help with setting up multi-system media streaming

Ok folks I have a bit of a complex project here and I'm looking for suggestions. I want to set up a system that's going to allow me to stream movies/music to my TV, as well as possibly host files/website/etc.

Here's what I have to work with:

• 2010 MacBook Pro 15" - Bootcamp OS 10.6 and Win7 Ultimate
• Crappy 2001-ish Dell desktop, currently running windows XP, could install Linux. Due to limited PCI slots and faulty Ethernet jack on the Mobo, I can have either
• Crappier 2001ish Laptop with broken screen (otherwise works well enough) with XP, could install Linux
• New (Late 2010) Xbox 360
• 32Gb iPhone 3GS (Not jailbroken, planning on upgrading when 5 comes out)
• 32" LCD TV
• Relatively crappy 5.1 speaker system.
• 640Gb Firewire 800/USB portable external drive

Goals
I want to be able to stream Movies to my TV. Preferably in a "permanent" way (right now I can put em on the external/flashdrive and plug it into the 360, what I'm looking for is a more network based solution)

Be able to run the laptop and desktop "headless" (without monitor) from my mac and/or phone

Be able to play my itunes library easily

Be able to host files/media for both network and potentially external access.

Do NOT want to connect either laptop or desktop to television (such as via VGA) directly. If absolutely necessary, the laptop could be done, but the video card is horrible on the laptop and mediocre at best on the desktop. Audio directly from either of these is ok though (I have a long 3.5mm cable with extension, whereas I don't have long VGA)

The ability to control as much as possible remotely with iPhone (preferably without jailbreaking).

Easy Media transfer

Avoid booting into windows - reasons obvious



My MacBook pro is the only machine I "use" for things right now (xbox too, but that doesnt count) so the others can be sort of permanent fixtures, but the macbook sometimes "moves" so I would like to keep as much functionality as possible without the macbook.


I know this is sort of a tricky setup. Right now I'm just exploring my options, so even if you have just a partial solution, I would be glad to hear it. The final product is probably going to be a combination of many different ideas. Right now I'm just looking to find all of the decent free software thats out there that might help me with this setup

Thanks for any feedback

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All the streaming problems can be solved with an Apple TV, or a similar device. plug it into the TV.

to host files, you need to set a computer up as a home server you can access via your network, with all the files on, that then all your devices could be connected to. i would recommend the computer with the largest amount of internal storage/Hard drive bays for this.

As above and JB the ATV2 and install the Plex media server on each of the machines you wante the ATV to read.

I have ATV 2 connected to my bedroom LCD with a JB ATV2 and Plex installed on my HTPC and iMac and my Laptop and the ATV reads all the machines in the house wirelessly and plays all the movies regardless of file type almost without fault (the odd movie needs to buffer a couple of times) you could do something similar.

Use the Desktop as a 'server' - stick a big disk in it, connect it to the network. Install StreamToMe/ServeToMe and or PogoPlug so you can access the media accross the net and your iPhone.

Get a Apple TV 2 (jailbreak it) install XBMC. Connect this to your TV.

LogMeIn/TeamViewer/VNC and others can be used to connect to your desktop across the network.