This week saw the release of Power Pack 2 for Windows Home Server which includes a Media Center addin and on The Media Center Show Andrew Edney explains what is new in Power Pack 2 and he tells us about the new Windows Media Center Addin (I also posted a video showing how to install the new addin) . On the The Custom Integrator Show Installment 008 we talked CableCARD and here are some of the posts from the last week:

• Video: How to install the new Windows Media Center addin for Windows Home Server
• Windows Media Foundation and Windows 7
• DMA 2200 Extender $95 at Newegg
• Gizmodo: Windows 7 Might Block Third-Party Video Codecs
• Video: Unboxing and First Impressions of a AMILO Notebook Sa3650 with GraphicBooster
• Using powerline HomePlugs to network a xBox 360 extender
• I'm A Windows Media Center PC and Upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7 (Beta)
• Backup and Restore Recording Schedule in Windows 7 Media Cente
• Add Channel Logos to 7MC with the latest My Channel Logos
• Windows Home Server now on MSDN , no really it is!
• Official: Windows Home Server Power Pack 2 will be available via Windows Update starting Tuesday, March 24
• Windows Media Center to get Freeview HD

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 in Windows Home Server Power Pack 2 and he tells us about the new Windows Media Center Addin for Windows Home Server.

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Show Times:

00:50 Coming up this week
02:10 .wtv To .dvr-ms Command Line Conversion
03:31 Update on my Windows 7 system
04:50 The Custom Integrator Show Installment 007
05:10 The Windows Media Center Ultimate Enthusiast Contest 2009
06:06 Media Center Ultimate Enthusiast Contest: Custom Wall Hanging PC
06:24 Windows Media Center to get Freeview HD
08:30 Windows Home Server now on MSDN , no really it is!
09:10 Media Center Health Monitor Download
09:45 Register for the first UK Windows Media Center and Windows Home Server User Group Event, April 21st 2009
10:42 Welcome to Andrew Edney
11:16 New features of Windows Home Server Power Pack 2
12:15 Remote access features
17:17 Windows Media Center addin included with Power Pack 2
19:41 Sharing improvements
22:00 3rd Party addins
24:27 Welcome to the round table guests
27:01 Windows 7 testing
31:00 QAM TV channels
32:00 HD Homerun
38:20 UK tuners
43:39 Upgrading or re-build?
48:00 Play To
54:58 Movie Library in Windows 7
1:01:01 Webguide and Mesh
1:10:00 Windows 7 SKU
1:16:00 is Windows 7 ready?
1:19:00 Thanks to all
1:25:00 See you next week for show 200!

Music by Ian Dixon

Technorati tags: Windows Media Center, podcasts

This weeks edition of The Media Center Show we talkedt AMD and The Custom Integrator Show was all about TV tuners and CableCARD. We had The Windows Media Center Ultimate Enthusiast Contest 2009 and some great other posts including plenty of hacks for Windows 7 Media Center and a beta of Media Center Health Monitor for Windows Home Server

• Convert MKVs to DVR-MS for Media Center Extenders

• Media Center Ultimate Enthusiast Contest: Custom Wall Hanging PC

• Essentials for Hacking Windows 7 Media Center

• CNM Ministor Intel Atom Barebone - Includes Atom230 CPU onboard VGA/Sound for less than 120 pound

• Update on Windows Media Center OTA Guide Data Problems

• A Review of Perfect Disk 10 for Windows Home Server – and a giveaway

• .wtv To .dvr-ms Command Line Conversion

• Fix It For Me:When I used the Online Media feature of Media Center Extender on a Windows Vista-based computer, I received an error message: "Video Error"

• Fix it for Me: Error message on a Windows Vista-based computer that is running Windows Media Center: "Media Center has stopped working"

• Media Center Health Monitor for Windows Home Server Beta

• College Hoops and Bracket Goes Live in Windows Media Center

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

Don’t forget to register for UK Windows Media Center and Home Server User Group Meetup

Listen Here (mp3)

This week I am talking Sasa Marinkovic from AMD about the new AMD Dragon Platform and the new platform for Notebooks. I also talk to Sasa about AMD’s Graphics booster for notebooks which would be great for Media Center systems (review coming soon). I have email, news and details of the first UK Windows Media Center and Windows Home Server User Group Event

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Show Times:

00:50 Coming Up this week
01:50 Email: HP TouchSmart
03:26 Email: Netflix on Extenders
05:50 Register for the first UK Windows Media Center and Windows Home Server User Group Event, April 21st 2009
07:43 Microsoft, Media Center Integrator Alliance Announce 2009 Ultimate Install Contest
08:10 Media Browser Beta 10
08:59 Octava HDMI Cat5 Extender
10:06 New public beta of Open Media Library
10:40 Video Demo of Media Browser 2.0.10.0 (Vanilla)
11:10 The Custom Integrator Show Installment 006
11:30 Episode 21-Media Center vs. SageTV
12:00 Welcome to Sasa Marinkovic
13:50 AMD’s Platform
14:50 AMD Dragon Platform
18:00 Gaming Modes
21:00 Notebook Platform
30:00 64 bit
31:50 Graphic’s Booster
33:49 Shipping
35:00 Thanks to AMD

Music by Ian Dixon

Technorati tags: Windows Media Center, podcasts

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 Media Center, Windows Home Server and Media Center Development plus there will be Microsoft MVPs around to answer questions and we will be having a good look at Windows 7 as well.

Make sure you are a member of UK User Group on The Digital Lifestyle.com and then go to the event registration page and get you ticket. Please print the email confirmation and bring with you as as your ticket for the event and we look forward to seeing you there

Later today I will open registration for the first UK Windows Media Center and Windows Home Server event which will take place April 21st, I am really looking forward to the meetup with the community. This week on The Media Center Show I talked to Derek Flickinger live from the Electronic Home Expo (EHX) talking about the show and the Media Center University so as Derek was away it meant a delay on instalment 6 of The Custom Integrator Show. Here are some of the other posts from the last 7 days

• Watch high-definition movies and TV shows in Windows Media Center
• Video Demo of Media Browser 2.0.10.0 (Vanilla)
• New public beta of Open Media Library
• Octava HDMI Cat5 Extender
• Media Browser Beta 10
• Configuring Media Center with 1 or 2 set-top boxes
• Microsoft, Media Center Integrator Alliance Announce 2009 Ultimate Install Contest
• First Look at CableCard Diagnostics Tool for Windows Media Center
• Engadget HD Podcast talks Media Center and The Customer Integrator Show
• Windows Home Server – The Next Version Webcast
• Windows Media Center Promo Videos
• EHX 2009 Spring 2009
• Ever wanted a High-End Firewall for your home, but couldn't afford one?
• Mediaportal V Media Center? Which to choose?
• DVBLogic launch DVBSBridge, IPTV solution for Windows Media Center

I posted this on my blog on The Digital Lifestyle.com but I wanted to make sure people still using this feed get an invite:

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 experts, we plan to have talks on advanced Windows Media Center, developing for Windows Media Center, Windows Home Server and a look at Windows 7 amongst other subjects.

If you have any suggestions for topics or you would like to present at the event let me know and on Monday I will post a link to register. I am really looking forward to the event, it should be fun, informative and we should have a great conversation. I am also going to try and get hold of some swag and I should have a couple of The Digital Lifestyle.com t-shirts to give away (now that must make you want to come!)

The first step is to register for the User Group on The Digital Lifestyle.com and on Monday I will post the registration details and if you can’t make it but want to be a part of it we hope to have at least one webcam and will be posting some of the resources on the user group blog

Big thanks to Paul at Microsoft for sorting the location :)

Listen Here (mp3)

This week we are almost live from EHX in Florida, well I am in Manchester and Derek Flickinger is in Orlando at the show. Derek talks about the EHX show (Electronic Home Expo) and explains what the show is all about. He found CE Pro’s Julie Jacobson and Vice President of the Media Center Integrator Alliance Brian Paper and we chatted about the Media Center University and the Cablecard diagnostic tool. I also have a round up of the weeks news. 

Addin Reviews can now be posted directly on the Addin Review Wiki

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Show Times:

00:50 Coming up this week
02:46 Interview with Doug Berrett on Webguide
03:34 No Bluray playback for Windows (but we knew that anyway)
04:48 Microsoft Unveils the Sports Channel for Windows Media Center
05:38 Media Center Health Monitor Beta
07:27 Media Center Developers: Looking for applications to test with Windows Media Center in Windows 7
08:22 A Digital Cable Tuner Diagnostic Tool for MCIA Members
08:40 The Custom Integrator Show Installment 005
08:49 Samsung have a new Q1 UMPC out: the Q1-EX071G
10:10 DVBLogic launch DVBSBridge, IPTV solution for Windows Media Center
11:01 Mediaportal V Media Center? Which to choose?
11:34 Data changes for ATSC/QAM for Win7 only
12:08 Welcome to Derek
12:20 Setting the Media Center University
13:05 What is EHX?
18:20 Demo Ally
21:38 Feedback on The Custom Integrator Show
23:48 Welcome to Julie Jacobson from CE Pro
26:06 Welcome to Brian Paper
26:50 The Media Center University
30:15 Troubleshooting CableCARD
35:18 See you next week

Music by Ian Dixon

Technorati tags: Windows Media Center, podcasts

We have had some great posts on the The Digital Lifestyle.com this week, the Members Adventure blog has some great posts on it and if you fancy posting on the members blog let me know. On The Media Center Show this week I interviewed Gabe Frost and Stan Pennington from Microsoft, Gabe and Stan work on the Play To media streaming functions in Windows 7 and we chatted about it’s features and the devices it supports. On The Custom Integrator Show we talk video options and look at how you can integrate touch screens in the installation.

• Samsung have a new Q1 UMPC out: the Q1-EX071G
• How do you store your digital content?
• Windows 7 RC has Windows Feature On / Off function
• Media Center Developers: Looking for applications to test with Windows Media Center in Windows 7
• A quick look at the new Media Center Sports Channel
• A Digital Cable Tuner Diagnostic Tool for MCIA Members
• Media Center Health Monitor Beta
• Microsoft Unveils the Sports Channel for Windows Media Center
• No Bluray playback for Windows (but we knew that anyway)
• Sites you should know: www.Hack7MC.com
• Interview with Doug Berrett on Webguide
• Going Back to Vista Media Center for the Time Being
• Adding a new drive to Windows Home Server
• Adding Freesat (and Freeview) to Windows 7
• New GeForce Graphics Drivers for Windows 7 Beta Now Available Directly from NVIDIA.com
• PowerDVD 9 with native Windows Media Center UI
• OTA HDTV on a Netbook

Listen Here (mp3)

This week I am talking to Gabe Frost and Stan Pennington from Microsoft plus TDL blogger Simon May talking about the new "Play To" feature in Windows 7. We find out what Play To is, what kind of content it will render and what kind of devices will work with Play To. Play To is a great new feature of Windows 7 then enables you to control media content around you home. Checkout my video for more details, I also have email and a roundup of the news.

Addin Reviews can now be posted directly on the Addin Review Wiki

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Vote for the show on podcast Alley - Join The Media Center Show Group on Facebook - Join the Windows Live Group - Follow me on Twitter

Show Times:

00:50 Coming up this week
01:40 Email: RR and FF speed in Media Center - link to Wiki
03:20 Feedback from Microsoft about what’s changing in the Windows 7 RC
04:22 Hulu Saving itself for Windows 7 Media Center?
05:28 Video: Freesat Running on Windows Media Center with Windows 7
06:41 The Custom Integrator Show Installment 004
07:11 Localized Media Center Gadgets for SideShow Released – Available in 16 more Languages
07:42 HDHomeRun comes to the UK
08:35 PowerDVD 9 with native Windows Media Center UI
09:22 New GeForce Graphics Drivers for Windows 7 Beta Now Available Directly from NVIDIA.com
09:58 Member's Adventure Blog
11:09 Join the bloggers on TDL
12:02 Welcome to Gabe,Stan and Simon May
13:20 What is Play To
14:59 What is DLNA
17:48 Play to in Windos Media Player
18:15 Content types
23:00 Codecs
24:32 Windows 7 transcodes
30:01 Using Play Lists
37:04 Using Play To from a Nokia phone to Windows (video link)
40:01 Devices
45:53 Winhec DLNA Writepaper
47:41 Multi-Zone Synced playback
53:04 Sending random audio
58:00 Go to Simon’s Blog for all the resources you need
59:00 See you next week

Music by Ian Dixon

Technorati tags: Windows Media Center, podcasts

This week we talked Zune on The Media Center Show, The Custom Integrator Show talked about Media Center and multi-room audio, plus great podcasts from The Home Server Show and Entertainment 2.0

Here are some of the posts from the last week:

• HDHomeRun comes to the UK

• Do you have Windows Media Center on your PC?

• Localized Media Center Gadgets for SideShow Released – Available in 16 more Languages

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

• Video: Freesat Running on Windows Media Center with Windows 7

• Another way to control Media Center from a WinMo phone

• Hulu Saving itself for Windows 7 Media Center?

• Feedback from Microsoft about what’s changing in the Windows 7 RC

• Event: Windows Media Center - How to exploit this platform as a developer

• Add NASA TV Feeds to Media Center

• Pitfalls of changing a processor

• Windows 7 update KB963660 – stops codecs from expiring in March

• February 2009 Update for Windows Home Server

• How to automatically download and import HD to Windows Media Center

• Zune Services coming to TV, PC and Mobile?

• How to get Media Center content on to an iPod