HP MediaSmart iStream App for iPhone Updated

By on February 5, 2010 in Add-ins & Apps, Windows Home Server

HP have just released a major update to their MediaSmart Server iStream application for iPhone. The free app, available from the iPhone’s app store, allows the browsing and playback of music, video and photos directly from the HP MediaSmart Server to the handset.

Whilst there is some great new features in the update, including photo uploading to the home server, support for Spanish and Japanese languages, a new cover flow mode for music and improved searching, the video streaming over mobile networks has been removed – only wi-fi streaming us now available. A feature “request” from users or the mobile networks?…..

You can pick up the upgrade now from the iPhone App Store.

iStream 2.0.50 Changes and New features:

Performance improvements:
A more responsive user interface when starting large videos, improved music streaming, and faster browsing through the lists of items on the server.

New languages:
- Spanish
- Japanese

Music + Videos + Photos:
- Search: Search for an item by name within any list under Music, Videos or Photos. Click the search button (magnifying glass in the lower left area) and type the characters contained in the item you’re looking for.

Photos:
- Send up photos via email.
Instructions: Under Photos, go to a list view or view an individual photo. Then click on the action button (circle with arrow) on the lower left. Select the action sheet menu item “Send Photo”.

Limitations: up to 5 photo attachments per email; the size of the photo attachments has to be less than 9 MB. The attached photos will be resized to 1024 pixel for the longest side if they are bigger than that.

Requirements: Email account needs to be setup on the device.

Music:
- Cover flow mode when viewing a list of albums or playing a song; to activate turn device into landscape mode.

Videos:
- Video playback issues with iPhone OS 3.0 or higher were fixed; video playback performance has been improved.

- Video playback is not allowed when connected via cellular networks to reduce bandwidth requirements; Video playback over Wi-Fi is still allowed.

- Videos are filtered to show only videos converted with mq[2] or Mobile[3] Video Converter profile.

[2] = if connected to a HP MediaSmart Servers running software version 2.5
[3] = if connected to a HP MediaSmart Servers running software version 3.0


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About Terry Walsh

Terry Walsh is the founding editor and owner of We Got Served. Since February 2007, the site has provided detailed coverage and analysis of the emerging home server category, and has subsequently grown into a trusted outlet for digital home news and reviews.
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  • JohnCz

    Maybe someone will find a way to reenabled mobile video streaming. "to reduce bandwidth requirements"…pretty much indicates it was by request from cellular networks. Though, SlingMedia just got approved on AT&T 3G, so I wonder who is balking at this. My biggest complaint though, it doesn't support other smart phone devices.

  • Matze

    Does anybody know, if this version also works with HP EX 475? Best regards from Nuremburg, Germany … Matze

  • Alex

    Now if they can just get this running on Android…..

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/urmaster urmaster

    Won't all servers be running 3.0 by the end of the month?

  • http://twitter.com/Dieharder @Dieharder

    Your better off installing AIr Video on your server if you can't or don't want to install HP's 2.5 or higher. It works for me 100% of the time. None of my converted videos show up, only the folder structure.

  • Matze

    Your comment regarding Air Video was quit valuable. What I don't like that air video can "only" stream video but no audio which is my main purpose. So I bette wait for the HP Update 3.0 for my EX475 –> I am optimistic that streaming on my Iphone will work then. Best regards Matthias

  • http://twitter.com/alastairweller @alastairweller

    I wont be upgrading to this as they've removed the ability to stream of cellular.

  • Matze

    Is that a fact? That means, that istream will not work any more in future (even if you have an EX485 or higher)?

  • Jeffla

    I would not update this app. Before, it worked well, but was just SLOW. It might take 10 seconds between menu selections to load the next folder of data, but it was consistent.

    Then new updated version rocks over wifi. It is super fast and works well (except mine still won’t stream video even over wifi). The problem is, I don’t stream music over wifi, I stream using this app in my car. Over the 3g network, the app is super slow. Much slower than before. The 1st few menus load fast but for example, pressing to browse music by folder and can over a 30 seconds to load the list of available folders. The app has just locked up, or opened then closed immediately many times now.

    I removed it and reverted to the prior version. All is well again.

  • XNO

    This update is crap!-
    Videos are filtered to show only videos converted with mq[2] or Mobile[3] Video Converter profile.WHAT NOOOOOOO all my vidro is mp4 which worked fine in the old version.

  • cboy

    does anyone have a copy of the older version? I didnt get a chance to grab it before this update came out?

    can you email it to me? silverap1 at Gmail

    id really really appreciate it!

    • jeffla

      Email sent :)

      • That1Guy

        Hate to keep asking, but can I get it too??? cchoban at yahoo

        Thank you!!!

  • David

    can i have too the old version on my email jbbrescia -att- gmail ?

    thaks a lot, this update is not a good news about the 3G restriction !

    there is an app in cydia to enable 3G like the iphone will be in wifi " 3G restrictor"

    but i prefer using the ols version.

    Thanks all of you and thanks so much HP :o (

    • jeffla

      Done

      email sent :)

  • tallass

    can i have access to the old version: tallassazn at yahoo

    thanks jeffla

    • jeffla

      sent

  • mrhugo

    can i get the old version too please…send to: mrhugo at gmail dot com…would be much appreciated! thanks!

    • jeffla

      check your mail :)

  • LX195er

    Any chance I'll ever get an app like this for the LX195?

    • jeffla

      WHS Mobile works OK for streaming music. Orb has an iphone app and will work on WHS.

  • MacUser

    Hello…I hate to request this as well, but jeffla or anyone else….Can you send me the old version as well?

    Much thanks: ghanaboy4eva at yahoo dot com

  • Fingers

    You can try this free app as an alternative…- MediaLink Player Lite

    http://appshopper.com/entertainment/media-link-pl…

  • Techaholic

    i would love to get back to th old version, if it's not too much trouble.

    thx Tech:- pconn at comcast dot net

  • Wizmon

    could I also please get the old version, wizmon at gmail ? I would really appreciate it!

  • Cirrus

    Can I also get the old app please. Send to carlosbarrerra at gmail dot com

  • http://www.noupe.com/photography/beyond-visible-100-years-of-infrared-photographs.html Zenia Hulick

    Blogging like you do is such an art and you obviously have that skill here – I don't but I did find this that made me smile so maybe I can return the favour by making you smile too?

    Don’t argue with a fool. The spectators can’t tell the difference. :)