How to turn an old PC into a home media server
If you’ve ever upgraded your computer system, you’ve had to deal with the old version. Maybe you want to sell it online for a pretty penny. Tap or click here to maximize your selling price when giving away your old devices.
Then again, you may not want to part with it for a few reasons. That makes sense: Your old PC has a few pretty cool uses. For example, you can turn it into a home media server that stores your old songs, videos, documents and files.
This is an excellent backup if you ever deal with cloud storage issues or lost thumb drives. All you need is the right free software and a little ingenuity. Here’s an easy guide to turning your old computer into a handy home media server you’ll use time and time again.
Why you need it
Here’s a quick overview if you’ve never heard of a home media server. It’s like a private streaming service that keeps copies of your favorite movies, photos, shows, podcasts and more. Think of it as a central hub for your media.
The main benefit of having your own home media server is freedom. You’re not at the mercy of streaming services and their ever-changing deals. So often, you find a show or movie on one service only to discover it’s disappeared a few days later.
This can be frustrating since you have to look up the movie again to see where it’s streaming. You might even have to sign up for a new service to watch the film. Tap or click here for a few handy sites that reveal where the show or movie you want to watch is streaming.
A home media server also lets you watch high-quality videos
Setting up a home media server saves you time and effort. Another great benefit is video quality preservation. After all, your local network may move data more quickly than your internet connection.
To put it simply, adding a 4K movie with Blu-ray quality to your home media server means you can watch it anytime, even when the internet is out. While you don’t need internet access, you will need a LAN or local area network.
If you’re new to lingo like LAN, check out our easy guide to internet connectivity. You can even tinker with your router to control traffic with network prioritization and beef up security. Tap or click here to get better Wi-Fi using these features on your router.