Streaming Media to Your PS3

One of the greatest capabilities of the PS3, in my opinion, is its ability to find media servers on your local network. I have tested two free options, both of which work very well. What are they you ask? The first one we'll look at is called TVersity, the second... the aptly named PS3 Media Server.

Playstation 3

TVersity was my first experience with a Media Server. Overall it is a quality program with an attractive interface. There are two versions of the software, a Pro and a Free version. The Pro version gives you access to "premium online content" such as Hulu. You have to manually add the folders and any online content you want to access and can stream to several devices (I have even been able to stream music and pictures to my Palm Pre using TVersity).

This program has great promise, but it has several flaws. As of today, July10, I haven't been able to get the lastest Beta (ver. 1.6, released in May) to work on Windows XP but have had no problems with ver. 1.5. Another, and seemingly common problem I have read in the forums, is that it is quite easy to accidentally subscribe to the free internet content TVersity has available. This will automatically download the video/audio to your computer taking up internet bandwidth.

The PS3 Media Server seems to be the more stable of these two programs. After install it will detect your PS3 (if its on) and needs no other setup. The media server will find your folders and are viewable by the PS3 and has automatic refresh. Unlike TVersity, every video file that I have attempted to play using the PS3 Media Server has played without any trouble and even shows a nifty thumbnail of your videos.

Tversity and the PS3 Media Server are both free and high quality streaming programs. If you plan to stream your media to multiple devices I highly recommend TVersity. If you plan to stream only to the PS3, however, I would stick with the PS3 Media Server.

About Aaron

Computer Instructor for J. Ryan Solutions, a company which manages computer labs in housing developments throughout the city of Boston, Cambridge, and in the Washington, DC area.