Personal Area Networks: The key to My Entertainment

Personal Area Networks: The key to My Entertainment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmsZFBSf4Qw

I have a lot of digital media; like music, movies, and pictures. I have bought everything I own or created it. However, it can be cumbersome to transfer and access this content from anywhere. Although, I and my friend Luis, have figured out a solution to my accessibility woes: a PAN, otherwise known as a Personal Area Network. But because my files are so large, I had to use a LAN, local area network, to ensure fast streaming. This is the story of how I used a PAN and a LAN to create the ideal viewing environment for my digital media.

Now,  you have probably used a PAN before--such as, when you have logged onto a wifi hotspot. And have you ever printed something in the Ramapo College’s Library? Then you have used a LAN. But, instead of sending documents to a printer or another computer, I wanted to send my Finding Nemo movie to my Television, from my computer.

But first, I want to explain what a PAN is. According to the Textbook Fundamentals of Information Systems, a “PAN is a wireless network that connects information technology devices...you can connect a laptop, digital camera, and portable printer without cables.”(1, Page 169) I would be using PAN to get the information from my laptop to my wireless router.

To get the information from the router to my PS3 I would be utilizing a network known as a LAN. which “Connects computer systems and devices within a small area” (2, page 169). This would help the information transfer quickly from the router to the actual PS3.

Now, I will explain how I hooked everything up. Firstly, I connected my PS3 to my Television and downloaded a media server for my laptop--I used Plex Media server, for it’s ease of use and layout.  Using the media server, I connected my laptops information to my PS3, making it accessible through the PS3. Technically speaking, I used a PAN to connect to the route, but I used a LAN to connect the router to the PS3, thus completing the information circuit. Doing this ensured a high transfer rate. When dealing with large amounts of data, such as in movies like Finding Nemo, you want a high transfer rate. Without it, its like watching a youtube video that doesn’t want to buffer.

Moving on, I used my laptop to store my digital media. I was tired of having scratched DVD’s so I copied everything over to my external hard drive. I plug this into my laptop to create another drive for the media server to access.

Now, Via PS3’s media server, I was able to access my laptops data, through a LAN and a PAN. I used the this media server to locate Finding Nemo, access it, and View it on my flatscreen TV. Additionally, I can also access my media Server from Plex's mobile APP. So I can watch Finidng Nemo on my Iphone as well.

In Conclusion, with a little know how, some help from media server forums, and a friend who is good with networking, we can use networks to make our lives more convenient.

1. Information Systems- Page 149, bottom right column, second to last paragraph.

2. http://forums.plexapp.com/index.php/forum/73-windows/