Stuart's Blog

Windows 7 Media Center, Music Library re-building problem.

I am seeing some very strange happenings with the 7MC Music Library and with music files stored on Windows Home Server machines. This is not just an isolated issue as I have seen the same problem at several different sites on different WHS servers / networks...

Published Thu, Feb 11 2010 2:00 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: Media Center, music library

How to create an Internet Explorer icon in Media Center

As most of you probably know you can use the excellent Media Center Studio for creating entry points in Media Center to launch add-ins and external applications, however I also like to use a program called Media Center Launcher Configurator in conjunction...

Published Mon, Jan 04 2010 5:08 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: Launch External Applications

How to launch a command file from within MCE

I saw a user on the Green Button asking this question the other day and as I had a method of doing this I thought I’d write a post about it. There may well be different ways to accomplish the same thing, but this is what works for me and the way...

Published Wed, Dec 02 2009 9:58 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: Command

DVD -> DVR-MS - How to video

This is a how to video for beginners, using VideoReDo you can easily and quickly convert DVD movie rips VIDEO_TS to .DVR-MS files. DVR-MS is the Microsoft format for recorded TV for Windows Media Center in Vista. They also play fine on Windows Seven however...

Published Thu, Nov 26 2009 8:36 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: DVD, dvr-ms, VideoReDo

My Shark 007 Win7 Codec Configuration

Update: As of Shark 007 codec pack version 2.28 for my configuration to work as described below, I now also have to "Disable the DMO codecs on the SWAP TAB" I’ve been in Codec hell again lately, ever since first connecting a Windows 7 Media Center...

Published Tue, Nov 17 2009 7:00 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: windows 7, Shark 007, Codec

How to launch 3rd Party MCE add-in with a Logitech Harmony remote

Update2: I've just tried this setup on a Harmony 670 and for some unknown reason the below does not work on this Harmony model. I've tried this on Harmony 550, 1000 and 1100 with no problems however. Update: Ensure you also read the comments at the end...

Published Fri, Nov 06 2009 9:55 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: My Movies, Harmony

HeatWave makes a come back for Seven MC

One of my favorite little Media Center add-ins HeatWave has made a come back for Windows 7 Media Center in the form or version 1.2 The author James aka MCExtended posted details on the TGB thread here . You can download HeatWave from the links below:...

Published Mon, Nov 02 2009 8:03 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: Heatwave

How to launch Media Center directly in to 3rd party app

These command line switches have been covered before but I’ve seen a few posts recently with users asking how can I launch Media Center directly in to this or that third party Media Center add-in or into a particular area of media center itself...

Published Sun, Oct 25 2009 3:07 PM by cw-kid

Filed under: command switches, ehshell

How to move the Netflix & Internet TV 7MC start menu icons

Using Media Center Studio you can edit the Media Center Start Menu strips and icons. If you want to move the new Netflix and Internet TV icons to a custom menu strip you can! Create a new custom menu or use an existing custom menu such as the one My Movies...

Published Wed, Oct 21 2009 5:22 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: Internet TV, Netflix, Media Center Studio

Media Center Studio

One of my favorite Media Center related applications has to be Media Center Studio which is the replacement of MC Menu Mender. Media Center Studio allows you to customize your Media Center setup by adding new themes and editing the Media Center start...

Published Wed, Oct 21 2009 3:50 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: Media Center Studio

7MC Netflix – Screen shots

The new Netflix application has changed from the Vista version and looks more integrated in to the Windows 7 Media Center overall style with the overlays. Also there are 13 genre pivots along the top, I seem to think this is more than was visible in Vista...

Published Tue, Oct 20 2009 1:18 PM by cw-kid

Filed under: windows 7, Netflix

Netflix released for Windows 7 Media Center

Looks like Netflix has been pushed out for 7MC, my machine has just picked up the icon and I was able to install the Netflix add-in software.

Published Tue, Oct 20 2009 12:55 PM by cw-kid

Filed under: windows 7, Netflix

7MC new Internet TV with wait for it…. Flash!

I’ve just installed the new update for Internet TV which has replaced Internet TV beta 2 in Windows 7 Media Center and it’s a brand new UI and looks pretty slick, one massive surprise is that I was prompted to install an additional update...

Published Tue, Oct 20 2009 12:52 PM by cw-kid

Filed under: Internet TV, Flash

MCE Plugin’s index

I just stumbled across this on the Green Button forums and thought it was well worth a mention. A TGB user called JonL has created a newly updated index / list of MCE plugin’s and related utilities. I can imagine it must have took some time to...

Published Fri, Oct 16 2009 10:51 AM by cw-kid

My Movies 3.0 – It’s finished!

My Movies 3.0 is done and dusted it’s shipped already to the custom installers yesterday and is due for public release on October 22nd. I was involved with the beta testing and if you haven’t seen me on the Green Button forums for a while, I’ve been hanging...

Published Fri, Oct 16 2009 5:18 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: My Movies

ASRock NetTop packs a punch!

On the bench today we have an ASRock NetTop, I have the ION 330 BD model. Product Home page Intel ® Atom™ 330 (Dual-Core CPU) NVIDIA ® ION™ graphics processor BD combo After disappointing results with a Zotac ION motherboard I had...

Published Fri, Oct 16 2009 3:14 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: ASROCK NetTop

Intel finally release Windows 7 graphics drivers

I’ve just noticed on the Intel downloads website that they now have drivers listed for Windows 7. This is the first time I have seen this and I was previously using the Vista drivers for Windows 7. I’ve just updated my graphics drivers for...

Published Sat, Aug 29 2009 12:18 PM by cw-kid

Filed under: Intel drivers

Part 2: My Movies for Windows Home Server

In part one we looked at the My Movies for WHS installation and configuration, now we need to install the My Movies client software on your VMC PC so you can manage your movie collection. You can download the My Movies Client from the download page here...

Published Mon, Aug 24 2009 5:12 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: My Movies, WHS

Part1: My Movies for Windows Home Server

I recently decided to check out My Movies for Windows Home Server, in part one we will look at the installation and configuration. If you have a WHS on your home network, it is the logical place to install your My Movies database and then your Windows...

Published Mon, Aug 24 2009 4:26 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: My Movies, WHS

An in depth look at Casa Tunes

Casa Tunes Review Document Mirror Link Ever since I first got in to Media Center, one of the first things I started searching for was a whole home audio solution that played nicely with Media Center. I liked the idea of being able to play the same music...

Published Tue, Jul 28 2009 6:18 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: Zoned Audio, Casa Tunes

Windows 7 released to manufacturing

We just noticed that Windows 7 RTM has been released. More details can be found on the Windows Team Blog. I’ve just check my MSDN subscription however and its not yet listed on there for download, looks like we will have to wait a little while longer...

Published Thu, Jul 23 2009 8:14 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: windows 7

A look at the Luxa2 LM Series – HTPC Cases

Here we have two HTPC cases from Luxa2 . On the bench today I have the LM 200 and LM 300 Pro models and the first thing you notice about these cases when viewing them in person is their size, they are massive and I mean big! LM 300 Pro - Dimensions Height...

Published Thu, Jul 23 2009 3:30 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: HTPC, Hardware

The Green Button – Site Maintenance

This has been a long time coming, but The Green Button website is finally being migrated to the Microsoft data center and we are also getting an upgrade on the Community Server software hooray! Site Under Maintenance http://www.thegreenbutton.com is currently...

Published Wed, Jul 22 2009 3:03 AM by cw-kid

A look at the Moneual 312 HTPC case

UPDATE: There is a fault with the IR boards on these cases and the triple tap text input on the remote control for Windows Media Center does not work. This is my favourite HTPC case at the moment, the micro ATX Moneual 312 . It looks like a DVD player...

Published Tue, Jul 21 2009 5:21 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: HTPC

Windows Media Center – Service Alert

This doesn’t affect me due to my locale, but my Vista Media Center machine just came up with a Service Alert icon, which gives you information about the digital TV switch over in the US. There is a Microsoft KB Article here with more information...

Published Tue, Jun 09 2009 4:35 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: Service Alert

New wiki guide for Transcode 360

It seems there is still allot of confusion over Transcode 360 and how to get it setup properly, I've decided to write a new updated Wiki guide as some things have changed now since the last one here . This new guide covers updating the mencoder.exe and...

Published Thu, Jun 04 2009 10:06 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: transcode 360

Turn your MCE remote in to a mouse & keyboard

UPDATE: RemoteKC has been updated to now work properly on Windows 7, by a user called fbird17 on The Green Button forums. I've not tested it yet but I assume it's working. You can download the new .exe and .ahk files from these links. I just had to highlight...

Published Mon, Jun 01 2009 11:35 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: RemoteKC

Live TV with EPG in Media Center comes to Thailand

I’ve been wanting to get this working for a long time now and we finally have a solution for integrating live TV from True Visions in to Windows 7 Media Center. True Visions offer both Satellite and Cable TV, we have only tested this so far using...

Published Mon, Jun 01 2009 5:28 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: Live TV, Thailand, EPG, True Visions

mceNetCAM - New add-in review on the wiki

If you have IP cameras and would like to view and control them from within Media Center, take a look at the mceNetCAM add-in. See the mceNetCAM wiki page here for more details and screen shots.

Published Thu, Apr 30 2009 9:30 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: add-in, mceNetCAM

Twitter comes to TunerFree MCE

I can’t say I’m a big fan of Twitter, I could never really see the point of it, but I am a big fan of TunerFree MCE and I know allot of you are also addicted to Twitter, put the two together and you can now tweet to all your followers what you have been...

Published Sun, Apr 19 2009 3:03 PM by cw-kid

Filed under: tunerfree mce, Twitter

MKV’s playing on my XB0X 360 MCX

Seems in Windows 7 build 7077 I am able to play some MKV’s in the Windows Media Center Extender on my XBOX 360. The picture quality was not great, blocky and the colours were pretty green looking but just the fact that they played at all was a massive...

Published Wed, Apr 15 2009 10:21 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: windows 7, mkv, MCX

Clubhouse – Windows Community website

Check out the new Microsoft Clubhouse Windows community website, you can take a look at our Media Center related posts that are on there from this page . The text below is from the Clubhouse website. Clubhouse Purpose:- “Let’s keep it simple. We’re here...

Published Wed, Apr 15 2009 10:10 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: Clubhouse

200x200 Low-res album artwork still not fixed? - Build 7077

I've been looking at the album artwork issue again in Windows 7 build 7077 and as far as I can work out things are still the same. Although there appears to be a bit of good news with what seems to be a bug fix in 7MC, in regards to all tracks on a single...

Published Sun, Apr 12 2009 6:13 PM by cw-kid

Filed under: windows 7

Take Caution when upgrading WIN7 BUILD 7077

I recommend you take caution before upgrading to Windows 7 build 7077. Ensure you have a full back up of your data files. I upgraded build 7022 t0 7068 with no problems and then I upgraded to build 7077 and I found that all the file security permissions...

Published Fri, Apr 10 2009 4:23 PM by cw-kid

Filed under: windows 7

vmcPlayIt Media Center add-in for PlayOn

I saw PlayOn a good while ago now, it’s a UPnP media streamer for the XBOX 360, PS3 and HP Media Smart TV’s. You can get content such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon VOD, CBS, You Tube, CNN, ESPN and with PlayOn add-ins more content is available such as from...

Published Sun, Apr 05 2009 10:52 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: playon, vmcplayit

I'm amazed it happened considering, but say hello to your new Media Center MVP !

I mentioned last month I think, that I had been nominated for a Media Center MVP, Most Valuable Professional award from Microsoft. Not sure who nominated me other than it was an existing MVP, which I know a few. I was informed yesterday that I have been...

Published Thu, Apr 02 2009 3:38 PM by cw-kid

Filed under: MVP

Transcoding VS Remuxing? MS where's the native support? Have your say!

Ever since I got in to Media Center DVD playback and now Blu-ray and MKV playback on extenders has really really frustrated me! In the fact that they don't support it! I still can't believe in this day and age, that we are unable to natively play ripped...

Published Tue, Mar 31 2009 5:26 PM by cw-kid

Filed under: Extenders

I love Media Browser but this is a show stopper!

My new favourite MCE add-in has to be the very slick looking Media Browser add-in. It beats the pants off Microsoft's new Movie Library offering in 7MC and really does put them to shame, but having lived with Media Browser for a while and having recently...

Published Tue, Mar 31 2009 4:44 PM by cw-kid

Filed under: media browser

A look at the Shuttle D10 with 7” touch screen

I’ve been testing out a little Shuttle D10 which also has a 7” touch screen, for the last week or so and I do really quite like this PC. I installed Windows Vista 32bit and configured Windows Media Center and also connected up 5 Linksys DMA...

Published Tue, Mar 31 2009 8:19 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: Shuttle D10

A quick look at the new Media Center Sports Channel

I've just had a quick look at the new Sports Channel in Media Center and below are some screen shots, for those not in the US so you can see what you are missing. The application looks really nice and there appears to be quite allot of content on there...

Published Fri, Mar 06 2009 8:00 AM by cw-kid

Filed under: Sports Channel

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