With new multimedia products, services and solutions being released at a rapid pace, the traditional television, video and stereo formats are slowly being replaced by all-in-one computer based multimedia servers. As a result, home and small business consumers are finding themselves with a wealth of new options when it comes to buying and setting up multimedia server hardware. Just about every major computer manufacturer has home multimedia servers on the market, and multimedia servers are becoming increasingly easy to set up.

With the wide variety of options available today, it's important to fully research your options. Just about any computer can function as a network multimedia server, but there are many multimedia server solutions that are created specifically for the job. When choosing what option works best for you, it is important to:

1. Determine which multimedia server features are most important to you.

2. Find the best multimedia server hardware to match your needs.

3. Find software that will compliment your network multimedia server.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Figure out what type of multimedia server works best for you

The first step in looking for a multimedia server is to figure out exactly what you want to get out of it. Almost any computer can act as a server, storing photos, music, and video to be distributed across your network, but dedicated multimedia server hardware will provide the optimal setup, streaming your media effortlessly. The Digital Living Network Alliance, or DLNA, has become the authority on multimedia servers, and provides certification to the best models.

I recommend: Robert Green's Blog outlines the criteria for DLNA certification, and gives tips on choosing the best DLNA-certified computer multimedia server. The DLNA website provides a search engine for finding DLNA-certified servers.

Find the best multimedia server for you

Once you know what you are looking for, it's time to figure out which multimedia server hardware works best for you. Home multimedia servers are widely available, and they are easy to setup, effortlessly networking with your televisions as well as other computers on your network. Despite the title, home multimedia servers work well for businesses as well, providing an easy and affordable way to network media, as well as stream it online.

I recommend: Your first look should be AppleTV. This standalone device integrates with your Macintosh network, streaming your computer's content onto any television screen. The device also functions independently, allowing you to rent movies from Apple's online store, as well as access audio and video Podcasts. If you are looking for a Windows multimedia server, try the Buffalo Technology TeraStation from Dell. This is one of the fastest and most reliable multimedia servers on the market, and it is extremely affordable as well.

Look for additional software to optimize your computer multimedia server

Depending on which model server you buy, you may need some additional software to optimize your experience. Standalone products like the AppleTV tend to give you everything you need right out of the box, allowing you to simply plug the device in, find your media, and get going. More traditional servers might simply give you the software you need to store and share your media files, so additional features like streaming your media content online will require some extra software.

I recommend: If you're looking to stream your media online and your device does not come with the software to do so out of the box, check out VLC. This software is available for all operating systems, including Linux, and provides the tools and protocols to easily stream your media.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  To get the best experience from your network multimedia server, know what types of media you will be sharing, whether it needs to be stored on the server or not, and whether or not you need to stream it online. Once you have this information, finding the right solution will be a simple task.