May 2009 - Ian Dixon's Blog - The Digital Lifestyle.com

Podcast: The Custom Integrator Show Installment 010

Derek has just posted this weeks edition of The Custom Integrator Show , this week looking to answer the question "How do you know if your network implementation is ready to turn over to your client?" We talked a lot in the previous installments...

Published Fri, May 29 2009 9:49 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

Design a logo and win $2,500 or a HP Mini 1000

The company behind the HP giveways I have taken part of is changing its name from Buzz Corps to Ivy Worldwide and they have a competition to design a new logo and win $2,500. Second place will get to pick a HP Mini 1000 netbook or a HP Photosmart printer...

Published Fri, May 29 2009 10:45 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Other

How to Integrate Hulu Desktop to Media Center

Fellow MVP Mike Garcen has a guide on how to integrate Hulu’s new desktop application in to Windows Media Center . While the new application is not a Media Center Addin you can add shortcuts to Windows programs in Media Center so when you launch the app...

Published Fri, May 29 2009 9:38 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

Video of the Zune HD

Gizmodo have a video of the new Zune HD in action . The touch UI looks very slick and the animations work really well and the device sure looks thin. Check out the video and the pictures Gizmodo have. Zune HD Video Hands On from Gizmodo on Vimeo .

Published Fri, May 29 2009 9:21 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Zune

First look at Sky Player on the Xbox 360

TechRader have a first look at the Sky Player Xbox application. The service which is due in the Autumn look very slick and points to the future of TV being delivered over IP. The application adds in to to the existing UI and navigates very much like the...

Published Fri, May 29 2009 9:12 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Xbox

Pictures of the Zune HD in use by Steve Ballmer

Engadget have some pictures of the new Zune HD being presented by Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO. The unit looks smaller than the pictures I have seen up to now and according to the post the OLED display is looking great See more pictures on Engadget

Published Thu, May 28 2009 9:13 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Zune

Introducing the TDL Reader for Windows Media Center

I am pleased to be able to introduce the brand new TDL Reader , a Media Center addin that enables The Digital Lifestyle.co mcontent in the 10 foot Windows Media Center UI. You can get all the TDL blogs, podcasts, videos and browse them directly from Windows...

Published Thu, May 28 2009 5:03 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows Vista, Addins, Windows 7

Sky TV goes on to Xbox Live

I have been calling for Sky to come to Windows Media Center but that has never happened but instead Sky is coming to Xbox Live in the UK. Sky and Microsoft have announced that Sky’s online TV service will be available on the Xbox, there will be...

Published Thu, May 28 2009 3:09 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Xbox

Podcast: The Media Center Show #208 – Jim Clark

This week I am talking to WGS blogger Jim Clark about his writing on Windows Home Server and Windows Media Center. Jim writes some great detailed articles and has long history with computers (back to the XT days!). I also have a round up of the weeks...

Published Thu, May 28 2009 11:51 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows Home Server, The Media Center Show

My Movies and Tranquil PC Competition

OK I know I am a little late on this but better late than never! My Movies and Tranquil PC Competition My Movies and Tranquil PC gives our customers and users the chance to win a Tranquil AVA RS5 “Special Edition” Media Server. The Tranquil AVA RS5 is...

Published Thu, May 28 2009 9:21 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Home Server, Addins

Microsoft introduce Touch Pack for Windows 7

On the Windows Team Blog they have announced a Touch Pack for Windows 7 . The pack is a set of applications that show off the multi-touch features of Windows 7. At CES I saw a multi-touch enabled version of Virtual Earth which was very fun to use and...

Published Wed, May 27 2009 10:05 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows 7

Microsoft confirms Zune HD with video service

Microsoft have confirmed that the rumoured Zune HD device is real and will be available later this year. The specs look pretty good: 3.3 inch OLED capacitive touch screen HD Radio HD video output at 1280x720 Web browser Access to the Xbox Live Video Marketplace...

Published Wed, May 27 2009 9:13 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Zune

Service Pack 2 for Vista available to download

Still running Windows Vista ? If so you may be interested in downloading Service Pack 2 , I have moved all my machines to Windows 7 RC but I know there are lots of you out there using Vista. At some point it will be pushed down via Windows Update but...

Published Tue, May 26 2009 8:30 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Vista

Metrological's Mediaconnect TV points to a PC based CE future?

I was reading about the Mediaconnect TV box with Intel’s CE 3100 processor built that is Mini ITX device running a Linux based OS. It supports digital audio, 1080p video and you can add tuners, wifi and a web browser. This got me thinking about the ongoing...

Published Tue, May 26 2009 3:59 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

Windows Audio Changer for Windows Media Center

Vista Audio changer is an application that enables you to change the default output device for the entire system from Windows Media Center or via a hotkey. This will be handy if you have multiple audio outputs and watch to switch them on the fly. The...

Published Tue, May 26 2009 11:22 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows Vista, Addins, Windows 7

TDL Post Roundup

It’s a day late but here it is anyway this weeks post round up. There was a lot of talk about Extenders last week and I think its a device type under threat from lack of support by manufactures , Microsoft and maybe customers. This week on The Media...

Published Tue, May 26 2009 9:25 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, News Roundup

Ben Drawbaugh on the future of Home Server with Media Center

Ben has an interesting post on how the future of Windows Media Center could lie with Windows Home Server, I will let you read Ben’s post for the details but Ben’s idea closely mirrors my idea for having a centralised system distributing the content around...

Published Sat, May 23 2009 2:00 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows Home Server

Welcome to the TDL Home Server Blog

Checkout the TDL Windows Home Server Blog , a blog focused on Windows Home Server and integrating it with Windows Media Center and The Digital Lifestyle. The blog has a team of writers (including me) all looking at getting Windows Home Server working...

Published Sat, May 23 2009 9:36 AM by Ian Dixon

Vista Application to Hide Media Center Menu Strips

With Windows 7 you can easily hide Media Center menu item strips from the Windows Media Center UI but Windows Vista does not have this feature. You could go in to the registry and hide items from there but mikinho in TGB forums has come up with a nice...

Published Sat, May 23 2009 7:25 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows Vista, Addins

Podcast: The Custom Integrator Show Installment 00F

Derek has just posted the latest Installment of The Custom Integrator Show, this is the final part of the series on home networking. I talk about my experiences with Powerline as we look at alternatives to cat-5/6 cabling The Custom Integrator Show Installment...

Published Fri, May 22 2009 4:23 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

New site: FixofTheWeek.com

I am helping out with a new site called www.fixoftheweek.com an IT focused site with handy little fixes and tips for IT issues. Like Windows Mobile sync errors, Xbox 360 Media Center issues and registry tips. I have just posted a handy tip on how to install...

Published Fri, May 22 2009 11:21 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Vista, Windows 7

Media Center Addin: TunerFree PVR

Not to be confused with TunerFreeMCE , TunerFree PVR is an HTML application for XP Media Center that also works with Vista Media Center and Windows 7. It streams live TV from tvcatchup.com which is a free UK TV streaming application (registration...

Published Thu, May 21 2009 3:58 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Addins

Podcast: The Media Center Show #207 – Round Table

This week I am talking to Garry Whittaker and Jason Coombs in a recording of a live session we did a couple of weeks ago. We talk topics like streaming, Windows 7, Powerline networking and HD Homerun I also have a round up of the weeks news and email...

Published Thu, May 21 2009 11:35 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, The Media Center Show

Videos of Netflix in Windows Media Center

Here are a couple of videos showing the Netflix application for Windows Media Center that I thought I would highlight both are from Brandon LeBlanc of the Windows Team Blog Netflix in Windows Media Center Getting Netflix in Windows Media Center There...

Published Wed, May 20 2009 10:31 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows Vista, Addins

Microsoft Opens the Curtain for Netflix in Windows Media Center

Here are the official details on the Netflix app for Windows Media Center: Microsoft and Netflix Enhance Movie and TV Watching on the PC Latest content addition offers more than 12,000 choices of movies and TV episodes that can be watched instantly on...

Published Wed, May 20 2009 7:09 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows Vista, Addins

Netflix comes to Windows Media Center

Microsoft are going to be announcing an official Netflix application for Windows Media Center. There have been 3rd party apps that have tried this before but this is an official addin. It has features like Watch Instant, you can manage queues and use...

Published Wed, May 20 2009 5:02 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows Vista, Addins

HP Confirms Discontinuation of MediaSmart TV and Connect Receiver

Again this is not a shock, HP had no TVs or Extenders at CES and according to Gizmodo HP have confirmed the discontinued the MediaSmart TV and Connect (extender) There will not be any follow on MediaSmart TV or MediaSmart Connect products in 2009 . With...

Published Tue, May 19 2009 4:44 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Extenders for Windows Media Center

Charlie Owen moves on from Media Center

I just read on Charlie Owen’s blog that he is moving on from the Windows Media Center team to the the Server & Tools Online group at Microsoft. Charlie was a Program Manager on the eHome team and responsible for the Media Center platform including...

Published Tue, May 19 2009 9:11 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

TDL Postround Up

Here is a roundup of posts from the last week. On Sunday I published the finalists for the Windows Media Center Ultimate Installer contest , there are some great setups so take a look at the entries and vote HERE . On The Media Center Show I talked to...

Published Mon, May 18 2009 11:08 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: News Roundup