The term "placeshifting" - watching your digital media from other places besides the PC on which is resides - has been getting a lot of play recently.
Orb Networks has taken the idea of placeshifting and created powerful software to allow you to effectively create your own streaming media server. They call it MyCasting™ and it truly takes Placeshifting to the next level.
With the free Orb software installed on your home PC, you can create your own library of photos, music and video. In this case, the term video could encompass video files on your PC, TV shows captured with a tuner card or even internet video from YouTube or similar sites. Even movies you've downloaded from popular movie download services like CinemaNow and MovieLink can be streamed. Sadly, since iTunes and Vongo require a proprietary player, you won't be accessing those files through Orb.
Once your server is setup, you can invite other people to stream your content as well. RIAA and MPAA needn't get nervous, though. Orb makes you invite users by email address, so only the person you send to can stream your content.
When you connect to your Orb server, the software will dynamically change the format of the stream to suit Windows Media, Real or 3GP (Quicktime) format. In the demo I saw, we streamed seamlessly to a Windows laptop, Nokia 6680 (with Real player) and Treo 700p.
The killer feature of Orb is that it requires no software to be installed on the remote devices (SlingMedia, for example, requires their software installed). You simply connect to your home PC and start watching. Of course, you'll need some kind of tuner card on your PC if you want to capture TV. So Orb has partnered with
Hauppauge, an industry leader in PC-based tuners. This is an important partnership for Orb as it allows them to offer a one-stop-shop solution for digital media streaming.
Like most of the vendors in this space, Orb will select the lowest upload/download speed of the connections involved. So, for example, if your home cable modem's upload speed is higher than your phone's download speed (and let's hope it is), you will be able to stream at the speed of your phone.
Orb also has add-ons that allow you to access maps, weather, stocks and other popular informational applications from your remote device. With Orb's MyCasting, your digital media has never been closer.
