Editorial Review
Maximize the power and potential of your home network with the HP EX475 MediaSmart Server, which enables you to conveniently centralize your files and access them from multiple PCs in your home. Based on AMD Live processing power, the MediaSmart Server enables you to back up your home's PCs as well as share and enjoy digital music, home videos and photos from any computer or entertainment system on a home network. The server also has the expandability to grow with your family's changing needs.
The stylish HP MediaSmart Server easily fits into your living room or office decor. |
Its small size will fit on top of even the most crowded desk, and it offers wireless access when connected to a Wi-Fi router (via the Gigabit Ethernet port). |
This sleek, streamlined micro-tower design is perfect for use in the home office or the living room, and its perforated steel exterior panels provide cool, quiet operation. The EX475 MediaSmart Server features 1 TB of capacity (2x500 GB drives, SATA, 7200 RPM), 512 MB of installed DDR2 RAM, four hard drive bays for additional expansion using off-the-shelf SATA I or II hard drives, a Gigabit Ethernet port for ultra-fast networking (and connection to a wireless router), four USB 2.0 ports (1 on the front, 3 on the back) for connecting to additional hard drives, and an and an eSATA port for high-speed data transfer to external storage devices--up to 6 times faster than existing solutions.
It's quick and easy to set up your HP MediaSmart Server and create up to 10 user accounts using the Microsoft Windows Home Server software. You can also open a predefined Guest account for additional file sharing capabilities. The HP MediaSmart Server also lets you set up your own secure personal web address to allow file access by remote users.
Easily Enhance Your Network
Expand your storage possibilities with the MediaServer's four hard drive bays. |
Every PC on your network will have the Control Center software, giving users the ability to browse shared folders on the HP MediaSmart Server, add photos to the HP Photo Webshare and perform an immediate backup of their computer. Set the access privileges for each user at the shared-folder level to allow Read/Write, Read Only or No Access. You also control the remote access privilege for each user. Approved users will then be able to remotely access shared files and even applications on their home PC through a secure connection from any Internet-connected PC.
AMD LIVE Smarter Digital Entertainment |
Share Your Media
Use included HP Photo Webshare software to easily and securely share photos stored on your HP MediaSmart Server with select friends and family. A quick link to Snapfish allows easy photo printing. Enjoy digital music, photos, video and files from any networked PC. Stream content directly to your home entertainment center using a digital media adapter (DMA). The DMA device accesses the media files and coordinates the streaming process between the HP MediaSmart Server and your entertainment device.
Protect Your Data
Keep your PC files safe with automatic backup for multiple PCs. You can customize the frequency of backups and how many backups are stored. Files accidentally deleted can be easily found on the backup image and copied to your PC. In the event of hard drive failure, the included HP PC Restore disc is all you need to return your PC and all your data to their original condition.
Other Features
- Centralize your iTunes music libraries and playlists on the server for playback to any PC or notebook running iTunes on your home network.
- Incremental backups: After initial backup, only changes are backed up.
- Efficient single copy backup: A single copy of each file is backed up, no matter how many computers that files resides on in your home network.
- Add an internal or external hard drive to the HP MediaSmart Server, indicate that you want to add the disk in the Windows Home Server Console, and the HP MediaSmart Server storage grows. No need to power down the unit or manage drive letters for multiple hard drives.
- Remote access compatibility: Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Media Center Edition 2004 or higher, or Windows Vista Ultimate or higher
- File sharing compatibility: Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows XP Home or Windows XP Professional, Windows 2000 Professional SP4, Mac, OS X, Linux.
- Backup compatibility: Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows XP
What's in the Box
HP MediaSmart Server, power cord, Ethernet cable, software installation disc, PC restore disc, server recovery disc, Quick Start and HP support guides.
Important: The HP MediaSmart Server is not a stand-alone computer. You connect it to your networked computer system. No monitor is needed because its user interface is accessed from another computer.
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Customer Reviews
Serving up on a platter 
2008-07-12
I bought this unit the first day it came out. It's small, quiet, easy to set up, easy to update. You need a CatE5 cable to effectively back up data through a gigabit card. If one hopes to do it over a wireless router it will take a long time.
I mainly purchased it for music, to combine music from all three pc's and both back them up and keep them central for playback. That works. I wish there was more control over which files to back up on each of my drives. I also wish that both my pictures would back up automatically and into the picture folders. They don't. Overall I love the idea and the execution of this little server. I'd buy it again.
Backup function is still not reliable Jul 08 2008-07-11
I just finished setting this great new little server up for my home network and things were going great. Installation was a snap and easy and as you install software on each new machine on the network it adds them to the automatic backup routine. That is where it blew up today after working great four days. I had six systems in our household set up over the last few days and as promised the server automatically was backing them up at night. Love it.... until today a big red warning popped up saying Network Health Critical and the Backup Server Was Not Running. I clicked on the link to how to fix and went through the steps and it did not fix it so I called HP Support. Here I learned the only fix was to click on the DELETE ALL backups button in backup settings and reset the backup server process. I said what???? There is no reason this just popped up on my screen it stopped working and the only resolution is to wipe out all my backups of the six computers. I was shocked and said that it is impossible to rely on this product then as my backup system and that is a major feature of the server. He acknowledged I was right and said he understands an upcoming update of the software will make it more reliable..... Great so don't buy this and think it will give you a reliable backup. Keep your existing backup routine until at least the first update in software after July 10th! Otherwise, I love this thing. Having a simple photowebserver and internet access to my files is super. Of course you have to sign up for a webaddress for an extra $10 a year and then be the manager and set up access accounts for all you want to be able to get to your files or photos or photo albums. Oh year, if you want to get directly to your computer my docs files you must be running Vista Ultimate or Business or XP Pro which I never new until I bought the machine. Thats Ok because I set up a filed folder on the server for my user account and called it My Documents and think keep in synced with the My Docs folder on my computer. I can access that folder from the internet when travelling. So this is a great new tool for us with home or small business networks, but it is new and still has a bug in the backup area so that feature is not reliable yet. Otherwise, having one terabyte of data available to everyone in the house and over the net when I want it is fantastic. So not a five star yet but I would buy it again even without the automatic system backup feature that blew up today for no apparent reason.
Excellent, exactly what I was looking for! 
2008-07-05
I was using external hard drives to backup my media files, but juggling 3 or 4 different hard drives at a time became a real hassle. With the media server, I had it connected and working within minutes.
I now backup my computers on a nightly basis and I can access my media files from anywhere on the net. I couldn't be happier with how this purchase worked out!
Does everything I want it to do 2008-07-03
I was looking for a way to reliably back up several home computers. I don't really need (or want) remote access. I have on my "to do" list consolidating iTunes libraries into one location, but that isn't a priority, so I haven't gotten that done yet. By default, it sets up some "shared" folders on the network which could be useful. We "share" the family calendars, but don't bother with most other stuff.
Bottom line ... it just works!
Plugged it in, and after figuring out that I had a dead port on my hub, it was up. I installed the software on the first computer, answered some pretty trivial configuration questions, and forced a backup. About 3 hours later, it was done. I cycled through the other computers in the house and they backed up just fine. It automatically backs up everything between midnight and six am (the default -- trivial to change), so I don't care how long that takes, but looking at the logs, it seems to be about 15 minutes or so. If it goes for five days without a backup, it nags.
I created a couple of test files, let them backup, then deleted them to test recovery. Recovery was a snap. I'm not sure how easy it would be to find a file that disappeared "sometime last month", but that's always a problem.
Achieves Most of My Objectives 2008-07-01
This product achieves most of my objectives for a home server. My priority was to back up all my data from several computers and external drives and to be able to access that data remotely via the internet. The internet server feature was key for me. I didn't need just another external hard drive. I found it a little confusing to set up but telephone tech support finally got me going. I also think that the ability to download add-ins to the server will be useful, althought I haven't yet tried that. I hope some of the add-ins that are available or will be available soon will relieve some of my disappointment with the limited user controls and limited user interface to the operations of the server.
Time to wait. 
2008-06-27
Maximize the power and potential of your home network with the HP EX475 MediaSmart Server, which enables you to conveniently centralize your files and access them from multiple PCs in your home. Based on AMD Live processing power, the MediaSmart Server enables you to back up your home's PCs as well as share and enjoy digital music, home videos and photos from any computer or entertainment system on a home network. The server also has the expandability to grow with your family's changing needs.
The stylish HP MediaSmart Server easily fits into your living room or office decor. |
Its small size will fit on top of even the most crowded desk, and it offers wireless access when connected to a Wi-Fi router (via the Gigabit Ethernet port). |
This sleek, streamlined micro-tower design is perfect for use in the home office or the living room, and its perforated steel exterior panels provide cool, quiet operation. The EX475 MediaSmart Server features 1 TB of capacity (2x500 GB drives, SATA, 7200 RPM), 512 MB of installed DDR2 RAM, four hard drive bays for additional expansion using off-the-shelf SATA I or II hard drives, a Gigabit Ethernet port for ultra-fast networking (and connection to a wireless router), four USB 2.0 ports (1 on the front, 3 on the back) for connecting to additional hard drives, and an and an eSATA port for high-speed data transfer to external storage devices--up to 6 times faster than existing solutions.
It's quick and easy to set up your HP MediaSmart Server and create up to 10 user accounts using the Microsoft Windows Home Server software. You can also open a predefined Guest account for additional file sharing capabilities. The HP MediaSmart Server also lets you set up your own secure personal web address to allow file access by remote users.
Easily Enhance Your Network
Expand your storage possibilities with the MediaServer's four hard drive bays. |
Every PC on your network will have the Control Center software, giving users the ability to browse shared folders on the HP MediaSmart Server, add photos to the HP Photo Webshare and perform an immediate backup of their computer. Set the access privileges for each user at the shared-folder level to allow Read/Write, Read Only or No Access. You also control the remote access privilege for each user. Approved users will then be able to remotely access shared files and even applications on their home PC through a secure connection from any Internet-connected PC.
AMD LIVE Smarter Digital Entertainment |
Share Your Media
Use included HP Photo Webshare software to easily and securely share photos stored on your HP MediaSmart Server with select friends and family. A quick link to Snapfish allows easy photo printing. Enjoy digital music, photos, video and files from any networked PC. Stream content directly to your home entertainment center using a digital media adapter (DMA). The DMA device accesses the media files and coordinates the streaming process between the HP MediaSmart Server and your entertainment device.
Protect Your Data
Keep your PC files safe with automatic backup for multiple PCs. You can customize the frequency of backups and how many backups are stored. Files accidentally deleted can be easily found on the backup image and copied to your PC. In the event of hard drive failure, the included HP PC Restore disc is all you need to return your PC and all your data to their original condition.
Other Features
- Centralize your iTunes music libraries and playlists on the server for playback to any PC or notebook running iTunes on your home network.
- Incremental backups: After initial backup, only changes are backed up.
- Efficient single copy backup: A single copy of each file is backed up, no matter how many computers that files resides on in your home network.
- Add an internal or external hard drive to the HP MediaSmart Server, indicate that you want to add the disk in the Windows Home Server Console, and the HP MediaSmart Server storage grows. No need to power down the unit or manage drive letters for multiple hard drives.
- Remote access compatibility: Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Media Center Edition 2004 or higher, or Windows Vista Ultimate or higher
- File sharing compatibility: Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows XP Home or Windows XP Professional, Windows 2000 Professional SP4, Mac, OS X, Linux.
- Backup compatibility: Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows XP
What's in the Box
HP MediaSmart Server, power cord, Ethernet cable, software installation disc, PC restore disc, server recovery disc, Quick Start and HP support guides.
Important: The HP MediaSmart Server is not a stand-alone computer. You connect it to your networked computer system. No monitor is needed because its user interface is accessed from another computer.
A Great Product Once You Get Passed All the FUD 2008-04-19
Last year my wife's computer died. Of course she hadn't backed up her computer in months (or was it years) even though she had a USB Drive with a semi-automated (One Touch) backup system. Backing up her computer should have been trivial, but it required a manual step, which she never remembered to do. She lost irreplaceable data and pictures.
This isn't the first time we've lived through this scenario. In her frustration, she asked me to solve this problem once and for all. I knew that there were expensive commercial systems to automate backups (we use them at work). After looking around for a while, I considered piecing together a system and buying commercial software. Then I ran across the Windows Home Server from HP. The system was less expensive than what I was considering building and it was turn-key. It seemed like a slam-dunk.
I bought the HP WHS system in December. It was trivial to hook up. I had the computers in our house automatically backing up in just an hour or so. It also gives me a status of the server and of the computers that have been configured for backup. If it detects something amiss, it lets me know about it. That's a big win.
There are several other cool features that I consider a bonus:
1. PC software for backup and recovery is on the server file system. I can easily install it as I need it without hunting for CD's.
2. I can access the server remotely (via the internet) to access files and to remotely log into my home systems. This is very nice feature.
3. The HP system comes with extra drive bays. If I need more storage I just buy a drive and slam it in, the server takes care of the rest.
4. The unit is tiny and quiet. This makes it much easier to find a place to put it.
Not long after I got the server I heard about the infamous KB946676 "Data Corruption" bug. At first I was very concerned - after all I was putting my trust in its ability to safely backup my computers. But after looking into it further, it turns out I have a 0% chance of running into this problem (which is true for most people). To see for yourself read the following article [...]. In my case, I normally use the system for backups so this problem is not going to affect my typical usage.
I believe that you can safely ignore much of the negative comments based on KB946676. The negative bias based on KB946676 is mostly a knee-jerk reaction. Having said that, you should probably avoid editing files on the server while it is heavily loaded (which is something I never do). It is my understanding that this is the only time this bug can occur.
The bottom line is that I would heartily recommend this system to any family with multiple computers.
Near Flawless 2008-03-22
I've had it running for about 3 months now. As always, I had to have one just as soon as it was released for sale. (An OEM WHS, that is.)
It installed in about 20 minutes on my first computer and less than that on my other computers. I elected to buy a new "N" wifi router that had gigabyte ethernet as both my desktop computer and the WHS supported it. Glad I did. 50 or 100 Meg file transfer almost instantly.
The Media server has been as reliable as an anvil. It just sits there and works.
The much over-discussed "data coruption bug" is supposed to be fixed by Microsoft in June. Meantime, the workaround is a no brainer. Just drag the file you want from the server to your computer, open it and do what you want and when you're done, drag it back to the WHS. The fix, I hear, will allow you just to open the data on the server. Minor and temporary inconvenience.
Much more serious was changing the the dumb welcome screen picture to one of my own. :-)
The webshare photo album is great and really easy to use. Remote access using the HP offered dynamic IP access site works flawlessly. I have my work files available wherever I need them.
Really a great, great product that does exactly what it's supposed to do.
Joe
Not ready for prime time 
2008-03-22
I should have done more research. While the HP box is, by itself, functional, the software provided by MS is still being debugged (as usual.) This is not a product for the novice. The software interface is gorgeous. Too bad you don't always get what you expect, if anything, when clicking on the selections.
The day I placed the order for the HP EX475, MS issued a KB stating they would have their software "fixed" by June 2008. ????!! I tried to cancel but Amazon is too efficient for that and had already shipped to me.
Give this product a little more maturity time unless you just want to have a back-up device. But for streaming media? Not so much.
Data Corrupting Software Cripples Stellar Hardware 2008-03-19
Don't buy this (yet).
There's a notorious bug with Microsoft's software that can actually destroy the files on the server just with normal use. Currently they hope to have the problem corrected by June 2008, but use Google to check the progress of the patch before moving forward.
If it weren't for that issue, this would be one slick machine. I've never seen a consumer machine with hot-swappable drive bays, and the potential for expansion to add physical drives to the same logical drive, plus all the other cool features would have made this one beautiful machine!
Unfortunately, the bug attacks the safety of the primary purpose of this machine.
That said, it only affects machines with more than one drive, so if you can stand only having 500 GB of space and still want the rest of the benefits this machine offers, then the single-drive MediaSmart HP EX470 is a better buy for the moment. Just don't add hard drives to the system until the bug is fixed.
