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The coolest one box Media Center ever

Great design is something I’m into, I love things looking beautiful and I’m a believer in the need for form to follow (actually to lead) function. Having come across this it’s something I just had to share. The image on the left is a...

Published Mon, Mar 03 2010 5:30 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center

Hi pigeons, here’s the cat…

Ok I was watching Steve B speech at Washington U yesterday and heard this…it shocked me a little and I tweeted it…people picked it up and found it interesting so here it is, it’s take from Microsoft’s transcript of the event : In the case of the TV we...

Published Fri, Mar 03 2010 11:12 AM by simonster

Filed under: media center

On10 covers every TV option

Sarah’s written a great and very, very, comprehensive article for On10.net about all the different options for watching TV in Windows Media Center without a TV tuner, she covers: Hulu PlayOn Boxee SecondRunTV TunerFree TubeCore ZeeVee SkyPlayer Wow, it...

Published Wed, Jan 01 2010 12:07 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center

Stream Spotify to your Squeezebox or WMP

Now that Martin has released the beta of Spotify MCE I thought I’d explain quickly how you can stream Spotify all over your house. I use a Squeezebox for this, which is where the solution comes from, but equally anything that can play a HTTP MP3...

Published Tue, Jan 01 2010 1:00 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center, spotify

Super-simple, no config commercial removal in Windows 7

I think I’ve found something too good to be true. I was just looking about on codeplex and came across this project WTVWatcher by Paul Bruce . It almost has me shaking in my seat for it’s simplicity and ease of use. What Paul’s done...

Published Mon, Nov 11 2009 12:30 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center, Windows 7

Recording programs that are off the air

Ian tweeted Friday about a TV show in the UK called Newswipe, unfortunately just a day after the series ended. Now I know that I can catch up on it using TunerFree MCE but I wanted to make sure that I don’t miss it again – it’s funny, but it’s already...

Published Sun, May 05 2009 5:52 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center

A question for the Media Center Dev community

At the MCHSUG meeting on Tuesday I was asked by a couple of developers what some killer applications would be for Media Center, I was a bit stumped at the time, but I spent some of the drive home listening to The Media Center Show (#202), coincidently...

Published Sun, Apr 04 2009 6:48 PM by simonster

Filed under: add-in, media center, user group

Answers to a few questions I was asked at MCHSUG

I was asked quite a few questions on Tuesday at the user group meeting, so I thought a quick post to clear some up would be a good plan. What was the laptop I was using? It was a HP Tx2 , the same one that Ian reviewed , and it’s great machine. ...

Published Sat, Apr 04 2009 6:30 PM by simonster

Filed under: add-in, media center, user group

What a great night

Wow it’s been a while, hopefully this post marks my return from a top secret (I’m sure you can find out about it) project I’ve been working on that’s consumed all my free time for the past three months, and it’s perfect timing coming days after the first...

Published Thu, Apr 04 2009 6:30 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center, user group

Yet more AWESOME for Media Browser (beta 9’s out)

How good is this project right now? I’ll tell you how good, it’s starting to feel like a professional release. Beta 9’s out and this one is focused on getting users on to Media Browser from other applications, yep focused! And what a...

Published Fri, Feb 02 2009 12:05 PM by simonster

Filed under: add-in, media center

Another way to control Media Center from a WinMo phone

I love my windows mobile device and I’m always interested to look at something when it collides with Media Center. Well thanks to this tweet I’ve just learnt a new way. This video from Pocketnow.com shows off an interesting new application MobileRemote...

Published Thu, Feb 02 2009 5:47 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center, Windows 7, windows mobile

TunerFree MCE adds even more awesomeness, goes full screen

As of today TunerFree MCE will do full screen for all the channels available including BBC and Hulu automatically. Previously a mouse click was needed. 10 Seconds after opening a show, it will go into full screen. Great news with Boxee being forced to...

Published Sat, Feb 02 2009 10:49 AM by simonster

Filed under: media center

Media browser video information, and a quick way to workout which codec you need

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Published Wed, Feb 02 2009 6:00 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center

Windows Media Center & WinMo ad

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Published Sat, Feb 02 2009 7:38 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center

We need a Flash transcoder

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Published Fri, Feb 02 2009 6:00 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center

Media Browser – The AWESOME continues!

I just started Media Browser today and got the download of Beta 8. All I can say is AWESOME! Check out the Jas Manghera’s blog for deeper details on what this release does. Lets take a look at what is new and so awesome! Views, Views, Views Lets...

Published Wed, Feb 02 2009 9:08 AM by simonster

Filed under: add-in, media center, extender

Cheap and free home theatre hacks

Lifehacker have a great post today on cheap and free home theater hacks that includes some mention of Windows Media Center. I really like the hack number 6. Calibrate your HDTV for free, some really good information in the links in that section! So it’s...

Published Sun, Feb 02 2009 1:37 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center, bargin, other

Now that’s powerful but not power hungry

Over on the low power computing blog is a little story about the Ion platform (the one that brings together an Intel Atom and a GeForce GPU). There are some seriously impressive benchmarks for the Ion. 1080p playback, with only 30W total power consumption...

Published Fri, Feb 02 2009 12:32 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center, home server

TunerFree MCE updated to version 2.1

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Published Mon, Feb 02 2009 9:08 PM by simonster

Filed under: add-in, media center

Play to questions answered, part 2 – Play to and Media Center

Yesterday I revealed the answers to the questions you asked about using multiple devices and sync with Play To. Today I’m going to give you the information you really want, how it works with Media Center. The answer is: simply, and yes we’d...

Published Wed, Jan 01 2009 6:00 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center, Windows 7, Play To

Some changes to the Freeview lineup

Some UK readers will like this, and some wont. There are some upcoming changes to the UK Freeview channels coming along soon, so you’ll want to do a “Scan for more services” soon if you’ve got DVB-T Tuners in your Media Center...

Published Fri, Jan 01 2009 12:40 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center

Community powered feedback for 7MC

How are you finding your Media Center experience on Windows 7? Want to know how other people are finding it but tired of digging through all the information? Think you've got an idea that could make the experience even better? You might want to give...

Published Thu, Jan 01 2009 5:15 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center, Windows 7

Tunerfree MCE for Windows 7

With the newly available Windows 7 Beta comes a slew of "it works" cries from all over. One that you won't need to check is Tunerfree MCE. Martin has already done that and released a small update. In Martin's own words 2.0.1b Beta version...

Published Fri, Jan 01 2009 12:30 PM by simonster

Filed under: add-in, media center, Windows 7

Asus show off another 8” Media Center PC!

I only just posted about Sony’s 8” netbook / fully functional Media Center and it seems that Asus have trumped Sony! How? They’ve got the biggest SSD ever in this thing, 512gb – wow. It’s also slightly thinner. This one has been announced...

Published Thu, Jan 01 2009 1:10 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center, Windows 7, ces

Sony’s new netbook

One of the big things at CES is netbooks, and the big trend is towards “beefier” netbooks capable of running more modern OS’s. Sony have released details of a netbook they’ve been teasing the world with for weeks. The new netbook fits inside...

Published Thu, Jan 01 2009 1:00 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center, ces

Windows 7 Beta and patch

Well if you’re not already running Windows 7, build 7000 or “the Beta” then you can download it tomorrow. The usual warnings about it being beta apply, but it is pretty stable. There is already a patch out though that you will really want to apply...

Published Thu, Jan 01 2009 12:30 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center, Windows 7

Harmony 1100

Hopefully Ian will be able to get us some more details on this baby from CES over the next couple of days. I’m currently thinking about an upgrade for my remote, currently a Harmony 525 which has been super for a while and has become even more capable...

Published Tue, Jan 01 2009 7:43 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center

TunerFree MCE now with a new interface

Over Christmas Martin Millman was working hard on TunerFree MCE and he’s come out with a fantastic looking new interface. Far nicer than selecting the channel based on just a text menu TunerFree MCE now has a nice graphic for each channel. Viewing...

Published Fri, Jan 01 2009 11:54 AM by simonster

Filed under: add-in, media center

TunerFree MCE now for 64bit

Martin Millman has just released something people have been after for a while, a 64bit version of his TunerFree MCE software. It’s best explained in Martin’s own words: I've known for some time that people using a 64bit version of Vista...

Published Sun, Dec 12 2008 3:09 PM by simonster

Filed under: add-in, media center

Other broadcasters are looking at using iPlayer, Labs - oh and it’s one year old

The Guardian rescently published an article that’s a really interesting development in the IPTV world in the UK. It seems that other broadcasters outside of the Beeb are looking at using the iPlayer to distribute their own programming, Channel 4...

Published Thu, Dec 12 2008 11:41 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center

Sky TV over the internet - the challenge is on, get it into Media Center

I just picked up on this post by our friend Mark McCall over at Automated Home about SKY TV now offering a subscription based service of 9 of it's channels, including SKY Sports over the Internet. Streaming is courtesy of Silverlight, anyone noticed...

Published Tue, Dec 12 2008 12:30 AM by simonster

Filed under: media center

Questions for the Windows Media Center and Windows Home Server UK User Group

Last week we launched the signup for the user group. We’ve had great success and we’ve started to plan the events. We still need to know what people want though, so please have a look at the two polls, Where and When and also give me some...

Published Mon, Dec 12 2008 9:43 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center, user group

New Live, er, live and 25gb free online storage

In case you’ve not noticed the new live services have launched over the past day or so, basically turning Live into a kind of social network, time will tell how good that gets. What did come along with everything else is a major update to the way...

Published Thu, Dec 12 2008 12:25 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center, Tip, Live

REALLY want to understand what’s doing the decoding?

I thought I should draw a little attention to these two related bits of info that popped up on The Digital Lifestyle in the past 24 hours. Kingtone threw this tip off into the forums last night , it’s a tip off for those who missed it about a great...

Published Thu, Dec 12 2008 8:34 AM by simonster

Filed under: add-in, media center, Tip

Cool little monitors

I was scrolling down engadget earlier today and I spotted this cool little device that they just reviewed . It’s a 7-inch display that works as a second monitor on your PC, it’s from Korea and hard to get hold of. Why’s that so cool? ...

Published Tue, Dec 12 2008 10:02 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center

In the UK? When do you want to get together?

If you’re in the UK and you fancy getting together to talk about Media Center and Home Server just like Ian and I posted earlier, then head on over and join the User Group . I’ve posted the first question in the forum for the group about when we’d like...

Published Tue, Dec 12 2008 12:01 AM by simonster

Filed under: media center, home server, user group

Two neat meta data tools

Tonight I decided to try out Video Browser. I’ve got to say I’m really impressed, it’s a great add-in for watching your video. I actually picked it up to try it out for the the TV, and it’s pretty cool, you can download it here...

Published Sat, Nov 11 2008 12:18 AM by simonster

Filed under: add-in, media center

Tuner Free MCE – Now with Live BBC One and Two

I know I keep blogging about this but one of my favourite add-ins is a favourite because the developer, Martin, is just so fantastic about getting updates out. Updates are important particularly with a service like iPlayer where the BBC is pushing...

Published Thu, Nov 11 2008 10:41 PM by simonster

Filed under: add-in, media center

Great series of posts on Channel 8 for building a HTPC

Channel 8 is the Microsoft blogging channel aimed at people who haven’t quite entered the tech industry yet, student types. It’s kind of a mix of IT Pro, Home and Developer news. Right now Max Zukerman is writing a series of posts about building...

Published Thu, Nov 11 2008 7:48 PM by simonster

Filed under: media center

TunerFree MCE updates

You probably know that I’m a huge fan of TunerFree MCE . Well it’s been updated with the following since my last post about it: Stopped BBC programs from playing twice when navigating away and back again. Update for new BBC changes. Play BBC high...

Published Thu, Nov 11 2008 2:36 PM by simonster

Filed under: add-in, media center

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