Sharing Pictures, Music, and Videos on Windows Media Center Extender
Home Network Basics
A home network consists of two or more computers that are connected together using Ethernet or wireless network equipment. Microsoft® Windows® Media Center Extender can be added to an existing home network with an existing Media Center PC so that videos, pictures, and music can be viewed on a TV located in another room.
Once the home network is set up, music, pictures, and videos can be shared between the computers. For example, a customer using Media Center Extender connected to a TV in the den wants to look at baby pictures stored on either a Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition PC or another computer on the network. Using the remote control, the customer can access the baby pictures on the computers on the network and view them on the TV.
The following resources can be used to set up a home network to support Media Center and Media Center Extender:
•Networking with Windows XP– This website has the information necessary to set up a home network. Included in this website is the Microsoft Home Network Guide, which is an interactive guide to help customers choose the correct network hardware for a home network. The guide can be downloaded and installed on a computer, and then customers can run the wizard to find out what the best network configuration is for their home.
•Windows XP Help and Support Center. To view Online Help for home networking, click Start, click Help and Support, click Networking and the Web, and then click Home and small office networking.
Windows XP Media Center Edition File Sharing
Music, videos, and pictures that are stored on the Media Center PC can be found using Media Center Extender. When setting up Media Center Extender, customers can choose to allow the Extender access to pictures, music, and videos that are stored in My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, and My Videos on a Media Center PC. In addition, the Extender can find files stored anywhere on the computer, except files that are in the Windows system folder. The Extender has a user account just like anyone else who has an account on the Media Center PC. When customers are searching for pictures, music, or videos from the Extender, the Extender is handled by the Media Center PC as a user on the computer. When pictures, music, and videos are located on the computer, they can be viewed or listened to on the Extender.
Windows XP File Sharing
If there are multiple computers on a home network, then music, videos, and pictures can be accessed and displayed through Media Center Extender. To view or play these files, the folders where they are located must be shared on the network.
There are three ways files and folders can be shared:
•The Shared Documents folder
•Simple file sharing
•Advanced file sharing
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