So-called network media players allow you to stream content straight from your PC's hard disk, either via network cable or wirelessly. With the advent of broadband Internet, and the huge storage capacities of modern PCs, the computer plays an increasingly larger role in the home-theater.

The PS3 complements this role and delivers excellent playback quality for videos, music, and photos via a network. It also outperforms some of the established network media players in terms of ease-of-use and compatibility.

A hub of multimedia content: The PS3 brings your videos, music, and photos to the living room.

So, this all sounds good, but to start with, you will need a working connection to a network. This can be done wirelessly or using a network cable. The maximum data transfer rate is obviously an important consideration and may influence your choice between wireless and hard-wired configurations.

Since the PS3 does not support the latest 802.11n wireless standard, but rather the earlier 802.11g standard, the maximum data rate is limited to 54 Mbit/s. With a poor wireless connection, however, data rates can plummet to as little as a tenth of that. Just checking emails can become a chore when using a bad wireless connection, so imagine the anguish of trying to play back a 120-minute movie in HD resolution. To be on the safe side, a network cable will ensure judder-free streaming at all resolutions and bit rates.

The tricky bit is getting the server to work, but do not let this put you off - it is probably easier than you think. If you have the latest version of Windows Media Player, you actually already have a UPnP AV Server that provides access to other devices' media libraries. Some other common solutions are listed below.

Selecting a server: The PS3's menu lists available video sources, including any networked UPnP servers.

Windows Media Connect:
Free with the latest version of Windows Media Player (for Windows PCs).

Elgato Eyeconnect:
About 45 GBP, this is only suitable for Mac-based PCs.

Twonky Vision:
About 26 GBP, suitable for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

The PlayStation 3 also proudly wears the DLNA logo (Digital Living Network Alliance), which guarantees compatibility with all other DLNA-certified UPnP devices. The latest Firmware update includes a range of useful functions especially designed for network playback. We therefore recommend all owners of this console to upgrade to version 2.41: Select "System Update" from the settings menu. The device must be connected to the Internet for the update.