Will is a message I got from the Pac Mate list. It sounds like
Bn users might be able to benefit from this.
---- Original Message ------
From: "Jonathan Mosen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [PM] PAC mate and orb.com
Date sent: Fri, 30 Mar 2007 15:04:34 -0400
Hi all,
One of the exciting things about using PAC Mate is that there is
such a
wide variety of software and sites that can work with it, since
it is
based on the Pocket PC platform that is being used by people all
around
the world. I have been playing with a service that is one of the
most
exciting things I've stumbled across for quite some time.
However, I'm
passing this on for those of you who enjoy experimenting with
your PAC
Mate and making the most of all it has to offer. Freedom
Scientific
itself hasn't conducted any official testing of it. This message
comes
from a fellow enthusiastic PAC mate user who is simply sharing
something
cool.
I travel very regularly, and of course take my portable hard
drive with
me so I can listen to music on my PAC mate. But my music
collection is
extensive, totalling a few hundred gigs now, so I can't take it
all with
me. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a way for me to use my PAC
mate to
play all my media direct from my PC over the Internet? Well there
is,
and the interface on the PAC mate couldn't be more user friendly.
The
service is known as Mycasting, and it's provided by Orb at
http://www.orb.com.
Here's how this free service works. You will need a PC with a
broad band
connection. Ideally this PC should be always on, and it should
be the
one on which your media files are stored. You download a small,
free
application from the orb.com website, and install it on your PC.
As part
of the installation process, you are taken through the process of
setting up an account with the Orb service.
The PC I have it running on is a Windows Media Centre, so as part
of the
installation, it assisted me to configure my TV tuner card.
Although an
electronic programme guide was not available for me in New
Zealand, such
a guide is available for the USA, the UK, and a number of other
countries. This means that once you've configured your TV tuner
card,
you can get TV listings, watch your local TV shows right on your
PAC
mate, and even set up recordings remotely.
Once the Orb server is installed, you will probably want to use
the
configuration options in the software to add folders containing
your
media that you wish to be able to access remotely. This process
requires
use of the JAWS cursor, but I suspect that someone with
intermediate
scripting ability could help here.
When the fairly simple install process on your PC is done, all
you have
to do is log on to the Internet with your PAC mate, and visit
http://mycast.orb.com. Because you are using a Pocket PC, the
site
recognises this, and renders an appropriately simple page.
You'll be
asked to log in, so at this point you enter the username and
password
you set up during the installation on the PC side.
Once you're in, you'll find a very simple interface that allows
you to
watch live TV if you have a TV tuner card, watch any TV you've
recorded,
listen to all the audio in the folders that you've given Orb
permission
to access, and more.
In the case of the audio, you can play music at random, browse by
artist, title, album, genre or folder. There is a simple edit
box where
you can type in a search string if you know the song or artist
you're
looking for. You can then choose to listen to all selections or
pick an
individual selection. You can create playlists for later
retrieval.
What's very clever about this service is that it's bandwidth
sensitive.
When I choose some audio to listen to, Orb does a quick test of
the
bandwidth you have available. It then streams the audio or TV
material
you've selected at a bit rate that it knows you can receive
without
buffering. This means for example that if I am on a broad band
connection, chances are I will hear my audio in high quality
stereo. If
I'm on a dial-up connection, the audio won't sound as good, but
at least
it is unlikely to buffer. By default, the audio will stream
right within
Pocket WindowsMedia Player on the PAC mate.
You can also use your PC to access Orb. Their default interface
requires
a lot of use of the mouse. I wrote to orb and asked if there was
a way
to use the mobile interface on a PC, and had a reply within an
hour. The
URL for you to use the same interface on your PC that
automatically
comes up on the PAC mate is
https://mycast.orb.com/orb/html/index.html?format=large
There's a lot more to this service, but hopefully this message
demonstrates what's possible. Now, you can take your PAC mate
anywhere,
and never be without any of your favourite music as long as you
have an
Internet connection.
Jonathan
________________________________________
The Frequently Asked Question page is at:
http://www.pacmategear.com/FAQ/
Please feel free to add your suggestions for an FAQ!
Don't forget to check out:
http://www.pacmategear.com !
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