UPnP

I spent today configuring my media server using Media Tomb on the WD My book world edition The WD my book world edition i must say is a very nice product and I am very pleased with it. UPnP sounded like something worth trying after reading how it is supposed to seamlessly and easily make all your media files available to the machines and other devices on your network, i was used to sharing my media files on the network and using the built in database (Library) of Windows media player on each machine to access my media but was hoping that by using UPnP my PDA, and later on my music center could seamlessly and easily access my media. My guests at home could access my media on their cell phones etc.

The server side of a media server is pretty straight forward to setup, their are also quite a few good programs available that will allow you to turn a PC or the WD my book hard drive into a media server. I posted a link in my previous blog on how to install Media Tomb. However its the client side so far that has disappointed me, since i thought that UPnP by nature should have shown up automatically as an option on all my media programs on all my devices and PCs on my network. At the very least windows media player would automatically and without effort see my UPnP stream ... well it didn't.
the only client program I had some success with was "Nero showtime" but not seamlessly or effortlessly. It seems that the standard hasn't been included into most media players.(i tried Core, VLC, Windows media player)

WD My Book World edition makes for a terrific media center and is a great product especially after you have performed some simple hacks to it. It has a Intel ARM processor and has Linux installed on a 2.5GB partition of the 1 terabyte Hard drive, so you could easily install a web server and use the WD Mybook as a fully functional Web or FTP server with 1 Terra Byte of Hard disk Space and for a lot cheaper that what it would cost you to purchase a PC. if I can only find a good client program to access my Media tomb UpNP stream I'd be plain sailing but I havent' so I'm pretty disappointed about that, I read that the PS3 works with it, I will try it out again when i upgrade my AV receiver to one that has a Gigabit Ethernet port and is able to use my UPnP Stream.

Enabling SSH access on WD My Book

With ssh you can connect to the WD My Book hard drive securely from anywhere in the world to access your media ...nice

this Hack I got from http://martin.hinner.info/ site. Martin is a Linux Guru Guru*
(Guru,Guru is one higher than just a plain Guru) I have my WD MyBook set-up in this configuration and it is has been an absolute lifesaver in times when I have been away from my media.

The process doesn't require hard drive dis assembly. It does not even require physical access to the drive. It works fine on every WD MyBook WE models (both I and II, capacities from 320GB to 2TB).

Spawning sshd

First of all you have to create a new user using standard web interface. SSH will not allow you to log-in as root without password.

Then enter this URL into your browser:

http://ip address of your my_book/auth/firmware_upgrade.pl?fwserver=martin.hinner.info/mybook/firmware.php

You should see a page that displays that "new firmware is available". (default username/password for MyBook is "admin"/"123456").

Click on "Click to download and install".

(Note: if you are interested how this works, click here).

Now you have to be patient, the whole process will take a while - not 30 minutes as stated on the firmware upgrade page, because you are not actually performing any upgrade. The "upgrade" process will generate ssh host keys. This takes maybe 1 or 2 minutes. Then root's password is reset (set to '') and finally, sshd process is spawned.

Please note that you will not be informed about the operation progress. Just try to log in using ssh after a few minutes to see if it has succeeded. When you find out that sshd is running, log in under the user you created in the first step. You should get the bash shell immediately. Then type "su -" (no password) to get the root shell.

Making sshd permament

In order to get ssh daemon running each time you power-up your MyBook, add the following line to /etc/inittab:

::sysinit:/usr/sbin/sshd

Now reboot your MyBook to see it if works.

Other recommendations

Get rid of mionet processes. as it allows "worldwide" data sharing, it's useless since you can install a web server or ftp server on your MyBook. Mionet is written in Java, which kills the arm processor on the mybook.

Consider also installing alternative web administration interface.

No firmware available bug

"No new firmware available" is caused by the failure of MyBook to fetch the upgrade script. Try to reboot MyBook and run the firmware upgrade process again.

MediaTomb UPnP streaming server on WD MyBook World Edition NAS

MediaTomb UPnP streaming server on WD MyBook World Edition

Question

In Skydiving, what is the purpose for the helmet ?

Tribute to Concorde

Today marks the Anniversary of the Concorde.
39 Years ago (today -9th January 1969) the British version of the
supersonic commercial plane made it's first test flight.

the last flight of the Concorde was on November 26th 2003.
ironically it landed on the same runway on its last flight as it took
off from on its first test flight in 1969 (Bristol)

Department of Agriculture

A Department of Agriculture representative stopped at a farm and spoke
to an old Boer.

'I need to inspect your farm.'

The old Boer said, 'OK Boet, but paali..se don't goes in that field over
there.'

The Rep said, 'Mister Boer, I have the authority of the Government with
me.

See this card? It means I am allowed to go WHEREVER I WISH on any
agricultural land

No questions asked or answered,' Have I made myself clear?

The old farmer nodded politely and went about his farm chores.

Later, the old farmer heard loud screams and saw the Agriculture Rep
running for the fence!

Close behind was the farmer's huge-horned prize bull.

The bull was gaining on the Rep with every step.

The Rep was clearly terrified, so the old Boer immediately threw down
his tools,

ran to the fence and shouted out.....

'Your card, Boet!

Your card!

Shows de fakin Bull jou card!'