• The device will tie in MobileMe with an Apple built-in Dynamic DNS system. For instance, if your MobileMe account was “9to5mac”, your domain name would be “9to5mac.me.com”. This is how you’d reach your filesystem throughout the Internet. Your media would also reside here.
• Built in AFP filesharing for Time Machine backups and centralized file stores. Technically, you could even do backups on the road.
• iTunes shared library database for not just music, but also video. Access over the Internet to all of your media.
• Photo database and tie in with with MobileMe.
• Sharing media with iPod Touch and iPhones both over the Internet and while at home. AppleTV as well.
• The box will be based on the Time Machine platform (ARM), not a more expensive Intel/Leopard Server configuration.
• Current Time Machine networking functionality built in. Plugged into the Cable or DSL modem directly.
• Lots of power saving features like turning off hard drives when not in use.
• Multiple hard drive configurations would be made available with RAID 5 redundancy.
The notion that ISP’s would feel aggravated or annoyed by Apple wanting to push around so much data absolutely makes sense. In working with many internet service providers, and being familiar with a few incredible cloud hosting grids available today, I have found that even load balancing infrastructures get cranky when too much data is being moved around. All in all, the hybrid solution of storing media files both locally and on the web seams to appeal most.
This idea could be a winner. Currently Apple sells the Apple TV, the Mac mini and Time Capsule. With a Mac mini update rumored for next week, perhaps we’ll see more than we initially expected at Macworld. Do all three of these products really need to be different devices? Or can they be fused together into a media server easy enough for anyone to use?
2 Comments to “Apple Working on Home Media Server for Sharing Music, Movies and Photos”
I’m wondering whether this will really be a whole new product or simply a firmware update to the existing Time Capsule boxes. Based on the description in the article, this new product won’t replace the Apple TV, and there’s no mention of video out, so you’ll need at least a media server AND an Apple TV.
In the mean time, if you have an Apple TV, you can get all of your DVDs onto it by converting them to MP4s. There’s a good article at Mac Guru Lounge on how to quickly set this up.
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here’s a groovy thought. a home server box that could be used via software built into Snow Leopard as either a backup/file server or a home media server. or even you could partition the built in hard drive and use it for both. there would be small connector boxes (one with the server and the rest perhaps $40 each) similar to an airport express that you would use to link a tv, stereo etc to the server for ’streaming’ your media appropriately.
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