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News, Analysis, and Opinion on Microsoft Digital Media Technologies (and TGB News!)
August 2006 - Posts
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Several people have asked me why I have not covered any of
the Zune leaks and stuff. The main
reason that I don’t cover it is because their isn’t much to say and the last
thing Microsoft needs is yet another device over-hyped (read: UMPC) and then it
doesn’t sale well.
I’ve always been under the impression that Zune is more like
Portable Media Center
v2.5. This has been showing more and
more by the latest news. It’s made by Toshiba
who currently makes a Portable Media Center (Gigabeat), it’s UI mockups look
like Portable Media Center that I have in my hands right now (Creative PMC),
and so on. It’s just a PMC with what
Microsoft considers a “catchy name” and a few new cool features (social networking,
WiFi, etc).
I’m not saying it’s not going to be a cool player, but don’t
over-hype another product just to see it fail or not live up to what it once was considered to be.
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UGuide has launched in
beta for Media Center users to try out. UGuide can be used to view your program
guides directly from Media
Center on your cell phone
(Java-enabled only). Not only can you
view it, but UGuide also can send daily personalized recommendations to you and
allow you to remotely schedule recordings!
Search: Find
exactly what you want to watch or record
Recommendations:
Receive daily recommendations for programs that closely match your TV viewing
preferences
Remote PVR Recording:
Schedule recordings on your Windows Media Center PVR... from another room or
another city
TV List: Quick
and easy navigation that helps you find out what's on at a specific time, on a
specific channel
TV Grid: A
standard program guide, tailored to your mobile phone
Favorite Channels: Store your favorite channels and
personalize your program guide
Check
out the forum thread on The Green Button for more.
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Nearly a year ago I blogged about a James @
MCExtended tapping into a whole new style of Media Center
development. No Hosted HTML here, James
was using undocumented features in a few of Media
Center’s dynamic link libraries that
allowed him to integrate the plug-in directly using the true Media Center
interface/rendered. The project died out
only a few weeks later after James had talks with Charlie Owen about the downsides of
using his new development methods.
Anyway, HeatWave is now
back and just as cool as ever. This
weather plug-in uses Managed DirectX to present it’s UI and looks and performs nicer
then HTML. Looks great, although doesn’t
work on Extenders just yet. Check out the forum
thread at The Green Button for more.
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S1Digital LLC, a
leading manufacturer of Media Servers based on Windows Media Center Edition,
and Autonomic Controls, Inc., the exclusive provider of AV integration software
for Windows Media Center Edition, have entered into an OEM agreement to provide
custom installers with a two way control protocol for S1Digital Media Centers.
New York,
NY. June 30, 2006. S1Digital LLC
and Autonomic Controls’ have partnered to provide custom integrators with
two-way, IP based control of S1Digital Media Centers. The control protocol is
now available as a pre-installed option across the range of S1Digital’s Media
Centers and is designed to ease the integration efforts for custom A/V
installers.
Residential and commercial A/V installers can utilize
S1Digital Media Centers with Autonomic Controls’ technology to provide a cost
effective yet hyper-functional whole house Media Server for use in multi-zone audio
and video applications while providing a robust touch panel interface for
browsing and managing the Media
Center’s content library.
Pre-built modules and touch panel interfaces for Crestron control
systems is available for download on S1Digital’s website, and an AMX module will
be available by September. The companies
will also be demonstrating a UMPC interface to S1Digital’s Media Centers in the
Intel booth at CEDIA this September. After
the show, installers and customers can see a demonstration of the touch panel interface
at S1Digital’s new showroom in New
York City.
S1Digital’s Media Centers provide users with the ability to
maintain and enjoy a large media collection of music, movies, pictures, and
recorded TV, in a single box. The diverse functionality far exceeds any other
media hardware and software currently available, and now S1Digital and
Autonomic Controls’ announcement eliminates a major barrier when installing
S1Digital’s Media Centers with 3rd party home control solutions.
“Media Center PCs optimized to run as a hub of a home entertainment
center--for storing, managing and distributing digital files--can cost $2,000
to more than $7,000, depending on the configuration, whereas [dedicated] music servers
typically range from about $5,000 to more than $25,000.”, said Jeff O’Heir, a
columnist for Computer Reseller News. “And while those systems are strictly
designed for audio, media-oriented PCs can handle music, photos, video games
and other files. “
Autonomic Controls’ OEM product, Media Center Edition
Control Server (MCECS) acts as a bi-directional communications gateway between
the Media Center software and touch panel remote control devices such as those made
by Crestron, AMX, and Control 4, or other systems capable of IP communication.
The technology will also be used with web tablets, ultra mobile touch screen
PCs, and Windows SideShow devices.
Company Information
S1Digital is a
premier builder of high-end, digital entertainment solutions. S1Digita’s Media
Centers, based on Microsoft Media Center Edition, capture, store and distribute
content including HDTV, movies, music and photos. Optional home automation
add-ons enable seamless integration with A/V equipment, lights, HVAC and
security systems. The company offers complete digital media solutions and works
closely with custom installers to make available the most complete digital
entertainment technology to customers. The S1Digital Experience showroom
located in New York City
showcases the latest digital media technology platforms and their applications
in the home. For additional information, visit www.s1digital.com , email sales@s1digital.com or call (888) 632-6897.
Autonomic Controls,
Inc. creates software to help computer and device OEMs, software developers
and custom installers integrate Media Center PC’s into today’s automated home
and business. The company is focused on extending the functionality of
Microsoft Media Center hardware and software to provide real time interaction
with control systems and remote controls that integrate with audio/video,
security, environmental, and lighting devices.
In addition to MCE control technology, the company provides consulting
and software development services to its partners in the A/V and computer
industries. Autonomic, Inc. is based in North
Salem, NY. For more
information on MCE Server, the Autonomic Control System or other inquiries
visit www.autonomichome.com or send
e mail to information@autonomic.com.
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DVRMSToolbox
(Downloads | andy vt's blog) | DVRMSToolbox is a free set of tools that have nicely
been wrapped in a single package to help you work with DVR-MS files.
Using DVRMSToolbox you can….
- Convert DVR-MS files to MPEG-2
- Convert DVR-MS files to MPEG-2 without Commercials
- Convert DVR-MS files to WMV (audio and video)
- Convert DVR-MS files to WMV without Commercials
- Convert DVR-MS files to WMA (audio only)
- Edit DVR-MS files and save directly back to DVR-MS
- and much more!
Just install the program and launch DVRMStoMPEGGUI for basic
functions. One of the great things about
DVRMSToolbox is that it can be as simple or advanced as you want it to be. For example, you can use the included DVRMSFileWatcher
to convert recordings on a daily basis, or you can do it yourself for select
recordings.
See the current DVRMSToolbox thread
at The Green Button if you have any
troubles or want advice on how-to do something specific. Basic help can also be found at the DVRMSToolbox User Guide
Wiki.
It’s a free download, and be sure to check out the developers
(babgvant/andy vt's) new blog!
The source code can also be found from the DVRMSToolbox thread for developers or just the knowledge of those who like to use open source software.
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On Thursday, Houston
based Media Center PC Company, Cannon PC, released its much awaited RX Series
Rack Mount Media Center PC. Powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and the
ability to house 2 terabytes of disk space in 6 hot swappable SATA II drives,
the RX series offers serious home theater customers the ability to store their
CDs, movies, and photos in a highly available and reliable system.
“We saw a need to build a media center that would allow customers to store vast
amounts of digital media in a unit that is built for 24 x 7 availability.” said
Gregg Cannon, President of Cannon PC. “With the new RX series we are able to do
that. With 6 hot swappable SATA II drives controlled by a 3Ware 9550 SATA RAID
controller, if any drive fails the customer simple slides out the bad drive and
slide in the new drive without ever having to shutdown the system. The process
only takes a couple of minutes. In our competitor’s systems, this can’t be
done. Their systems must be shut down and opened up in order to replace the
failed drive. This can take hours and if you are not a computer person this can
be a daunting task” said Mr. Cannon.
“More and more people are realizing the potential of a computer in the home to
do more than just play games, check email or pay bills online. They are
learning how Media Centers can record TV, store movies, CDs, and photos and
distribute them through out the home. Combine this with software like
Exceptional Innovations LifeWare product and the media center allows them to
control the entire house including lighting, security and HVAC all from their
couch. The high availability design behind the RX Series gives our customers
the assurance that their media center is always available” said Cannon.
If you are looking for the latest technology you will find it in Cannon PC
Media Centers and the RX in no exception. The standard configuration contains
an Intel 975XBX motherboard, Intel 2.4 Core 2 Duo processor, Seagate SATA II
NCQ hard drives (configurable in RAID 0, 1, 5, 10), 2 GB high speed RAM
(expandable to 8 GB), NVIDIA 7900 series GeForce video card, 8 channel high
definition digital audio, dual layer DVD drive, 12-in-1 media card reader, 1
HDTV tuner, 2 NVIDIA Dual TV tuners, gigabit Ethernet, 8 USB ports, 2 Fire Wire
ports, wireless mouse and wireless keyboard. Because each system is completely
customizable online, the customer can choose to add more memory, hard drives,
or increase the size of the processor for more power and storage.
Like all Cannon Media Center PCs, the RX is designed to be very cool and quiet
by utilizing high volume very low noise fans and strategically position vents
on the case to ensure proper airflow. The RX series case is constructed of high
grade steel and will fit nicely into a standard A/V or network rack. It is
available in silver and beige upon request.
Cannon PCs line of Media Centers is completely customizable and is available in
AMD and Intel platforms. To learn more Cannon PC Media Centers and Media Center
accessories or to become an authorized dealer, visit them online at http://www.cannonpc.com.
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There has been a very long standing
hack on The Green Button for
opening DVR-MS files in Windows Movie Maker for direct editing and compressing
to WMV. When it was first posted almost
two years ago I tried a few times and had no luck with it. Recently Bryan posted it in a thread and I tried it
again to see if I could get it to work.
What do you know, it did this time!
Here’s what you do to get it working.
Open Notepad and paste the following in it.
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Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{083863F1-70DE-11d0-BD40-00A0C911CE86}\Instance\{A4F9C3BA-A68F-4942-8152-B783CF89193F}]
"CLSID"="{A4F9C3BA-A68F-4942-8152-B783CF89193F}"
"FilterData"=hex:02,00,00,00,00,00,20,00,04,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,30,70,69,33,\
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,30,74,79,33,00,\
00,00,00,b0,00,00,00,c0,00,00,00,31,70,69,33,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,\
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,30,74,79,33,00,00,00,00,d0,00,00,00,c0,00,00,\
00,32,70,69,33,08,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
30,74,79,33,00,00,00,00,b0,00,00,00,c0,00,00,00,33,70,69,33,08,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,30,74,79,33,00,00,00,00,d0,00,\
00,00,c0,00,00,00,76,69,64,73,00,00,10,00,80,00,00,aa,00,38,9b,71,00,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,61,75,64,73,00,00,10,00,80,00,00,aa,\
00,38,9b,71
"FriendlyName"="WMT MSDVR 2 Dexter Filter"
@=""
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{A4F9C3BA-A68F-4942-8152-B783CF89193F}]
@="MSDVR"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{A4F9C3BA-A68F-4942-8152-B783CF89193F}\InprocServer32]
"ThreadingModel"="Both"
@="C:\\Program Files\\Movie Maker\\wmm2dvr.dll"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MM20\MSDVR]
"MSDVRMinimumVersion"=hex:43,21,00,26,05,00,05,00
@=""
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MM20\MSDVR\MSDVRExtensions]
"dvr-ms"=""
"ms-dvr"=""
@=""
---
Save the file with a .reg extension (example: MM2.reg) and
then double click on it to merge it with your existing registry.
A reboot is always a good idea, and then just open Windows
Movie Maker just import the DVR-MS of your choice. Edit and compress away.
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I’ve been fooling around with the idea of playing with mControl and was
wondering if anyone out there has played with it before? I’m not looking to do a full house, maybe a
room or two just seeing what it’s all like.
I’ve looked at several other home automation packages for Media Center,
but mControl seems to be the cheapest and has more than enough features for
just playing around. Anyone out their using Media Center
with mControl, Homeseer, or like? What
do you think of it? If you have not looked into home automation, any reasons for holding back?
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Digital
Home Capabilities Assessment Tool (DHCAT) | Intel has released a tool that
will evaluates a PC’s capabilities in HTPC areas such as video playback,
recording, and streaming for all the popular formats. It’s a “task-focused” tool and thus can look
at software and hardware on your machine and determine stats WMV, MPEG-2, DivX,
H.264, etc.
It runs on Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Media Center
Edition 2005.
A free DVD can be ordered with here. It’s 1.5GB, so Intel isn’t releasing a
download just yet. I’ve ordered one and
will have a review once it arrives.
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Okoro Media Systems, manufacturer of digital entertainment
systems for the high end audio video market, is excited to announce the
availability of digital entertainment systems based on the Intel Core 2 Duo
processor and DTS Connect technology. The TH550 and TH540 models will feature
cool and quiet operation with excellent multimedia performance using the Intel
E6400 and E6300 processors while the GX300 will maintain its status as the
fastest HTPC available with the Intel X6800 at its core.
Okoro Media Systems chose the Intel Core 2 Duo processor
because it was designed from the ground up for energy efficiency. Thus,
allowing us to create high performance, ultra-quiet, sleek, and low power
digital entertainment systems. Its dual
core design allows our customers to transfer their music collection and record
their favorite TV shows in the background, while enjoying their home videos or
pictures.
“Our new digital entertainment systems run up to 40 percent
faster and quieter than our previous generation. This allows us to provide an
unrivaled multimedia experience to all of our customers.” said Christopher
Curry, VP of Sales and Operations.
The OMS Core 2 Duo models also feature “DTS Connect”
technology for 7.1 HD audio, HDCP compliant video playback, and ATSC recording
capabilities.
For more information about Okoro Media Systems and our
digital entertainment systems, please visit www.okoromedia.com.
OMS-TH540
Specifications:
Processor:E6300
667Mhz Memory
Analog ATI TV tuner
HDTV tuner
ATI X1600 Pro HDMI Video card (HDCP Compliant)
250GB Storage Upgradeable to 1.5 Terabyte of HD Space
Dual Layer DVD Burner
8-channel HD audio with Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect
technology
OMS-TH550
Specifications:
Processor:E6400
667Mhz Memory
Dual analog ATI TV tuners
HDTV tuner
NVidia 7950 GX2 Video card (HDCP Compliant)
400GB Storage Upgradeable to 1.5 Terabyte of HD Space
Dual Layer DVD Burner
8-channel HD audio with Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect
technology
OMS-GX300
Specifications:
Processor:X6800
800Mhz Memory
Dual analog ATI TV tuners
HDTV tuner
NVidia 7950 GX2 Video card (HDCP Compliant)
1TB Storage Upgradeable to 3 Terabyte of HD Space
Dual Layer DVD Burner
8-channel HD audio with Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect
technology
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