Is Windows Home Server DLNA compatible out of the box?

Question

I'm planning to add a DLNA compatible DVD/Blue-ray player to my home theater setup. I also have my Windows Home Server with a lot of videos and photos.
Can a DLNA DVD player connect to my Windows Home Server and stream videos without any additional software on the WHS?

Answer 1

DLNA (DLNA on Wikipedia) is a big honking beast of a standard; certifying a device as "DLNA compatible" doesn't really say anything about what it will work with. The specification categorizes devices into several categories:

• DMS (digital media servers)
• DMP (digital media players)
• DMC (digital media controllers)
• DMR (digital media renderers)
• DMP (digital media printer)

Wikipedia notes that "any PC with a network interface can become a DLNA device by installing DLNA software". And given the right software, the PC could act in almost any of the roles listed above.

• Windows Home Server includes Windows Media Connect out of the box, which isn't fully DLNA compliant (at least in early versions; source).

• Windows Media Player 12 is listed as supporting "all DLNA roles" in the Wikipedia DLNA page. It may not be installable on WHS.

• Twonky Media Server and other DLNA software can be used to provide DLNA services on a WHS system.

However, whether the DVD/BluRay player can stream videos from a DMS depends on what DLNA roles the player fulfills. It needs to act as a DMP or DMR to play content from a DMS.