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Item Details
ISBN:	0789733188
ISBN-13:	9780789733184
Title:	Building A Home Entertainment Network
Author:	Ulick Terry
Format:	Paperback
Year:	2005
Pages:	384
Edition:	1
Dimensions:	740mm X 906mm
Weight:	581g

Description
BENEFITS
Shows readers how to take an Internet connection, digital audio and video, and a PC and integrate them into a home entertainment powerhouse!
Author Terry Ulick is a recognized PC and digital entertainment expert who previously created AOL's You've Got Pictures and Zap2it.
Readers will network their PC and entertainment using the latest technology such as media adapters, Wi-Fi, HomePNA, HomePlug, and Ethernet
Approved by Intel, the leading manufacturer of computer processors, with more than 80% market shareTABLE OF 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.PREFACE
Introduction
Power Your Home with an Entertainment Network
One of the most exciting uses for a personal computer is as an entertainment device. Most PCs being sold today are fully capable of being the hub of a whole-house entertainment center. Current home PCs can
Play and record DVDs
Play and record music
Play and record TV, including HDTV
Play and edit home videos
Play music and videos from the Internet
Play and record audio CDs and MP3s
Play games both locally and online
In fact, properly configured, your PC is one of the most powerful entertainment devices you can find at any price. Even better, when you examine the cost of using your PC as your home entertainment center, you realize it is the lowest cost solution?after considering how much it would cost to buy dedicated consumer electronic devices that do all of the preceding tasks.
As you will discover in this book, you can create a home network of your PCs, TVs, stereos, and other entertainment devices. Once put together in a home entertainment network, those devices will become your new home entertainment center. It will be powered by your PC, and it will take full advantage of content from the Internet. With a home entertainment network in place, you can do the following:
Use one PC to act as your entertainment server that will provide media content to other PCs and network devices throughout your home
Share one Internet connection with other PCs and devices on the home network
Bring all your entertainment devices, such as TVs and home stereos, together as a part of the home network
This book is about how you bring all those devices together to work with each other. If you are like most people, you probably have never thought of your TVs or stereos as devices that can work with your PC?but they can. In fact, you will learn that for a very low price, such devices become extensions of your PC and allow you full access to all the media content on your PC?and broadcast, cable, or satellite services, too.
Building with What You Have
One of the nicest things about building a home entertainment network using your PC as the hub is that you can put all the devices you currently own and use to work in the network.
If you have a fairly current PC (such as a Pentium PC with Windows XP), some TVs, and home stereos, you already have most of the key devices you need. A home entertainment network most often consists of the following:
Hub PC?One main PC acts as the entertainment server and hosts media files for other devices to share.
Additional PCs?If you have a laptop or other PCs in your home, they can all be part of the entertainment network.
TVs?Your existing TVs find new life as clients in your entertainment network, getting content from the main hub PC.
Stereos?Your stereos can play music from files on the hub PC, and they can also provide quality audio for TV viewing.
Portable devices?If you have a Pocket PC or other portable media player device, you can use it to access content from your home entertainment network.
All the preceding devices can be put to work in your home entertainment network. You need to add a few items to allow this equipment to become a part of a networked home.
Adding Networking Hardware to Your Current Devices
PC-based home networking not only allows you to network PCs, but it also allows you to add TVs and stereos.
Your PCs need a network interface card (NIC) to become a networked device. Most current PCs come equipped with an Ethernet port, but if yours doesn't, it's easy to add one. Once PCs are equipped with Ethernet ports, you can connect them wired or wirelessly to a home entertainment network.
Just as a PC needs a network card, TVs and stereos need a way to become a part of the network. Unlike PCs, which are, of course, computers, TVs and stereos need network adapters that add a small amount of computing power. Called media extenders, the network devices that connect to your TV or stereo are small computers that pull audio or video from the hub PC and play them on TVs or stereos they are connected to.
As you will learn in this book, media extenders are an important part of a home entertainment network. Where you traditionally need a PC for playing media, you now can use a media extender. The device is ideal for the purpose, and it costs far less than a PC.
Putting Them All Together
When you take your PCs, add a home network, and add media extenders to your TVs and stereos, you have something totally new: a home entertainment network.
It brings the amazing media creation, storage, and media playing abilities of your PC to every TV, stereo, or portable media playing device in your home. You can access all the media content on your PC anywhere you like, using the devices that are easiest to use: TVs, remote controls, stereos, and even radios.
By bringing your entertainment devices together with your PC, you can also get at media content from the Internet on devices that have never been able to play such media before. Your home stereo can play streaming audio from Internet radio stations. You can watch videos of all types from the Internet on your TV. This setup gives your TV and stereo access to more content than any broadcast, cable, or satellite service can offer.
This book is your guide on how to put your computer devices and your entertainment devices together into a home entertainment network.
Who This Book Is for
You will definitely fit into one of the following categories:
Computer users of any skill level?This book is for anyone who is comfortable using a computer. You do not need to be technically inclined. Home PC networking has become so easy that with a little patience, you can network your PCs and entertainment devices together.
People who use their PCs for media?The book is also for people who love TV and music and love viewing their home videos and pictures on their PCs. You can take that experience and put it where it belongs: on your TVs and stereos.
People who love TV and music?If you love TV viewing, this book is also going to show you how you can use your PC to record TV programs digitally and can change the way you think about watching TV. With TV shows recorded on your hub PC, you can watch them when it's best for you?and skip past commercials, if you choose.
It's also okay if you are a highly experienced, know-how-to-do-it computer user! A lot of the ideas in this book are about how to change the way you use media?not just how to hook up devices and configure your PCs.
What You Need to Use This Book
Users of this book should have at least one PC, a high-speed connection to the Internet (although dial-up will do if a high-speed connection is not available), and a TV source such as cable, satellite, or antenna near the computer. You also need some basic home networking equipment such as a wired or wireless router and network adapters for devices on the network. You can use your existing TVs and audio devices.
Icons Used in This Book
The following is a brief description of the icons used to highlight certain types of material in this book.



Tip - Each tip gives you additional information that adds to the topic under discussion. The information typically springs from something in the immediately preceding paragraph and provides a succinct suggestion that you might want to follow up while working through the chapter. In effect, a tip says, You should try this as well.






Note - A note is just that: a note. Usually, a note provides information related to the topic under discussion but not essential to it for the purposes of working through that topic. A note says, essentially, Here's an interesting point about the topic or something you might want to keep in mind.






The Cross-Reference icon refers you to other chapters that cover a point just mentioned in the text in more detail. You'll also sometimes find cross-references in parentheses.



How This Book Is Organized
I've divided this book into four main sections. After introducing you to the basic concept of a home entertainment network in this Introduction, it starts with planning your home entertainment network and then looks at installing it, managing it, and how to get the most out of it. The following sections describe briefly how the book is organized.
Part I: Planning Your Home Entertainment Network
This part will help you create a strategy and plan for your home entertainment network. It will identify all the places you can add PCs and entertainment devices in your home and identify the networking hardware and media extender devices you need to create your home entertainment network.
Part II: Installing the Network
This section will take you through the steps required to install all the hardware and devices for your home entertainment network. It will also guide you through creating the network using Windows XP and its networking tools and wizards.
Part III: Managing a Home Entertainment Network
With all your PCs and entertainment devices connected in your home entertainment network, this section will show you how to manage and administer it. It will cover how to share media files, record content, and establish viewing rights.
Part IV: Going Beyond the PC Network
Although a home entertainment network is built on PC-based equipment, you will be able to stop thinking of it as a computer-based activity. This section talks about how to leave the PC out of the home entertainment network and focus on media creation and playing.
Part V: Appendixes
A list of networking vendors plus third-party hardware and software that you can use in a home entertainment network appears in the appendixes.