Simplify your laptop buying
- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows XP
- Date added: May 13, 2005
- Total Downloads: 26,320
- Downloads last week: 179
- See full specifications
A newer version of Orb is available.
(Download doesn't provide access to previous versions of this program.)
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 22 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
This is not a flashback to the chart-defying tricks of ambient house music progenitors The Orb, although if you have their music you can use this Orb to play it anywhere. No, this Orb melds module-based personal portals with your hard drive's media content and lets you stream it to almost any Internet-connected handheld device.
The setup will probably be challenging to users who aren't familiar with how to open ports, but, fortunately, there's plenty of help in Orb's user forums. Once you're good to go, the program launches in your browser and you can choose whether you want your video module to be front and center, how wide your music module should be, and if you really need yet another weather widget.
Uploading your media files is a time-consuming and tedious process that could be greatly improved upon. After that, you can "MyCast" them. MyCasting is what Orb's publisher calls Webcasting when done with its program. If your home PC has coaxial access, you can stream television, as well as photos, video files, and music.
By circumventing the need to reload media files on a second machine and having the handheld connection, Orb seems pretty nifty. The system requirements, though, are stringent, and the upload process is slow-going, making this a useful product with room for improvement.
Publisher's description
From Orb Networks :Orb takes the home out of home entertainment. Orb gives you secure access to the digital media on your home PC through a Web interface. Orb streams your content safely to virtually any Internet-connected device. Just install the Orb software on your PC, and then access your media anywhere.
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User reviews of Orb 1.0
- Average user rating: 0 stars Not yet available
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This software version | All versions -
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Version: Orb 1.0
"Can watch/listen to my TV , music, videos, etc on a mobile phone or remote pc"
Pros: The concept is killer--watch Tv, videos or listen to tunes on a phone or any pc for FREE. And it worked :-) Orb seems to have figured out the transcoding part of it so that any device you use to access your stuff is recognized to reduce buffering.
The software loaded fine on my home PC (HP WMCE), recognized my media files and then logged in with my Nokia 6620 (all-u-can-eat data package MANDATORY) and was streaming the NBA playoffs. Awesome! Can also use Orb to set the PVR, which is cool. Works great on a PC too. My dad uses it when he travels to access his webcam from the cruise ship internet cafe. Best part of it is that once you have loaded the Orb s/w on your home PC, you can access it on any device connected to the Net. Pretty slick.
Cons: I had no major issues. Only thing I can gather from the user groups (see their website under "support") is that you need to pay attention to make sure you have the right TV tuner if you use a Win XP box. Other than that I had no issues. Interface is not fancy, but nice and simple. Since it has to render on any device like a handset, it seems that they have to keep it simple. No premium content yet (press says it is coming), but hey--its free and it works.
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