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[dcwebman]

Since CompUSA has the Netgear MP101 on sale after rebates for $49.99 this week, it got me looking into this subject. I have read most things on the forum, the Netgear site, and am still a little confused. From what I understand, I could hook up the MP101 to my stereo and it will find all my MP3's to play on my home stereo. The thing I don't understand is why would I need Media Center in the picture? Does it replace the software the MP101 comes with and if so, what's the advantage of that if I'm just listening to audio? And it sounds like I still have to use Netgear's little 4 line display too.

If all that's true, I want to see the theatre view on my TV too but don't want to pay the higher price of a UPnP device like I have seen mentioned elsewhere. I do have an older laptop that has a wireless PCMCIA network card that I could sit by the home stereo & TV. But is there a PCMCIA device I could use that would then let me plug the laptop into the stereo & TV so I can use theatre view from MC?  But I guess I wouldn't have a remote then.

Can anybody please clear this up for me?

[yonkiman]

Looking at a recent post from JimH, it looks like Media Center doesn't support the MP101 directly.  I just bought the CompUSA $49.99 MP101 and got it working with the Netgear server.  They seem to coexist peacefully, and I've finally got access to my library from the small stereo in my bedroom.

There are a few nits I could pick, but $50 for a receiver like this is an incredible bargain!  It would be great if JRiver supported it, but I'm pretty happy already...

-Fred

[JimH]

MC does support the Netgear 101.

Please check the UPnP thread here and the list of supported devices.

[dcwebman]

I saw that the MP101 is supported which is why I asked my original question.

Jim, since it is supported by MC, what is the advantage of using MC with the MP101. Sorry, but I just don't understand the connection between the two as it sounds like the MP101 has its own database.
Thanks,
Jeff

[JimH]

what is the advantage of using MC with the MP101. Sorry, but I just don't understand the connection between the two as it sounds like the MP101 has its own database.

The Netgear software may be fine for your needs. 

[dcwebman]

OK, with some googling, I read some reviews and now understand that the Netgear server software stinks (I thought the database was in the hardware). Now I understand the need for MC. Jim, I wasn't saying anything negative about MC (I use it daily) but just didn't understand what it did with the MP101.

I wish I could get video capability for a cheap price but I'll have to settle for just audio for now. I'm off to CompUSA at lunchtime! Thanks!

[raistlin2k]

Some more confusion on MP101 & MC11:

Some time ago I bought a Noxon, but it was unable to  browse my library due to too small RAM built into the Noxon, so I returned it to my reseller.

Thinking about buying the Netgear MP101, I contacted Netgear via mail to know if there is also a limit in the browsing capabilities of the unit due to RAL limitations.

They answered me that the limit is 12.000 files which sounds somehow crazy to me since I read a review where 17.000 files were used.

Anyone here running MP101 on a big library? How many files do you have? Does The Netgear have any problems with such big libraries?

Thanks Raist