|
|
Ian's digital lifestyle and Windows Media Center Blog
Browse by Tags
All Tags » None (RSS)
Sorry, but there are no more tags available to filter with.
-
I just wanted to say Happy New Year to all readers. I hope you the new year is a good one for you, I am looking forward to seeing what 2008 brings See you at CES! 
|
-
To all readers and listeners, have a great Christmas! Lets hope you get or give plenty of gadgets.
|
-
While there still has been no official announcements on the availability of the V2 Extenders in the UK, Lambda-tek.com are taking pre-orders for the Linksys extenders The part numbers for the European models are DMA2100-EU (£188.60 inc. VAT) and DMA2200-EU (£220.49 inc. VAT) I had a quick search around for the EU model numbers found a few European sites offering the units for pre-order No stock available on the site at the moment: http://www.lambda-tek.com/componentshop/index.pl?origin=gbase14.2&prodID=B89855 Thanks to reader Gordon Lindsay who tipped me off 
|
-
The Digital Lifestyle.com video show is sponsored by Embedded Automation In this video I take a look at Tranquil's T7-HSA Home Server. This is a headless and fanless Windows Home Server.
Tranquil were one of the first to market with Windows Home Server and this is a great example of the simplicity of the platform This recording was streamed live November 6th thanks to everyone that joined in the live session, it made it a very interactive session and you can catch more live sessions at live.TheDigitalLifestyle.com T7-HSA Tranquil Harmony Home Server is available at Tranquil's online store
Price: £338.00 (Excluding VAT at 17.5%) The RSS feed for the video show is HERE 
|
-
-
I was impressed with Tranquil PC's Windows Home Server when I saw it at Microsoft's Vista After Hours Event a couple of months ago. I was even more impressed when I found out Tranquil are based about 5 minutes down the road from my office in Manchester. Tranquil have kindly lent me an evaluation version of their fan less 1TB Windows Home Server for me to do a video review. The first thing I noticed when I picked up the unit is how small it is. For a 1TB storage unit it is tiny, see this picture below of the unit next to my Xbox. So fitting the Home Server in with your existing equipment should be no problem. All it needs is a network point and power. More info on the video review which should be out soon and I have an interview with Tranquil on The Media Center Show soon  
|
-
-
I just got the great news that I have been re-awarded an MVP (Microsoft Most Valuable Professional) for 2008. It's a great honor to be awarded again and it's  nice that The Media Center Show gets recognition. I keep doing the show as I am still passionate about Windows Media Center and the possibility for the platform has for the future, it is great being part of the Media Center community and I am enjoying building the community around TheDigitalLifestyle.com Hopefully I will get to the MVP summit next year My MVP Profile  
|
-
Peter Near has started a campaign to get try and get CableCARD or something like that introduced in to Canada.If you have Tivo or Media Center and want to get rid of your Set Top Box and live in Canada you need take a look at Peter's site Dropthebox.ca web site. Peter will be coming on to The Media Center Show soon to talk about his campaign. I think a campaign to get Sky to open up to Media Center in the UK should be next Did you know that you don’t really need a set top box to get HDTV from your cable company? In the U.S. and other countries, you can plug your digital cable directly into your television, Tivo, or computer and enjoy the HDTV that you’ve paid for - it’s simple and it’s convenient. The only thing holding back Canadians from enjoying these same benefits is the will of the people and the action of our government. Want to help me make this happen? Here’s what you can do: - See what you’ve been missing
I’ve put together a quick sample of the cool things that people in other countries are doing with their digital cable. From gadgets that are on the market now to innovative ideas that are on their way, opening up the digital cable market has started to produce some really innovative ideas. - Read my letter
I’ve written a letter to the CRTC to ask that this issue be considered at the upcoming hearing on digital cable distribution in Canada. Give it a quick read so you can understand how this was enforced in the US, and how I suggest that the CRTC proceed in making this a reality here in Canada. - Write your own letter
I have a Microsoft Word template set up that will make it easy to write your own letter to the CRTC. It’s quite simple to write down your own feelings and submit them online - the CRTC wants to hear comments from all Canadians and I encourage you to let them hear what you have to say. All letters to the CRTC will be published and considered in the upcoming hearing. - Spread the word
Once people discover what they’re missing, our politicians may stand up and take notice. Politicians are people too, and I’m sure that they don’t like paying extra to their cable company to buy or rent that terrible box any more than we do. 
|
-
Watch this video in HQ WMV (I am testing a download service from Blip.tv so let me know if you have any problems)
Subscribe to The Digital Lifestyle.com Video Show
Specialtech.co.uk sent me a Omaura TF8 Home Theatre PC chassis to look at, and it was interesting to compare it to the Sony Xl302 Media Center PC I reviewed a couple of weeks ago. So in this short video I talk a look at the case and see how it would fit in with a AV rack. I also take a sneak  peak inside the unit.
Thanks to SpecialTech for the review unit.
Price: £131.48 , inc VAT 17.5%, for TheDigitalLifestyle.com readers if you pre-order the case you get free shipping, tell them you came from here.
I would also like to welcome mControl as the new sponsor for The Digital Lifestyle.com Video Show
Video: The Digital Lifestyle.com #8 - Omaura TF8 Case
|
-
-
Microsoft are touring the UK showing off some of the fun side of Windows Vista to IT professionals by looking at Media Center, Sideshow, Windows Home Server, Xbox 360 and other things. The events are run in the evening and include food and refreshments. One of the locations will be Manchester so I will definitely be going along, hopefully Microsoft's James Senior will be giving away a copy of my book "Using Microsoft Windows Vista Media Center" so look out for that. If you going let me know and come and say hello, I will have my podcasting kit with me :) According to James this is what will be on: - Windows Vista
- Search - new and improved!
- Photography - new and improved!
- Movie and DVD Making
- SideShow - new devices!
- Sidebar - new gadgets!
- Media Center - new apps!
- Windows Home Server
- Xbox 360
- Xbox Live
- Media Center Extended
- Zune integration
- Windows Vista vs Xbox 360
- Games for Windows Live
- James and Matt battle to the death to decide the best gaming platform!
- Virtual Earth
- The best mapping platform on the net
More details on James' blog
|
-
It looks like my DNS host is having problems, so to get to TheDigitalLifestyle.com try TheMediaCenterShow.com until the DNS problem is fixed 
|
-
If you get the dreaded three flashing red lights on your 360 and need to send it back to Microsoft for repair there is one piece of good news. Microsoft is reimbursing anyone who has experienced the “three flashing red lights” error and incurred repair expenses and new owners will get a three year warranty for there 360. Good on Microsoft for accepting there is a problem more info 
|
-
If you have a Nitendo Wii and want to get your Media Center content on to it you can use Orb's 10 foot interface and it works very well, but it looks like there is an alternative called Wii Media Center X. You can stream video, music, pictures and files to your Wii and the server is cross platform so you could use it on your Mac or Linux box too via PVRBlog 
|
-
Windows Home Server Release Candidate is live, according to the Windows Home Server Blog "we'll make the RC software available to all 100,000+ beta program applicants asap, as well as all new sign ups. " , so availability shouldn't be a problem. I will be installing it tonight and I will let you know how I get on getting Recorded TV playing from it. Windows Home Server Blog : Release Candidate goes live! 
|
-
For anybody looking at CableCARD its well worth looking at Chris Lanier's CableCARD FAQ. He has over a dozen questions on the FAQ that should answer many CableCARD questions. Vista Media Center CableCARD FAQ 
|
-
Steven Harding has launched EMUCenter, its a Media Center program that enables you to play games from Media Center Say hello to 'EMUCenter'. It lets you create your own list of games to play from within Media Center. You can add your normal Windows games, as well as games from your old favorite machines (assuming you still own those disks and haven't thrown them out, of course!). If you would like to check it out (and tell me if it doesn't work!) feel free to drop on by the greenbutton forums -  download the program and leave some comments. Steven also has a new version of Yougle for Vista (the YouTube and Google video player for Media Center) and you can find more info on that on Steven's site Steven's Windows Media Center Developer blog is a great read and can be found HERE 
|
-
For the first time in a long time I am going on holiday (vacation for US readers!) so there will be little if any posting, I will not be completely disconnected, I am taking my Samsung Q1 UMPC with me. I am looking forward to switching off for a while, and putting my faith in my Media Center PC to record all the things it's set to record. While I am away checkout the forums on TheDigitalLifestyle.com and have a look at some of the videos I have recorded.
See you soon! 
|
|
|
|