Browse by Tags

The Media Center Show #213 – Ed Bott

One of my favourite guests returns to the show this week. Ed Bott returns to talk Windows 7 and how its progressed from beta to RTM and how its different from the Vista development. Ed also talks about the product editions and which one is best for Media...

Published Thu, Jul 07 2009 11:50 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, The Media Center Show, Windows 7

Video: Streaming content from Windows Media Center with an G1 Android phone

One great new feature of Windows 7 is “Play To” and DLNA support, Windows Media Player can operate as a media player, server and controller and the Xbox 360 Media Center extender sessions can be controlled via DLNA. Because WMP is using DLNA...

Published Sun, Jun 06 2009 8:00 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows 7, Play To

Microsoft reveals Windows 7 pricing details

Ed Bott has all the details on the Windows 7 Pricing announced today, I guess the headline prices is that if you pre-order Windows 7 Home Premium you can get it for $50 and $100 gets you the Professional upgrade. The offer is open from June 26th in the...

Published Thu, Jun 06 2009 3:49 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows 7

Archos Windows 7 Tablet PC, great for Media Center on the go

A couple of weeks ago Archos (mainly known as manufactures of portable media player) announced an interesting new Tablet PC and I didn’t post about at the time but Derek Dunipace sent me an email saying what a great Media Center system it would make ...

Published Mon, Jun 06 2009 2:52 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows 7

Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) in Windows 7

One of the areas improved in Windows 7 is wifi support and if you have a new router it may support WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) On Channel 10 they have a video with Gabe Frost and Yatharth Gupta from the Windows 7,(Gabe has been on the show before talking...

Published Wed, Jun 06 2009 8:34 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows 7

Improving Audio Glitch Resilience in Windows 7

When you are using your PC as part of a home theatre audio glitches can really drive you mad, your watching a movie and its getting to the interesting bit just as Windows 7 stutters over the audio ruining the moment. Microsoft have a detailed post on...

Published Wed, Jun 06 2009 4:31 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows 7

Windows Media Center users on Xbox 360/Windows 7 down for 24 hours

I have been see reports on Twitter and on TGB that the Xbox Live service is down for 24 hours maintenance and its affecting Windows 7/Xbox 360 Extender users. If your running Windows 7 and use the Xbox 360 as an Extender when the extender session connects...

Published Tue, Jun 06 2009 10:15 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Xbox, Windows 7

Playing Ripped DVDs on Media Center Extenders without conversion or playlists

One of the great features of Windows 7 is its improved codec support and this means you can easily play ripped DVD on Media Center Extenders (so far I have only tested the Xbox 360). With Vista it was a big fiddly creating symbolic link files and Play...

Published Tue, Jun 06 2009 9:34 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, How To, Windows 7

Playing MKVs in Media Center and on Extenders

Just as Microsoft gets native Divx playback introduced in Windows 7 along comes MKV newer format that lots of enthusiasts want to use and out of the box Windows 7 does not support it. Fortunately since Divx introduced MKV support things have got easier...

Published Sun, Jun 06 2009 7:53 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Addins, Windows 7

Microsoft reveals native Windows 7 video transcoding

An interesting feature of Windows 7 has been talked about today and I haven’t seen much information about. At COMPUTEX 2009 Microsoft talked about Windows 7 having native video trancoding that will speed up the copying and transcoding of video files when...

Published Wed, Jun 06 2009 9:28 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows 7

Windows 7 General Availability Announced

Microsoft have announced that Windows 7 will be in the stores October 22nd 2009 with RTM in the last two weeks of July. Meaning it will be ready for the the all important Christmas period. I have put Windows 7 RC on all my machines now and its running...

Published Tue, Jun 06 2009 8:20 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows 7

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 05 2009 5:03 PM by Ian Dixon

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

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 05 2009 10:05 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows 7

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 05 2009 11:22 AM by Ian Dixon

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

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 05 2009 11:21 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Vista, Windows 7

Windows Media Center Software Development Kit for Windows 7 Release Candidate Now Available

Microsoft have posted an updated version of the Windows Media Center SDK for Windows 7 RC (replacing the one for the beta). You can download from: http://download.microsoft.com/download/7/5/0/7501F066-9B35-4F9E-8A63-0957687DE1E6/WindowsMediaCenterSDK6...

Published Sat, May 05 2009 6:39 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, development, Windows 7

Theme7MC.com from Hack7MC

While Media Center doesn’t have a theme feature there are some hacks to make it work and some great looking themes available on the web. Now Hack7MC have launched Theme7MC.com a site for hosting Media Center themes. There are a gallery of themes plus...

Published Wed, May 05 2009 9:29 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Addins, Windows 7

Big Screen EPG for Windows 7 – Public Beta Program Now Open

Its been a while since I talked about Big Screen EPG, this is an EPG tool developed for Windows 7 Media Center that has previously been in private beta and now Niall has opened it up the beta to all. If want to use 3rd party EPG data this may just...

Published Wed, May 05 2009 9:14 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Addins, Windows 7

Engineering Windows 7 blog talks Media Streaming with Windows 7

On the Engineering Windows 7 blog they have a detailed post on Media Streaming in Windows 7. The post talks about HomeGroup (one of my favourite features of windows 7) and the Play To features of Windows Media Player. It takes you step by step through...

Published Tue, May 05 2009 11:05 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows 7

Windows 7 on track for 2009

Microsoft have confirmed that Windows 7 is on track for holiday season 2009, its been widely expected that Windows 7 would ship before the end of the year but this is the first time that Microsoft has officially acknowledged the 2009 release date. Brandon...

Published Mon, May 05 2009 8:57 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows 7

How are you finding Windows 7 RC?

Now that Windows 7 RC has been available for a week or so I thought I would ask your thoughts on how Windows 7 is working for you. I have moved over the HP Touchsmart to Windows 7 which is connected up to my Xbox 360 as my main system. This was one of...

Published Mon, May 05 2009 1:50 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows 7

Samsung Q1 up and running with Windows 7 and sound!

Take a look at my “new” portable Media Center Extender, an old Samsung Q1. Regular readers will remember I got the original Q 1 a couple of years ago and when I put Vista on it it rendered the device almost useless due to it running so slow. The first...

Published Mon, May 05 2009 8:59 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, UMPC, Windows 7

DivX Solution for MKV in Windows 7

Guest on this weeks Media Center Show Ben Drawbaugh has a interesting post on how Divx have a solution for MKV playback on Media Center and Extenders. Ben points out that the Haali Media Splitter exposes the audio as VC1 instead of H.264 which leads to...

Published Fri, May 05 2009 5:29 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows 7

Windows 7 – Streaming Recorded TV over the Internet

. One feature of Windows 7 I haven’t tried yet is streaming of Record TV over the internet using Windows 7’s Windows Media Player Internet Streaming function. With this feature you can stream content from Windows Media Player to another Windows Media...

Published Thu, Apr 04 2009 9:50 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows 7

Windows 7 PowerPlaylist Sample Application Now Available on CodePlex.com

You may remember the PowerPlaylist Sample Application that the Media Center team put out on Codeplex a while ago. This is the addin that adds a custom Start Menu strip to Media Center and each title represents an audio and slideshow combination. Great...

Published Wed, Apr 04 2009 1:16 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Addins, Windows 7

My Movie Finder for 7MC

Woodbark on TGB forums has made a nice little application for downloading dvd info for movies stored in the Movie Library of Windows 7 Media Center. There are a few apps out there doing this now but this app seems to be nice and simple and free. I recently...

Published Sun, Apr 04 2009 8:15 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Addins, Windows 7

Video: Windows 7 running with a DVB-T HD Homerun

In my previous video I looked at using a DVB-T HD Homerun with Windows Vista but I was having trouble getting it working with Windows 7. So I installed build 7077 of Windows 7 and the HD Homerun worked straight away. So this is a first look at a HD Homerun...

Published Wed, Apr 04 2009 2:41 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Video, Windows 7

I finally have HD Homerun DVB-T working with Windows 7

I had no problems getting the new DVB-T version of the HD Homerun working with Windows Vista but on Windows 7 I couldn’t get it to work, at first I thought I was experiencing the same problem as users in Australia where the channel PID was mismatched...

Published Tue, Apr 04 2009 10:00 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows 7

Hauppauge launch Windows 7 drivers for WinTV

The drivers keep coming for Windows 7 with Nvidia, ATI and now Hauppauge launching Windows 7 specific drivers . I have been testing Hauppauge’s Nova-T 500 on Windows 7 using the Windows Vista drivers and on build 7000 dual tuners didn’t work...

Published Fri, Apr 04 2009 9:11 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Drivers, Windows 7

Fix for HD Homerun DVB-T Windows 7 Issue (Updated)

While I was recording my video of the new DVB-T HD Homerun I tried getting it working with Windows 7 and after hours of trying I gave up and stuck with Windows Vista. The drivers installed fine and it worked with their own software but Windows Media Center...

Published Wed, Apr 04 2009 9:24 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows 7

Endgadget HD: Microsoft clarifies codec position for Windows 7

Last week I wrote about Microsoft potentially locking out 3rd party codecs in Windows 7 (from a story by Ben Drawbaugh) and yesterday Ben Drawbaugh updated us with a response from Microsoft. Microsoft said that Windows 7 will "continue...

Published Thu, Apr 04 2009 4:21 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows 7

Gizmodo: Windows 7 Might Block Third-Party Video Codecs

Gizmodo have a post up about Windows 7 blocking 3rd party codecs in the beta , first let me say I am not a big fan of 3rd party codecs and especially the codec packs that every time I have installed any they seem to break something else. Anyway according...

Published Thu, Mar 03 2009 9:33 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows 7

Podcast: The Media Center Show #199 – Round Table and Windows Home Server PP2

Listen Here (mp3) A bumper show this week as I welcome Simon May , Richard Miller and Josh Shenkle to the show and we talk Windows 7, Play To and the Windows 7 SKUs. I also have Windows Home Server MVP Andrew Edney on the show to to explain what is new...

Published Thu, Mar 03 2009 12:03 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows Home Server, The Media Center Show, Windows 7

Windows Media Center to get Freeview HD

Not sure how I missed this, according to James Stables on the WindowsVistaMangazine.com Microsoft are working with NXP to make a DVB-T2 tuner for Windows 7. This will enable Windows Media Center to work with the new Freeview HD service that is being started...

Published Mon, Mar 03 2009 3:46 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows 7

Windows 7 to have “Convert to DVR-MS” Feature

JayC on the Members Adventure blog has written about a nice little feature on the latest leaked build of Windows 7 (7057), “Convert to .DVR-MS”. This will be great for people keeping Windows Vista systems running alongside Windows 7 and good...

Published Wed, Mar 03 2009 2:23 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows 7

Registration open for UK Windows Media Center and Home Server User Group Meetup

Registration is open for the UK Windows Media Center and Home Server User Group Meetup. The event will be held at at Aston Science Park in Birmingham on April 21st from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM with food provided. There will be sessions on advanced Windows...

Published Mon, Mar 03 2009 1:49 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows Home Server, Windows 7, UK User Group

April 21st – The first UK Windows Media Center and Windows Home Server Usergroup Event

I know it’s been a long time coming but I finally have a date and location for the first UK Windows Media Center User Group Event. April 21st at Aston Science Park in Birmingham will be the place to be to meet like minded enthusiast and industry...

Published Sat, Mar 03 2009 8:21 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows Home Server, Windows 7, UK User Group

Windows 7 RC has Windows Feature On / Off function

On the Engineering Windows 7 blog they have detailed a new feature in the Release Candidate of Windows 7 that enables switching on or off of features.It properly good to be able to switch of some things like games and DVD Maker to clean up your system...

Published Fri, Mar 03 2009 2:32 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows 7

Media Center Developers: Looking for applications to test with Windows Media Center in Windows 7

Microsoft’s Charlie Owen has put out a request to test shipping Vista Media Center applications with Windows7 . He said: As we near the final stages of development for Windows Media Center in Windows 7 we have an ever shrinking window to make sure...

Published Fri, Mar 03 2009 9:01 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows 7

No Bluray playback for Windows (but we knew that anyway)

According to Windows7Center.com there has been confirmation from Microsoft that there will be no built in Bluray playback supported in Windows 7. We already knew this but according to the blog post Microsoft’s Steven Sinofsky has confirmed that...

Published Thu, Mar 03 2009 3:24 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows 7

Syndication

Recent Posts

Tags

News

Site Links

Archives