HP has announced an important update to their EX485/EX487 Mediasmart Server line: support for streaming content to the iPhone/iPod Touch and an improvement in the Time Machine backup volumes. The update should be available at the end of the month (betas are out there).
On the streaming side, Mediasmart Server can now convert HD videos to a mobile-friendly format (H.264) in the background (the original videos stay intact). HP told us that they made sure that this conversion would not interfere with backups and other critical tasks. Apple’s handhelds can stream the media files (photos/video/music) over 3G and WiFi.
As for Time Machine, it will be possible to increase the volume size – a task that was not possible before. This makes it much more convenient to allocate more space, without having to backup from scratch as this process can take a while, especially over Ethernet. There are more improvements, but we feel that these are the highlights for this (free!) update. Check out our full review of the MediaSmart Server.
Auick Q&A with HP
Q:Will these features avail for previous generations? (pre EX485)
A: They won’t be available for prior generations, because the older CPUs were slow and the boxes did not have enough RAM
Q: Will HP cut its prices because of competitors (ASUS…)?
A: Not really, HP feels that their current pricing is competitive.
Q: Is HP working with partners?
A: Arcsoft has been helping HP with the video conversion.
Q: How many concurrent streams can the server handle?
A: In the labs, as many as 5 HD streams (gigabit Ethernet), in the real world, it depends on network conditions. Over the web, it’s mainly a matter of upload speed.
Q: Conversion is CPU-intensive. How does that interact with other intensive tasks like Backups?
A: Yes, it is intensive, but the boxes are beefy enough to handle it. Also, the conversion has the lowest priority, so it will stand down if a higher priority process kicks in.
Q: How would the remote access feature work from the iPhone from over the web and from within the home?
A: In both instances, you’ll have to go over HTTP, even from home. (need strong password, but iPhone can remember it)
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