Java PS3 Media Server

 

Something which I personally had major concerns about trying out was a more recent package called "ps3 media server", the same title as this website as it happens. But that is not the reason why I did not want to to check it out.

The reason that put me off, its coded in java. In the past any java app I have ever used has been 110% USELESS. Bugs, crashes, problems installing, resource hogging. With that said, the java ps3 media server package from http://code.google.com/p/ps3mediaserver/ is actually, really very good. Excellent in fact.

At the time of writing this (Late April 2009) It is by far the most complete, the most advanded and the easiest to use media server package to use.

 

Because it is written in java, you do have to install java before it will run. Because of this requirement, it opens up the package to run on Linux BSD OSX and Windows, and every other os which can run Java. On Windows, if you install the package first, and you do not have Java installed it will actually download and install it for you - Handy.

I would recomend downloading java first even though the package will do it for you, the feedback on the ETA and the download speed was very limited.

So grab Java from here http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp

While that is downloading, make sure your playstation has the latest firmware. Mine was one version behind and for some reason it did not enjoy working correctly with the java media server package.

The requires for the package also state that no codecs are required, but strangely (even after my playstation update) no files would actually play. So i installed the Combined Community Codec Pack (Something else which for a long time I have refused to do) from here http://www.cccp-project.net/

 

Once Java is installed, and your codec package, you can then install the actual java media server, http://code.google.com/p/ps3mediaserver/downloads/list Select the required download link - if you are using Windows, it will be the first one (Ending with .exe)

 

As per my other write ups, which all needed complex configuration the java ps3 media server package simply works. When you turn on your playstation (And make sure you are on the VIDEO section not pictures or music!!) you will just see all the harddrives listed as on your computer. You must be able to naviagate to where your downloads reside.

 

A really good option which is not enabled by default, is "Browse inside .rar files", alot of media downloaded from the internet comes pre packaged as .rar files which you must typicaly extract before you are left with a bunch of .rar files and your media file. This option does away with this, although in my testing it was a little bit laggy at times.

 

As of writing, it was by far my current recomendation for a ps3 media server!

Sorry did i mention it was 110% free?

 

Here is a quick video guide on installing the java media server package

Java PS3 Media Server video install