VLC can do client-server streaming from another copy of VLC. So your desktop machine can stream your dvd/avi/mp3 collection to the iPad

Kind of funny that this had to be asked, considering that VLC's original purpose was streaming videos.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VLC_media_player#History

and you can do this already, too, right? stream to the ipad by just opening a transcoded stream?

E.g., Plex, which does it on the fly and is in the app store.

I think plex only lets you share your iTunes with other iStuff and only if the iDRM approves.

VLC lets you share iWhateverTheHellYouWant from iWhateverMachine with iWhateverOS to iWhereverYouWant.

You can copy data over using iTunes, works fine for other apps (e.g. cinexplayer)

Disclaimer: VideoLAN chairman and VLC dev here...

Exactly. + http, mms, rtsp and other protocols.