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Setting up a simple Shoutcast server on the M-9000 meant that streaming MP3 audio over the network to other clients using WinAmp to playback was fine and worked well. There's relatively little data to move when working with MP3's and there was ample power in the M-9000 to serve 4 simultaneous client requests, a decent average number for a home network.
Video data streaming was less successful. With the M-9000 acting as a simple fileserver to move the data files to another client, it only took a couple of clients accessing different large .avi files before the M-9000 has trouble spitting it out over the network at the rate needed to playback smoothly on the client.
Using VideoLAN streaming server and the VideoLAN client to stream MPEG-4 DivX across to a pair of recieving clients resulted in good results with low bitrate video but the same problems encountered with high bitrate video earlier.
The M-9000 just doesn't have the processing muscle to move the data at the rates required.
As a simple file server, it performs fine providing you don't overload it with client requests.
While video performance is a subjective thing to talk about, some people don't mind choppy video nearly as much as other people, in general the playback wasn't too great. Only when the hardware on the CLE266 bridge could be used was there no issue and good playback.
Audio on its own however in all circumstances was fine with no issues.
For other possible uses of the M-9000, as a simple file server it would be fine for storing data on the network in your own NAS style solution and as an audio server its highly recommended. It would also do well as a simple web/app server on your network and would do sterling service in a firewall/router type scenario although the feature set makes it a bit of overkill in those situations.
I can't see the M-9000, although untested in this regard, being any good with video work using the Firewire interface since the processing power isn't there. Using Firewire as a connectivity device with disks and things like iPod's rather than a way of acquiring video data to process would be fine.
It's a shame it doesn't have the muscle to process high bitrate video like a Shuttle with AthlonXP or Pentium 3/4 processor could, its small size makes it suitable for such a solution. Its only suitable video purpose for this reviewer is as a DVD deck where the MPEG-2 decoder can be used properly.
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