Guess what? Even though there is no mention of it on D-Link's support site, or in their manual, you don't need to install that server program on the CD to get the DSM-520 to work with Vista -- just for XP. You do need to go into Windows Media Player version 11 and allow media sharing, which can be done under Vista's Library tab. Once that is done, going to the device's set-up menus (accessible from the remote via a dedicated button) can specify the computer itself as a media server.
Once I got everything set up, I had no problems with the system. The stored media accessible to Windows Media Player was picked up by the DSM-520 and played fine. Like the EVA8000, the DSM-520 supports a good number of formats, including MP3, WMA, WAV, AIFF, Ogg Vorbis; WMV9, MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, Xvid (but not DivX), AVI, DVR-MS; JPEG, TIFF, PNG; and M3U and PLS playlists.
The Internet-supplied content disappointed me, however. The only free music available was from Live365.com, which is not a bad service. But it doesn't have the quirky stuff I like (which I was able to access via the Netgear). There is also a paid service called Vtuner -- I tried the free trial, and found this one wasn't for me either. I may be a music snob, but what I wanted just wasn't available.
Additionally, when you turn the DSM-520 off, it is totally off. No music plays through the DSM-520 when it is powered down, unlike the Netgear device.
In short, the Netgear Digital Entertainer HD eventually won me over, even though it lists at 25% more than the D-Link. The Netgear was far more flexible in operation, and what it brought to the table ended up being more useful. Since it can run on both the Mac (if one does the appropriate dances) and the PC; it would be my universal recommendation for someone who asked me about a home entertainment device.
One more note: Although Windows Vista Media Center handled things quite well, I found that I still like the Mac software better for recording video. For example, EyeTV's software was simpler to use overall; the available user choices for each step (especially for export) were all easily available under pull-down menus. In addition, in the same way that Apple pushes users of the iPod to use iTunes, Microsoft pushes users to use Media Center with PC-based hardware, no matter what software alternatives may have been shipped with the product.
Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
Maintaining existing network infrastructures often incurs huge technical debt before newer technologies are adopted over time.
Amid ongoing regional uncertainties, telecom infrastructure in the Middle East has expand to include terrestrial low-latency network infrastructure, which offers resilience and agility in navigating political complexities without relying solely on undersea networks.
