How to set up media servers for your PS3 or Xbox 360

I found that the best streaming server for MacOS was actually EyeConnect from Elgato. It works really well- there are still a couple of little weirdnesses, but it's much better than Twonkymedia, which seems to be a complete pile. What's more, EyeConnect supports transcoding plugins, and comes with a couple, including one that transcodes audio files into linear PCM. Since this happens on the Mac, this means that you can play your iTunes music regardless of what format it is.

Thanks for the suggestion! I knew there had to be something better out there. I'll give it a shot and post the results.

I just strarted trying to use a Buffalo LiveStation NAS which has DLNA media server functionality. I put my digital photos folders on the drive and they half showed up on the PS3. I cannot work out why all the folders don't. I even tried a "refresh" from the Buffalo server web interface... and that changed some fo the folders I could see but still did not show all. I wonder if the PS3 has a refresh folders/files function somwhere to ensure it sees an up to date map of what an attached DLNA server has on it?

i use mediatomb to stream both from my mac (available via fink) and from my linux (ubuntu repo)

it works flawlessly streaming audio (mp3), video (mpeg1, mpeg2 and h264) and pictures (jpeg)

Ok...I have been using the connection for a month now to get online through my PS3, but when I try to search for media servers from my PS3 I get the "no servers" message as well, my computer cannot seem to see the PS3 when I am enabling media sharing.....wtf?

any help would be much appreciated.

Ryan,

I have two things for you.

1) Are you sure your PS3 network connection is working and that both the PS3 and PC are on the same network?

2) Have you tried anything other than WMP for sharing? I would give another product a shot and see if that proves any more fruitful.

I've got MediaTomb running, PS3 sees the server, and it works beautifully! (Running Ubuntu Feisty)

Of course the PS3 can only read a few video-formats, so most of my movies & downloads are not working...

Anyone got any suggestions for how I can do transcoding on the fly with MediaTomb?

On the fly transcoding doesn't seem to work when running TVersity through Wine, so there doesn't seem to be any other Linux options available...

Hi,

Has anyone looked at the sequence tracks are played on the PS3. I use WMP11 as DLNA and see that tracks of an album are played in strange order. WMP shows the tracks in the correct order in the libary.

I think that might just be a bug with the PS3 right now. I've had the same problems with other media servers as well.

Robert,

I've been down the exact same path as you... Have you come up with something?

I've posted a feature request with MediaTomb on SourceForge, and the response was that it's high on the list, but is probably a couple of months away..

-Alex

I have setup the connection but when I try to access it from the PS3 I get "There are no titles" I can't figure out the thing. I am using WPM11.

I just got a ps3, updated the software and scanned for media servers. It shows both my windows media server and (when I have the program up) my rhapsody server. I can go into my rhapsody playlists and what not and see everything, but when I go to play a song, it says wrong format or something. Does anyone know how to get it working with rhapsody so I can stream from my online library? Thanks.

Thanks for all the comments. I've added links to all the different products that I could dig up. Please keep my informed if there are any I'm missing, I would like to keep this list current!

I've used the WMP server and it seems that its kinda shaky, doesn't provide a very good connection... Trying simple center now, but i'll have to see. Another thing to note is.. the ps3 for some reason doesn't seem to get full use of the wireless bandwith so you may be better off using a wired connection.

Hey, I have TVersity to be the best free Media server available on the market at the moment. It handles all files flawlessly except *.mkv. I am still trying to find a way to get this file format to stream to my PS3 but so far no luck. Anyway have any suggestions??

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the hint. Really help.

I use Windows Media Player 11. I can load photos and musics from Media Player to my PS3. All connections are fine. But PS3 cannot find any video contents on the Media Player, even I really put some movie in the DivX format, which can be played by PS3 release 2.1. Do you know why PS3 cannot see video content on the Media Player ? ( PS3 kept saying 'no title').

Thanks,

-Joel

I haven't tried 2.1 yet with DivX, unfortunately. Perhaps it is particular about the version of DivX the media is encoded in?

Does anyone know how sopcast can be configured to stream thru the PS3 onto a tv?

I've seen a clip of this on youtube, but no instructions anywhere on how this can be done.

Any ideas?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAk4sqZ1kB0

Robert-

I've been a simple center user for a while as my music bridge and car's harddrives utilize that app for synchronization. When I set up the PS3, I can see all of my folders with artist/album information but every song comes up as "unsupported data". I'm confused, these are all MP3s with bitrates from 128 to 192...not complex stuff. Can you help? thanks!

FUPPES will supposedly trancode image files too. For example, it can take a RAW image file (from a DSLR camera) and transcode it to JPEG before serving it to the PS3. Can any of the other media servers available do that?

thx

Hey everyone, about the unsupported media error,
i copied this from the playstation network unofficial mediaserver set up page at:
http://boardsus.playstation.com/playstation/board/message?board.id=ps3media&thread.id=23246

"Another VERY important thing to note is the naming limitations set by the PS3. When naming a video file for playback on your PS3, be sure NOT to use any spaces, symbols, or make the name excessively long. Even if the video is in the proper format the PS3 may still say "Unsupported Media". Try to keep the names short and sweet. Once you have transferred the video to the PS3 you can use the rename function by hitting the triangle button on your controller to access the menu to adjust the name as you see fit. "

i'm betting that you got symbols and junk in the name. (i mean, who uses all the options available to them to name stuff. jeez, MY videos are just video1.avi to video19032.avi, it's simple really, just memorize what titles you have associated with the numbers, if the sony engineers can do it, so can you. i'm of to go watch video17342.avi, better known as the menomena song from sesame street.)

(yes, sarcasm)

TVvesity works a treat with ps3
pound for pound the ps3 is by far the best sytem i have cae across by MILES. had a few problems at first with TVversity but work really well now streams everything and i mean everything even the files that did not play on ps3 (certain div x files) so i highly recommend it

I can't get Tversity to play movies all the way through,it pauses about half way through everything I have tried. Why is that? can someone help?

Well i used that cool program "simple center" and the way it finds and sends out the media signal ROCKS! but. . . I have some TV shows i have riped from DVDS I own and when I try to watch them on the PS3 they show as Unsupported data... When I use Windows media play it does end up playing whats going on?

Hey, thanks for the info guys. I saw some unanswered questions so here goes:
BTW this is in relation to WMP11:
Divx works most the time-the new xvid is sketchy
also .avi does not indicate divx.
I found a list of all supported file types from sony at http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/video/filetypes.html
This includes profile specific data for ripping guidelines. Plus if you download, rename the file yourself, most characters are ok including spaces but keep it short and sweet.

Also you must be under video to view video, audio for audio and so forth,
make sure you update your library by going to monitor folders and clicking ok, tedious but necessary.

The supported .mp4 format will not stream through WMP11 so if anyone knows what server will handle I would greatly appreciate some feedback.

my CPU and ps3 are on a linksys wireless network as well as psp; however, using WP11
Using Windows Media Player 11 as the server

still not communication and i did all the listed!
any thoughts settings i am not aware of?

Open Windows Media Player 11
From the toolbar, select Library then Media Sharing
Check "Share my media"
On the PS3 - Under Video, Photos or Music, select "Scan for media server"
Go back to the PC, and you should see a pop up showing an unknown device trying to connect.
Allow the device, and everything should work.

use simmple center, its great my ps3 had no problems recognising it and adding folders is easy.

Hello
I have NAS200 with media center option on and when I try to launch movie from nas200 on ps I got unsupported data message, when I put movie on usb flash all is ok, any idea to solve?

Nice read, Although a little outdated as i have found out while creating my own website regarding the subject.

ps3mediaserver.net

Just use the Winamp Remote. PS3 automatically detects and serves up every shared file on the PC to your liking. Video takes about 3 seconds to buffer, but is well worth it.

TwonkyMedia works very well plays movies,TV shows
Awesome

Content formats: Plays
* Music: MP3, WMA, WAV, 3GP, M4A, MP4, LPCM, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, MP2, AC3, MPA, MP1, AIF, ASF

* Photo: JPEG, PNG, TIF, BMP, GIF

* Video: MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG2-TS, MPEG4, AVI, WMV, VOB, DivX, 3GP, VDR, ASF, MPE, DVR-MS, Xvid, M1V, M4V

I've been pulling my hair out trying to get Windows Media Player 11 to successfully act as a media server for my PS3. My friend's PS3 and my PS3 had the same problem - it worked fine for 24 hours and then the music vanished while the pictures remained. I finally found out that even though you can tell WMP 11 to share any drive, any folder anywhere in the local network, it won't share anything that's not on drive C:. I have an 80GB laptop and an external HD for media. I can't do what it wants. I did however find a way to fool WMP 11.

If you have music on another drive and you want to do this, make sure you know what you're doing or get a geek to do it for you.

Create a new folder on the Desktop and name it what you want. Next, right-click on My Computer and select MANAGE. On the left side, click on Disc Management. Now, right click on the drive where your music is and select DRIVE LETTERS AND PATHS. Click ADD. Select MOUNT THE FOLLOWING EMPTY NTFS FOLDER. Now, click BROWSE and select the folder you created. When you click all the OK's the other hard drive will appear as a folder on your desktop as well as its original drive letter. Now, to share your music, point WMP 11 to that folder or one of its subfolders.

Such BS though, PS3 should just connect to shared folders like any pc. So much better, no need to run any 3party app to share files.

NFI what they were ever thinking.

Are firewalls an issue.
Has any one tried just usin a "shared folder" with folders and format correct?