Sony Home Share Launches in Europe

By Alexander Grundner | October 2nd, 2008

Not quite sure why Sony decided to release their new Home Share (VGF-HS1E) digital media server exclusively to the European market at this time, but they did (and we here in the states are a little jealous). Notable features, besides the cool, white disc shaped enclosure, include: 1TB of data storage spread over 2 x 500GB hard drives, “One Touch Copy” of media stored on inserted flash memory cards or USB flash drive, remote browser access to media, remote notebook file sync, secured music / photo sharing with friends and family, and lastly… DLNA certification (so it can function as a UPnP media server to compatible devices). MSRP £499.00 VAT Incl. (about $880 USD).

Sony Home Share
The Sony Home Share offers customers an easy, versatile and complete solution to the ever-growing problem of storage – and access. It provides a huge central repository where all your digital video, pictures, music and other data can be kept on a 1 terabyte (2 x 500GB) drive array.

Transferring data from digital cameras, camcorders and phones is rapidly accomplished via the Home Share’s Multi-Card Reader1 slot or USB ports. Just slip in the card or make the USB connection and press the special One Touch Copy button, and the rest is automatic.

Once the Sony Home Share is connected to your home network you can back up data from other PCs or notebooks on the network using the Remote Home Access function to keep everything correctly up to date. Better still, you can access the Sony Home Share remotely via the internet, so you can back up your notebook from a Wi-Fi hotspot in a cafe if you want.

This Remote Home Access technology works both ways, allowing the Sony Home Share to send information across the internet as well as receive it. This means that if you are away, you can go online and get files or pictures from the Sony Home Share just as if it were in the next room. Likewise, sharing pictures with friends has never been easier. All they need is for you to email them a URL and (optionally) a security code, and they can see pictures and even slideshows with music on their own PC. This is done using a web-based application called “VAIO Picture Lab” which is hosted on the Home Share – friends and family don’t need any special software, just an internet connection and a web browser.

Remote Home Access is also the ideal way to share pictures with relatives if they have The Intelligent Photo Frame. So long as it is connected to the internet via their own home network, you can send pictures and even music to a remote Intelligent Photo Frame as easily as if it were in your house.

In order to ensure complete ease of use, the SONY Home Share is DLNA™ Certified (Digital Living Network Alliance), which means it will connect to other DLNA Certified devices on a home network seamlessly and automatically, without any need for configuration. This means it can ‘see’ your PLAYSTATION®3 and VAIO PCs as soon as you attach it to your home network, greatly simplifying installation.

With its compact footprint, unique round design, attractive white finish and carefully concealed cabling at the rear, the Sony Home Share is also very decor-friendly. You can locate it anywhere, including the living room, and thanks to its exceptionally quiet double fan cooling system, you will hardly know it’s there.

– Snippet from Sony-Europe’s Press Release