Anyone using Windows Media Center?

On Apr 1, 12:02 pm, "khee mao" <a....DeleteThis@asdf.asdf> wrote:
> <Mitch.DeleteThis@_._> wrote in message
>
> news:7vk4v3hf67tlboaoeokl0a37sgr9h38dqd@4ax.com...>I loved TVersity when I had XP, but it just isn't working with Vista.
> > I found out that my version of Vista includes WMC.
>
> > Is it any good, or a big hassle?
>
> I fiddled for a couple hours last night trying to connect to my Vista PC
> from my 360 with no luck.  it'd get as far as 'connecting to media center'
> then time out, which is odd because I've connected before, but about what
> one should expect from MicroSoft...

Er, I have zero problems w/ Media Center.
 >> Stay informed about: Anyone using Windows Media Center? 

On Apr 1, 4:27 pm, "khee mao" <badunkadunkd... RemoveThis @nowhere.com> wrote:
> "Jonah Falcon" <jonahny... RemoveThis @mindspring.com> wrote in message
>
> news:aa2cc31d-43f8-4c1e-afc4-7d2c14a28098@e6g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> On Apr 1, 12:02 pm, "khee mao" <a... RemoveThis @asdf.asdf> wrote:
>
> > <Mitch RemoveThis @_._> wrote in message
>
> >news:7vk4v3hf67tlboaoeokl0a37sgr9h38dqd@4ax.com...>Iloved TVersity when I
> > had XP, but it just isn't working with Vista.
> > > I found out that my version of Vista includes WMC.
>
> > > Is it any good, or a big hassle?
>
> > I fiddled for a couple hours last night trying to connect to my Vista PC
> > from my 360 with no luck. it'd get as far as 'connecting to media center'
> > then time out, which is odd because I've connected before, but about what
> > one should expect from MicroSoft...
>
> Er, I have zero problems w/ Media Center.
>
> =================================
>
> are you wired or wireless?
>
> I used to be able to connect ok, but would have serious controller lag.
> once my album art was completely loaded though, it was usable.  I have no
> idea why I couldn't connect at all last night, as nothing's changed on my
> network...maybe SP1?

Wired.
 >> Stay informed about: Anyone using Windows Media Center? 

"Jonah Falcon" <jonahnynla.RemoveThis@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:aa2cc31d-43f8-4c1e-afc4-7d2c14a28098@e6g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
On Apr 1, 12:02 pm, "khee mao" <a....RemoveThis@asdf.asdf> wrote:
> <Mitch.RemoveThis@_._> wrote in message
>
> news:7vk4v3hf67tlboaoeokl0a37sgr9h38dqd@4ax.com...>I loved TVersity when I
> had XP, but it just isn't working with Vista.
> > I found out that my version of Vista includes WMC.
>
> > Is it any good, or a big hassle?
>
> I fiddled for a couple hours last night trying to connect to my Vista PC
> from my 360 with no luck. it'd get as far as 'connecting to media center'
> then time out, which is odd because I've connected before, but about what
> one should expect from MicroSoft...

Er, I have zero problems w/ Media Center.

=================================

are you wired or wireless?

I used to be able to connect ok, but would have serious controller lag.
once my album art was completely loaded though, it was usable. I have no
idea why I couldn't connect at all last night, as nothing's changed on my
network...maybe SP1?
 >> Stay informed about: Anyone using Windows Media Center? 

"Jonah Falcon" <jonahnynla DeleteThis @mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:e73f5421-1b95-4912-9a62-695b66ececbc@u36g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
On Apr 1, 4:27 pm, "khee mao" <badunkadunkd... DeleteThis @nowhere.com> wrote:
> "Jonah Falcon" <jonahny... DeleteThis @mindspring.com> wrote in message
>
> news:aa2cc31d-43f8-4c1e-afc4-7d2c14a28098@e6g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> On Apr 1, 12:02 pm, "khee mao" <a... DeleteThis @asdf.asdf> wrote:
>
> > <Mitch DeleteThis @_._> wrote in message
>
> >news:7vk4v3hf67tlboaoeokl0a37sgr9h38dqd@4ax.com...>Iloved TVersity when I
> > had XP, but it just isn't working with Vista.
> > > I found out that my version of Vista includes WMC.
>
> > > Is it any good, or a big hassle?
>
> > I fiddled for a couple hours last night trying to connect to my Vista PC
> > from my 360 with no luck. it'd get as far as 'connecting to media
> > center'
> > then time out, which is odd because I've connected before, but about
> > what
> > one should expect from MicroSoft...
>
> Er, I have zero problems w/ Media Center.
>
> =================================
>
> are you wired or wireless?
>
> I used to be able to connect ok, but would have serious controller lag.
> once my album art was completely loaded though, it was usable. I have no
> idea why I couldn't connect at all last night, as nothing's changed on my
> network...maybe SP1?

Wired.

====================================

I've oft considered going wired, but my router tops out at 100mb...so if I'm
going to upgrade that on top of paying for the cable install, I'm thinking I
might as well go wireless n (currently using g and getting a consistent
36-48mb signal)...still don't know why I couldn't connect at all last night
though...
 >> Stay informed about: Anyone using Windows Media Center? 

>
>Er, I have zero problems w/ Media Center.

Are you able to stream AVI files?
I got WMC up and running, and I can see my files from the XBox, but
get the "Cannot Play File" error.

I installed VLC360 transcoder, still having the problem.
 >> Stay informed about: Anyone using Windows Media Center? 

On 2008-04-01 21:27:24 +0100, "khee mao" <badunkadunkdunk.TakeThisOut@nowhere.com> said:

>
> "Jonah Falcon" <jonahnynla.TakeThisOut@mindspring.com> wrote in message
> news:aa2cc31d-43f8-4c1e-afc4-7d2c14a28098@e6g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> On Apr 1, 12:02 pm, "khee mao" <a....TakeThisOut@asdf.asdf> wrote:
>> <Mitch.TakeThisOut@_._> wrote in message
>>
>> news:7vk4v3hf67tlboaoeokl0a37sgr9h38dqd@4ax.com...>I loved TVersity when I
>> had XP, but it just isn't working with Vista.
>>> I found out that my version of Vista includes WMC.
>>
>>> Is it any good, or a big hassle?
>>
>> I fiddled for a couple hours last night trying to connect to my Vista PC
>> from my 360 with no luck. it'd get as far as 'connecting to media center'
>> then time out, which is odd because I've connected before, but about what
>> one should expect from MicroSoft...
>
> Er, I have zero problems w/ Media Center.
>
> =================================
>
> are you wired or wireless?
>
> I used to be able to connect ok, but would have serious controller lag.
> once my album art was completely loaded though, it was usable. I have no
> idea why I couldn't connect at all last night, as nothing's changed on my
> network...maybe SP1?

I use it wirelessly and it works perfectly with SP1 still here.
--
Byron Hinson
http://www.byronhinson.com
 >> Stay informed about: Anyone using Windows Media Center? 

On Tue, 01 Apr 2008 21:49:25 GMT, Byron Hinson <byron RemoveThis @activewin.com>
wrote:

>I use it wirelessly and it works perfectly with SP1 still here.

And you're able to stream AVI's?
I can browse to the files fine, it even shows the right thumbnail. But
when I try to play it, I get the codec error.
 >> Stay informed about: Anyone using Windows Media Center? 

<Mitch.RemoveThis@_._> wrote in message
news:smd5v3pufnqi5ip5pdluktleud31a8lto4@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 01 Apr 2008 21:49:25 GMT, Byron Hinson <byron.RemoveThis@activewin.com>
> wrote:
>
>>I use it wirelessly and it works perfectly with SP1 still here.
>
> And you're able to stream AVI's?
> I can browse to the files fine, it even shows the right thumbnail. But
> when I try to play it, I get the codec error.
>
>
I can't even connect to my pc anymore via media center extender (360). my
ps3 can still connect, but what was once really snappy performance is
getting really sluggish. wirelessly copying a 70MB album from my pc to my
ps3 took about 15 minutes. checked performance monitor and there's plenty
of unused cpu, memory, and network bandwidth, so I'm a little confused as to
what's going on, especially after confirming wireless LAN speeds in the
upper end of g and bumping the media center process' priority to above
normal...

will take another look at it tonight, as I've finally started using the dvr
function of media center, just can't play any recorded shows back to my tv
now...the only changes I've made recently were installing Vista updates,
swapping component for VGA on my 360, and installing logitech's harmony
software for Vista...
 >> Stay informed about: Anyone using Windows Media Center? 

"khee mao" <badunkadunkdunk DeleteThis @nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:fsue8c$h6e$1@gnus01.u.washington.edu...
>
> <Mitch DeleteThis @_._> wrote in message
> news:smd5v3pufnqi5ip5pdluktleud31a8lto4@4ax.com...
>> On Tue, 01 Apr 2008 21:49:25 GMT, Byron Hinson <byron DeleteThis @activewin.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>I use it wirelessly and it works perfectly with SP1 still here.
>>
>> And you're able to stream AVI's?
>> I can browse to the files fine, it even shows the right thumbnail. But
>> when I try to play it, I get the codec error.
>>
>>
> I can't even connect to my pc anymore via media center extender (360). my
> ps3 can still connect, but what was once really snappy performance is
> getting really sluggish. wirelessly copying a 70MB album from my pc to my
> ps3 took about 15 minutes. checked performance monitor and there's plenty
> of unused cpu, memory, and network bandwidth, so I'm a little confused as
> to what's going on, especially after confirming wireless LAN speeds in the
> upper end of g and bumping the media center process' priority to above
> normal...
>
> will take another look at it tonight, as I've finally started using the
> dvr function of media center, just can't play any recorded shows back to
> my tv now...the only changes I've made recently were installing Vista
> updates, swapping component for VGA on my 360, and installing logitech's
> harmony software for Vista...
>
media center is 'working' tonight. slow as fukk, but I can, after about 8
solid minutes, playback audio or video via media center, though playing back
audio is very quick if I just select 'music.' weird as fukk.
 >> Stay informed about: Anyone using Windows Media Center? 

<Mitch RemoveThis @_._> wrote in message
news:7vk4v3hf67tlboaoeokl0a37sgr9h38dqd@4ax.com...
>I loved TVersity when I had XP, but it just isn't working with Vista.
> I found out that my version of Vista includes WMC.
>
> Is it any good, or a big hassle?

I would say both.

While WMC, using XB360 as a WME, works well enough for me (over the air
even, 802.11a) there are many things that I don't like about it:

- Lack of an easy to use GUI to create easy to use WMC GUI's (maybe there is
one by now, I don't know). The last time I messed with WMC, the only way
you could really modify it was through registry kludging

- Waiting for the XB360 to find the WMC and for WMC to spin up each time you
use it. While it doesn't take very long to do so, it does get old after a
while. Too much overhead.

- The PS3, obviously, can't make use of WMC. (I haven't researched this much
though. There may be a kludge out there.)

So.... TVersity is still the king of the hill for me. Works great on both
my XB360 and PS3. Has very little overhead.. No waiting...

Actually, my favorite "media extender" before having an XB360 and PS3 was an
Hauppauge MediaMVP. Using a community project called GB-PVR, the GUI is
fully skinable and many skins are awesome. You can find them often at Radio
Shack clearing out for $25... I'm hoping that Hauppauge makes an HD
MediaMVP box in the future...
 >> Stay informed about: Anyone using Windows Media Center? 

<Mitch DeleteThis @_._> wrote in message
news:7vk4v3hf67tlboaoeokl0a37sgr9h38dqd@4ax.com...
>I loved TVersity when I had XP, but it just isn't working with Vista.
> I found out that my version of Vista includes WMC.
>
> Is it any good, or a big hassle?

it's good, it's better than good.
If you have a zune you can sync your MS-DVR files to it (It does the
conversion automagically)
I had to buy a 3rd party conversion program to convert the MS-DVR files to
Divx or Xvid for archiving.

I can record stuff on it, and watch it on the big ass tv the xbox is
connected to.

--

-A
 >> Stay informed about: Anyone using Windows Media Center? 

"khee mao" <asdf.TakeThisOut@asdf.asdf> wrote in message
news:PN2dnZk0Bqd8wW_anZ2dnUVZ_jSdnZ2d@cablespeedwa.com
> <Mitch.TakeThisOut@_._> wrote in message
> news:7vk4v3hf67tlboaoeokl0a37sgr9h38dqd@4ax.com...
> > I loved TVersity when I had XP, but it just isn't
> > working with Vista. I found out that my version of
> > Vista includes WMC. Is it any good, or a big hassle?
> >
> >
> I fiddled for a couple hours last night trying to connect
> to my Vista PC from my 360 with no luck. it'd get as far
> as 'connecting to media center' then time out, which is
> odd because I've connected before, but about what one
> should expect from MicroSoft...

Sounds like a wetware problem. You'll most likely find the problem
somewhere between the keyboard and the seat.

Seriously, on a PC the probelm could be down to more than jsut MS. For
example when I first tried it I had conection problems to to an old verion
of Nero interfearing.
 >> Stay informed about: Anyone using Windows Media Center? 

"Morgan" <Nospam RemoveThis @nospam.com> wrote in message
news:9xPIj.31247$Ge4.18341@newsfe1-win.ntli.net...
> "khee mao" <asdf RemoveThis @asdf.asdf> wrote in message
> news:PN2dnZk0Bqd8wW_anZ2dnUVZ_jSdnZ2d@cablespeedwa.com
>> <Mitch RemoveThis @_._> wrote in message
>> news:7vk4v3hf67tlboaoeokl0a37sgr9h38dqd@4ax.com...
>> > I loved TVersity when I had XP, but it just isn't
>> > working with Vista. I found out that my version of
>> > Vista includes WMC. Is it any good, or a big hassle?
>> >
>> >
>> I fiddled for a couple hours last night trying to connect
>> to my Vista PC from my 360 with no luck. it'd get as far
>> as 'connecting to media center' then time out, which is
>> odd because I've connected before, but about what one
>> should expect from MicroSoft...
>
> Sounds like a wetware problem. You'll most likely find the problem
> somewhere between the keyboard and the seat.
>
> Seriously, on a PC the probelm could be down to more than jsut MS. For
> example when I first tried it I had conection problems to to an old verion
> of Nero interfearing.
>
if you have any real suggestions, I'm all for it, as Media Center to my 360
just refuses to 'work'. on a good day, I can get the Media Center screen on
my 360 after a minute or two, wait another minute or two to be able to get
to my albums, wait another 5-10 minutes while my album art populates (about
300 albums), wait anywhere from a second to a minute or two to skip to the
next album, I mean wtf? it's obviously 'working', but it's not 'working'.
task manager says I have plenty of bandwidth on my pc for computation,
memory, and network. network properties average between 36 and full 54 mb
connection with good to excellent signal strength. so...what else should I
do? ports are obviously forwarded, I bumped up Media Center runtime
priorities, what else can I do short of running wire? the really weird part
is that via my 360 or PS3, if I bypass the Media Center hooks, I can access
my music nearly instantaneously, which leads me to conclude that something
is fundamentally wrong with Vista/Media Center and/or my 360. of course, I
had the same kinds of issues when I was running Media Center edition xp and
thought, wrongly, that things might work better under Vista.
 >> Stay informed about: Anyone using Windows Media Center?