Play with Windows 7 remote streaming media features

Microsoft has released the Windows 7 RC version, so Windows 7 features no further changes and Windows 7 RTM is offing. A more compelling feature in the Windows 7 RC Edition is that it allows users to transfer streaming media across different PCs by Slingbox set-top-box mode.

Slingbox is a set-top box that connects to a television (or any other video output device) and can transmit the signal to another machine in real time without recording.

When viewing some unprotected video and music files, users are often subject to restrictions. This remote streaming feature of Windows 7 requires two computers running Windows 7 systems, and users have some related settings. This feature is ideal for netbooks or notebooks to watch pictures or listen to music.

In order to better illustrate this function, the author decided to carry out the trial. This feature is not suitable for connecting to the corporate network of PCs, but I can in the café with a home Windows system PC for streaming media connections (remote streaming media needs PC content part of the home network).

The setup process is somewhat complicated. First, open the streaming option for Windows Media Player, select the "Allow network access to home Media" option, and then enter the Windows Live account (which currently supports the Windows Live account and may support other accounts in the future). Then, download the install Windows Live ID Assistant from the network.

After everything was ready, the author went to a café to test. First of all, the author chose the simplest task--open a picture. The library is displayed quickly, but the picture is slow to open. Unexpectedly, when Windows 7 opens this picture, it also displays slides of all the files in the folder where the picture resides.

Subsequently, the author tried to open the music file, music in the playback process without interruption. Then the author opened the video clips of Windows 7, which are synchronized with the audio.

Generally speaking, the author is satisfied with the test results. Interestingly, when I returned to the office, I found that the media share function had disappeared, possibly due to a network firewall and so on.

When switching to a public wireless network, the author once again saw the contents of the home computer.

There are significant differences in visual quality of remote streaming media. In the best case scenario, the TV screen is displayed in an acceptable small window, but in some cases the TV screen window is very small and has a longer buffer time.

Microsoft says many factors can affect video size and quality, including bandwidth, content, and computer processing capabilities. In the best case, watching the recorded TV is very convenient, although it does not provide live TV screen like Slingbox, but for the airport or hotel users, it is very useful.

Overall, the author believes that this feature of Windows 7 is excellent, but because of its own technical limitations and slightly more complex settings, the mainstream users may be deterred.