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Internet TV: Media streaming

Posted on 9 Mar 2007 at 12:24

Your router may have QoS features, which automatically detect and prioritise multimedia, games or VoIP traffic and prioritise it over general traffic. If your's does, check your documentation to find out how to switch it on. While you're there, ensure Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) is enabled. This ensures playback devices on your network can communicate with media servers, and users can navigate their way to the media files. Windows Media Connect, Windows Media Player 11 and most bundled and third-party media server applications support UPnP, and if you use a NAS to stream media around the house you should ensure it's switched on in that device as well.

The best method we found to ensure 720p playback without a glitch on our test D-Link MediaLounge DSM 520 player was to connect our server PC to the router via a wired connection. Replacing one of the two wireless portions of the journey with 100Mb/sec Ethernet turned an unwatchable mess into a smooth-flowing HD extravaganza. If the geography of the house makes this impossible, consider using HomePlug Ethernet-over-power technology to make the bridge. Plug one 85Mb HomePlug adaptor into a power socket near your router and another into a socket near your PC and you'll still get a more consistent, faster connection than you would with a straight wireless link. Otherwise, you'll have to invest in an 802.11n router, network card and media player, which should offer the necessary bandwidth.

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