The Digital Lifestyle Media Center Expert Blog

Sites you should know: Amazon UK launches music download service

I don't usually post newsy posts and i know this has been covered on other blogs but Amazon UK's soft launch of it's DRM free MP3 download music service is quite significant. I have found the service to have a suprisingly wide range of music...

Published Thu, Dec 04 2008 5:45 AM by Garry [WMA]

Filed under: Vista, XPMCE, Music

VMCD 180,000 downloads

I was rather shocked to find that my Vista Media Center Decoder has just clocked up it's 180,000th download. That is an awful lot of Vista Media Center users tinkering with their codecs. I have no idea how that compares with other VMC tools out there...

Published Wed, Dec 03 2008 10:12 PM by Garry [WMA]

Filed under: Vista, Media Center Decoder Utility

Upgraded my Media center to play Blu-ray using motherboard graphics

Until recently its been quite a challenge if like me you have a low height media center chassis and wanted to find a motherboard that had sufficient oomph onboard to play HD-DVD/Blu-Ray. The original motherboard in my MSI Media*Live did pretty well with...

Published Wed, Nov 19 2008 3:58 AM by Garry [WMA]

Filed under: Avivo, Nvidia, GPU, HD-DVD/Blu-Ray, Motherboards

Sites you should know: http://slicksolutions.eu/ - home of the Media Center Standby tool

If you have ever had problems getting your media center to sleep or wake up from sleep then MST the Media Center Standby Tool is probably the answer to your dreams. I recommend this utility a lot and it is amazingly effective at doing what it does. It...

Published Mon, Nov 10 2008 10:17 AM by Garry [WMA]

Filed under: Vista, ADD-INS, Tips, XPMCE

Windows Home Server: How to fix Home PC is not responsive when setting up Backup

Really quick post as I wanted to get this information out there. If when you try to set up a home pc to backup to your Windows Home Server you get a message about your Home PC is Unresponsive this can be fixed in most cases by running a disk check on...

Published Tue, Nov 04 2008 7:48 AM by Garry [WMA]

Filed under: Windows Home Server, WHS

Reminder: How to use decoders that do not show up in the VMCD utility

One of the comments that commonly appears in posts about my VMCD utility is "How do i get X decoder to show up in your utility" For decoders that are XP Media Center compatible this has been explained in this post: http://thedigitallifestyle...

Published Fri, May 23 2008 5:01 AM by Garry [WMA]

Filed under: Vista, Media Center Decoder Utility

Sites you should know: CITA Ten Foot products

A recent post reply to a question by Ian Dixon prompted me to take a look at CITA's Ten Foot package of utilities. This turns out to be a really nice collection of add-ins for both XP and Vista Media Center. They may not be the most cutting edge...

Published Fri, May 23 2008 4:49 AM by Garry [WMA]

Tip: Dodgy artwork in My Music fix it with AVSoft Album Art Fixer

Link to product on AVSoft's site I had forgotten just how good this product was until I had to reinstall my Media Center last week (yes even 'expert's' have to do reinstalls). It basically scans all your music and prompts you where there are problems...

Published Thu, Jul 19 2007 6:17 AM by Garry [WMA]

Filed under: Tip, Vista, MCE2005, Tips, album art

Sorry no 64 bit Vista Decoder Utility

I've tried valiantly. I've scoured registry dumps that readers have kindly sent in. I've analysed all the relative entries I've even worked out where a 64 bit version of my decoder utility should post the entries. The only problem is that my current 32...

Published Thu, Jul 19 2007 2:32 AM by Garry [WMA]

Filed under: Vista, Media Center Decoder Utility

Neat Vista Tip: Listening to BBC Radio 5 Live commentary whilst watching BBC TV in Media Center

One thing that happens quite often in the UK is that sporting events and some concerts are covered simultaneously by TV and Radio. This has led to quit a common scenario where people will mute their tv and watch the pictures whilst listening to the radio...

Published Mon, Jul 09 2007 7:01 AM by Garry [WMA]

Filed under: Vista Radio/TV Commentary

Fantastic Grand Designs Live Show has some MediaCenter content

I had the chance to visit Grand Designs Live at the Excel in London's Docklands over the weekend. For our non-UK viewers Grand Designs is a TV programme on the UK's Channel 4 which each week follows the trial and tribulations of a self-build house project...

Published Tue, Jun 12 2007 12:58 AM by Garry [WMA]

Filed under: Vista, MCE2005, Shows, Home Automation

My GeeXBox Project back on Ebay

Regretably due to non-payment I've had to relist my GeeXBox project on Ebay. Its all boxed up and ready to go so if you fancy a bid click here

Published Thu, Jun 07 2007 9:53 AM by Garry [WMA]

Tip of the day: Quieten that Hard Drive with Vista Readyboost

A lot has been written about the performance advantage of adding a memory card or usb stick to your Vista machine to make use of the ReadyBoost feature but one interesting side effect is that it can also reduce the amount of access needed to your hard...

Published Thu, May 17 2007 3:16 AM by Garry [WMA]

Filed under: Vista, Readyboost, Tips

My GeeXboX project available on ebay

Hi For those interested in my GeeXbox project It's now up on ebay CLICK HERE

Published Thu, May 03 2007 3:26 AM by Garry [WMA]

Building a cheap Linux Media Extender for your Media Center PC with GeeXboX

I recently took up a challenge to build a media center PC for a friend. Having scoured Ebay I found what I thought looked like a really nice case for not too much money. It was also a Barebones system coming with DVD, Floppy and Motherboard. The motherboard...

Published Tue, May 01 2007 2:53 PM by Garry [WMA]

Filed under: Vista, MCE2005, Extender

Blogs You Should Know - AndyVT and his most excellent network recording utility

All I can say about this blog from the creator of the DVRMS Toolbox and particularly this entry - is 'awesome'.

Published Wed, Apr 11 2007 4:11 AM by Garry [WMA]

Filed under: Blogs

MCE2005: Microsoft Karaoke Add-In (for genuine users)

Don't know how I'd missed this before but I was browsing Microsofts list of Genuine Advantage offers and came across this: Windows Genuine Advantage Special Offers > Offer Details Media Center Karaoke Plug-in Media Center Karaoke Plug-in is designed...

Published Tue, Apr 03 2007 5:51 AM by Garry [WMA]

Filed under: MCE2005, ADD-INS

Thanks for all the good wishes

As some of you know I haven't been very well the past few weeks. I'm pleased to say I'm now well on the road to recovery. I justed wanted to say a big thank you for all the kind messages I received, they really helped. Hopefully within the next week or...

Published Wed, Mar 21 2007 12:53 AM by Garry [WMA]

Tip: Using non-mce compatible decoders with my Vista Media Center Decoder Utility

John G posted a great tip in the comments of my Vista Media Center Decoder utility post. He said... "People have asked me how to get the WinDVD and DSCALER codecs to work in Mediacenter as i reported on their use. I noticed that whether by accident or...

Published Wed, Mar 21 2007 12:50 AM by Garry [WMA]

Filed under: Tip, Vista, Media Center Decoder Utility

US Daylight savings time updates

Garry (who is unable to post at the moment) wanted to remind readers in the USA to make sure that your XP Media Center PCs are patched up with the latest Daylight savings time updates http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/928388 So make sure your...

Published Fri, Mar 09 2007 8:28 AM by Ian Dixon

Welcome to the Digital Lifestyle readers to the MediaCenterExpert blog

Hello All As of today I am going to be cross posting all new entries from my MediaCenterExpert blog here on the theDigitalLifeStyle.com. Thanks Ian for setting this up. It obviously makes sense for the blog for the Media Center Show Ask The Experts to...

Published Tue, Feb 20 2007 7:34 AM by Garry [WMA]

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Sites you should know: Amazon UK launches music download service

VMCD 180,000 downloads

Upgraded my Media center to play Blu-ray using motherboard graphics

Sites you should know: http://slicksolutions.eu/ - home of the Media Center Standby tool

Windows Home Server: How to fix Home PC is not responsive when setting up Backup

Reminder: How to use decoders that do not show up in the VMCD utility

Sites you should know: CITA Ten Foot products

Tip: Dodgy artwork in My Music fix it with AVSoft Album Art Fixer

Sorry no 64 bit Vista Decoder Utility

Neat Vista Tip: Listening to BBC Radio 5 Live commentary whilst watching BBC TV in Media Center

Fantastic Grand Designs Live Show has some MediaCenter content

My GeeXBox Project back on Ebay

Tip of the day: Quieten that Hard Drive with Vista Readyboost

My GeeXboX project available on ebay

Building a cheap Linux Media Extender for your Media Center PC with GeeXboX

Blogs You Should Know - AndyVT and his most excellent network recording utility

MCE2005: Microsoft Karaoke Add-In (for genuine users)

Thanks for all the good wishes

Tip: Using non-mce compatible decoders with my Vista Media Center Decoder Utility

US Daylight savings time updates

Welcome to the Digital Lifestyle readers to the MediaCenterExpert blog