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Building Home Entertainment Network: Multimedia in Every Room
Play music in the living room from your PC in your home office. Connect to the Internet on your laptop in any room in your house. It can be done and all by you! Building a Home Entertainment Network: Multimedia in Every Room will show you how to take an Internet connection, digital audio and video equipment, and a PC, and then integrate them into a
home entertainment powerhouse. Building a Home Entertainment Network will show you how to exploit your computer and other devices. You'll even learn tips on how to plan for your home entertainment network and how to purchase the best equipment. You have all the pieces, now just learn how to put them all together!
Contents:
Introduction
I
PLANNING YOUR HOME ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK
1
Planning the Right Home Entertainment Network for Your Home
Making a Plan Wired Networking: Running into Walls Wired Network Basics Benefits of a Wired Network Running Cables Dealing with Walls Wireless Networking: Homes Without Walls Wireless Network Basics Benefits of a Wireless Network Dealing with Signal Strength Overcoming Signal Problems Mixing Wired and Wireless Networks Mixed Network Plan Making Sure the Network Can Handle Media Summary 2
Configuring Your PC As an Entertainment Server
Making Sure That Your PC Can Network Adding TV and FM Tuner Cards TV Tuners for Laptops FM Tuners DVR Software Having Enough Storage Choosing Drive Size Choosing Internal or External Drives Backing Up Important Media Files Summary 3
Using PCs and TVs As Clients in Your Network
Using a File Sharing Configuration Understanding Client/Server Networks Using Media Extenders in a Client/Server Network Using PCs on a Client/Server Network Putting the Right Device in the Right Place Using PCs When Computing Power Is Needed Using TVs for Media Playing Lowest Cost Media Viewing Solution Listening to Music with TVs Summary 4
Getting the Right Networking Gear
Identifying the Gear That Fits Your Plan Hubs Routers Understanding Network Types Wired Ethernet Network Wireless Networks Power Line Ethernet Networks Using Other Network Solutions Understanding Wired Ethernet Networking Hardware Understanding Wireless Networking Hardware Putting the Plan into Action Summary II
INSTALLING THE NETWORK
5
Adding a Network Router to Your Main PC
Getting Ready for Router Installation Identifying Your PC's Ethernet Connection Finding an Ethernet Port on a Desktop PC Understanding Network Interfaces on a Laptop Installing Drivers for Your NIC Choosing Ethernet Cables Connecting a Router for the First Time Using an Installation Wizard Web-Based Control Router Installation Step 1: Connect the Router Step 2: Configuring Your PC to Work with the Router Step 3: Configuring the Router Step 4: Connecting to the Internet Completing the Installation Working with Dial-up Internet Connections Adding Other PCs to the Router Summary 6
Securing Your PCs
Securing Your PCs Types of Security Threats Viruses Spyware Computer Invasion Using Common-Sense Security Measures Summary 7
Securing Your Home Entertainment Network
Understanding Hardware-Based Firewalls Firewall on Your DSL or Cable Modem Firewalls on Your Broadband Router Changing Firewall Settings General Settings for Firewalls Securing a Wireless Network Understanding MAC Filtering Understanding WEP Summary 8
Adding Additional PCs to the Router
Connecting PCs to the Network Establishing a Wired Connection Establishing a Wireless Connection Installing Wireless Adapters Installing the Drivers and Software Adding a Wireless Adapter to a Desktop or Tower PC Adding a Wireless Notebook Adapter to a Laptop PC Adding a Wireless USB Network Adapter to a Laptop or PC Completing the Installation Using the Wireless Network Utilities Improving Signal Strength Using the Wireless Network Utilities Using Wired and Wireless Connections Summary 9
Adding TV and Media Extenders to the Network
Adding a TV Tuner Card to Your PC Installation on a Desktop or Tower PC Installation on a Laptop Viewing Video on a TV from Your PC Making Audio Connections Using Media Extenders Installing a Media Extender Playing Files on a Media Extender Using a Media Center Edition Extender Using Audio Extenders Summary 10
Limitations of Media Extenders on Wired and Wireless Networks
Understanding the Different Types of Media Extenders Bandwidth Issues with Video and Music Files Using Photos Files with Media Extenders Comparing a Wired and Wireless Media Extender Media MVP Wired Media Extender Media Lounge Wireless or Wired Media Extender Using Media Extenders Makes Sense Overcoming the Limitations of Media Extenders Summary III
MANAGING A HOME ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK
11
Sharing Files and Adding Users
Adding Your Computers to the Network Creating a Workgroup Adding Your Computer to the Network Setting Up Wireless Networks Setting Up File Sharing on Each Computer Sharing Drives on the Network Sharing Files or Folders on the Network Saving Power with a Network Drive Assigning Users to Your PCs Summary 12
Creating a Media Server Strategy
Creating a Media Server Managing Your Media Files and Libraries Recording TV Shows Scheduling TV Recordings Recording More Than One Show at One Time Watching and Recording Shows at the Same Time Making the Move to Nonlinear TV Deciding Who Can View Files Limiting File Access on Media Extenders Working with User Settings from Windows XP Summary 13
Adding Media Content from the Internet
Including Internet Access in Your Entertainment Mix PC Content Displayed on TVs Using MSN TV to Access Internet Sites Content from the Internet Using Media Extenders Finding Great Internet Media Content Finding Music Finding Videos, Rental Movies, and Enhanced TV Adding News, Sports, and Weather to the Mix Sharing Pictures from the Internet Using Email on Your Home Entertainment Network Thinking About Web Access Summary 14
Working with Portable Entertainment Devices
Working with Portable Audio Devices on the Network Working with MP3 Players and Hard Drive-Based Players Working with iPods Better Than MP3s: Portable Media Players Pocket PCs Are Media Players Too Getting Files from Digital Cameras and Camcorders Moving Pictures from Your Digital Camera to Your PC Getting Video from Camcorders Attaching Network Printers Summary IV
GOING BEYOND THE PC NETWORK
15
TV Sources: Cable, Satellite, Antennas, and DVDs
Deciding on a TV Source Antenna Reception Using Cable Service The Sky's the Limit with Satellite Connecting a TV Source to a TV Tuner Card Making Standard Cable and Antenna Connections Making Set Top Box Connections Mixing TV Sources in Your Home Managing Set Top Boxes from the Network DVDs in a Home Entertainment Network Summary 16
Using Game Consoles, DVD Players, and Digital Video Recorders
Connecting Game Boxes Sharing the TV Sharing the Audio Sharing an Internet Connection with a Game Console Xbox Media Center Extender Working with DVRs (Digital Video Recorders) Wireless and Networked DVD Players Summary 17
Programming Your Own Media Network
Planning Your Program Schedule Creating Your Own Video Programs Producing the Video Creating Your Own News Pages or Banners Creating Audio Messages and Radio Stations Organizing Your Media Network Summary A
Resources
Thoughts About the Digital Home Thoughts About Wireless Networks and Network Security Thoughts About Media-Centric PCs Industry Standards for Wired and Wireless Networking Networking Hardware Resources Wired and Wireless Networking Hardware Media Extenders TV Tuner Cards Networking Software Firewalls, AntiVirus, Spyware, and Spam Protection Network Entertainment Guide Software Electronic Program Guides Online Movie Rentals Online Music Sites Internet Radio Station Portals Index.
Brief Description:
Shows you how to take an Internet connection, digital audio and video equipment, and a PC, and then integrate them into a home entertainment powerhouse. This work reveals you how to exploit your computer and other devices. It helps u learn tips on how to plan for your home entertainment network and how to purchase the best equipment.
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