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HP EX487 MediaSmart Home Server | 
| Brand: Hewlett-Packard
Category: Personal Computer
List Price: $885.00
Buy New: $450.99
as of 3/16/2010 21:57 MDT details
You Save: $434.01 (49%)
New (4) Used (1) from $439.00
Seller: a_dingding
Rating:  60 reviews
Color: Black
Media: Personal Computers
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Modem: None
Shipping Weight (lbs): 15.7
Dimensions (in): 9.9 x 9.8 x 5.5
Warranty: 1 year warranty
MPN: FL701AA#ABA
Model: EX487
UPC: 884420143529
EAN: 0884420143529
ASIN: B001NPEB5Q
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Intel Celeron 2.0GHz 64-bit Processor | | • | Network-Based Backup of Macs Using Apple's Time Machine | | • | Single SATA 7200 RPM 750GB Drives (x2) | | • | Photo/Video Sharing and Remote Access to Digital Media and Files on a Variety of Devices | | • | Automatic Digital Content Organization Across All PCs |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Product Description
Automatically back up and protect your digital memories, centralize your media and content for sharing with friends and family, and enjoy your digital media while at home or away with the HP EX487 MediaSmart Home Server. Based on the Microsoft Windows Home Server platform, this sleek, quiet server is ideal if you have multiple PCs on a home network, or want the flexibility to enjoy your digital experiences from anywhere over the Internet. And it's easy to set up--just plug it in, connect it to your wireless router (sold separately), and load the software onto your PCs and Macs. 
The HP EX487 makes backing up your home's PCs and streaming media a breeze, and it comes with 1.5 TB of storage. | Centralize your iTunes music libraries on the MediaSmart Server for playback to any networked Mac or PC running iTunes. The HP Media Collector conveniently schedules the MediaSmart Server to copy and centralize digital files and libraries from networked PCs. The pre-installed HP Photo Publisher software enables you to easily upload photos to Facebook, Flickr, Picasa Web Albums and Snapfish. and the MediaSmart Server provides peace of mind with effortless backups of your Windows-based PCs via the Windows Home Server backup feature and Macs running Leopard using Apple Time Machine software. The EX487 MediaSmart comes with dual 750 GB hard drives (for 1.5 TB of storage right out of the box) and four drive bays that allow you to add optional off-the-shelf SATA I or II hard drives--up to a maximum capacity of 9 TB (terabytes). Additionally, the MediaSmart includes four USB 2.0 ports and one eSATA port for connecting an attached external hard drive, and it provides capabilities for offsite backup via automatic upload to Amazon's S3 service. The sleek, streamlined micro-tower design is perfect for use in the home office or the living room, with perforated steel exterior panels that provide cool, quiet operation. A Sleep Mode conserves energy and saves you money in more ways than one. The built-in sleep mode consumes only 1W of power, and the server can take on many of your PC's responsibilities, enabling you to turn off your individual computers to further save energy and money. Software Features
- Operating System: Powered by Windows Home Server, a new software solution from Microsoft for storing, accessing, sharing and automatically protecting digital files.
- HP Control Center: The HP MediaSmart software that sits on top of the Windows Home Server software making access to tasks easier. Users with administrative access privileges can access the Windows Home Server Console from the HP Control Center.
- Windows Home Server Console: Software accessed from the HP Control Center to manage your HP MediaSmart Server. Software includes setting up shared folders, assigning user access privileges and customizing backups.
- File Sharing and Storage: Effortlessly centralize your files and access them from any PC and or Mac on your home network.
- PC Hard Drive Disk Backup: Once the HP MediaSmart Server software is installed on a home PC, the Windows Home Server backup software automatically starts backing up the PCs hard disk drive image every night. You can customize the number and frequency of backups kept.
- Mac Backup: Back up your Macs to the MediaSmart Server using Apple's Time Machine software.
- Shared Folder Duplication: Designate folders that will be copied automatically onto multiple hard drives for an additional layer of redundant protection. Folder duplication replaces traditional RAID-style redundancy.
- Individual File Restore: If you accidentally delete a file on your PC, you can browse versions of the PC hard drive backup image on the HP MediaSmart Server to find the file and copy it to your PC.
- PC Hard Drive Disk Restore: In the event of a PC hard drive failure, the included HP PC Restore disc is all you need to restore a hard drive image from the HP MediaSmart Server. Theres no need to locate your original operating system disc.
- HP Media Collector: Conveniently schedules the server to copy and centralize your Windows PC media files and libraries (including iTunes and playlists).
- Remote Access: Upon installation, you can set up a personal web address to be used for remote access and by visitors. Using your personal web address, you can remotely access shared folders and files on the HP MediaSmart Server from any Internet-connected computer.
- In-Home and Remote Media Streaming: Extend your digital media experiences by conveniently streaming photos, music and videos to your TVs, through gaming consoles such as Xbox 360 or PlayStation3, and computer's within your home. Remotely stream music and photos from your server to any Internet-connected computer for access while you are away.
- HP Photo Publisher: Easily publish your photos to Snapfish, Facebook, Flickr, and Picasa Web Albums using an Internet-connected computer.
- HP Photo Viewer: Quickly share photos and albums stored on the Server with friends and family.
- Server for iTunes: Centralize your iTunes music libraries and playlists on the server for playback to any PC or Mac running iTunes on your home network.
Satisfy all your backup and media storage needs with four internal hard drive bays, four USB 2.0 ports, one eSATA port, and access to Amazon S3 online backup. | - Easy Storage Expansion: Add an internal or external hard drive to the HP MediaSmart Server, indicate that you want to add the disk in the Windows Home Server Console, and the HP MediaSmart Server storage grows. No need to power down the unit or manage drive letters for multiple hard drives.
- Server Anti-Virus Protection: Server side anti-virus trial offer from McAfee for increased protection of your HP MediaSmart Server. Run quick scans of specific folders or deep scans across your entire home server.
- Server Backup: Protect your digital memories from fire/flood/natural disaster... backup your server shared folders to an external hard disk drive, and/or an online backup to Amazon S3.
- Server Recovery: The included Server Recovery Disc can be used to recover all data and restore folders or, to reset the server in case the server operating system disk becomes corrupt.
- Additional Software Add-Ins: Extend the functionality of your server through available software add-ins to enable expanded functionality, server personalization and/or entertainment.
- Users: Up to 10 user accounts can access the HP MediaSmart Server. In addition, a predefined Guest account can be enabled.
PC Operating System Support
- Automatic backup of computers running Microsoft Windows Vista (32 & 64 bit), XP Home (SP2), XP Professional (SP2), Media Center Edition 2004 (SP2) or later, and Macs running ApplesTime Machine.
- File sharing for computers running Microsoft Windows Vista (32 & 64 bit), XP Home (SP2) or XP Professional (SP2), Media Center Edition 2004 (SP2) or later, Mac OS X, or Linux.
- Remote access to computers running Microsoft Windows XP Professional (SP2), Media Center Edition 2005 (SP2), or Vista Ultimate.
Hardware Specifications
- Internal Hard Drive(s): Duals 750 GB drives (SATA, 7200 RPM) for 1.5 TB of storage
- Internal Expansion: Four hard drive bays (additional off the shelf SATA I or II hard drives can be added; no tools required)
- External Expansion: Four USB 2.0 ports (1 front, 3 back); one eSATA port (back)
- Processor: Intel Celeron 2.0 GHZ 64-bit Processor
- Memory: 2 GB of DDR2 DRAM (800 MHz)
- Network Support: 10/100/1000 (Gigabit) RJ45 Ethernet; supports both wired and wireless PCs (via a wireless router).
- Power: Internal universal power supply
- Dimensions: 5.5 x 9.8 x 9.2 inches (WxHxD)
What's in the Box
HP EX487 MediaSmart Home Server, power cable, Ethernet cable (RJ45), PC restore disc, server recovery disc, software installation disc, printed documentation. The MediaSmart Server is backed by a one-year limited warranty and dedicated software technical support both online and by phone.
Product Description
Automatically back up and protect digital photos, plus centralize your media and content for sharing with friends and family. Enjoy it at home and when you're on the go. It's easy with HP MediaSmart Server EX487.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 60
Great way to backup for those who don't like to. March 10, 2010
Michael Newman (Greensboro, NC USA)
The unit was simple to setup. Some of the tools installed by HP aren't documented very well but a simple internet search will give you more info than you would ever need. Easy to add extra drives. Easy to manage. For those who are a little more experienced with servers, you can connect your printers to it and share them to every PC connected to the Server, which is great if you own a laptop and like to be wireless. (You have to remote in using the Start>Run>mstsc command on your Windows PC to install printer drivers/software to share them - a little extra experience is needed here, ALSO don't use this command to install a bunch of extra software unless you want your server to run slow or become unstable)
It has a Celeron processor but since you don't sit in front of it running applications you will never notice, it doesn't require too much power to backup files and share printers.
Overall, this is a very simple and reliable way to backup files and entire PCs, which nobody likes to do. It does it automatically while you sleep!
 Frustrating experience setting it up February 21, 2010
Rebecca Li-huang
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
It's a good product once you installed the software on your computer(s). Everything seems to work quite naturally.
The problem and frustration? I have 4 computers at home. No problem setting up Windows Home Server on my two Dell laptops (like a breeze), but no luck trying to set up WHS on my HP laptop, even though it belongs to the same brand as the HP EX485 server! I called the tech support at HP perhaps 4 times already. To their credit, the tech support folks are very friendly, and tried their best to help. But after trying every trick they can think of, my HP laptop still cannot install the WHS Connector. And I do mean EVERY TRICK (from disabling/uninstalling firewall/antivirus to modifying NetBIOS to setting up new user account to changing registry). The same non-descriptive error message shows up every time I tried to install the software.
At this point, I don't know if the culprit is the HP home server or the Windows Home Server software (although I suspect the latter more). Either way, the experience has been decidedly mixed. I have never before had problem installing ANY software I want to install.
And by the way, my iMac with OS X 10.4 (Tiger) is not compatible with this server. You need at OS X 10.5 or higher.
 Works great, no complaints January 21, 2010
Cowboy Bill (Omaha, NE USA)
I've been using this server to back up my digital files for about six months now. (I'm an illustrator/graphic artist and my work files usually get pretty big.) So far, I have no complaints.
works fairly well in a mac/pc environment November 1, 2009
Jong Lee (Seattle, WA)
There has been lot of info from other good reviews so wanted to provide some info that I didn't see.
I have a 8TB system (4 x 2TB) with no modifications and almost no add-ons.
1) first backup on a Mac with ~1TB of data over ethernet took about 18 hours! Initial backups via ethernet only seems like a good idea.
2) noise isn't too bad even in the living room.
3) remote access via Windows Live works fine and is NOT a trial version. Works great.
4) unit is a LOT smaller than I expected.
5) nice feature to be able to turn down the LED's to different levels.
6) replacing the system default drive with the 2TB HDD was very easy. High recommended to do it before starting backups.
7) share folders work well for Macs and PC's.
8) the sleep and wakeup features works well.
The only real negative I have is that there isn't enough help documentation about the right strategies on going about using this system. I got two different books and still trying to understand how to use it as the help files are very rudimentary.
The other caveat is that for a Mac, the TOTAL backup size for ALL your Macs is limited to ONE hard drive size - for my system, it's limited to 2TB. This isn't an issue for me as my Macs total about 1.3TB of data, but can be limiting moving forward. I understand that the newer Mediasmart servers running the newer software (3.0) may resolve this sometime this fall.
Vista seems to spoil everything October 9, 2009
Chad K. Fisher (Olympia, WA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I've had the home server for about a month. It was extremely easy to setup, in my opinion. I think I might have done one thing differently during setup and that would be to skip updating the software via Windows Update until after all of my PC's were working.
Here's the reason why. My main PC is my XP Media Center 2005. It is a desktop and records all of my TV shows, etc. I set this PC up with the software that comes with the server right away. Did all the updates before using it. No hitches, no errors. Went smoothly and got my first backup that night.
The server was fairly easy to work with. I am a computer guy and don't consider myself a typical user but there didn't seem to be anything that technical about the setup and use. Advanced features such as remote desktop worked easily and right away.
The problem occurred when I went to backup my wife's Vista Premium laptop a couple days after setting up the desktop. I installed the laptop from the CD and updated it with Windows Update. No matter what I have done since, including turning off the firewall, reinstalling the connector and anything that could be related to Home Server, did nothing to fix the issue. I contacted support and got frustrated that they told me to do all of the things that I already have done. I have a XP Home machine and it is working fine. I've got all the functionality I wanted out of it in regards to my XP machines but little in regards to the Vista machine.
I haven't given up on getting the Vista laptop to work but I haven't had that much time and I'm irritated. It feels like a MS error, either with Vista or with WHS but either way I wonder whether or not it would have worked before I did updates to the WHS while I was setting it up.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 60
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