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Streaming Media with PirateBox 1.0

PirateBox 1.0 includes the ReadyMedia Media Server which automatically streams video and music files to computers and other handheld devices. This means that any video or audio files uploaded to the PirateBox will automatically begin streaming on the PirateBox wireless network.

Add Media Files to Your PirateBox

You can upload movie or music files to your PirateBox by using the built-in browser-based file upload system and those files will automatically begin streaming over the PirateBox wireless network.

You can also copy media files directly to your PirateBox by powering down your box and plugging the USB drive directly into your computer. This can be a faster way of loading multiple large files onto your PirateBox. Simply drag your media files to the “share” folder on your USB drive and then reinsert the USB drive into your PirateBox and power it up. Once your PirateBox has fully started, it will automatically begin streaming the media file over the PirateBox wireless network.

Watch or Listen to Streaming Media

To access the streaming media on your device, you will need to use a UPnP compliant media player. Fortunately, there are several good free options available for laptops and other handheld wireless devices:

From a Laptop

If you plan to connect to PirateBox with a laptop computer, you should first download and install the XBMC Media Player. You can learn more about the XBMC Project here. Once you have installed XBMC, follow these steps to access the media files hosted on the PirateBox network:

1. Power up your PirateBox and join the PirateBox wireless network.

2. Open XBMC, and from the main screen click on the “VIDEOS > Files” link.

3. Click on the “Add Videos…“ link and then click the “Browse” button.

4. Scroll down to click on the “UpNP Devices” link and then click on the “PirateBox DLNA” link.

5. Click the “OK” button and then again on the second “OK” button.

6. Now select the “PirateBox DLNA” link and begin browsing the video files on your PirateBox.

7. Note that to listen to music streaming from your PirateBox, you can repeat the steps above but by clicking the “MUSIC > Files” link in step #2.

From an Android Device

If you are connected to your PirateBox through an Android device, you can download and install the media player from the Google Play Store.

From an iPhone/iPad

If you are connected to your PirateBox through an iPhone or iPad, you can download and install the media player through the App Store.

Streaming Video Tips

To enhance your video streaming experience, it is best to optimize the video files by converting them to an appropriate size and video codec for your media viewing device using a transcoder like the Handbrake Open Source Video Transcoder. This will help ensure that your video files play flawlessly when streaming from the PirateBox.