As I'm sure you are all well aware, the PS3 1.8 FW updated made the PS3 a DLNA compatiable device. This means by using a DLNA compatiable streaming application from a PC we can stream pictures, audio, and video to the PS3. Here are some options for achieving this:
1. TVersity has just released a patch for their streaming software of the same name that now makes it compatible with the PS3 v1.8. The steps for getting this software up and running are simple. Install the software here. Once the software is installed and running click on the "Sharing" tab. Click the "Add" button (large '+' sign). Use the "Browse" button to navigate to the top folder of where all your photos are stored. Click "Ok". Repeat for your videos and your music. Once you've added the paths for your media click on the "Settings" tab. Under "General" click "Start Sharing". Go turn on your PS3. Under either the "Photo", "Music", or "Video" XMB heading you will see an icon called "Search for Media Server". Click it and the PS3 should discover the TVersity server. From there it's as simple as navigating through the folder hierarchy to find your media. This is the method I use and so far I am very pleased. The videos take a few seconds to buffer but the photos are near instantaneous along with the audio.
2. If you are running Windows Vista you have a very simple way to enable the sharing through Windows Media Player 11. If you search in Media Sharing Tab
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/images/knowledg...
you can spot a new unknown device you can share media to:
http://www.hardcoreware.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/p...
If you don't see the device, the chances are that a)you have a firewall blocking WMP11 media sharing b) there is some port conflicts between ps3 and your home network. Disable firewall to check if its a), or restart your PS3 (or disable and enable back media sharing in XMB under Network Settings). After each reboot PS3 will use different set of ports for media sharing, so eventually you should be able to get PC and PS3 see each other. The same also applies to a similar problem with other software.
But most users should see the unknown device in media sharing right away. Allow sharing to it and go to your PS3. Now, after 1.80 the new icon appeared in Music/Video and Photo bars, called Search for Media Servers. Click it and a Vista media server icon will appear just under it. Now you can click on it and navigate through you WMP11 library direct in XMB!
http://www.hardcoreware.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/p...
Moreover, hit triangle on your video file and you can copy it over to PS3 without hassle!
According to Microsoft, it should also work for WMP11 under XP:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/knowledgecenter...
If you have a problem with it under XP, try to manually enable UPnP service. For this do the following:
Click Start
Click Programs
Click Administrative Tools
Click Services
Scroll down to Universal Plug and Play Device Host
Double click Universal Plug and Play Device Host
Set the Startup type to Automatic and click the Start button in that window to start the service
If you don't see the Administrative Tools in the Programs you will need to right mouse click down in your taskbar and go to Properties, from there click the Start Menu tab and click the Customize... button, just check Display Administrative Tools and then click OK.
With WMP you will be only play video and music files that are supported by PS3, and in some cases not even all of them. And that limits you to MP2 and MP4 so no luck with AVIs.
3. The only solution here is transcoding, which is basically on-fly recoding of source video/audio to target video/audio. The best (and only correctly working so far) program for it is Nero MediaHome, which is a part of Nero Digital Pro package: http://www.nero.com/eng/Upgrade_to_Nero_Digital_Pro.html
Turn your PS3 on and login, and leave it on your XMB
Run a file in Nero Showtime to unblock the firewall that pops up and ALLOW.
Run Nero MediaHome
On the left are a set of Icons.
Heres a quick setup:
SHARED DIRECTORIES > Click ADD SHARE and browse to a single shared directory for now, as it takes time to add the details, so dont go adding gazillions of media files for now.
OPTIONS: I left them at default for now, but they are self explanatory. Automatically start media home when pc is switched on is a good one to tick up, but leave it off for now till you get it going.
NETWORK: Click the box for your ethernet card on your PC. Leave port number and network name at default for now
DEVICES: Click UPnP/1.0 line and click ALLOW ACCESS box
TRANSCODING: Leave on auto detect as it will talk to the ps3 and see what it can and cant play and come up with a solution after a few seconds.
http://webpages.charter.net/rjenterprise/mediahome.jpg
TV: Set up your tv card here
STATUS: Click this ICON and you will be able to see whats going on
then click START SERVER at the bottom, and you wait a few moments. Go back to PS3 and it should show the Nero Media Home Icon. Browse as normal for your video files.
If you cant see any media on your PS3 after doing all this, try following:
Turn off the server and go to TOOLS - NERO SCOUT - INDEXING - FOLDERS and select the folders you want there. Then go back to the INDEXING tab and click INDEX NOW - this may take a while to do, if you have huge amounts of files, so as before just to get it working. When its done go to SHARED DIRECTORIES ICON in nero media home and select SHARE ALL CONTENT INDEXED BY NERO SCOUT
4. For native HD MPEG2 files people are getting good streaming results with twonky vision media center http://www.twonkyvision.com/ but as of current it full of glitches when working with PS3, so I wouldn't recommend you to spend much time with it until they deliver a patch specifically for PS3.
UPDATE: Twonky Vision released a 4.4 Beta 1 version of Media Server with PS3 support!
http://www.twonkyvision.com/Download/TwonkyMedia/index-4-4.ht...
Users are reporting correct streaming of H.264, some MPEG4 video and MP3. AAC sound is still not supported it seems. If you are not in love with WMP11, its a viable alternative now.
There are also a bunch of freeware UPnP software that should allow streaming to PS3 as well, such as:
http://www.gnu.org/software/gmediaserver/
http://ushare.geexbox.org/
http://mediatomb.cc/
http://www.cybergarage.org/net/cmgate/cc/index.html
Mentioned above Twonky Vision Media Center has OsX version available, and you can give it a try.
UPDATE: Twonky Vision Media Server v4.4 Beta 1 for Mac now officially has PS3 support!
Exclusive to Mac systems is EyeConnect software http://www.elgato.com/index.php?file=products_eyeconnect
Most common mistakes so far:
1) firewall (either PC firewall or in router) blocking a media server program (thats when you can find a media server after search on your PS3)
2)you are looking for video files in Music tab of XMB. Though sometimes they may be there, but its a bug. DLNA normally should take care that you see videos only under video tab and pics under Photo.
