Product Description The HP MediaSmart Server LX195 is a home server that can automatically backup and protect your digital memories centralize your media and content for sharing with friends and family and enable you to enjoy your digital media while at home or away.
Amazon.com Product Description Automatically back up and protect your digital memories, centralize your media and content for sharing with friends and family, and enjoy your digital media while at home or away with the HP LX195 MediaSmart Home Server. The LX195 is the first HP MediaSmart to be powered by the efficient Intel Atom processor, which helps use less energy and save you money on your electrical bills. A Sleep Mode conserves energy and saves you money in more ways than one. The built-in sleep mode consumes only 3W of power, and the server can take on many of your PC's responsibilities, enabling you to turn off your individual computers to further save energy and money.
Enjoy both worry-free backup of all of your home's PCs (including Macs) as well as easy music, video and photo streaming.
The HP LX195 includes 640 GB of internal storage and expansion using USB external hard drives via the four USB 2.0 ports.
The sleek, slim micro-tower design is perfect for use in the home office or the living room, and it has a compact footprint of just 4 by 8 inches. The LX195 includes a single internal hard drive with 640 GB of storage, and you can expand your storage capabilities via optional external USB drives, which can connect via the four USB 2.0 ports on the back of the device. Other features include 1 GB of RAM, and ultra-fast Gigabit Ethernet networking (10/100/1000). And it's easy to set up--just plug it in, connect it to your wireless router (sold separately), and load the software onto your PCs and Macs.
Managing Your Digital Lifestyle
With the increasing amount of digital content that you work with on a daily basis as well as growing digital media libraries, a homer server can both share files to computers on your network as well as back up critical files from those computers. Here are just a few things that the HP LX195 MediaSmart can do for you:
Automatic Backup
Automatically manage daily backup, virus protection, media collection, and power management, all behind the scenes.
Automatically back up multiple computers, whether running Windows (via Microsoft Windows Home Server Backup) or Mac (via Apple Time Machine).
Store up to 168,000 photos, 147,000 songs or 405 hours of video on the installed 640 GB hard drive.
Get additional protection by backing up your server to an on-line back-up service like Amazon S3.
Designed for Digital Media
Access your media anywhere with an Internet-connected computer.
Stream music and photos to any computer, while you're at home or away.
Stream to your stereos and TVs through a gaming console like the Xbox 360 or PlayStation3.
Publish photos to photo-sharing and social networking Web sites--Snapfish, Flickr, Picasa, and even Facebook--via any Internet-connected computer, or share directly from your server.
Share music libraries for play throughout your home.
Easy Setup, Scheduling, and Support
Set up fast: just plug it in, connect it to your wireless router (sold separately), and load the software on your PCs and Macs.
Schedule the server to copy and centralize Windows PC media files and libraries (including iTunes and playlists).
Expand your capacity by adding external hard drives via four USB ports on the back.
Warranty and support: one-year limited; get help toll-free, 24 x 7, or via email in as little time as an hour.
Software Features
HP Control Center. The HP MediaSmart software that sits on top of the Windows Home Server software making access to tasks easier. Users with administrative access privileges can access the Windows Home Server Console from the HP Control Center.
Windows Home Server Console. Software accessed from the HP Control Center to manage your HP MediaSmart Server. Software includes setting up shared folders, assigning user access privileges and customizing backups.
File Sharing and Storage. Effortlessly centralize your files and access them from any PC and or Mac on your home network. Set Read/Write, Read Only or No Access privileges for each user. Access privileges are set at the shared folder level. In addition, you control the remote access privilege for each user.
PC Hard Drive Disk Backup. Once the HP MediaSmart Server software is installed on a home PC, the Windows Home Server backup software automatically starts backing up the PC's hard disk drive image every night. You can customize the number and frequency of backups kept. You can also make incremental backups, where only changes are backed up after the initial large backup.
Mac Backup. Back up your Macs to the MediaSmart Server using Apple's Time Machine software.
Shared Folder Duplication. Folder duplication requires permanently adding an external hard disk drive to one of the USB 2.0 ports on the back of the product. Designated folders can be copied automatically onto an external hard disk drive for an additional layer of redundant protection.
HP Media Collector. Conveniently schedules the server to copy and centralize your Windows PC media files and libraries (including iTunes and playlists).
Remote Access. Upon installation, you can set up a personal web address to be used for remote access and by visitors. Using your personal web address, you can remotely access shared folders and files on the HP MediaSmart Server from any Internet-connected computer. Remotely run applications on computers on your home network through the HP MediaSmart Server from an Internet-connected computer using your personal web address.
In-Home and Remote Media Streaming. Extend your digital media experiences by conveniently streaming photos, music and videos to your TVs, through gaming consoles such as Xbox 360 or PlayStation3, and computer's within your home. Remotely stream music and photos from your server to any Internet-connected computer for access while you are away.
HP Photo Publisher. Easily publish your photos to Snapfish, Facebook, Flickr, and Picasa Web Albums using an Internet-connected computer
HP Photo Viewer. Quickly share photos and albums stored on the Server with friends and family.
Server for iTunes. Centralize your iTunes music libraries and playlists on the server for playback to any PC or Mac running iTunes on your home network.
Easy Storage Expansion. Add up to four external hard drives to the HP MediaSmart Server, indicate that you want to add the disk in the Windows Home Server Console, and the HP MediaSmart Server storage grows. No need to power down the unit or manage drive letters for multiple hard drives.
Server Anti-Virus Protection. Server side anti-virus trial offer from McAfee for increased protection of your HP MediaSmart Server. Run quick scans of specific folders or deep scans across your entire home server.
Server Backup.
Users. Up to 10 user accounts can access the HP MediaSmart Server. In addition, a predefined Guest account can be enabled.
PC Operating System Support:
Automatic backup of computers running Microsoft Windows Vista (32 & 64 bit), XP Home (SP2), XP Professional (SP2), Media Center Edition 2004 (SP2) or later, and Macs running Apple'sTime Machine.
File sharing for computers running Microsoft Windows Vista (32 & 64 bit), XP Home (SP2) or XP Professional (SP2), Media Center Edition 2004 (SP2) or later, Mac OS X, or Linux.
Remote access to computers running Microsoft Windows XP Professional (SP2), Media Center Edition 2005 (SP2), or Vista Ultimate.
Hardware Features
Processor: 1.6 HGz Intel Atom 230
Memory: 1 GB of DDR2 RAM
Internal Storage: 640 GB hard disk drive (SATA, 7200 RPM)
Internal Expansion: none
External Expansion: 4 USB 2.0
Network Support: 10/100/1000 (Gigabit) RJ45 Ethernet; supports both wired and wireless PCs (via a wireless router).
Dimensions: 3.9 x 8.2 x 8 inches (WxHxD)
What's in the Box This package includes the HP LX195 MediaSmart Server, power adapter and cable, Ethernet cable, software installation disc, PC restore disc, server recovery disc, and printed setup and user guides. The MediaSmart Server is backed by a one-year limited warranty and dedicated software technical support both online and by phone.
Great support, poor productJuly 19, 2010 Pocust The good news:
HP support in Canada has been excellent although of course everything is time consuming.
The bad news:
1. The product is not reliable. We have had two hard drive failures. After about 6 months the server started disconnecting and had to be powered down and up again. HP, after the usual process of going through all kinds of settings and sending them the log, replaced the drive. OK, these things happen, that's what warranties are for.
The replacement lasted two months and the same thing happened. HP are replacing it again but who knows whether this one will last as they are using refurbished hard drives for warranty replacements.
2. HP are not prepared to provide anything other than a refurbished replacement drive or take any other steps to ensure that the product is more reliable.
Another shoddy HP productJuly 14, 2010 ReadersAdvisory We have a home network with two PCs and two Macs, and this server seemed like a good solution for storage and backups. The advertised support for Mac Time Machine backups was a particular enticement, so when we saw a special offer that made the price very reasonable, we bought one. Initial setup on the Windows side was easy; setting up the Mac controller was difficult and time-consuming, and I had to come up with an elaborate workaround to get the Time Machine backups working, but once they were set up, they worked well...for about six weeks. Then suddenly the Macs could no longer see the Mediasmart on the network. We hadn't changed anything about our network configuration; the server just disappeared. Over the next couple of weeks, it would periodically reappear in the Mac Finder, but neither Mac could connect to it. On the advice of some Windows Home Server message board users, I uninstalled the Mac software and reinstalled a clean copy. This made things worse; now I couldn't even get past the login screen, and kept getting a "validation error" even though the login information was correct.
Having heard horror stories about HP tech support, I decided to troubleshoot the problem myself (from one of the Windows machines) before contacting them. I checked all the settings, deleted and re-created my Mac user account, and went into the advanced administration interface to see if I could find the problem. Everything looked normal, and I wasn't sure what to try next, till the server made that decision for me: it simply stopped responding. Now none of the computers on the network were able to connect to it. Reluctantly, I decided to use the recovery disc that came with the server, even though that would probably mean losing all the data on it. I followed the instructions in the recovery software but couldn't get the server into recovery mode. After a little more online research, I discovered that the instructions are incomplete, and I would have to manually assign an IP address to both the PC and the server before attempting recovery. I did this, and also bought a crossover ethernet cable at someone's recommendation. Still no luck.
Finally, in desperation, I contacted HP support. The agent walked me through the steps to get the server into recovery mode, which were again different from the included instructions (and from what I'd read online). After two hours on the phone, the server still wasn't in recovery mode. So the agent had me download some logging software, repeat the process, and send him the log file. Three days after I did, he responded with a couple of other things to try. Those didn't work either. After telling him that, I heard nothing further, so finally after five days I tried to get a status update. He asked if I had another PC that I could try. No, I told him, I've tried all the PCs in the house. So he asked if I could borrow one. That's right--instead of offering to have HP repair or replace the product, he suggested that I borrow a PC just to see if the two PCs I own already were somehow defective. When I suggested that this wasn't a very reasonable idea and that I wanted HP to fix their malfunctioning (and still under warranty) product, he reluctantly offered to send a replacement chassis for me to try--if I would either provide a credit card and let them put a $450 hold on it till I returned the original chassis, or have them send me a shipping box to return the original, at which point they would send me a replacement, all of which could take about ten business days. Throughout all of this, he kept telling me that it was very common not to be able to get servers into recovery mode and therefore it didn't mean that my product was defective. But if that error is common, doesn't it suggest that the product is inherently defective?
So finally, I gave up. I'll be writing a letter of complaint to HP, but it's clear that they have a mediocre product that they're not willing to stand behind, and that their interpretation of "under warranty" means "you can call tech support, but you'll have to do your own repairs." I'm giving the product two stars rather than one because for the brief time it worked, it worked well. But I've never before dealt with a company that expected me to fix its failed equipment, but that's the kind of company HP is. I won't be buying anything from them again, and I can't recommend that anyone else do so, either.
Seamlessly attached into our networkJune 16, 2010 Water Monkey(Santa Clarita, Ca.) This MediaSmart server was a breeze to connect to our wireless network router. Once connected it has run well for some time now. Our only complaint is a complaint with many home servers and that is there appearance. I don't mind having the server visible to everyone, but my wife hates it. However, because of ventilation issues we need to have the server out in the open.
If you are looking for a non-complicated way of having a home server this is a good choice.
A Compact Home serverMay 19, 2010 Aneil Raghunanan(Trinidad) This server has been working continuously since I got it 5 months ago.
Its the ideal download server using only ~28 watts. Very fast transfer speeds. Runs very cool.
Easy to upgrade memory or hard drive if you want. Sleep functions work very well.
Loads of apps and pluggins to use with Windows Home Server.
Cheap serverMay 17, 2010 Jeffrey Salazar O.(Costa Rica) 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I love this server, is very easy to set up and works very well, I have not complaints about it, you'll find options in internet to upgrade this server, such as memory and disk upgrade and a kvm connector (keyboard, video and mouse output)
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