Choosing software

There are a range of programs available for Mac OS, Windows, and Linux users. A simple online search will show you what's available. Read each software developer's site carefully to see if their software is compatible with your operating system. Above all, be sure you go with a reputable company, and read some reviews if you can.

Because there are so many options out there, we knew we couldn't test all of them. So we picked a few of the most popular and gave them a try. Many of the programs we found are free or come with a free trial period to help you decide if you like it before you buy it. Others might have a small one-time fee of $20-$40.

Is it compatible with your operating system?
No matter your computer's operating system, you'll have a good selection of software to choose from. Connect360 was developed for Mac OS users, and streams media very smoothly to the Xbox 360. Medialink was developed by the same company, and works well for Mac OS users who want to stream media to the PS3. Windows Media Player 11 is the easiest choice for Windows users on the Xbox 360, since it's included with the operating system. Thanks to a recent update, it will also work with the PS3 for users running Vista or XP — although it didn't work as smoothly for us with the PS3 as with the Xbox 360.

TVersity is another good option for Windows users, and it has support for both the Xbox 360 and the PS3. TwonkyMedia was the most versatile of the software that we tried — it has downloads available for Mac OS, Windows, and Linux users, and will work with both the Xbox 360 and the PS3.

What kinds of media does the software support?
Be aware that some programs only stream certain types of media or only support certain features. For example, TVersity and TwonkyMedia worked well when we wanted to play music, view images, or watch movies. But when sharing music from an iTunes® library, they did not support album art. Connect360 and Medialink, which are designed to work with Apple software, did support album art downloaded from the iTunes store. And WMP 11, when used with Vista, only played music files that were supported by the console — it couldn't "transcode" media (see below).

Can the software transcode media?
"Transcoding" lets you play a number of file formats that your game console may not natively support. It involves decoding the original data, and then re-encoding it on the fly into a different format that can be played by your console. So if the software you're looking at can't transcode certain types of media that the console won't play on its own, then you won't be able to listen to or view that media on your game console.

Check the software developer's site to see if it will transcode media, and if so, what types of media it can transcode. You can also check out the chart below for a general idea of which file types the 360 and the PS3 should play without transcoding.

Troubleshooting common hang-ups

My computer is slow or is taking a long time to update the music library.
It may take a while when you're adding media to your software's library, depending on the speed of your computer, the number of media files you're adding, and the size of the files you're adding. It might also take a few minutes for your game console to display all of the music and data files being streamed from your computer. So don't get discouraged if the process takes longer than you expected.

My console can't "see" my computer.
A firewall acts as a filter to control the data flowing to and from your computer. Your firewall may prevent the software you download from working properly, so you may need to tweak your firewall settings to allow certain sharing capabilities in order to stream media.

Some of my music isn't showing up, or the names aren't displaying properly.
You may have some problems playing certain kinds of media. Double check to make sure that the console supports the format that you're trying to play, or that the software can transcode the format.

In some cases, the files may just need to be renamed if the names are too long or if the characters aren't supported by the console or the software. For example, if you have an album by an Indian or Russian artist, chances are that either the console or the software cannot display the characters in that language. Use only the characters on your keyboard to be safe. You can also consult the developer's site for troubleshooting issues.

What to do if you're still having problems
Most software developers offer some kind of online support should you have a problem. FAQs and troubleshooting pages are good places to start. If that doesn't solve your problem, try searching through the computing forums available on the developer's site or on independent sites, like AVS forum.

Don't be afraid to try a few different programs until you find one that you like. Once you do find the right software, remember to pay attention to automatic update alerts from the software provider and from your console's manufacturer. They may support more audio/video formats and offer improved functionality in the future.