Apple Macintosh News and Information
Apple Macintosh News and Information

Playback Media Server 1.5 for Mac OS X brings built-in HD MKV support for PS3/Xbox

Yazsoft has released Playback 1.5, a major update to their popular zero configuration media server for Mac OS X. With a focus on ease-of-use, Playback allows anyone to share their media with any Playstation 3, Xbox 360, or other supported UPnP compatible device. Playback can also share media stored in folders or even make entire disks available to a Playstation 3 or Xbox 360. No configuration required. Version 1.5 brings a highly anticipated feature to PS3/Xbox users – built-in HD MKV support to all PS3/Xbox users without the use of messy and resource hogging transcoding.

Playback is engineered for extreme performance, while at the same time delivering a streamlined design with unparalleled reliability and stability. By default, it will share almost any content on the users system. And Playback automatically integrates with iTunes, iPhoto, Aperture, Adobe Lightroom 2, Photobooth, and EyeTV too, making it a perfect complement to Apple’s iLife Suite. Users can share all content from these applications transparently or choose specific playlists and albums.

Those who like to tinker will appreciate Playback’s built-in Access Control List (ACL) and bandwidth throttling. The ACL allows users to control which devices have access to their media. Bandwidth throttling limits the transfer rate from the computer to their UPnP device. This allows others on the network to do other internet related activities, such as surf the web and check their email.

Playback was engineered for extreme speed, while offering complete control of shared content. Media is served via lighttpd, the same rock-solid technology that powers YouTube, Wikipedia, and many other popular sites. Playback sports many creature comforts as well, including Growl notifications, Spotlight based searching, on-screen thumbnails (powered by QuickLook), and much more. Playback even includes a handy Status menu which conveniently displays live stream info, at-a-glance.

Feature Highlights:
* Streamlined design
* Unparalleled performance and stability
* Share movies, music, and pictures
* Built-in support for HD MKV files
* Transparent integration with iTunes, iPhoto, Aperture, Photobooth, Adobe Lightroom 2 & 3, and EyeTV recordings
* Complete control of shared content
* Spotlight based searching
* Quicklook thumbnails for all media
* Bandwidth throttling
* ACL access
* Growl notifications
* Status menu with live stream info
* And much more

What’s changed in 1.5:
* New: Added built-in support for HD MKV Files.
* New: Added support for Aperture 3 & Aperture Faces.
* New: The user’s home folder is now included in “Share all of my disks” mode.
* New: The demo period has been reset for users who’ve tried Playback before.
* New: Dutch & Spanish localization.
* Updated: French & German localization.
* Fixed: Minor bug fixes & enhancements.

System Requirements:
* Requires Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard or later
* 47 MB Hard Drive Space
* Any Playstation 3, Xbox 360, or other supported UPnP compatible device
* Network connection (Gigabit recommended for HD)

Pricing and Availability:
Playback is offered at the low price of $15.00 (USD) for three (3) licenses, and can be purchased from the Yazsoft website. A free 7 day demo is also available for download.

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