http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...treamserv.aspx (ok - it's a MiscroShaft page - but it runs through some of the differences between media servers and the old-school way of doing things )


Obviously if it's just one on one listening/viewing media files then standard old-school networking is more than enough.

But envisage a future when you, your wife/(or wives ), sons, daughters, family friends, etc all use their N900's to listen/view your media at the same time...also imagine said server/s contain your collection of Jean Michael Jarre's 5:1 DVDA Oxygene releases as well as performing data intensive tasks such as recording DVB-T.


A uPnP server setup correctly can not only manage your audio collection from multiple locations; but can also distribute it with guaranteed efficiency over the network. It can transcode the files to suit your playback device - so the client connected to your home theatre TV receives 5:1 digital audio whilst your N800 receives classic stereo.

Now I'm not saying the stuff we have now does that [it relies on QoS on the underlying hardware and softstacks] - but technically - that's where we're supposed to be going!