OK, a month ago I got a Samsung PN50A650 plasma that is internet capable, if only rudimentarily. There is a media server from Samsung available for it but it's pricey and from what I've read there are others that do it better.

Last week I picked up a Samsung LN40B650 that has streaming built in. Photos and music work fine, but it won't work with any recorded TV .mv files I have on my Media Center PC. I even tried recording some stuff not using the MC software in .mpg format, which the Samsung supposedly supports, but I can see the first image of the recording but get an 'non-supported format' error. Open to suggestions on that. I tried a .mkv file and it played but the audio codec was not supported.

Anyway to the point. I'm hooked. I want to feed my DVDs and Blu Rays to these TVs from a central location. I rip my DVDs now and play then on my
MC, can't do Blu yet. Is it possible using what I have to get them to the enabled B650? Is the WD they way to go with the A650 or am I better off getting the Sammy version?


Oh and one added note, I am hard wired throughout the house so that isn't an issue...

There are many approaches... you might try a transcoding upnp server like Tversity instead of WMP.....

Sean

I would look into the popcorn hour and using something like the media smart server to push the files out. I just recently started building my streaming set up and thats the way i'm headed right now.

Correct me if i'm wrong but doesn't the samsung line of tv's need the samsung software to receive streaming files??? If so I'm pretty sure that could be installed on the media smart server.

Popcorn hour ===> http://www.popcornhour.com/onlinestore/
HP media smart server ===> http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/can.do?landing=notebook&storeName=accessories&category=notebook_hp&subcat1=home_servers&catLevel=1

Yes, Samsung has their own server software that has to run on each computer you want to feed data to the TV. I loaded it on 3 of my computers, 2 wired and one wireless and all work fine.