What you want is a "network media player" though they sometimes go by other names. They typically cost $100 or less, though some do cost more. You want one that has DLNA support so that you can access the media on your other home network devices and computers. I have not reviewed the following products so I can recommend a specific one, but here are some examples of devices that may do what you want: Sony SMPN100, Western Digital WDTV Live, and Iomega 35045 ScreenPlay TV Link DX HD Media Player. Note that many connected Blu-ray players also include DLNA support, so this could be a good reason to consider upgrading to Blu-ray if you haven't already.
Note that as a bonus, you can also expect these devices to provide access to streaming Internet content, including Netflix for video and Pandora for music (though the actual services provided will vary from one model to another, so check carefully if there is something specific that you want).
Let me know if you have any more questions,
Alfred Poor
Weekly Feature
