How To Setup My Own Windows Streaming Server?

UnderPressure

Right in this world of many different devices and operating systems and the rest we have got to the stage where we now have far too much digital media kicking around and I am fed up of moving things from laptop to laptop to tablet to phone yawn!

So I want to find a way of having all our digital media in 1 place and allowing it to be streamed to any windows or android device that wants to access it, securely of course. I was going to set up a nice big home network hard drive but it occurred to me that this would only be of use in the home which is not ideal.

I have 2 VPS web servers 1 is a linux based server that runs various web sites and the other is a new purchase a windows 2008 server web server, I am having great fund connecting to this via remote desktop. I would like to somehow use this windows VPS as a personal media streaming service so I can upload all movies, music, photos, games and all the other digital stuff and then I would like to be able to access it from any windows or android machine.

Ideally I would like to be able to access it as though it was a network drive so it is kid friendly, I have no idea how to di this hence why I am here asking you nice people

I need software suggestions for both server and local device or is there a easy way of achieving this?

Probably not explained that too well.........

THanks in advance

jayme1

I have all my music video ect. on a computer that I share with simple folder shares, I use regular Windows 7 but I would be shocked if any server can't, with other computers it works like any external HDD would work, you also have the option to have Read Only or full access to all or some users depending on your needs, and I know there are some network file explorers for android that can access network shares and play content from them.

the other option is DLNA which I think would probably work better with android than a file share, something like Twonky media server or Plex could be a good solution, (or even Media Player can broadcast it's media via DLNA which anything that has DLNA can play (format dependant)), some android phone come with a DLNA client built in, if not you can download one from the Play store.

I'm not really sure about sharing the media for outside the home because I've never explored it because it's not something I need to do, but I do know it is perfectly possible to do.

myhooose

Serviio on a pc works well for me. It can transcode the media on the fly to a compatable format.