User Manual

76 Fine-Tuning Your Experience
where the entertainment system is located. Although any of the links in
this example would be sufficient for high-traffic applications such as
streaming HD video, the use of older devices such as 10 Mbps Ethernet
or 802.11b wireless would create a significant bottleneck.
Optimizing Media File Performance
Video playback can be resource intensive. To avoid pauses in video
viewing, select hard disk drives and network equipment designed to
handle large files quickly. If you want to send video over a wireless
network connection, new wireless technologies like those found in the
NETGEAR RangeMax
TM
products are good choices. Not only do they
operate at higher speeds, but they also sustain those speeds over greater
distances.
File transfer speed depends on the following:
• Hard disk drive speed
SATA hard drives can be any of the following speeds: 4,500 RPM,
5,400 RPM, 7,200 RPM, 10,000 RPM.
• LAN connection speed
A Gigabit Ethernet connection through a gigabit switch provides
the fastest LAN file transfer speed and gives the best performance.
NETGEAR HD Powerline adapters provide adequate bandwidth
without the inconvenience of running Ethernet cables.
• Wireless communication speed
– 802.11b (11 Mbps,) is not recommended for video.
For best performance separate your media into their
own set of folders. This will maximize performance of
your PC and reduce time needed to find media files.