Below is an earlier thread in my blog where the only way you actually know you have switched from the N800 to an available UPnP Hardware Media renderer is the switch option in the top right area of the Media Streamer interface, the screen captures in blog post illustrate this http://mikesl300i.blogspot.com/2006/...back-with.html[/QUOTE]

Hi, thanks for this suggestion but the only option in that box for me is Nokia N800! I can therefore only assume that the Philips SLM5500 media adapter is to blame. Having read several forums about the Philips it would seem it is not fully upnp compatable and there have been no firmware updates from philips. DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT IF YOU NEED FULL UPNP!!! Mine will be going on Ebay

I am about to place an order for the new Netgear EVA8000. I hope this will solve the problem, otherwise i will be trying the other options you guys have suggested.

Cheers

I have a sneaking feeling the the EVA8000 may have the same problem with regard to allowing a UPnP control point to take control of the device? (Manufacturers don't want to lose customers to third party capabilities such as a UPnP control point, so do not provide an interface to it, hence the partial UPnP compliance?)

Why did Philips for example, move from the SL300i/400i which had the capability but lacked processing power to a more powerful and enhanced media playback device such as the SLM5500 that did not support the capability? Anyway Philips also backed the MS "plays for sure" concept and look where that took them

I think this is effectively the orginating specification that needs to be supported by the selected device to enable UPnP control from Media Streamer http://www.upnp.org/download/MediaRenderer%201.0.pdf

Thanks MikeL, a great explanation and interesting read.

Just one question. How can i check whether the Netgear eva8000 will do this job for me? Is there any way without actually trying it?

Andy

One way would be to ask Netgear directly "Does the Netgear eva800 provide a UPnP MediaRenderer interface to allow/enable a UPnP Control point to take control of the eva800?"

As you can imagine it will be difficult to get a clear answer as not many people will know the answer without some digging.

Here is a very early thread from the Cidero Forum (Cidero is UPnP control point software developed by Oliver) Where Oliver describes in detail his findings about the Netgear MP101 missing out functionality on an earlier UPnP device http://www.cidero.com/forums/viewtop...001c2432495b9b

Rudeo is UPnP Control point software for a Pocket PC, you could perhaps ask them if their software will work with the eva800 http://www.rudeo.com/playctrl.htm

Other than that I don't know what to propose to you, as it seems that this open UPnP method of controlling playback devices from Laptops and Tablets is being quietly killed off?

Lets hope this is NOT the case.

Yes! I have finally found the solution. After digging through the depths of Google i discovered that the Roku Soundbridge M1001 is fully upnp compatable. Thought i would give it a try and it worked. I can now use the N800 as a control device for all my audio stored on my NAS drive and play it through my hifi.

I am now totally in awe of this product as for me this is the killer usage. I can finally get some sleep.

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions

Andy

Wish I had seen this post earlier. I've been doing this with my Roku M500 for awhile.