HP X280N MediaSmart Connect Review

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(More customer reviews)August 3rd, 2008
I have been using a home built media center for about 1.5 years. It holds most of the kids movies (DIVX & XVID) and does recording of SD and HDTV. The main issue I had was that it was Noisy and generated a lot of heat in the media cabinet where system and other components were mounted. My goal was to move my MCE to the basement and use extenders in the house. I had a couple of requirements before I would switch this out for an extender.
1) WIFE Friendly
2) Support HDTV
2) Must play Amazon UNBOX Files
3) Must play DIVX (XVID) formats.
4) Must be able to schedule recordings from the Extender
Thursday I got the MediaSmart Connect and started with the install... When I first set it up, I installed the HP Software and went through the procedure for connecting the extender to the my Vista MCE system. Initially I was a little disappointed, it was slow and Amazon Unbox videos would not play. I also noticed that my MCE system was Locking up. I decided that this might be more due to my MCE system. So Friday night, I completely re-installed vista, MCE, but did not install the HP software.
Once the system was running (YOU MUST INSTALL SP1), my VISTA MCE system found the extender automatically. It worked GREAT... The MediaSmart Connect was much more responsive, MCE no longer locked up. And best of all Amazon Unbox video's will play through my MediaSmart Connect. I gave it the Wife test last night and she loved it... The with the Main MCE system moved to the basement and only the MediaSmart Connect visible, she was happy. No more noisy fans running and we can now close the doors of the media cabinet with out worrying about overheating.
A couple of Notes:
1) The Media Smart will Play Unbox videos from your MCE Machine, but if you move the storage of the Unbox files to somewhere other then the installed location you may have problems.
2) I am using a wired connection, I have not tested the performance of the wireless side.
3) I am not using the HP software, it is extender mode only.
If you are currently using a Media Center, this system is EASY to add on.... So far I am very pleased, will update this again with any issues I have after I have had a chance to run it for a week or two.


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HP X280N MediaSmart Receiver. The HP MediaSmart Receiver enables browsing of your entire library of digital photos, music, and HD video even across multiple PCs Access thousands of the best and latest movies, TV shows, videos, and songs from online media. HPs simple interface enables you to search for movies, order them, and begin watching them moments after downloading has begun. Unlike other receivers that allow you to access media from only one server at a time, HPs MediaSmart receiver automatically aggregates and displays content from all connected PCs or media servers in your home network. Enjoy a full Microsoft Media Center Experience with a single click on your remote. Watch live or pre-recorded TV and access Microsofts online services through the HP MediaSmart Receiver. Integrated 802.11a/b/g/n wireless networking, enables the streaming of high definition video while providing compatibility to existing Wi-Fi networks. A built in HP Pocket Media Drive bay and two USB ports allow direct access to your content stored in mass storage media. HDMI, component, and analog and digital audio outputs provide simple connectivity to your HDTV and audio equipment. The MediaSmart receiver features a dramatic, pianoblack, high gloss, exterior with an HP exclusive Zen imprint pattern. Blends into the living room and adds elegance to any entertainment system. The receiver includes a universal remote control. Use it to access all your content, order movies, or control up to four more entertainment devices.

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Microsoft MN-720 Wireless Notebook PC Card Adapter Review

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(More customer reviews)as my review on belkin card, this card is based on broadcom chip
and I found they have a common problem, that the signal goes down under heavy load (e.g. playing 1400k wav file over network, the signal drops, just not as bad as belkin)
if you're using mixed G or pure G, you may not able to connect due to 54g setting, the default is b only, and there's a simple fix: just change the 54g setting to b-compatible
and, if you'd like to get more stable performance when the signal is low, change the rate to 6Mbps, however, you may not be able to connect pure b network
the installation is easy, as USB version, just put the CD in, and you're ready to go
my personal suggestion, get MN-710 instead due to better bitrate and less hassle

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The Microsoft Broadband Networking Wireless Notebook PC Card Adapter makes it easy to add a notebook computer (or any computer with a PC Card slot) to the 802.11g or 802.11b wireless netowrk in your home or small office. Unique software installation wizard walks you easily through setup. Fully compatible with all 802.11g and 802.11b Wi-Fi networks. Breakthrough Performance - Lightning fast 54 Mbps delivers up to five times the network speed of 802.11b networks. Maximum speed for your notebook PC using 32-bit cardbus. Enjoy wireless freedom - playing music, games, and video anywhere. Critically acclaimed high security - State-of-the-art secured connection to your office using Virtual Private network (VPN) passthrough and tunneling. Flexible support for 802.1x, 256-bit Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), and 128-bit Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) delivers strong wireless security.

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Microsoft Wireless-G Notebook Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)I had no problems at all with the computers that were connected via wires to this router. The wireless connection, on the other hand, was HORRIBLE!!!! The signal strength was great throughout the entire house, but the connection would just drop (every minute or so) for no reason.
I was hoping the firmware update that the other reviewers mentioned would fix the issue, and unfortunatelly it did NOT. The connection just keep dropping. Hopefully there is a fix out there. If there isn't, I will be returning this kit. I will let you know how this turns out!!!!!
EDIT-12/12/03. I found the issue. The channel I was using was the problem. I was using channel 5 instead of the default channel 6. Once I swichted it to channel 6 everything was fantastic (maybe something in my area was causing interference with channel 5 - there are no other visible wireless networks in my area). The signal strength was strong. I even tried blocking the signal as best as I could, but no matter what I did the signal remained strong and download speeds were unaffected. Its a great buy!!!

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Broadband Networking Wireless Notebook Kit MN-820 gives you everything you need to set up an 802.11g wireless network for your desktop and notebook computers. Easy to set up, this kit includes a base station, notebook adapter, and Ethernet cable.

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Microsoft Broadband Networking Wireless Base Station Router MN-500 Review

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(More customer reviews)I love gadgets and technology, but I am NOT a computer expert and wireless networking terms such as MAC numbers and Port Forwarding and DMZ are pretty foreign to me. I just wanted a wireless way to share my broadband internet connection between our home office desktop, my PDA (iPAQ 5455) and our kitchen/family room based laptop. The Microsoft MN 500 Wireless Base Station is the ticket to easy wireless networking. All you really need to read is the 4 page quick start guide and the device will be up and running. I read the very informative 100 page manual as well and learned a thing or two, but I really didn't need that informtion. The base station connected flawlessly -though I did reset my cable modem after connecting. That is not in the instructions but my ISP told me it would be a good idea. The base station has worked perfectly since and the signal is very strong throughout my house, upstairs and down- and in fact even in my driveway outside (so I was certain to leave the built-in encryption feature on to prevent drive-by theft of my signal.) My base station is tucked into a cubby hole in my computer desk next to the cable modem and has no problem sending its signal throughout the house. Those who have had problems with the signal probably just need to move the device. There is a lengthy discussion about placement of the base station in the manual (away from metal computer cases, for example). The MN-500 also comes with a hardware firewall. There is much debate as to whether software or hardware firewalls are best. I'm testing. The first two weeks I had my base station I disabled the hardware firewall and continued to use my Norton software based protection. Now, I've disabled that and am using the MN 500 alone. The ease of installation and the firewall and encryption features make this a great product for people who want to share the internet at home but don't want to learn the inner workings of wireless.

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The Microsoft wireless router is the ideal central access point for your wireless network. Connect multiple computers to a single broadband connection. Roam your house or office with the freedom and mobility of a Wi-Fi equipped laptop computer, share files and printers with all the other computers on the network, or play games with multiple players on the Internet and within your own network.
Features include an easy-to-use setup wizard, designed to make connecting your computers together easier. The router comes with strong security features, including a built-in firewall, Network Address Translation (NAT), and access control lists. The 4-port router easily connects to your network with universal plug and play for functionality such as voice messaging, video messaging, and games. You can also monitor your network status easily with Microsoft broadband network utility.
Included in the box with this wireless router are a stand (detachable), power supply cable, Ethernet cable, startup guide, user's guide, setup CD-ROM, and a blank floppy disk.
System requirements include: a computer with a network adapter to configure the router, an external broadband (cable, DSL, or other) modem with Ethernet port (not compatible with dial-up modems), Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or Netscape Navigator 4.7 or later to view and use the management tools, and an available 120 V AC power outlet.
Additional requirements include: a computer running Windows 98, 98 SE, Me, 2000 Professional, XP Professional, or XP Home Edition, Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or later(setup will install Internet Explorer 6.0 browser components, if necessary, but will not displace your primary browser), 28 MB of available hard disk space if you already have Internet Explorer 5.5 or 6.0 (132 MB of available hard disk space if you are installing Internet Explorer for the first time), a 4x or faster CD-ROM drive, and a VGA or higher resolution monitor.
Note: Not all Internet service providers (ISPs) allow the sharing of a broadband connection. Please check with your ISP.

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Microsoft MN-700 Wireless 802.11g Base Station Router Review

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(More customer reviews)I am using this router and running 2 laptops and a desktop with it. Set-up was fairly easy (I did some manual configurations)and, since I am not using Microsoft wireless adapters, I had to manually configure the computers. I am running an 4 yr old IBM Thinkpad with a Netgear MA111 adapter and also a Dell 3800 laptop (about 2 or 3 yrs old) with the same adapter (802.11b). No problems at all once I configured the WEP security keys,etc. The desktop is an H-P running Windows 98SE, also no problems. When my daughter was here with her new Dell with a 802.11G card, she seemed to have even faster connections.
The farthest I have taken the laptops is out on my deck which is 2 or 3 walls and maybe 50 feet from the router. I have the router conncected to my Comcast cable modem and am surfing the net usually at 1.2-1.7 meg per sec. I would recommend this as a simple, effective way to set up wi-fi at home.

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Upparralleled eas networking. The Microsoft Broadband Networking Wireless Base Station makes it easy to set up computers in your home or small office. Unique software installation wizard walks you easily through setup. Intelligent software automatically detects your Internet service and modem settings for easy base station configuration. Superior graphical Broadband Network Utility makes it easy to manage your network. Exclusive Microsoft automatic update keeps your software current. Best in class UPnP (universal plug and play) device enables you to easily play games and send voice and video over the Internet.

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