Stream from a networked HD?

[Futureman]

This is probably a very easy question for most, but you can stream from a networked drive, correct? Or do you need an actual computer to stream from?

I only have laptops but after discovering Subsonic last week, I want to set up some kind of home media server.

I seem to remember seeing some networked drives, I think by WD. Would one of those work, or do you need a computer on at all times?

[Futureman]

Should I just get something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Iomega-Network-At ... B001OC5JM2

??

[clem]

You'll need a NAS on which you can install Subsonic. The Iomega NAS won't let you install anything on it, so you'd still need a computer on which to run Subsonic.

[GJ51]

Probably the cheapest way to get something useful, at least for music streaming, would be a nettop pc:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi ... ageSize=20

I lkie the MSI, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... -_-Product

Add 2tb hd http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6822152245

Add your favorite OS and install Subsonic.

Either that, or look for a reasonable refurbed desktop or a put together kit like you can find at Tiger Direct. Here's a kit for $199 that can get you up and running. Just add favorite OS.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/email/WEM258 ... age-_-Spot 01-_-CatId_email_199BareboneKit

They're pretty hard to find, but I built my WHS from the parts from an HP AMD 65W quad core refurb. only draws about 60W at idle with 4GB ram and 4 2TB hard drives.

[hanker]

Probably the cheapest way to get something useful, at least for music streaming, would be a nettop pc:

I'm joining this late, but another option is a Sheevaplug:

http://www.globalscaletechnologies.com/p-22-sheevaplug-dev-kit-us.aspx

It's a cheap ($99 US), low-power (7 W) headless computer with connections only for usb, ethernet, serial, and power. It has an ARM processor running at 1.6 GHz and 512 MB of RAM. I have mine booted in Debian squeeze from a 4 GB SDHC card. It streams music from an NFS-mounted hard disk, but it could also stream from a direct-connected usb drive. It works great provided that you go to the trouble to install Sun java.

Output of htop while streaming over the internet from home to work is this:

CPU[|| 3.2%] Tasks: 104 total, 1 running
Mem[||||||||||||||||316/501MB] Load average: 0.22 0.13 0.05
Swp[ 0/0MB] Uptime: 3 days, 20:03:19

Works great.