The CISCO 7100 I/0 PCMCIA FL-DISK 128MB SPARE, like most 128MB cards, will store on average 142 pictures when used with a 2 megapixel camera, 106 images when used with a 3 megapixel camera, 64 pictures when used with a 4 megapixel camera, 51 images when used with a 5 megapixel camera, and 40 pictures when used with a 6 megapixel camera. These numbers are based off the assumption that you are going to shoot your images at the highest quality JPEG setting available for the camera and understand that they are estimates and may be off by as much as 10 percent due to numerous factors including the complexity of the scene being shot and the compression algorithm used by your specific camera.

I truly hope this review was helpful to you in determining whether this card is the right capacity for your specific needs.

My only gripe is that the included Intel RAID utility doesn’t offer to email you if there is a failure or problem with the array. I assume thats because this is supposed to be a workstation product. However that feature would be really nice.

If you choose your internal hardware wisely this a good, all round “case” that will attract looks & comments from anyone that sees it.

My specs……

Antec Skeleton Case
Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H mobo (HDMI out)
AMD Phenom X3 8850
2Gb Corsair Dominator RAM
WD 150Gb Raptor (sys)
WD 750Gb Caviar (storage)
Seagate 750Gb Barracuda (storage)
Samsung DVDR/RW
Enermax 500w psu

Nonetheless, the features and quality are top notch, and I am enjoying having it in my network. The most important thing to me was the Gigabit ethernet access to a RAID-10 capability. RAID 10, like RAID-1, doubles the data flow mechanically available from a single drive(always assuming the downstream protocols can take advantage of this feature).

Four stars because of price.

Amazon.com Product Description

Automatically back up and protect your digital memories, centralize your media and content for sharing with friends and family, and enjoy your digital media while at home or away with the HP EX485 MediaSmart Home Server. Based on the Microsoft Windows Home Server platform, this sleek, quiet server is ideal if you have multiple PCs on a home network, or want the flexibility to enjoy your digital experiences from anywhere over the Internet. And it’s easy to set up–just plug it in, connect it to your wireless router (sold separately), and load the software onto your PCs and Macs.

The HP EX485 makes backing up your home’s PCs and streaming media a breeze, and it comes with 750 GB of storage. Centralize your iTunes music libraries on the MediaSmart Server for playback to any networked Mac or PC running iTunes. The HP Media Collector conveniently schedules the MediaSmart Server to copy and centralize digital files and libraries from networked PCs. The pre-installed HP Photo Publisher software enables you to easily upload photos to Facebook, Flickr, Picasa Web Albums and Snapfish. and the MediaSmart Server provides peace of mind with effortless backups of your Windows-based PCs via the Windows Home Server backup feature and Macs running Leopard using Apple Time Machine software.

The EX485 MediaSmart comes with 750 GB of storage right out of the box and four drive bays that allow you to add optional off-the-shelf SATA I or II hard drives–up to a maximum capacity of 9 TB (terabytes). Additionally, the MediaSmart includes four USB 2.0 ports and one eSATA port for connecting an attached external hard drive, and it provides capabilities for offsite backup via automatic upload to Amazon’s S3 service.

The sleek, streamlined micro-tower design is perfect for use in the home office or the living room, with perforated steel exterior panels that provide cool, quiet operation. A Sleep Mode conserves energy and saves you money in more ways than one. The built-in sleep mode consumes only 1W of power, and the server can take on many of your PC’s responsibilities, enabling you to turn off your individual computers to further save energy and money.

Software Features

• Operating System: Powered by Windows Home Server, a new software solution from Microsoft for storing, accessing, sharing and automatically protecting digital files.
• HP Control Center: The HP MediaSmart software that sits on top of the Windows Home Server software making access to tasks easier. Users with administrative access privileges can access the Windows Home Server Console from the HP Control Center.
• Windows Home Server Console: Software accessed from the HP Control Center to manage your HP MediaSmart Server. Software includes setting up shared folders, assigning user access privileges and customizing backups.
• File Sharing and Storage: Effortlessly centralize your files and access them from any PC and or Mac on your home network.
• PC Hard Drive Disk Backup: Once the HP MediaSmart Server software is installed on a home PC, the Windows Home Server backup software automatically starts backing up the PCs hard disk drive image every night. You can customize the number and frequency of backups kept.
• Mac Backup: Back up your Macs to the MediaSmart Server using Apple’s Time Machine software.
• Shared Folder Duplication: Designate folders that will be copied automatically onto multiple hard drives for an additional layer of redundant protection. Folder duplication replaces traditional RAID-style redundancy.
• Individual File Restore: If you accidentally delete a file on your PC, you can browse versions of the PC hard drive backup image on the HP MediaSmart Server to find the file and copy it to your PC.
• PC Hard Drive Disk Restore: In the event of a PC hard drive failure, the included HP PC Restore disc is all you need to restore a hard drive image from the HP MediaSmart Server. Theres no need to locate your original operating system disc.
• HP Media Collector: Conveniently schedules the server to copy and centralize your Windows PC media files and libraries (including iTunes and playlists).
• Remote Access: Upon installation, you can set up a personal web address to be used for remote access and by visitors. Using your personal web address, you can remotely access shared folders and files on the HP MediaSmart Server from any Internet-connected computer.
• In-Home and Remote Media Streaming: Extend your digital media experiences by conveniently streaming photos, music and videos to your TVs, through gaming consoles such as Xbox 360 or PlayStation3, and computer’s within your home. Remotely stream music and photos from your server to any Internet-connected computer for access while you are away.
• HP Photo Publisher: Easily publish your photos to Snapfish, Facebook, Flickr, and Picasa Web Albums using an Internet-connected computer.
• HP Photo Viewer: Quickly share photos and albums stored on the Server with friends and family.
• Server for iTunes: Centralize your iTunes music libraries and playlists on the server for playback to any PC or Mac running iTunes on your home network.

  Satisfy all your backup and media storage needs with four internal hard drive bays, four USB 2.0 ports, one eSATA port, and access to Amazon S3 online backup.

• Easy Storage Expansion: Add an internal or external hard drive to the HP MediaSmart Server, indicate that you want to add the disk in the Windows Home Server Console, and the HP MediaSmart Server storage grows. No need to power down the unit or manage drive letters for multiple hard drives.
• Server Anti-Virus Protection: Server side anti-virus trial offer from McAfee for increased protection of your HP MediaSmart Server. Run quick scans of specific folders or deep scans across your entire home server.
• Server Backup: Protect your digital memories from fire/flood/natural disaster… backup your server shared folders to an external hard disk drive, and/or an online backup to Amazon S3.
• Server Recovery: The included Server Recovery Disc can be used to recover all data and restore folders or, to reset the server in case the server operating system disk becomes corrupt.
• Additional Software Add-Ins: Extend the functionality of your server through available software add-ins to enable expanded functionality, server personalization and/or entertainment.
• Users: Up to 10 user accounts can access the HP MediaSmart Server. In addition, a predefined Guest account can be enabled.

PC Operating System Support

• Automatic backup of computers running Microsoft Windows Vista (32 & 64 bit), XP Home (SP2), XP Professional (SP2), Media Center Edition 2004 (SP2) or later, and Macs running ApplesTime Machine.
• File sharing for computers running Microsoft Windows Vista (32 & 64 bit), XP Home (SP2) or XP Professional (SP2), Media Center Edition 2004 (SP2) or later, Mac OS X, or Linux.
• Remote access to computers running Microsoft Windows XP Professional (SP2), Media Center Edition 2005 (SP2), or Vista Ultimate.

Hardware Specifications

• Internal Hard Drive(s): One 750 GB drive (SATA, 7200 RPM)
• Internal Expansion: Four hard drive bays (additional off the shelf SATA I or II hard drives can be added; no tools required)
• External Expansion: Four USB 2.0 ports (1 front, 3 back); one eSATA port (back)
• Processor: Intel Celeron 2.0 GHZ 64-bit Processor
• Memory: 2 GB of DDR2 DRAM (800 MHz)
• Network Support: 10/100/1000 (Gigabit) RJ45 Ethernet; supports both wired and wireless PCs (via a wireless router).
• Power: Internal universal power supply
• Dimensions: 5.5 x 9.8 x 9.2 inches (WxHxD)

What’s in the Box
HP EX485 MediaSmart Home Server, power cable, Ethernet cable (RJ45), PC restore disc, server recovery disc, software installation disc, printed documentation. The MediaSmart Server is backed by a one-year limited warranty and dedicated software technical support both online and by phone.

Hi All,

I have been using different types of NAS solutions, including a Drobo, for a while now and wanted to give the Windows Home Server solution a shot for my home. I am an IT person by trait. I know that it is fairly easy to build a small home server but I had heard so much about the HP interface that I wanted to give this a shot. Unfortunately I did not buy from AMAZON and had to use a third party to get the item….but that’s neither here or there. My review is about the product itself.

The box includes the server, the rescue cd, the restore cd, and a cd for both mac/pc workstations. Remove the item from the box, plug in the power and a ethernet cord to your router/switch and you are ready to roll. The first setup of the client software MUST be done on a PC so that you can set the server up. Very easy and very well made software that will guide you through the entire process.

(A Side Note – HP Recommends that you use a router that has UPNP on it so that the remote capabilities of this server can be used without issues. A list of some routers is below. I was unfortunately using Apple Airport Extreme Base Stations but had a handy dandy D-Link DIR-655 at home…which I switched to immediately and permanently so I can use this server. Product Link for DIR-655: D-Link DIR-655 Extreme N Wireless Router

Once the setup process is concluded (5-10 minutes) you are able to start using the server at once and create user accounts, media syncing, iTunes servers, etc. Very Very simplistic approach. One of the reasons I give it a 5/5. One feature that I want to mention, which puts this device over the others, is that it has a built in plug-in that allows me to use an Amazon s3 account to backup the entire server…normally you would have to use a 3rd party software (jungle disk, which i own) to do this but having it built into the server and having the server manage the backup to the cloud is amazing.

MAC Specific: I wanted to see how this server would work on a MAC and what the ramifications would be of using time machine over the network without having to buy Apple’s time capsule. Again, very easy. I installed the software on my macbook pro. It has a section where you define the amount of space you want to use on the server for your time machine backup…10-20-30-40-etc gb…. Set the space, it creates the area on the server, hit the start button, go to time machine preferences and use this new hard drive which shows up in the list as HP Mediasmart Server and VOILA….you are time machining away at gigabit speeds. Did I mention the ethernet on this is Gigabit.

Dynamic DNS: We all have some sort of broadband if we consider devices like this and most of us do not opt to pay the exorbitant costs for static ip addresses….instead we just use DHCP from Cable or DSL. Those addresses change..maybe not often..but they do change. One of the features of WHS is to allow you remote access from where ever you may be…and or for a family member to get in and take a look at some files you have stored for them…pictures, music, etc… The server has a built in feature to allow you to use two or three services….TZO (if I remember correctly is one that is included free for one year–allows custom domain names), Microsoft offers a free domain if you have a FREE Microsoft Live ID. I opted for the free service as it allows me to use a simple name like tarun . homeserver . com. You simply pick a name for your server (tarun) and it goes and checks if it is available…if it is you are all set. This is when a UPNP router comes into play so that media smart can set the router up to allow incoming connections to the proper ports for the server….VOILA…works like a charm. I can get to the server from work and upload files, download, etc….very very nice and very easy.

I can get in to much broader detail about the setup but then that would defeat the purpose of this review. I think I have already typed to my hearts content. I really love this device…it is worth its price. I am sure we can all build it cheaper and smaller…but hey…for me I don’t want to tinker with hardware since it is time consuming and I would much rather hang out with the kids.

This is a great device which, backed by HP, will only get better with time.

5/5

ps. If you have any questions…please feel free to comment and I will answer them as best as I can.

Quick Note 02-28-2009: If you are a PC user then the WHS agent will pull all of your music and pictures to the server and make them available…this includes iTunes music and playlists. If you are a MAC user…u are out of luck for automation…but you can copy your entire iTunes music folder over to the WHS Manually. WHS will make the iTunes library and playlists available to all network users. I moved my iTunes from my mac to the WHS and then simply told iTunes the new location…so if I add new music, podcasts, etc…I dont have to sync directories…iTunes will just add them to the WHS Music Folder…which is mounted on the mac as a volume. Hope that helps a bit.

ps.. Firefly is what WHS/HP use for iTunes….something which I believe can be installed on a drobo with droboshare.

UPDATE 03-06-09 – If you are a opendns user then there may be some issues in regard to pinging and browsing to your whs using the connector on pc’s. There is a simple fix…add an exception at [...] for your server. Example: server.local where server is your server name and .local is your home. I did it today and my pc was able to find the server without issue. Some routers may not experience this problem…but I had it with both the apple airport extreme and the d-link. A simple fix….

UPDATE 03-10-09 – Compatible Routers:
The Good:
* D-Link DGL-4100 GamerLounge Broadband Gigabit
* D-Link DGL-4300 GamerLounge Broadband Gigabit
* D-Link DIR-655 Wireless Xtreme N Gigabit
* D-Link EBR-2310 Ethernet Broadband
* D-Link WBR-1310 Wireless-G
* Linksys WRT150N Wireless N Broadband
* Linksys WRT54G3G-ST Wireless G for Mobile Broadband
* Linksys WRT54GC Compact Wireless-G Broadband
* Netgear WPN824NA RangeMax Wireless Router
* Trendnet TEW-631BRP Wireless N Draft
The BAD:
* Linksys WRT330N Wireless-N Gigabit Gaming
* Microsoft MN-500 Broadband Networking Wireless Base
* Apple Airport Extreme Base Station
* Linksys WRT55AG Wireless 4 Port
* Qwest Actiontec m1000DSL
* US Robotics USR8001 DSL/Cable with Print Server

Quick Update 03/13/2009 – Friday the 13th:
1. The server is backing up to Amazon S3 perfectly almost every day and I have not had one issue yet.

2. A FUN Project to try is to download the ps3 media server which is freeware that can be installed on WHS to automatically stream your music, videos, pictures, etc on to your PS3…if you have one. I will post a link in the comments section.

3. Last but not least for today – If you want to remove that annoying reminder to install Mcafee…..you can check the ignore button but that item remains in the list forever…. How to remove it? There is a share from the mediasmart called SOFTWARE which houses certain files. One of the files is a rather large file….larger then 50mb if I am not wrong….I wish I could remember the name. That is the McAfee add-in installer…once it is removed from the software share and the server is restarted..u will never see it mentioned again and dont have to worry about checking off ignore.

I know this review is getting LONG…but I want anyone that owns and or is considering buying one of these units to have as much information as possible. Its not easy to drop $600 these days and end up with something you may never use. I sincerely hope my review helps you make the right decision.

Quick NOTE: 03/24/09 – Microsoft has released powerpack two for WHS. I have also configured, manually, my new dual band Apple Airport Extreme to work with WHS. You simply need to forward 3 ports to your WHS box from within the Airport Utility Software. I believe somone has posted a link in the comments section also…..

Update 03/26/09 – This was pointed out to me in the comments section as I was unaware. You are able to completely image a Windows PC and recover it via a CD that is provided by HP. The initial backup takes a while depending on how much space you are using but once its done you feel better knowing your machine can be fully recovered if the hard drive dies, etc..

Update 05/05/09 – (happy cinco de Mayo) – I just wanted to chime in and let everyone know that a new version of the WHS software is available from HP. Make sure you update your units so that they have the latest and greatest. The new features allow for automatic video conversion for any videos you drop in designated folders. Also, HP has a iPhone and iPod touch software which connects to the server to allow for music streaming and photo viewing. AWESOME features that keep making this an AWESOME addition to anyone’s home network.

PROS
- Backups of my four Windows PCs went very smoothly. Some people have expressed concern about the speed – it really depends on how much data you have on your computer. You have the ability to exclude folders from the image-based backup, so you don’t have to waste time copying over music or videos that you already aggregated on the MediaSmart. Initial backup of a PC with a clean install of Windows took about 15 minutes over a gigabit Ethernet connection and 25 minutes over a 802.11n connection, and subsequent backups took just a few minutes, even over wireless.
- The hardware is very well designed, and is more than adequate for running WHS. This may seem like a minor point, but I have had a lot of hardware that seemed barely able to run the software loaded on it.
- For advanced users, the server is highly customizable: I was able to set up a print server, enable remote printing, set up uTorrent to download files to the server, set up FTP, and set up an internet proxy. For less experienced users, there are still quite a few plug-ins for WHS that are very easy to install through the WHS console.
- The remote access webpage is nice. HP gives you 1 free year of domain service so you can access your files from the internet.
- For those of you planning to use the MediaSmart with a Media Center PC, I have had no problems with streaming 1080p HD video to my HTPC through 802.11n. In fact, I’ve been able to stream two 720p videos over wireless N to different computers with no stuttering or lag (as long as you don’t start playback at the same time). I haven’t tried 2 1080p streams though.
- I decided to swap the stock 750GB system drive out for a 1TB drive before I set anything else up; the WHS restore itself took about 30 minutes and went pretty smoothly. However, there were other setup problems (see below).

CONS
- Setup was definitely a bit of a pain. First, the client software installation disk found my server but couldn’t download the WHS connector software. Googling showed that this was a known problem where, when paired with certain routers, the setup wizard would ignore the server sitting on the local network and look for other servers connected to the Internet, which of course would result in an error. Solution: assign a static local IP address to the server in your router and then edit the HOSTS file in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc to reflect the assignment.
- Beware: choose the names of your server and your client PC’s carefully. I guess Microsoft and HP felt like this wouldn’t be much of a problem for most people, but I changed the name of my server and immediately “broke” my WHS connector software installations. When I uninstalled and reinstalled, the setup wizard told me that the server needed to be updated before I could install, even though I knew it was already up to date. Solution: change the HOSTS file to reflect the name change and go through the registry replacing each instance of the old server name with the new server name. I also had to change the name of one of my PCs – after I had backed it up on the server. The home server itself actually had no problem recognizing the name change and I didn’t lose my backup, but once again, I had to go through the registry fixing all the naming issues before I could do any more backups.
- TwonkyMedia doesn’t play nice with my video collection, which is predominantly mp4. When I include the folder in TwonkyMedia, the plugin promptly crashes. To me this isn’t a big deal since I only intended to stream music anyway, but to some it may be a no-no.
- I don’t use the iTunes server or the Media Collector software, but for some reason HP still connects to my PCs every day to look for new media (that it never collects). It doesn’t impact performance, but it’s annoying.
- The folder structure of the server can’t be altered, at least not easily. WHS forces certain folders upon you (Music, Photos, Videos, Converted Videos, Software, Recorded TV, Public, Printers and Faxes). You can add your own folders, but for someone like me who has a different folder structure in mind, this can be an annoyance as well.
- WHS allows remote access to the WHS admin console as well as client PCs, but there are a few catches. First, you have to use Internet Explorer to log into the server. Also, remote access to client PCs only works with Windows XP Pro and Windows Vista Business/Enterprise/Ultimate. Even then, you have to fiddle with a bunch of settings on each computer for this to work. I chose to completely ignore this feature and go with LogMeIn Free, which works on all platforms. Another free alternative is Windows Live Mesh.
- If you have the server automatically configure port forwarding for remote access, on occasion something will go wrong and the remote access page won’t be accessible. I solved this by manually forwarding ports 80, 443, and 4125 from my router to the server.

OTHER
- Some people have complained that no good server should require clients to install a piece of software on their own computer. This is NOT necessary; you can still access the files on the server through Windows Explorer without installing any extra software. The client software is primarily for facilitating administration of the server and for performing backups. If you are an advanced user, you can remotely connect to the server with the RDP software in Windows and not install the connector software at all.
- People debate whether or not anti-virus is necessary; since there are so many ports on my server open to the Internet, I opted to install avast! WHS antivirus, which works very well. It isn’t free like the home versions, but I think it’s worth the peace of mind.

HP seems to have really invested significant effort to add real value on top of the already pretty good Windows Home Sever Platform. I bought this box primarily for Backup and video streaming to my X-Box, but HP’s remote video and music streaming to my iPhone and being able to access and play all my music on a really nice web interface from home, at work and when I’m traveling have really exceeded my expectations. I’m not sure if people realize that most of these features are HP exclusives. My previous experience indicates some of these product s are more like Beta experiments, HP has really put some time into making this product work out of the box. I also have read that HP’s customer support is great, So far no need since this server has been running 24 by 7 for 6 weeks on two PC’s and a MAC, no issues. It’s pretty obvious I’m a happy customer, I don’t normally right this type of article, but this has been about the best tech purchase I have made in a long time, nice work HP!

MAC Support: I also like the MAC support, not sure why others NAS type product’s don’t offer Time Machine backup Support for MAC. HP did a nice job making this easy to set up use, also makes file sharing between my PC’s and MAC laptop a breeze. When I pull my iPhone out and play DVD’s or my music collection, streaming from my home, that’s pretty cool too.

DVD Support; HP treats unprotected DVD’s as if they were video’s, transcodes them into MP4 files for easy streaming to my X-box and iPhone. Some video programs have more features, but I didn’t even know HP had this feature, works in the background and converts my video, pretty cool.

Media Collector: HP searches the PC’s in your house and moves all Photo’s, Music and Video to the Server so it can be streamed and accessed remotely automatically. Works well.

There are a few more features I have not gotten to, like Photo publishing and on-line Photo album, hopefully these are useful also. Looking forward to what HP adds next.

If I had one concern it would be cost, I wish I could have gotten something this reliably and easy to use for less than $499, after a lot of reading, and now 6 weeks of use, I’m convinced this was the right choice.

Happy Customer.

Amazon.com Product Description

Automatically back up and protect your digital memories, centralize your media and content for sharing with friends and family, and enjoy your digital media while at home or away with the HP EX487 MediaSmart Home Server. Based on the Microsoft Windows Home Server platform, this sleek, quiet server is ideal if you have multiple PCs on a home network, or want the flexibility to enjoy your digital experiences from anywhere over the Internet. And it’s easy to set up–just plug it in, connect it to your wireless router (sold separately), and load the software onto your PCs and Macs.

The HP EX487 makes backing up your home’s PCs and streaming media a breeze, and it comes with 1.5 TB of storage. Centralize your iTunes music libraries on the MediaSmart Server for playback to any networked Mac or PC running iTunes. The HP Media Collector conveniently schedules the MediaSmart Server to copy and centralize digital files and libraries from networked PCs. The pre-installed HP Photo Publisher software enables you to easily upload photos to Facebook, Flickr, Picasa Web Albums and Snapfish. and the MediaSmart Server provides peace of mind with effortless backups of your Windows-based PCs via the Windows Home Server backup feature and Macs running Leopard using Apple Time Machine software.

The EX487 MediaSmart comes with dual 750 GB hard drives (for 1.5 TB of storage right out of the box) and four drive bays that allow you to add optional off-the-shelf SATA I or II hard drives–up to a maximum capacity of 9 TB (terabytes). Additionally, the MediaSmart includes four USB 2.0 ports and one eSATA port for connecting an attached external hard drive, and it provides capabilities for offsite backup via automatic upload to Amazon’s S3 service.

The sleek, streamlined micro-tower design is perfect for use in the home office or the living room, with perforated steel exterior panels that provide cool, quiet operation. A Sleep Mode conserves energy and saves you money in more ways than one. The built-in sleep mode consumes only 1W of power, and the server can take on many of your PC’s responsibilities, enabling you to turn off your individual computers to further save energy and money.

Software Features

• Operating System: Powered by Windows Home Server, a new software solution from Microsoft for storing, accessing, sharing and automatically protecting digital files.
• HP Control Center: The HP MediaSmart software that sits on top of the Windows Home Server software making access to tasks easier. Users with administrative access privileges can access the Windows Home Server Console from the HP Control Center.
• Windows Home Server Console: Software accessed from the HP Control Center to manage your HP MediaSmart Server. Software includes setting up shared folders, assigning user access privileges and customizing backups.
• File Sharing and Storage: Effortlessly centralize your files and access them from any PC and or Mac on your home network.
• PC Hard Drive Disk Backup: Once the HP MediaSmart Server software is installed on a home PC, the Windows Home Server backup software automatically starts backing up the PCs hard disk drive image every night. You can customize the number and frequency of backups kept.
• Mac Backup: Back up your Macs to the MediaSmart Server using Apple’s Time Machine software.
• Shared Folder Duplication: Designate folders that will be copied automatically onto multiple hard drives for an additional layer of redundant protection. Folder duplication replaces traditional RAID-style redundancy.
• Individual File Restore: If you accidentally delete a file on your PC, you can browse versions of the PC hard drive backup image on the HP MediaSmart Server to find the file and copy it to your PC.
• PC Hard Drive Disk Restore: In the event of a PC hard drive failure, the included HP PC Restore disc is all you need to restore a hard drive image from the HP MediaSmart Server. Theres no need to locate your original operating system disc.
• HP Media Collector: Conveniently schedules the server to copy and centralize your Windows PC media files and libraries (including iTunes and playlists).
• Remote Access: Upon installation, you can set up a personal web address to be used for remote access and by visitors. Using your personal web address, you can remotely access shared folders and files on the HP MediaSmart Server from any Internet-connected computer.
• In-Home and Remote Media Streaming: Extend your digital media experiences by conveniently streaming photos, music and videos to your TVs, through gaming consoles such as Xbox 360 or PlayStation3, and computer’s within your home. Remotely stream music and photos from your server to any Internet-connected computer for access while you are away.
• HP Photo Publisher: Easily publish your photos to Snapfish, Facebook, Flickr, and Picasa Web Albums using an Internet-connected computer.
• HP Photo Viewer: Quickly share photos and albums stored on the Server with friends and family.
• Server for iTunes: Centralize your iTunes music libraries and playlists on the server for playback to any PC or Mac running iTunes on your home network.

  Satisfy all your backup and media storage needs with four internal hard drive bays, four USB 2.0 ports, one eSATA port, and access to Amazon S3 online backup.

• Easy Storage Expansion: Add an internal or external hard drive to the HP MediaSmart Server, indicate that you want to add the disk in the Windows Home Server Console, and the HP MediaSmart Server storage grows. No need to power down the unit or manage drive letters for multiple hard drives.
• Server Anti-Virus Protection: Server side anti-virus trial offer from McAfee for increased protection of your HP MediaSmart Server. Run quick scans of specific folders or deep scans across your entire home server.
• Server Backup: Protect your digital memories from fire/flood/natural disaster… backup your server shared folders to an external hard disk drive, and/or an online backup to Amazon S3.
• Server Recovery: The included Server Recovery Disc can be used to recover all data and restore folders or, to reset the server in case the server operating system disk becomes corrupt.
• Additional Software Add-Ins: Extend the functionality of your server through available software add-ins to enable expanded functionality, server personalization and/or entertainment.
• Users: Up to 10 user accounts can access the HP MediaSmart Server. In addition, a predefined Guest account can be enabled.

PC Operating System Support

• Automatic backup of computers running Microsoft Windows Vista (32 & 64 bit), XP Home (SP2), XP Professional (SP2), Media Center Edition 2004 (SP2) or later, and Macs running ApplesTime Machine.
• File sharing for computers running Microsoft Windows Vista (32 & 64 bit), XP Home (SP2) or XP Professional (SP2), Media Center Edition 2004 (SP2) or later, Mac OS X, or Linux.
• Remote access to computers running Microsoft Windows XP Professional (SP2), Media Center Edition 2005 (SP2), or Vista Ultimate.

Hardware Specifications

• Internal Hard Drive(s): Duals 750 GB drives (SATA, 7200 RPM) for 1.5 TB of storage
• Internal Expansion: Four hard drive bays (additional off the shelf SATA I or II hard drives can be added; no tools required)
• External Expansion: Four USB 2.0 ports (1 front, 3 back); one eSATA port (back)
• Processor: Intel Celeron 2.0 GHZ 64-bit Processor
• Memory: 2 GB of DDR2 DRAM (800 MHz)
• Network Support: 10/100/1000 (Gigabit) RJ45 Ethernet; supports both wired and wireless PCs (via a wireless router).
• Power: Internal universal power supply
• Dimensions: 5.5 x 9.8 x 9.2 inches (WxHxD)

What’s in the Box
HP EX487 MediaSmart Home Server, power cable, Ethernet cable (RJ45), PC restore disc, server recovery disc, software installation disc, printed documentation. The MediaSmart Server is backed by a one-year limited warranty and dedicated software technical support both online and by phone.

Hi All,

I have been using different types of NAS solutions, including a Drobo, for a while now and wanted to give the Windows Home Server solution a shot for my home. I am an IT person by trait. I know that it is fairly easy to build a small home server but I had heard so much about the HP interface that I wanted to give this a shot. Unfortunately I did not buy from AMAZON and had to use a third party to get the item….but that’s neither here or there. My review is about the product itself.

The box includes the server, the rescue cd, the restore cd, and a cd for both mac/pc workstations. Remove the item from the box, plug in the power and a ethernet cord to your router/switch and you are ready to roll. The first setup of the client software MUST be done on a PC so that you can set the server up. Very easy and very well made software that will guide you through the entire process.

(A Side Note – HP Recommends that you use a router that has UPNP on it so that the remote capabilities of this server can be used without issues. A list of some routers is below. I was unfortunately using Apple Airport Extreme Base Stations but had a handy dandy D-Link DIR-655 at home…which I switched to immediately and permanently so I can use this server. Product Link for DIR-655: D-Link DIR-655 Extreme N Wireless Router

Once the setup process is concluded (5-10 minutes) you are able to start using the server at once and create user accounts, media syncing, iTunes servers, etc. Very Very simplistic approach. One of the reasons I give it a 5/5. One feature that I want to mention, which puts this device over the others, is that it has a built in plug-in that allows me to use an Amazon s3 account to backup the entire server…normally you would have to use a 3rd party software (jungle disk, which i own) to do this but having it built into the server and having the server manage the backup to the cloud is amazing.

MAC Specific: I wanted to see how this server would work on a MAC and what the ramifications would be of using time machine over the network without having to buy Apple’s time capsule. Again, very easy. I installed the software on my macbook pro. It has a section where you define the amount of space you want to use on the server for your time machine backup…10-20-30-40-etc gb…. Set the space, it creates the area on the server, hit the start button, go to time machine preferences and use this new hard drive which shows up in the list as HP Mediasmart Server and VOILA….you are time machining away at gigabit speeds. Did I mention the ethernet on this is Gigabit.

Dynamic DNS: We all have some sort of broadband if we consider devices like this and most of us do not opt to pay the exorbitant costs for static ip addresses….instead we just use DHCP from Cable or DSL. Those addresses change..maybe not often..but they do change. One of the features of WHS is to allow you remote access from where ever you may be…and or for a family member to get in and take a look at some files you have stored for them…pictures, music, etc… The server has a built in feature to allow you to use two or three services….TZO (if I remember correctly is one that is included free for one year–allows custom domain names), Microsoft offers a free domain if you have a FREE Microsoft Live ID. I opted for the free service as it allows me to use a simple name like tarun . homeserver . com. You simply pick a name for your server (tarun) and it goes and checks if it is available…if it is you are all set. This is when a UPNP router comes into play so that media smart can set the router up to allow incoming connections to the proper ports for the server….VOILA…works like a charm. I can get to the server from work and upload files, download, etc….very very nice and very easy.

I can get in to much broader detail about the setup but then that would defeat the purpose of this review. I think I have already typed to my hearts content. I really love this device…it is worth its price. I am sure we can all build it cheaper and smaller…but hey…for me I don’t want to tinker with hardware since it is time consuming and I would much rather hang out with the kids.

This is a great device which, backed by HP, will only get better with time.

5/5

ps. If you have any questions…please feel free to comment and I will answer them as best as I can.

Quick Note 02-28-2009: If you are a PC user then the WHS agent will pull all of your music and pictures to the server and make them available…this includes iTunes music and playlists. If you are a MAC user…u are out of luck for automation…but you can copy your entire iTunes music folder over to the WHS Manually. WHS will make the iTunes library and playlists available to all network users. I moved my iTunes from my mac to the WHS and then simply told iTunes the new location…so if I add new music, podcasts, etc…I dont have to sync directories…iTunes will just add them to the WHS Music Folder…which is mounted on the mac as a volume. Hope that helps a bit.

ps.. Firefly is what WHS/HP use for iTunes….something which I believe can be installed on a drobo with droboshare.

UPDATE 03-06-09 – If you are a opendns user then there may be some issues in regard to pinging and browsing to your whs using the connector on pc’s. There is a simple fix…add an exception at [...] for your server. Example: server.local where server is your server name and .local is your home. I did it today and my pc was able to find the server without issue. Some routers may not experience this problem…but I had it with both the apple airport extreme and the d-link. A simple fix….

UPDATE 03-10-09 – Compatible Routers:
The Good:
* D-Link DGL-4100 GamerLounge Broadband Gigabit
* D-Link DGL-4300 GamerLounge Broadband Gigabit
* D-Link DIR-655 Wireless Xtreme N Gigabit
* D-Link EBR-2310 Ethernet Broadband
* D-Link WBR-1310 Wireless-G
* Linksys WRT150N Wireless N Broadband
* Linksys WRT54G3G-ST Wireless G for Mobile Broadband
* Linksys WRT54GC Compact Wireless-G Broadband
* Netgear WPN824NA RangeMax Wireless Router
* Trendnet TEW-631BRP Wireless N Draft
The BAD:
* Linksys WRT330N Wireless-N Gigabit Gaming
* Microsoft MN-500 Broadband Networking Wireless Base
* Apple Airport Extreme Base Station
* Linksys WRT55AG Wireless 4 Port
* Qwest Actiontec m1000DSL
* US Robotics USR8001 DSL/Cable with Print Server

Quick Update 03/13/2009 – Friday the 13th:
1. The server is backing up to Amazon S3 perfectly almost every day and I have not had one issue yet.

2. A FUN Project to try is to download the ps3 media server which is freeware that can be installed on WHS to automatically stream your music, videos, pictures, etc on to your PS3…if you have one. I will post a link in the comments section.

3. Last but not least for today – If you want to remove that annoying reminder to install Mcafee…..you can check the ignore button but that item remains in the list forever…. How to remove it? There is a share from the mediasmart called SOFTWARE which houses certain files. One of the files is a rather large file….larger then 50mb if I am not wrong….I wish I could remember the name. That is the McAfee add-in installer…once it is removed from the software share and the server is restarted..u will never see it mentioned again and dont have to worry about checking off ignore.

I know this review is getting LONG…but I want anyone that owns and or is considering buying one of these units to have as much information as possible. Its not easy to drop $600 these days and end up with something you may never use. I sincerely hope my review helps you make the right decision.

Quick NOTE: 03/24/09 – Microsoft has released powerpack two for WHS. I have also configured, manually, my new dual band Apple Airport Extreme to work with WHS. You simply need to forward 3 ports to your WHS box from within the Airport Utility Software. I believe somone has posted a link in the comments section also…..

Update 03/26/09 – This was pointed out to me in the comments section as I was unaware. You are able to completely image a Windows PC and recover it via a CD that is provided by HP. The initial backup takes a while depending on how much space you are using but once its done you feel better knowing your machine can be fully recovered if the hard drive dies, etc..

Update 05/05/09 – (happy cinco de Mayo) – I just wanted to chime in and let everyone know that a new version of the WHS software is available from HP. Make sure you update your units so that they have the latest and greatest. The new features allow for automatic video conversion for any videos you drop in designated folders. Also, HP has a iPhone and iPod touch software which connects to the server to allow for music streaming and photo viewing. AWESOME features that keep making this an AWESOME addition to anyone’s home network.

PROS
- Backups of my four Windows PCs went very smoothly. Some people have expressed concern about the speed – it really depends on how much data you have on your computer. You have the ability to exclude folders from the image-based backup, so you don’t have to waste time copying over music or videos that you already aggregated on the MediaSmart. Initial backup of a PC with a clean install of Windows took about 15 minutes over a gigabit Ethernet connection and 25 minutes over a 802.11n connection, and subsequent backups took just a few minutes, even over wireless.
- The hardware is very well designed, and is more than adequate for running WHS. This may seem like a minor point, but I have had a lot of hardware that seemed barely able to run the software loaded on it.
- For advanced users, the server is highly customizable: I was able to set up a print server, enable remote printing, set up uTorrent to download files to the server, set up FTP, and set up an internet proxy. For less experienced users, there are still quite a few plug-ins for WHS that are very easy to install through the WHS console.
- The remote access webpage is nice. HP gives you 1 free year of domain service so you can access your files from the internet.
- For those of you planning to use the MediaSmart with a Media Center PC, I have had no problems with streaming 1080p HD video to my HTPC through 802.11n. In fact, I’ve been able to stream two 720p videos over wireless N to different computers with no stuttering or lag (as long as you don’t start playback at the same time). I haven’t tried 2 1080p streams though.
- I decided to swap the stock 750GB system drive out for a 1TB drive before I set anything else up; the WHS restore itself took about 30 minutes and went pretty smoothly. However, there were other setup problems (see below).

CONS
- Setup was definitely a bit of a pain. First, the client software installation disk found my server but couldn’t download the WHS connector software. Googling showed that this was a known problem where, when paired with certain routers, the setup wizard would ignore the server sitting on the local network and look for other servers connected to the Internet, which of course would result in an error. Solution: assign a static local IP address to the server in your router and then edit the HOSTS file in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc to reflect the assignment.
- Beware: choose the names of your server and your client PC’s carefully. I guess Microsoft and HP felt like this wouldn’t be much of a problem for most people, but I changed the name of my server and immediately “broke” my WHS connector software installations. When I uninstalled and reinstalled, the setup wizard told me that the server needed to be updated before I could install, even though I knew it was already up to date. Solution: change the HOSTS file to reflect the name change and go through the registry replacing each instance of the old server name with the new server name. I also had to change the name of one of my PCs – after I had backed it up on the server. The home server itself actually had no problem recognizing the name change and I didn’t lose my backup, but once again, I had to go through the registry fixing all the naming issues before I could do any more backups.
- TwonkyMedia doesn’t play nice with my video collection, which is predominantly mp4. When I include the folder in TwonkyMedia, the plugin promptly crashes. To me this isn’t a big deal since I only intended to stream music anyway, but to some it may be a no-no.
- I don’t use the iTunes server or the Media Collector software, but for some reason HP still connects to my PCs every day to look for new media (that it never collects). It doesn’t impact performance, but it’s annoying.
- The folder structure of the server can’t be altered, at least not easily. WHS forces certain folders upon you (Music, Photos, Videos, Converted Videos, Software, Recorded TV, Public, Printers and Faxes). You can add your own folders, but for someone like me who has a different folder structure in mind, this can be an annoyance as well.
- WHS allows remote access to the WHS admin console as well as client PCs, but there are a few catches. First, you have to use Internet Explorer to log into the server. Also, remote access to client PCs only works with Windows XP Pro and Windows Vista Business/Enterprise/Ultimate. Even then, you have to fiddle with a bunch of settings on each computer for this to work. I chose to completely ignore this feature and go with LogMeIn Free, which works on all platforms. Another free alternative is Windows Live Mesh.
- If you have the server automatically configure port forwarding for remote access, on occasion something will go wrong and the remote access page won’t be accessible. I solved this by manually forwarding ports 80, 443, and 4125 from my router to the server.

OTHER
- Some people have complained that no good server should require clients to install a piece of software on their own computer. This is NOT necessary; you can still access the files on the server through Windows Explorer without installing any extra software. The client software is primarily for facilitating administration of the server and for performing backups. If you are an advanced user, you can remotely connect to the server with the RDP software in Windows and not install the connector software at all.
- People debate whether or not anti-virus is necessary; since there are so many ports on my server open to the Internet, I opted to install avast! WHS antivirus, which works very well. It isn’t free like the home versions, but I think it’s worth the peace of mind.

HP seems to have really invested significant effort to add real value on top of the already pretty good Windows Home Sever Platform. I bought this box primarily for Backup and video streaming to my X-Box, but HP’s remote video and music streaming to my iPhone and being able to access and play all my music on a really nice web interface from home, at work and when I’m traveling have really exceeded my expectations. I’m not sure if people realize that most of these features are HP exclusives. My previous experience indicates some of these product s are more like Beta experiments, HP has really put some time into making this product work out of the box. I also have read that HP’s customer support is great, So far no need since this server has been running 24 by 7 for 6 weeks on two PC’s and a MAC, no issues. It’s pretty obvious I’m a happy customer, I don’t normally right this type of article, but this has been about the best tech purchase I have made in a long time, nice work HP!

MAC Support: I also like the MAC support, not sure why others NAS type product’s don’t offer Time Machine backup Support for MAC. HP did a nice job making this easy to set up use, also makes file sharing between my PC’s and MAC laptop a breeze. When I pull my iPhone out and play DVD’s or my music collection, streaming from my home, that’s pretty cool too.

DVD Support; HP treats unprotected DVD’s as if they were video’s, transcodes them into MP4 files for easy streaming to my X-box and iPhone. Some video programs have more features, but I didn’t even know HP had this feature, works in the background and converts my video, pretty cool.

Media Collector: HP searches the PC’s in your house and moves all Photo’s, Music and Video to the Server so it can be streamed and accessed remotely automatically. Works well.

There are a few more features I have not gotten to, like Photo publishing and on-line Photo album, hopefully these are useful also. Looking forward to what HP adds next.

If I had one concern it would be cost, I wish I could have gotten something this reliably and easy to use for less than $499, after a lot of reading, and now 6 weeks of use, I’m convinced this was the right choice.

Happy Customer.

Pros: Very attractive with two 92 mm fans lit with red LED in the lower front of the case and a side panel with a clear window. There are double doors on both sides of the case with the left side secured with thumb screws and the right side doors secured with allen screws. The doors on either side are also secured with a magnet so the screws are only needed if the case is going to be moved. The back of the case has a very quiet 120 mm exhaust fan that is also lit with a red LED. Expansion cards are held in place with thumb screws, and hard drives have well padded holders and are secured with thumb screws. The padding eliminates vibrations from the drives. The case is fairly heavy and constructed of quite thick aluminum, which helps with sound proofing. Zalman provides a special cable for the two fans in the front. The cable has four connectors — two black and two white. Two connectors allow the fans to run at full speed — about 3000 rpm, and the other two reduce the speed to about 1200 rpm. The rear fan seems to be very quiet regardless of its speed, but it can be controlled with your motherboard’s bios or software such as speedfan. Since I use liquid cooling, nothing inside the case gets very warm and I could do without any case fans, but I like the look with the LEDs. The front panel includes a large (about the size of a quarter) silver on/off switch, a small blue power on LED, two small red hard drive activity LEDs, a small silver reset switch, speaker and microphone input connectors, two USB connectors, and a fire wire connector.

Cons: This baby is expensive at around $400. This probably is more than it is worth, but if this is what you want, you will need to dig deep into your pockets. Both my son, who also has a GT1000, and I have experienced a problem with the little blue power LED indicator. At first the LED stayed lit while the power to the computer was on. After a few weeks, it would be on part of the time and off part of the time with the time in each state ocurring for random time periods. Finally, the LED on my case went off and stayed off, while my son’s is still flashing on and off the last I heard. I’ve dealt with Zalman Tech Support in the past (I also have a Zalman Reserator XT hybrid liquid cooling system) and they are very pleasant to deal with. I couldn’t be happier with how they handle problems, but I haven’t contacted them about this yet.