Jamcast Audio Streaming Server
The Jamcast audio streaming server can stream any audio in any format from your computer to any network plug and play or DLNA devices and more conventional gaming consoles.
Ease of Use, Performance: 18/25
Look & Feel: 24/25
Features 15/25
How much I enjoy 15/25
Total: 72/100
Jamcast is a computer based media streaming server that takes just about any format audio that can play on your computer and streams it to any UPnP/DLNA device. The Jamcast server uses what is termed a virtual soundcard to convert and stream audio sources to any device that can accept audio over your local network.
Jamcast is a simple to install and use program with only five pages on its Server Manager with each page having very simple to use and understand features. Once you install the server it will integrate to all your media programs like Windows Media Center and iTunes, adding the manager as well as a Tray Icon to your computer.
The server manager works easily and you simply go to the Devices page to add any devices on your network to the Jamcast server using the Find button. Once the device is found you can simply use that to listen to audio like podcasts, music and network radio.
I could not find any formats the audio server could not play in music, podcasts and a variety of other media on the internet and the virtual soundcard makes this possible. The Jamcast program includes integration with media players like Windows Media Center and iTunes as well as a virtual soundcard that handles format transcoding.
The virtual soundcard easily changes formats of audio files and makes them playable on any of the devices connected to your network. The virtual soundcard works without any setup or adjustments so it is a hands free feature as much of the Jamcast program is.
Once you install the program you simply add your devices and then use that device to play audio, but it's that play audio that is the real test. I'm not sure for devices like receivers how this would work as many receivers don't have much of a user interface but for console games it works just like Media Center integration.
The media server works well for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 but these already include media servers just like computers do so Jamcast would not really be worthwhile for just streaming over the usual devices. The program would be best for devices such as internet ready televisions, receivers and other devices that do not include streaming servers that are UPnP and DLNA ready.
The Jamcast has a list of devices as well as talk on their forum about other devices that people have had success or failure with using the audio server. I had no problems using the Jamcast server over my home network with my console game systems but the program is much more for those odd devices.
I really do not see much use for Jamcast unless you have these odd devices like internet ready disc players, televisions or receivers but it can also be used with phones. Cell phones like the iPhone and iTouch as well as devices like the iPad are supported as well as a list of other devices.
Jamcast is a very particular and specific program with a limited use for streaming audio only, but it works well for what it does without many controls to worry about. If you need an audio streaming server Jamcast is a simple to use program that works well and has a very good support system.
SDS Technologies and their forums where people ask questions and get answers from both the company and other users make it handy to find answers to problems as well as possible devices not listed on their site. Jamcast is a great audio streaming server but is only for audio, if you have an internet or network device that needs a streaming server check out Jamcast at SDS Technologies.