早些时候，我们向您介绍了如何通过Internet流式传输(Internet)Windows Media Player 12库，这是随时随地随身携带电影、音乐和照片(music and photos)的绝佳方式。但要在Windows 7(Windows 7)机器之间以更快、更安全的方式共享媒体，您还可以通过HomeGroup 网络共享您的(HomeGroup network)Windows Media Player 12库。本教程将向您展示如何做到这一点，以及如何允许远程控制您的媒体播放器和播放(player and play)网络媒体设备。
将您的 Windows 7 计算机连接到家庭组(HomeGroup)
这项工作最困难的方面是让您的 Windows 7 系统通过您的家庭网络(home network)连接。幸运的是，这是我们在 7 个教程中已经讨论过的主题。通过阅读家庭组功能及其(HomeGroup Feature & How)工作(Works)原理获取完整说明。如果您还没有这样做，您还需要设置媒体并将其添加到Windows Media Player 12。全做完了？太棒了(Great)。让我们(Let)继续前进。
使用HomeGroup设置媒体流(Media Streaming)
下一步是使用HomeGroup设置媒体流。打开 Windows 媒体播放器 12(Open Windows Media Player 12)。从Player Library中，单击“Stream”并选择“Turn on media streaming”。
如果尚未启用媒体流，Windows 7 将快速向您简要介绍启用媒体流的安全影响。从本质上讲，启用媒体流将修改您的防火墙设置以允许从联网计算机访问。出于这个原因，我们不建议您启用媒体流，除非您在您信任的安全网络(secure network)上（即，如果您在公共无线网络(wireless network)上，例如咖啡馆或图书馆(cafe or library)，请避免启用网络媒体流）。
准备好后单击“打开媒体流”('Turn on media streaming')。
然后，Windows 7 将带您进入媒体流选项窗口。首先命名您的媒体库。这是当网络上的其他计算机连接(network connect)到它时识别它的方式。接下来，在“显示设备”('Show devices on')旁边的下拉菜单中选择“本地网络”('Local network')或“所有网络('All networks')” 。这应该会显示所有已成功连接到家庭组网络(HomeGroup network)的机器。如果您不想摆弄个人设置，可以继续并单击“全部允许”('Allow all')并跳到下一部分。这将允许所有联网机器使用默认设置访问您的媒体库。如果要修改每台联网机器的设置，
您可以从右侧的下拉菜单中单独阻止或允许计算机。要设置其他机器可以访问的媒体文件，您可以通过单击媒体库名称下方的选项来更改默认设置。或者，您可以通过单击联网计算机名称旁边的自定义链接来编辑每台计算机上的设置。(Customize)这样做会将您带到“自定义媒体流设置”('Customize media streaming settings')窗口（如下）。
在“自定义媒体流选项”('Customize media streaming options')窗口中，您可以选择使用默认设置或仅允许访问库中的所有媒体。您还可以选择按星级(star rating)或父母等级过滤将向联网机器显示的媒体。如果您与儿童使用的家庭计算机(family computer)共享媒体库，并且只想在网络上提供适合年龄的内容，则按父母等级过滤内容很有用。对设置满意后单击“确定”。(OK)
您的媒体库现在应该连接到HomeGroup。对您想要访问媒体库的每台计算机重复此操作。
在导航窗格(Navigation Pane)中显示远程媒体库(Remote Media Libraries)
最后一步是在导航窗格(Navigation Pane)中显示远程库。您可能会自动看到其他计算机上的共享库。如果是这样，您可以跳过此步骤。如果没有，请继续并单击“组织(Organize)”并选择“自定义导航窗格”('Customize navigation pane')。
接下来，从下拉菜单中选择'Other Libraries'并选中('Other Libraries')'Show Other Libraries'。现在，确保选中您希望在Navigation Pane中看到的远程库旁边的框。完成后单击确定(OK)。
现在，当您在Navigation Pane(Navigation Pane)中向下滚动时，您应该会在Other Libraries标题下看到共享库。您可以浏览库并将歌曲添加到播放列表中，就像它们在本地计算机上一样。
允许远程控制(Remote Control)Windows Media Player 12(Windows Media Player 12)和播放(Play)到
对于共享媒体库的联网Windows 7机器来说，另一个方便的选择是远程控制。(Windows 7)启用此选项后，您可以将歌曲播放到网络上的其他设备。例如，如果您有一台客厅 PC(living room PC)连接到您的娱乐系统(entertainment system)，您可以使用遥控器和播放(Play to)选项通过网络从您的上网本播放歌曲。
通过单击“流”('Stream')并选择“允许远程控制我的播放器”('Allow remote control of my Player')来启用远程控制。
注意：(Note:)您会在此处看到我们还启用了“自动允许设备播放我的媒体”('Automatically allow devices to play my media')选项。这只是简化了设置过程(setup process)，因此您不必选择媒体流选项。
现在，要将歌曲播放到另一台设备，只需将其添加到您的播放列表(playlist)中，然后单击右上角的“播放到”('Play to')按钮。这将显示一个下拉菜单，其中包含所有联网的Windows 7机器的名称。选择(Choose)你想玩的那个，它会弹出“玩到”('Play to')对话框。
在“播放到”('Play to')窗口中，您将获得对远程设备的控制权。您可以播放或暂停歌曲，跳到播放列表(Play to list)中的下一首歌曲，甚至调整音量。
在另一台遥控机器上，歌曲将默认以“正在播放”模式开始播放。(Now Playing)如果您希望覆盖远程控制，您还可以在本地控制歌曲。
结论
这只是将家庭网络(home network)上的媒体流封装起来。这是在家中或办公室(home or office)内的多台计算机之间共享媒体库的最佳选择。借助此功能，Windows Media Player 12允许您将音乐、照片和视频集中在所有联网的PC(PCs)中。它非常适合在聚会期间控制全屋播放的歌曲，或从笔记本电脑或上网本选择要在(laptop or netbook)客厅(living room)的媒体 PC 上播放的电影。要充分利用您的媒体共享或寻求网络问题的帮助，请查看下面的一些相关文章。
Stream Music Over Your Home Network with Windows Media Player 12
Earlier, we walked you through how to stream Windows Media Player 12 library over the Internet, which is a great way to take your movies, music and photos with yoυ wherever you go. But for a faster, more sеcure way to share media between Windows 7 machines, you can also share your Windows Media Player 12 library over yoυr HomeGroup network. This tutorial will show you how to do just that, as well as how to allow remote control of your media player and рlay tо a networked media device.
Connecting Your Windows 7 Machines to a HomeGroup
The most difficult aspect of this endeavor is getting your Windows 7 systems connected over your home network. Luckily, this is a topic we've already covered here at 7 Tutorials. Get the complete instructions by reading The HomeGroup Feature & How it Works. If you haven't done so already, you'll want to set up and add media to Windows Media Player 12 as well. All done? Great. Let's press on.
Setting Up Media Streaming with HomeGroup
The next step is to set up media streaming with the HomeGroup. Open Windows Media Player 12. From the Player Library, click 'Stream' and choose 'Turn on media streaming'.
If media streaming has not yet been enabled, Windows 7 will quickly brief you on the security implications of enabling media streaming. Essentially, enabling media streaming will modify your firewall settings to allow access from networked computers. For this reason, we don't recommend enabling media streaming unless you are on a secure network that you trust (i.e. avoid enabling network media streaming if you are on a public wireless network, such as at a cafe or library).
Click 'Turn on media streaming' when you're ready.
Windows 7 will then bring you to the media streaming options window. Begin by naming your media library. This is how it will be identified when other computers on the network connect to it. Next, choose 'Local network' or 'All networks' on the drop-down menu next to 'Show devices on'. This should reveal all machines that have successfully connected to the HomeGroup network. If you don't want to fiddle with individual settings, you can go ahead and click 'Allow all' and skip to the next section. This will allow all networked machines access to your media library using the default settings. If you want to modify the settings for each networked machines, move on to the next step.
You can block or allow computers individually from the drop-down menu on the right. To set up which media files other machines can access, you can change the default settings by clicking the option just below your media library's name. Alternately, you can edit the settings on each individual machine by clicking the Customize link next to the networked computer's name. Doing so will bring you to the 'Customize media streaming settings' window (below).
In the 'Customize media streaming options' window, you can choose to use the default settings or simply allow access to all of the media in your library. You can also choose to filter which media will be shown to networked machines by star rating or parental rating. Filtering content by parental rating is useful if you are sharing your media library with a family computer that children use and only want to make age appropriate content available on the network. Click OK once you're satisfied with the settings.
Your media library should now be connected to the HomeGroup. Repeat this for each machine that you want to have access to your media library.
Displaying Remote Media Libraries in the Navigation Pane
The last step is to show remote libraries in the Navigation Pane. You may see the shared libraries on other computers automatically. If so, you can skip this step. If not, go ahead and click Organize and choose 'Customize navigation pane'.
Next, choose 'Other Libraries' from the drop-down menu and check 'Show Other Libraries'. Now, make sure the boxes are checked next to the remote libraries you want to be seen in your Navigation Pane. Click OK when you're done.
Now, when you scroll down in the Navigation Pane, you should see the shared libraries under the Other Libraries heading. You can navigate the library and add songs to your playlist just like they were on your local machine.
Allowing Remote Control of Windows Media Player 12 and Play To
Another option that is handy for networked Windows 7 machines sharing a media library is remote control. With this option enabled, you can play songs to other devices on the network. For example, if you have a living room PC hooked up to your entertainment system, you can play songs from your netbook via the network using remote control and the Play to option.
Enable remote control by clicking 'Stream' and choosing 'Allow remote control of my Player'.
Note: You'll see here that we've also enabled the 'Automatically allow devices to play my media' option. This simply streamlines the setup process so you don't have to go through choosing media streaming options.
Now, to play a song to another device, simply add it to your playlist and click the 'Play to' button in the top-right. This will show a drop-down menu with the names of all the networked Windows 7 machines. Choose which one you'd like to play to and it'll bring up the 'Play to' dialogue.
In the 'Play to' window, you'll be given control over the remote device. You can play or pause songs, skip to the next song on the Play to list and even adjust the volume.
On the other remote controlled machine, the songs will begin playing in Now Playing mode by default. You can also control songs locally, if you wish to override remote control.
Conclusion
That just about wraps up media streaming over a home network. This is the best option for sharing media libraries between several computers within your home or office. With this feature, Windows Media Player 12 allows you to centralize your music, photos and videos among all of your networked PCs. It's great for controlling songs playing throughout the house during a party or choosing movies to play on a media PC in your living room from a laptop or netbook. To get the most out of your media sharing or for help with network issues, check out some of the related articles below.
