Terry on WegotServed.co.uk is asking the age old question on how should our digital home solutions work better together. The main cause for complaint is the lack of integration between Windows Home Server and Windows Media Center, as discussed before there are workarounds to get them to work together better but nothing works out of the box. I am using my Media Center PC as a server now so would an integrated Windows Home Server / Windows Media Center system work for me? I think it would. There are of course other components that need integrating like Zune, other Media Players, home audio devices, Internet services and Extenders (which work great for me)
So what do you want to see fixed and integrated? What is essential for you? What is stopping you from going 100% Media Center?
3 thoughts on “What is broken in your digital home?”
Media Center & WHS integration is at the top of my list too. I’d also like to see better/easier integration with Dish Network and DirecTV (like the HDPC-20).
Simplicity. Having a HTPC is an ongoing project, especially if you want extra functionality (DVDs, Netflix, extender functioning etc). This extends to Media center and Home Server.
Also the wife/woman factor is frightening. Whenever you want to try to add or change something, especially the big initial switch to using Media Center as a focus for home entertainment, you have to consider how much grief you’re liable to receive. So more first time user friendliness and simplicity.
There are a few things:
– Cant restart videos where you left off, and with the poor skip system and no fast forward of most video, its a pain to get to where you were.
– If you start to watch something you recorded, you cant choose to start from the beginning
– No idea if you have watched a video, or when
– No TV Management
– No back end for your movies (eg box shots, ratings, premise, etc.)
– Bad handling of unperfect DVB-T signals (picture freezes, set top boxes and mediaportal glitch the bad part of the signal)
– Poor 50Hz support from video drivers (PAL signals use 50Hz, gives a blurring effect as I have to use 60hz so I can do overscan compensation)
– NEED for 3rd party hacks for things to work (Free*EPG, MCEBuddy, Etc.)
– Does not support over the air EPG (DVB-T stuff again)
– CONFUSING home menu. Media portal has a choice of a basic home screen with TV, radio, videos, music and… something else. Very easy to see what you want to do.
– No BluRay Support. and in general a huge lack of adding cutting edge anything. This is where VMC should blow away the competition.
I tried Media Portal, but the TV was unreliable, but it has Allot of nice, intergrated features, even 3rd party stuff intergrates well into their plugin system. I will try it again on the 1.0 release.
I do use VMC as my full time main TV entertainment unit, but I wont be touching extenders or anything until it works properly at the first point.
I have high hopes for the Fiji release (Major VMC update), it better have atleast Bluray support at bare minimum. It better have some of the features above too!
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Media Center & WHS integration is at the top of my list too. I’d also like to see better/easier integration with Dish Network and DirecTV (like the HDPC-20).
Simplicity. Having a HTPC is an ongoing project, especially if you want extra functionality (DVDs, Netflix, extender functioning etc). This extends to Media center and Home Server.
Also the wife/woman factor is frightening. Whenever you want to try to add or change something, especially the big initial switch to using Media Center as a focus for home entertainment, you have to consider how much grief you’re liable to receive. So more first time user friendliness and simplicity.
There are a few things:
– Cant restart videos where you left off, and with the poor skip system and no fast forward of most video, its a pain to get to where you were.
– If you start to watch something you recorded, you cant choose to start from the beginning
– No idea if you have watched a video, or when
– No TV Management
– No back end for your movies (eg box shots, ratings, premise, etc.)
– Bad handling of unperfect DVB-T signals (picture freezes, set top boxes and mediaportal glitch the bad part of the signal)
– Poor 50Hz support from video drivers (PAL signals use 50Hz, gives a blurring effect as I have to use 60hz so I can do overscan compensation)
– NEED for 3rd party hacks for things to work (Free*EPG, MCEBuddy, Etc.)
– Does not support over the air EPG (DVB-T stuff again)
– CONFUSING home menu. Media portal has a choice of a basic home screen with TV, radio, videos, music and… something else. Very easy to see what you want to do.
– No BluRay Support. and in general a huge lack of adding cutting edge anything. This is where VMC should blow away the competition.
I tried Media Portal, but the TV was unreliable, but it has Allot of nice, intergrated features, even 3rd party stuff intergrates well into their plugin system. I will try it again on the 1.0 release.
I do use VMC as my full time main TV entertainment unit, but I wont be touching extenders or anything until it works properly at the first point.
I have high hopes for the Fiji release (Major VMC update), it better have atleast Bluray support at bare minimum. It better have some of the features above too!