How Does Google Media Server Work?

Universal Plug n' Play

Google Media Server is a software application for Windows computers designed to share files from a computer with other devices such as a PlayStation 3 or an XBox 360. To do this, Google Media Server employs what is called "Universal Plug n' Play" technology, where designated files from a computer are streamed over a wireless network, at which point they can then be accessed by other devices.

Google Desktop

Before using Google Media Server, one must first install Google Desktop. Google Desktop is an application that indexes all the files on your computer, making them quickly accessible from one application. Google Media Server uses the information obtained from Google Desktop to make relevant files available to the wireless network.

File Types

Google Media Server can stream a variety of file types to other devices. These file types include music files in .MP3 format, video files in .MPEG and .AVI format, and images. The program also offers easy integration with other web services, like effortlessly uploading videos to YouTube and uploading photo albums to Picassa. Google Media Server presently only supports the Windows operating system and there are no plans to develop versions for any other operating system.