Accessing stuff from desktop from laptop

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

My desktop is immovable and has LOADS of cool mp3s and movies on it. Stuff that I want to access in my living room.

I thought the best way would be to avoid all the streaming gadgets and simply buy a cheap laptop.

The laptop will be networked to my desktop wirelessly and I will be able to access all my desktp files in my living room, on my laptop

Laptop will be plugged into brand new pc iput LCD 40" tv!

This is possible right?

What is the minimum spec of laptop i will need?

Do bear in mind, this is to be done wirelessly...

Thanks brainy people!

[Plotloss]

If you intend to use it for movies then I'd run wire.

Music will be fine but movies may be stretching a wireless connection unless they are very tightly encoded.

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

Plotloss said:

If you intend to use it for movies then I'd run wire.

Music will be fine but movies may be stretching a wireless connection unless they are very tightly encoded.

Maybe I will just burn them onto re-recordable dvd's then? I have a few... Possibly best option.

I reckon a laptop would be a hifi system, dvd player and moer all in one.

All I need now is a set of awesome speakers... THinking logitech z series...

Silly question: how do I actually link the comps together? wirelesssly?

[Plotloss]

Whats your budget?

You'd probably be better off with a desktop based media centre machine

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

Plotloss said:

Whats your budget?

You'd probably be better off with a desktop based media centre machine

Happy to buy second hand. Budget is whatever it costs really...

I have seen p4's for about 500 on gumtree etc...

[m12_nathan]

You could install media center on your main desktop and then buy an xbox 360 to stream the content to the tv, with the bonus of getting a games machine?

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

m12_nathan said:

You could install media center on your main desktop and then buy an xbox 360 to stream the content to the tv, with the bonus of getting a games machine?

That is an option...

How much is media centre? Is it simply a software upgrade or do you need additional hardware?

I am on:
2.5 Ghz
512mb
200 GB Harddrive
Wireless internet connection

Any way to download media centre on Ares, etc!!??

[m12_nathan]

Just a software upgrade as far as I know, you'd need extra cards if you wanted to record tv but just for playback it should be fine as it is.

www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=143742

[Alex]

I built a Shuttle XPC for around £400. It is wired into my network (as Plotloss says, WiFi is not fast enough for video streaming), and connected to my TV and amp. I've got an infrared keyboard with built-in trackball mouse (£32 from Ebay). Now I can stream movies and music to my av system from any PC on the network!