Sony pulled another "Sony moment" on Wednesday afternoon, announcing a Sony-designed derivative of a product that's soon to become an industry standard.
Like the CD (MiniDisc), the MP3 audio format (ATRAC) and flash drives (MemoryStick), Sony's HES-V1000 media server is a Sony-branded version of Windows Home Server. That's not to say that Sony's HES-V1000 is doomed to follow its other initiatives, because the HES-V1000 has one thing going for it -- it actually succeeds at being cool and different.
The Windows Home Server is essentially a PC operating system. Files must be ripped to the hard drive and played back over the network. That's where the HES-V1000 begins.
Naturally, the HES-V1000 uses Blu-ray technology. But not just as a drive: inside the server is a 200-disc Blu-ray/DVD changer, so all your copies of
National Lampoon's Van Wilder and
Troy will have a place to live. In addition, there's a 500-Gbyte hard drive to store personal video (137 hours, by Sony's estimate) or audio tracks (40,000) or images, which can be loaded via a flash card reader and manipulated through Sony's "X-Application" software, including the x-Pict Story HD and x-ScrapBook software. There's also a wired Ethernet connection, although no Wi-Fi. And it's not clear whether it's a Gigabit Ethernet connection, either.
Give Sony credit: the HES-V1000 looks sharp and performs functions the Windows boxes won't. The HES-V1000 Home Entertainment Server will be available in October for about $3,500. The question is: will consumers pony up, or will this just be another flashy box for the Stuff holiday gift guide?
(Oh, do you want to know what other Blu-ray goodies Sony announced? We've covered them in our CEDIA roundup. (Here's the direct link.))
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March 7, 2008 9:30 PM
Sony? Sony moment? Their overpriced products? Phantom Data Systems has some superior units with MAC / PC / LINUX compatibility up to 34 Terabytes capacity.
www.phantomdatasystems.com/bluraydisc.html
C.
March 8, 2008 1:52 PM
Sony for the consumer space yes, but in high end graphics environments or client - server environments, I'd go to Phantom Data Systems for bluray server solutions. Phantom Data Systems Blu Ray Server Solutions MAC, PC, LINUX compatible as well.
They also have Solid State Drive arrays Solid State Drive Array
AG.
March 10, 2008 9:45 PM
Bluray Server from Phantom data systems definitely delivers 100 times the capacity and capability of DVD for sure. Great for PACS systems, high resolution imaging environments.
follow up to your comment..
June 15, 2008 3:56 PM
I know Phantom Data Systems in Norwalk, Connecticut has enterprise class bluray jukebox solutions. They provide Linux, Windows, Novell, MAC and UNIX drivers and support as well.
Considering the consumer space does not cater to those needs (consumer space being the cheaper desktop / home entertainment area). Medical Imaging, Broadcast industry and alike are heavily investing in enterprise class bluray systems as well. But I'll warn you these systems don't come cheap! Cost us an upward of 65K for a 6 Drive, 660 slot 34.5 Terybyte blu ray library appliance for all our broadcast video / episodes archiving and management. Being heavy on the MAC platform as well, I'd suggest you take a look.
http://phantomdatasystems.com/bluraydisc.html
B.
June 15, 2008 3:57 PM
I know Phantom Data Systems in Norwalk, Connecticut has enterprise class bluray jukebox solutions. They provide Linux, Windows, Novell, MAC and UNIX drivers and support as well.
Considering the consumer space does not cater to those needs (consumer space being the cheaper desktop / home entertainment area). Medical Imaging, Broadcast industry and alike are heavily investing in enterprise class bluray systems as well. But I'll warn you these systems don't come cheap! Cost us an upward of 65K for a 6 Drive, 660 slot 34.5 Terybyte blu ray library appliance for all our broadcast video / episodes archiving and management. Being heavy on the MAC platform as well, I'd suggest you take a look.
http://phantomdatasystems.com/bluraydisc.html
B.
November 11, 2008 9:53 PM
yep..we definitely have the same machines from'em. Great to work with
http://phantomdatasystems.com/bluraydisc.html
March 5, 2009 3:28 PM
Phantom Data Systems offers optical jukeboxes both in blu ray, bluray, disk based and multi platform compatible. Windows, linux, unix, Solaris for both medical/healthcare and financial as well.
Optical storage from Phantom Data systems in Norwalk CT.
http://www.phantomdatasystems.com/datastorage.html
We have about 4 systems...
http://www.phantomdatasystems.com/datastorage.html