Home movies

This may be WAY off topic, but I poked around looking for the best place to post it and this forum is the lucky winner

I have several very dull and uninteresting home movie type things (in which NO ONE is naked or even especially attractive - they're not that sort of movies) that I want to be able to show to some of my SL menagerie, but I really don't feel like putting them out on youTube or another public site for the whole world to see. I've got a reasonably fast internet connection and a PC that I could use to run the video files from, but I have absolutely no idea if it's possible for me to host my own videos, and assuming that it is, how to do so.

Is it as simple as put the file someplace that it can be accessed with a browser or do I need something along the lines of the streaming software that DJs use?

Is there perhaps an "Absolute moron's guide to doing exactly what you want" out there somewhere?

Thanks a load!

Lets first deal with 'home streaming'.... depending on the type of connection you use, lets say (A)DSL.. you may have a shared connection of say 20mbps, but that will be download. The upload is not normally rated or a % of the download, its normally only 256-512kbps fixed.
Lets assume your Home Movie has a data bit stream rating of say 500kbps, then at the very best, only one person will be able to view it before your connection stalls.

Most streaming/host servers have a connection rated in reverse to your connection, in that their Upload is measured in TB's, and their download in GB's, for the very reason, they are delivering data.

If you have a 100mbps Download and Upload (normally Ethernet connection directly to your ISP router node, not to be confused with your own local router), then you may be able to show this to several people.

However, in both cases, you will be exposing your system to scanners and port probes, as you would have to give out a direct link through a port, to the media sat on your PC, through your firewall (remote access). Not something you should do unless you fully understand the ramifercations.

Alternatives would include getting a cheap webhost and using that. However, check with them first that they can indeed handle streaming media. Most cheap ones, only support delivering small html and pictures at any real useable speeds. Even if they state 'Unlimited Bandwidth', its a case of, they have a capped connection which all their customers use, so if they are busy, tough.
You can host movies on YouCrude, and be shown in SL, but as you say, you may not want that kind of exposure.

Lastly, not all movies, home grown and otherwise, will be able to be streamed over the Internet, simply because of their sheer size and Data Bit Rate being too high. They must also be in a format that is QuickTime compatible.