Media center setup

Hi,
I am a long time linux user as a server platform but just recently started building a media center for me and I am not quite sure where to start to do what I want.
I have an archlinux install with HDMI output and sound (using ALSA), I currently configured kodi to run on boot with an automatic login to lightdm and this works fine but what I want to achieve is to have the choice to run something else besides Kodi, here is how I see this:
- system boots and display a choice of applications to run
- I choose the application
- it runs an associated script to setup the X session and run the application needed
I already know how to write/use different xsessions from the commandline ( lightdm -d -c <config> ) but the piece I am mising is how I can give a choice to select from, can I do it with lightdm ? I am not particulary attached to it if something else can do it.
Any hint/pointer will be greatly appreciated, once I have an idea of where to go and what to use I am confident I can find how to configure the different parts.

I find a setup that mostly works for me: I used lxdm as display manager, created one user for each application I want to run, removed the "!" in place of the password in /etc/shadow to allow passwordless login and added a .dmrc in each of the user's home folder to launch the window manager as well as the application itself which looks like this:
#!/bin/sh
i3 &
stepmania
Now I just need to make the selection screen look a little more sexy, maybe another display manager can do help with that but some of them look awfully complex to configure for what they do.
Ideally what I want to achieve is multiple large "blocks" side by side horizontally with a picture/icon inside instead of the current user selection.
If anyone can suggest a good option for the display manager it would be nice, there are a fair number of them and I found very little information on how they actually look or how they could look.

Similar Messages

WRT610N, WET610N, XBOX, Windows Media Center Setup

I've searched the heck out of these forums and others. Most of the posts regarding connection problems between the Xbox and Windows Media Center using the WRT610N are fairly old and seem unresolved. I fear the people that had the problem have either solved it, and didn't return to post the solution or worse, gave up and returned their router.
I have the WRT610N V2 and I'd like to know if I can reliably use it with my xbox before the opportunity to exchange it ends. I've always been a fan of Linksys. But I am not inclined to suffer this degraded performance.  Is there a recommended WRT610N setup for reliable performance with the Xbox?
Yes, this is the second time I've asked the question here. But I got nothing on my first and suspected the subject didn't draw enough or the right attention. Please help. I really don't want to give up on Linksys.

Follow up to the situation.
Keep in mind that most of the suggestions regarding the 610n and the Xbox 360 problems are pretty old and I believe related to V1 of the router. The lack of response I've gotten lead me to believe these suggestions were not applicable to V2. But rest assured, I'm not imagining this problem.  The connection from the Xbox and WMC is inconsistent at startup, halts occasionally, and hiccups in streaming music pretty regularly.
I have really only tested in the few hours I have available on weeknights. I don't have the time to completely rearrange the network configuration every evening to try all of the suggestions I've read. Especially since I can't change much on the adapter remotely. I have to pull out my equipment rack, pull the power plug out of the surge protector to bring it into the office where the desktop computer is to reconfigure it. Because of this, I have been hesitant to make a lot of changes hoping that someone would post the "no shyt solution".
What's really got me is that since buying this router just this past weekend (at BestBuy by the way) I've had such varying results with little configuration change.  Sunday I got everything up just fine, but had hiccups in the streaming music. Monday I had to power down everything to get the xbox to connect to WMC and I switched to static IPs at that time. Once connected, I had the hiccups in the streaming music using WMC and LastFM. Then on Tuesday evening, I still had the hiccups. Then on Wednesday night, everything worked perfectly (both WMC and LastFM). But I hadn't changed anything since the hiccups on Tuesday night. I thought maybe the router needed time to settle in? Yeah, pretty crazy notion given we're talking about networking. If it's going to work, you'd think it would work right off the bat or not work.  So Thursday night, last night, the hiccups were back (both WMC and LastFM). And they seemed worse than ever before.
I would like to note that I have frequently tested the alternative method of streaming music with the xbox that uses the Windows Media Player vice Windows Media Center. That capability has had no problem at any time.  The WMC is a more pleasant and richer interface but I didn't have a WMC capable computer before. So in a pinch, I can continue using the WMP interface if I'm entertaining and haven't gotten this WMC thing worked out. But I had the WMP interface with my old Linksys G equipment. I just spent a fair dollar to gain N and WMC, I feel I have wasted my money if I have to drop back to the WMP interface.
Anyway, back to results... I'm off today and figured I'll try some of the suggestions. This morning initially, the xbox will connect with WMC, but won't maintain the connection. This is before I even fire up any music. So, here I am again scanning the Linksys forum for the suggestions. I figure I'll try the recommendations that don't require me to pull the WET610N into my office for reconfiguration. Ok, so a few easy recommendations (mind you, these were all provided for the V1, I haven't read anything particular to the V2), is to change the Beacon Interval to 50, Fragmentation and RTS Thresholds to 2306 and 2307 respectively. So far, that's all I've done, and of course powered the router and adapter down.
Everything is working perfectly. Am I convinced I have a solution? No. As I've read and in my own experience, things in this router change day to day. What works today might not work tomorrow.
So if there is anyone out there that is familiar with this problem, your insight would be invaluable to me!

Windows XP Media Center Edition FAQ

What is a Media Center PC?
It is basically a regular PC, but designed to fit into your home entertainment system to replace your DVD player, Hi-Fi, TV set-top box, as well as allowing other functions as email, web browsing and more, all from the comfort of your armchair, or elsewhere
Many new Media Center PCs (MCPCs or Home Theatre PCs - HTPCs) are styled like hi-fi components to blend in under your TV, while many are regular PCs with extra multimedia functions.
What is Windows XP Media Center Edition?
Windows XP Media Center Edition (or XP MCE for short) is basically Windows XP Professional (Service Pack 2) without advanced networking support (but including Remote Desktop Connection) and extra applications to turn your PC into a fully fledged Home Theatre PC (HTPC). The main Microsoft Media Center appplication allows a full screen interface suitable for viewing on TVs (pictured below left) and controlled by an easy to use Microsoft remote control device (below right), so you can watch and record TV, view DVDs and listen to audio CDs and digital music files.
How do I get WinXP MCE?
At the time of writing, XP MCE is only available as an OEM pack which you can purchase from your nearest dealer or online reseller, or if pre-installed on a purchased system. MCE is currently only available as a 32bit (x86) version, but works on 64bit systems.
The Media Center application is also included with the Home Premium and Ultimate editions of Windows Vista.
How do I install WinXP MCE?
MCE installs the same way as any other version of Windows XP. However it cannot be installed as an upgrade, you must do a clean install. MCE comes on two disks; a WinXP XP SP2 disc, and the MCE extras disc. Boot from CD1 as you would normally when installing Windows. The setup screens will indicate Windows XP Professional, this is normal. During the graphic part of the install process, you will be prompted to insert CD2. This is obviously the second CD of the set which you should insert, as it contains the necessary extra Media Center enhancements. When it is done, Setup will ask you for the "Windows XP SP2 CD". It is actually just asking for the first disc again, so reinsert it and let it continue.
When install is complete, the system will reboot, and you will see the normal Windows XP desktop, though with a slightly different theme. To begin using the Media Center program straight away, click on Media Center in the Start Menu to begin the Media Center Setup wizard.
What graphics hardware is required for MCE to work correctly?
MCE works with DirectX 9.0c, so ideally your hardware at a minimum needs to be DirectX 9.0 compatible.
MCE requires a minimum of 64mb video RAM (shared or dedicated), 128mb recommended for the full visual "eye-candy" interface effects.
For Nvidia GPU chipsets, MCE drivers can be found here: nVidia Drivers. You'll need at least a Geforce FX5200 for MCE to work (however I have it running on an integrated Geforce 4 MX with no problems).
For ATI GPU chipsets, drivers for MCE can be found here: ATi Drivers. You'll need at least a 9250 for MCE to work, but I understand that the 9200 may also suffice.
Unfortunately, I understand that SiS and Via (S3) chipsets (as found on many mobos with integrated VGA) are NOT MCE compatible. Some Intel integrated VGA chipsets will work now, you should refer to Intel's website for updated drivers. I also understand that Via have introduced MCE compatible drivers for their Epia SP13000 ITX board, again refer to Via's website for correct drivers. However, it is recommended to use an add-in VGA card for best results, unless you have a new board which has integrated Geforce 6100 or ATI Xpress chipsets
What TV hardware works with MCE?
In order to display TV output, MCE requires an MPEG2 stream to display. It cannot encode this itself, so requires a hardware based TV tuner / capture card, such as the Hauppage PVR MCE series, or the MSI Theater 550PRO (above left). The card receives analog video through the aerial connection, or svideo / composite inputs, encodes it into MPEG2 format, which MCE can display.
This type of analog card is required to connect a cable or satellite box (eg Telewest, NTL or Sky in UK). Using the Microsoft remote receiver, two supplied IR blasters affix to the set-top box, so MCE can automatically change channels when needed.
For best picture quality on digital TV though, you can use a software-based DVB-T card, such as the Hauppauge Nova-T or the Black Gold DVB-T (above right). Using a regular aerial, these receive high quality digital terrestrial (OTA) signals (eg the Freeview service in UK), which are broadcast in MPEG2 format, and therefore no encoding is required. In the USA, ATSC is the digital terrestrial standard used, as DVB is not available there.
Unfortunately UK users of DVB-T cards will currently not be able to make use of DVB subtitles, interactive text-based services such as Teletext and BBCi, or listen to the Digital Radio services available on Freeview. UK DVB Digital Audio services are now available with MCE Rollup 2.
Unlike with VGA cards, MCE requires that your TV hardware has special BDA (Broadcast Driver Architecture) drivers which are MCE compatible. Check your hardware manufacturers website for compatible drivers.
Unfortunately, analogue TV hardware that is software-driven (such as MSI TV@nywhere and Vox) won't work in MCE.
Windows Vista Media Center will introduce support for cable (DVB-C) and satellite (DVB-S)tuner cards
Do I need any other software to make MCE work?
As MCE is essentially based around Windows Media Player 10, you will be aware that WMP cannot play DVDs until you install a suitable DVD codec. This is also the case with MCE, as until you install this MPEG2 codec, MCE won't play ANY video (including TV). So you will also need to purchase additional MCE compatible DVD player software, such as Cyberlink PowerDVD 6, Intervideo WinDVD 6, or Nvidia's DVD Decoder MPEG codec. Results can be varied using different codecs, so it is best to try a trial version of such software to see which gives you the best results before purchasing. You may find that suitable DVD software may already be supplied with some VGA or TV tuner cards.
Anything else I need?
You will also require an internet connection (not imperative, but certainly very useful) in order for MCE to access the internet in order to find and download TV guide listings, and album and artist information when playing CDs, MP3s and WMAs.
Without guide information, you will have to manually schedule TV recordings, and no programme information will be available.
If you are planning on having your Media Center in your living room, the Microsoft Remote Controller will allow you to control all aspects of the MCE interface without the need for a keyboard or mouse connected.
If you are connecting your Media Center to your TV, then your video display device will need TV-out capabilities (S-Video or Composite). S-Video offers better picture quality over composite video, but you will need to ensure your TV supports S-Video input, otherwise you will just see black and white video.
If your TV supports RGB inputs, then you may be able to obtain a VGA > RGB adaptor, which offers even better picture quality (search with Google, there are lots of sites about this). Many modern LCD and plasma TVs also support direct VGA / DVI inputs. VGA > RGB/SCART is only compatible with ATI Radeon VGA cards.
Can I watch one channel while recording another?
Yes, but you will need two identical TV devices, eg 2x DVB-T cards. You cannot have one analogue card, and one digital, as MCE presumes both hardware devices receive same channels, and can pick and choose between them. (However in the USA, you may have two analogue tuners, and one HDTV tuner)
This is straightforward when using two identical DVB-T cards. MCE has a channel list and guide data, so for example you are watching BBC1 on one tuner, MCE uses the other tuner to record the other programme on ITV2. Both cards are receiving the same input.
It gets a little more complicated if you want to do the same with a paid subscription service, such as NTL Cable or Sky Satellite in UK. As well as having two matching tuners (although I understand that some companies, including Hauppage, are releasing "dual-tuner" cards) you will also require two set-top boxes, with a subscription for each, as MCE needs to be able to change the channel on each set-top box seperately.
Good links....
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 homepage
The Green Button - very good MCE community forum
MCESoft - for all sorts of plug-ins and extras for MCE
XPMCE.com - Windows Media Center forums
ukShazam.com - Media Center help & more
Note: MSI is not responsible for the content of external links[/b]
Look out for me in the XPMCE forums if you need further help!
That's about it for now, hope you find it useful. As I think of (meaning "remember" ) other stuff I'll add it above. If you know something that I've missed out, please post below with as much info as you can, and I'll add it to the guide, with a credit to you!
If you need help to solve a problem or want to ask a question, then START your own thread, with as much info as you can, please do NOT post in this thread, this thread is only for tricks,tips and useful reference info.

For some reason when using the "certified" MCE version of the Forceware drivers, after a short while all the buttons in the menus become "corrupted"
The simple solution: use regular XP/2000 version of Forceware drivers. They still work perfectly in MCE2005, and the graphical corruption doesn't appear.
nVidia Drivers
EDIT: this problem appears to have been corrected in the recent Rollup 2 Update

'Windows Media Center Receiver Service' stops and cannot be restarted

Hi,
I have had some issues with running my Hauppage TV Tuners (WinTV-HVR-2200) on a new Windows 7 Home Premium Installation.
After installing the TV Tuner card, drivers and WMC support software - I am able to configure my TV channels through Windows Media Centre and all is working fine. I can watch and record TV, so it all seems to be OK. It is only AFTER I restart my computer
that I get an error 'Viewing/Listening Device is currently not available' when trying to watch TV in WMC again.
I troubleshooted this issue and found that 'Windows Media Centre Receiver Service' was not running and when I tried to restart the service (via services.msc) it comes up with the following error:
"0x80070003: File path not found"
I have checked the Windows directory for ehrecvr.exe (the file that the service is linked to) and it is not corrupted or moved but I cannot re-link or restart the service.
I tried the following tasks to remedy the issue and none of them were successful:
Run SFC from cmd prompt - no issues were found
Changed the 'logon' details for the service from Network to Local
Changed the start type of the service from manual to automatic
Restored previous versions of windows - prior to windows updates
Re-install TV Tuner drivers and software
Updated to the latest drivers and software version of 'WinTV' (Hauppage TV Tuner Software)
Complete new installation of windows, including a format of the HDD - without installing additional third party software or anit-virus software
Re-seat the TV tuner in a new PCI slot
The only way that I am able to remedy the issue is if I disable and then re-enable WMC via 'optionalfeatures'. This then allows the service to start again, I can then configure my TV tuner in WMC but it still has issues after restarting the PC!
It would appear that by configuring the TV tuners in WMC, it causes a conflict in the service so that it cannot be restarted after it is stopped. Note: I can start/stop the service with the TV tuner cards installed on my PC - it is only when I configure
the TV channels in WMC that it then has issues.
I have had these TV tuners running without any issues for over 2 years; however I have upgraded the motherboard and CPU and this issue has only just started happening. I am at a loss of what to look at next...
Any help would be much appreciated!
Thanks

I shall suggest you :
1. uninstall WinTV software and reinstall WMC from the scratch.
2. Disable AV or any other internet security application during configuring WMC.
3. Update the TV Tuner card driver from Hauppage's website (only WMC driver and no other application)
Run Setup Again.
Open WMC > Tasks > Settings > General > Windows Media Center Setup > Run Setup Again
Does it help?
If the above doesn't help then try resetting WMC:-
Open Control Panel > Uninstall a Program > Turn Windows Features on or off > Scroll down to Media Features > Uncheck the box against Windows Media Center > Follow on screen instructions > Reboot > Again open Turn Windows Features on
or off under Control Panel > Scroll down to Media Features > Check the box against Windows Media Center.
Now reconfigure WMC again
S.Sengupta, Windows Entertainment and Connected Home MVP

Windows media center on the xbox with wrt110

I have my network set up, and it works really well. My only complaint is that I can not get a conection between my PC & xbox 360 so I can use windows media center. I can connect to the internet with the 360, but I can not get a connetion to my pc.
I am using a Wirless-G PCI Adapter with SpeedBooster & 2.4GHz 802.11g. Windows Vista, & WRT110.
How can I get this to work????????

To use Windows Media Center with your Xbox 360 console, you must have a PC running Windows Media Center. You have a compatible Windows Media Center PC if you have:
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
Windows Vista Home Premium
Windows Vista Ultimate
Note : Windows Media Center is not included with Windows XP Home, Windows XP Professional, Windows Vista Home Basic, or Windows Vista Business.
To set up Windows Media Center on your console:
   1. On your Windows Media Center PC, go to www.xbox.com/pcsetup to make sure your software is up-to-date.
   2. In the Xbox Dashboard, go to My Xbox and open Windows Media Center.
   3. Follow the instructions on the screen to finish Windows Media Center setup.
For more help, see www.microsoft.com/extender/help...

Mini Media Center - need new amplifier

I've got nearly everything I need for my new media center setup, with my intel based mini at the core. All I need now is a new amplifier.
Does anyone have any suggestions for a small form factor amplifier, ideally in white and/or silver ??

You can hold the Apple remote's "menu" button down
for about five seconds and the Mac will go to sleep.
You didn't mention which Front Row alternatives you'd
tried, but seems to be a good
option.
Yeah the sleep function is nice but... (and you knew this was coming) my shares don't automount on wake-up so it makes it moot. Again my main issue is i'm using my apple remote only to interface. I have to make it simple and easy so anyone else (like my wife) can easily use the device this is why I want it to be a single device input (exactly how my xbox was). If I can solve the mount on wake-up issue then sleep mode is a viable option.
I found Media Central to be slow (laggy) and I didn't think it was worth the $23.
G5 Macbook Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Media Center on Standard Def TV with 2009 Mini

Hi all,
I'm recently married and since my wife the chef got every pot and pan she could ever hope for as wedding gifts, I get to treat myself to a Mac Mini media center. I'm hoping someone out there can give me their opinion on resolution quality.
Here's my current setup. I have a five year old 27 inch Sony Trinitron Wega 27FS120 which is limited to 480i. I have a first generation Macbook Pro and currently use a DVI to cable adapter to connect by composite when we want to stream Netflix, Hulu or use Boxee. The quality of streaming Netflix is acceptable for us, and while Hulu is a bit washed out it's still acceptable. The text on Boxee can be difficult to read at times, but we can live with it. iTunes standard definition downloads are great, and the HD obviously doesn't come across on the TV but we're very pleased with iTunes video.
From everything I've read, in order to make this work, I would need to use the mini-dvi or mini-displayport on the Mini to connect to a VGA converter to connect to composite video to make the transition to Mac Mini. My #1 concern is that video quality will deterioriate as a result of the conversion/additional adapter and I'm not going to be satisfied with the quality. We're drive-it-into-the-ground people and shudder at the thought of replacing a perfectly good TV if we can get the same quality out of the VGA-hooked media center as we're used to for a couple of more years. However, if there's going to be a noticable dropoff, with Black Friday coming, we'll bite the bullet.
Can anyone comment on what I might expect the dropoff in video quality to be considering what I'm currently using?
Thank you!
Ryan

My opinion is you won't be seeing much difference between what you have now with the MacBook Pro and the new mini. Whether the video signal translation takes place in the root device or in an external device, the final on-screen quality difference should be negligible between the two because the primary limitations come from other points in your configuration, not the point of translation.
Is S-Video use an option with your TV? You might realize at least a slight improvement over what you see now with composite video.

Can't get Xbox 360 Media Center Extender to work

I am using Windows 7 Ultimate x64. This is a retail copy. I had previously set up Windows Media Center and successfully set up my Xbox 360 as a Media Center Extender.
After a long hiatus of using Windows Media Center, I went to watch a movie in my media library through my Xbox 360. It would appear to initially connect and then show the Windows Media Center loading screen and say "Contacting..." After about 30 seconds, it would display an error asking me to make sure my Windows Media Center PC is turned on (it is). I ran the Windows Media Center network test in the Xbox 360 and it tested fine.
I attempted to delete the Media Center Extender in WMC and set it up again, but it always fails with an error "An error was encountered while configuring your computer for use with this Extender" at the part where it says "Configuring your Extender".
I looked in the Event Viewer under the Media Center section and found event ID 543:
Log Name:      Media Center
Source:        Microsoft-Windows-Media Center Extender
Date:          3/3/2010 10:13:20 PM
Event ID:      543
Task Category: Configuration
Level:         Error
Keywords:
User:          WILL7\swsander
Computer:      WILL7
Description:
Media Center Extender Setup failed to create the PnP device with ID: uuid:10000000-0000-0000-0200-00125AC6E86F (timed out after 120000ms).
Error: Element not found.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
    <Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Media Center Extender" Guid="{7B7838A3-6562-4269-BB7A-97B0D9593882}" />
    <EventID>543</EventID>
    <Version>0</Version>
    <Level>2</Level>
    <Task>4</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x8000000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2010-03-04T03:13:20.805493500Z" />
    <EventRecordID>333</EventRecordID>
    <Correlation />
    <Execution ProcessID="9408" ThreadID="9760" />
    <Channel>Media Center</Channel>
    <Computer>WILL7</Computer>
    <Security UserID="S-1-5-21-2626302321-2836749625-3976135476-1001" />
</System>
<EventData>
    <Data Name="ID">uuid:10000000-0000-0000-0200-00125AC6E86F</Data>
    <Data Name="Timeout">120000</Data>
    <Data Name="Error">-2147023728</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>
I also tried turning off the Windows firewall on the Windows Media Center PC, but this had no effect on the outcome. I also tried deleting the Microsoft Windows Media Center Extender Host certificate and restarting the Network List Service, but these steps to did nothing to fix the issue.
I am using the same computer with the same NIC with the same Ethernet cable with the same SOHO router (Linksys WRT54GL) with the same Xbox 360. Any advice would be welcome at this point.

Log Name:      Media Center
Source:        Microsoft-Windows-Media Center Extender
Date:          12/10/2010 9:51:55 PM
Event ID:      592
Task Category: Configuration
Level:         Warning
Keywords:
User:          Eric-PC\Eric
Computer:      Eric-PC
Description:
Your Media Center Extender was set up successfully, but failed to connect (timed out after 180000ms).
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
    <Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Media Center Extender" Guid="{7B7838A3-6562-4269-BB7A-97B0D9593882}" />
    <EventID>592</EventID>
    <Version>0</Version>
    <Level>3</Level>
    <Task>4</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x8000000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2010-12-11T02:51:55.176149000Z" />
    <EventRecordID>428</EventRecordID>
    <Correlation />
    <Execution ProcessID="16004" ThreadID="15676" />
    <Channel>Media Center</Channel>
    <Computer>Eric-PC</Computer>
    <Security UserID="S-1-5-21-3026407376-1936420717-4019103078-1001" />
</System>
<EventData>
    <Data Name="Timeout">180000</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>
Log Name:      Media Center
Source:        Microsoft-Windows-Media Center Extender
Date:          12/10/2010 9:48:54 PM
Event ID:      506
Task Category: Configuration
Level:         Information
Keywords:
User:          Eric-PC\Eric
Computer:      Eric-PC
Description:
Media Center Extender account Mcx1-ERIC-PC has been created for the Extender with ID: uuid:10000000-0000-0000-0200-001DD847D7F4.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
    <Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Media Center Extender" Guid="{7B7838A3-6562-4269-BB7A-97B0D9593882}" />
    <EventID>506</EventID>
    <Version>0</Version>
    <Level>4</Level>
    <Task>4</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x8000000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2010-12-11T02:48:54.615896200Z" />
    <EventRecordID>427</EventRecordID>
    <Correlation />
    <Execution ProcessID="16004" ThreadID="9024" />
    <Channel>Media Center</Channel>
    <Computer>Eric-PC</Computer>
    <Security UserID="S-1-5-21-3026407376-1936420717-4019103078-1001" />
</System>
<EventData>
    <Data Name="User">Mcx1-ERIC-PC</Data>
    <Data Name="ID">uuid:10000000-0000-0000-0200-001DD847D7F4</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>
Log Name:      Media Center
Source:        Microsoft-Windows-Media Center Extender
Date:          12/10/2010 9:48:49 PM
Event ID:      500
Task Category: Configuration
Level:         Information
Keywords:
User:          Eric-PC\Eric
Computer:      Eric-PC
Description:
Media Center Extender Xbox 360 Media Center Extender 'uuid:10000000-0000-0000-0200-001DD847D7F4' discovered at address 192.168.1.2.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
    <Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Media Center Extender" Guid="{7B7838A3-6562-4269-BB7A-97B0D9593882}" />
    <EventID>500</EventID>
    <Version>0</Version>
    <Level>4</Level>
    <Task>4</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x8000000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2010-12-11T02:48:49.155888500Z" />
    <EventRecordID>426</EventRecordID>
    <Correlation />
    <Execution ProcessID="16004" ThreadID="9024" />
    <Channel>Media Center</Channel>
    <Computer>Eric-PC</Computer>
    <Security UserID="S-1-5-21-3026407376-1936420717-4019103078-1001" />
</System>
<EventData>
    <Data Name="DeviceName">Xbox 360 Media Center Extender</Data>
    <Data Name="ID">uuid:10000000-0000-0000-0200-001DD847D7F4</Data>
    <Data Name="Address">192.168.1.2</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>
Log Name:      Media Center
Source:        Microsoft-Windows-Media Center Extender
Date:          12/10/2010 9:48:36 PM
Event ID:      573
Task Category: Configuration
Level:         Information
Keywords:
User:          Eric-PC\Eric
Computer:      Eric-PC
Description:
Media Center Extender found:
ID: uuid:10000000-0000-0000-0200-001DD847D7F4
IP Address: 192.168.1.2
Interface GUID: {d8f53a92-8e85-4d1e-bde0-ba30d9b14449}
NHED type: X02
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
    <Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Media Center Extender" Guid="{7B7838A3-6562-4269-BB7A-97B0D9593882}" />
    <EventID>573</EventID>
    <Version>0</Version>
    <Level>4</Level>
    <Task>4</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x8000000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2010-12-11T02:48:36.095870300Z" />
    <EventRecordID>425</EventRecordID>
    <Correlation />
    <Execution ProcessID="16004" ThreadID="15608" />
    <Channel>Media Center</Channel>
    <Computer>Eric-PC</Computer>
    <Security UserID="S-1-5-21-3026407376-1936420717-4019103078-1001" />
</System>
<EventData>
    <Data Name="ID">uuid:10000000-0000-0000-0200-001DD847D7F4</Data>
    <Data Name="Address">192.168.1.2</Data>
    <Data Name="GUID">{d8f53a92-8e85-4d1e-bde0-ba30d9b14449}</Data>
    <Data Name="NhedType">X02</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>
Log Name:      Media Center
Source:        Microsoft-Windows-Media Center Extender
Date:          12/10/2010 9:48:35 PM
Event ID:      581
Task Category: Configuration
Level:         Information
Keywords:
User:          Eric-PC\Eric
Computer:      Eric-PC
Description:
Media Center Extender Setup has determined that the Windows Firewall is enabled in the Home profile.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
    <Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Media Center Extender" Guid="{7B7838A3-6562-4269-BB7A-97B0D9593882}" />
    <EventID>581</EventID>
    <Version>0</Version>
    <Level>4</Level>
    <Task>4</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x8000000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2010-12-11T02:48:35.555869500Z" />
    <EventRecordID>424</EventRecordID>
    <Correlation />
    <Execution ProcessID="16004" ThreadID="14828" />
    <Channel>Media Center</Channel>
    <Computer>Eric-PC</Computer>
    <Security UserID="S-1-5-21-3026407376-1936420717-4019103078-1001" />
</System>
<EventData>
</EventData>
</Event>
Log Name:      Media Center
Source:        Microsoft-Windows-Media Center Extender
Date:          12/10/2010 9:48:35 PM
Event ID:      575
Task Category: Configuration
Level:         Information
Keywords:
User:          Eric-PC\Eric
Computer:      Eric-PC
Description:
Media Center Extender Setup started with the following settings:
Affiliation code: 159
Username: Eric
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
    <Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Media Center Extender" Guid="{7B7838A3-6562-4269-BB7A-97B0D9593882}" />
    <EventID>575</EventID>
    <Version>0</Version>
    <Level>4</Level>
    <Task>4</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x8000000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2010-12-11T02:48:35.485869400Z" />
    <EventRecordID>423</EventRecordID>
    <Correlation />
    <Execution ProcessID="16004" ThreadID="14828" />
    <Channel>Media Center</Channel>
    <Computer>Eric-PC</Computer>
    <Security UserID="S-1-5-21-3026407376-1936420717-4019103078-1001" />
</System>
<EventData>
    <Data Name="AffCode">159</Data>
    <Data Name="User">Eric</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

A700 blue screen of death when performing Live TV Search in Windows Media Center

I just got my new Lenovo IdeaCenter A700 today and have been busy setting it up. I was trying to set up the TV on it, and used Windows Media Center. I plugged the tv cable in to the back of the computer and selected "live tv setup". I then put in my zipcode and it was downloading some things and then came up with a blue screen. When the computer restarted the information below was the MS error message. I have attached the files mentioned in the log. This happened to me twice.
Hope you can help.
Please let me know if you need anymore information.
Problem signature:
Problem Event Name:   BlueScreen
OS Version:   6.1.7600.2.0.0.768.3
Locale ID:   1033
Additional information about the problem:
BCCode:   4a
BCP1:   0000000076E5FF2A
BCP2:   0000000000000002
BCP3:   0000000000000000
BCP4:   FFFFF8800AADECA0
OS Version:   6_1_7600
Service Pack:   0_0
Product:   768_1
Files that help describe the problem:
C:\Windows\Minidump\102110-15849-01.dmp
C:\Users\fennis\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-36941-0.sysdata.xml
Read our privacy statement online:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=104288&clcid=0x0409
If the online privacy statement is not available, please read our privacy statement offline:
C:\windows\system32\en-US\erofflps.txt

Update Windows and all drivers, download newest video driver from AMD website, you have some software issue.

My media center M8000y no longer completes boot sequence...I turn on the desktop and sometimes the b

HP Media Center M800y, System # GG755AV#ABA, Windows Vista Ultimate, Desktop will not complete boot sequence as the Blue & white HP screen which doesn't always appear, will give options to either
a).Press F10 to enter setup or,
b). to press f11 to start recovery partition in hard drive that doesn't work when tried.
Can enter setup when blue & white HP screen appears but do not know what to look for when inside.
If I pick none of the 2 options, the screen just turns black with a horizontal line "-" blinking at the upper left hand corner of the screen. Sometimes the screen will not even show the blue & white HP screen and it just stays black.
I changed the CMOS battery and nothing happened except that now the blue & white HP screen with the 2 options appears even less when I attempt to start up... I also tried using the recovery disks to no avail...
A power surge knocked out the power in my building and the computer suddenly stopped working while streaming netflix video afterwards... Then when attempting to re-boot once power was restored, The screen showed some very wierd, almost alien fonts on the top of the black screen that almost resembled Chinese or hyrogliphics. Upon further attempts to re-boot to no avail, I'm at a loss in diagnosing the possible causes or failure modes... Can somebody help me in the right direction???
I'm leaning towards either a corrupted bios via virus, or a fried hard drive or both. If you think something else or this has happened before and anyone knows a fix, I would be eternally grateful for your guidance in resolving this problem I'm experiencing.
Respectfully,
Henry

I would lean more to a hard drive problem.
A quick test is to temporarily disconnect the hard drive - the system should quickly indicate it can't find the HDD, can't boot, etc. You should also have the option to press one of the function keys to enter system BIOS.
If when you hook the drive up again - it starts getting flaky/slow again to do anything - you've likely found your culprit.
-DM (a long-time HP employee)
-DM (HP Retiree)
NOTE: If this helps you or solved your problem - please say thanks by clicking the white kudos star on the left.
If you think this would also help others, please mark 'Accept as Solution' to help them find it easier.

WRT610N disconnects and does not work with Vista or media center extenders like the DMA2200

Linksys and all other router manufacturers advertise the greatness of the wireless 5ghz band (especially with 802.11n), but I’m beginning to have my doubts. It is true that the 5Ghz band is hardly being used so you'll have virtually no one to compete with. However, the 5Ghz distance in no way compares to 2.4Ghz, and as a matter of fact, I find it to be quite terrible. At approximately 20 feet away, both my Linksys DMA2200 and HP notebook barely get 1 bar using the 5Ghz N band with my WRT610N router. In comparison, while using my 2.4Ghz WRT54g router, I get 5 full bars at that range, and at least 2 bars from anywhere else in my house.
I have all Linksys equipment in my house as I have been impressed with all of their 2.4Ghz in the past. However, I’ve recently upgraded everything to dual-band N equipment and found numerous flaws in each of the new devices, plus none of them really even play well together. My setup is: Linksys 610n router, DMA2200 media center extender, and a WUSB600N Dual-Band Wireless-N USB Network Adapter for my laptop – all of which are currently using the most up-to-date firmware. Other devices include a WRE54G extender and Nintendo Wii.
Problem #1) The LELA software with the new N devices doesn't even recognize that my DMA2200 is a media center extender. Using LELA, I should be able to select my media extender and allocate more bandwidth for streaming media. However, since my extender only shows up as an “unknown network device” those options are greyed out. I tried to manually change the device to a media center, but still no go. I suppose you can manually allocate bandwidth in the router setup somewhere, but considering these are all Linksys products, it’s absolutely ridiculous that an option specifically incorporated in the LELA software for a Linksys Media Extender does not work!!!
Problem #2) If you are only using one system with the router, the router might actually work as intended. For most of us though there are going to be at least 2 or more systems connected to the router (wired, wireless, or a combination of the two) such as a PS3, Wii, laptop, PC, media extender, Xbox, etc. If that’s the case, you’re probably screwed because you WILL experience frequent dropouts… ESPECIALLY if just one those clients is a VISTA machine. Check the Linksys forums and you will find that this seems to be a problem with all of the new Linksys routers (610N, 310N, and 110).
Here is a Microsoft article that explains the issue
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928233/en-us
Problem #3) Because of problem #2 I will never be able to get rid of the dropouts since my network is using one of Linksys’s media center extenders. The DMA2200 is essentially a VISTA PC to some extent and accepts DHCP requests the same as a VISTA PC. Since it is not really a PC though, there is no registry modification that can be done to alleviate the VISTA problem (not that the registry mod really works anyways). So as long as I try to use my DMA2200 wirelessly with my WRT610N router, the frequent dropouts will occur and there’s nothing I can do about it. This is REALLY TERRIBLE since the DMA2200 is specifically designed to be used with the WRT610N router in order to take advantage of the 5Ghz band and wireless N transfer rates. You absolutely need 5Ghz wireless N to efficiently stream HDTV WIRELESSLY, but if you lose your connection every 10 minutes, it is impossible to watch any type of streaming media.
Problem #4) As mentioned already, when the “N” 5Ghz range is working on the WRT510N router, the distance sucks compared to standard 2.4Ghz G, N or mixed mode networks. You can try to make it better by strictly using N products, disabling the 2.4ghz band all-to-gether, and using the wider 40mhz frequency, but it doesn’t really help. The higher 5Ghz band is a more concentrated signal and therefore simply does not reach as far as the lower 2.4ghz band. I wonder why all of these new products state that the 5Ghz range will increase your distance, when in fact it actually makes it worse?
So… basically, this router does nothing that it claims too and is basically rendered useless on any network with a VISTA machine. This has not been addressed by any Linksys firmware updates or VISTA software updates so there is no reason to even consider using this router if you you’re using VISTA or some type of VISTA Media Center Extender such as the Linksys DMA2200.
Although, I’ve always sworn by Linksys in the past, the amount of wasted time, frustration, and horrible support has really changed my view about them. I’ve reverted back to my old trustworthy WRT54g router and had to run cable through my house so that I wouldn’t have to box my DMA2200 extender up and let it collect dust in the attic. It’s really disappointing that I spent all this money to buy this equipment specifically because they’re supposed to work together, but in fact they don’t. Plus what’s the point of having top notch wireless equipment if you have to run cables in order for them to work?
Message Edited by bobbodavis on 11-15-2008 07:37 PM

I have fixed all the IP adresses to avoid the DHCP problem but I still have problems.
I have sereval scenarioes:
1. MC < 1Gb wire > WRT610N < 5.0n WIFI > MX
I can see HDTV on this one but it disconnects
2. MC < 1Gb wire > WRT610N < 2.4b/g WIFI > MX
No HDTV and disconnections
3. MC < 2.4b/g WIFI > WRT610N < 2.4b/g WIFI > MX
No HDTV but no disconnections - but very slow and streaming like youtube
4. MC < 100Mb wire > WRT610N < 2.4b/g WIFI > MX
No HDTV but nice picture - testing for disconnections right now - 30+ min.
Result:
This test was very good. Stabil streaming, no disconnects for an hour. Won't support HDTV but the rest seem to work fine.
5. MC < 100Mb wire > WRT610N < 5.0n WIFI > MX
Not tested yet - looking forward to this - might bring me HDTV.
Result:
This gives HDTV but there is a problem with stability on the streaming but very difficult to see on the picture. Testing for disconnects - now tested for 30 min. - no disconnects.
This looks really promissing.
I am pretty sure that the WRT610N have a problem in the switching part of the router specially when it has to switch from 1G to WIFI. I bought the WRT610N to get HDTV on WIFI and Cisco markets the DMA and WRT610N as a perfect match. But it definately have problems - i still do not understand their silence about this.
I will come back with the last results when I have them
/John
Message Edited by Infraxpert on 01-05-2009 04:38 PM
Message Edited by Infraxpert on 01-05-2009 05:35 PM

Poor OTA reception with Windows 7 Media Center but fine with other software and my TV

I installed a new tuner (ASUS EHD3-100 dual ATSC tuners) into my Inspiron 518 (7 Enterprise, C2Q 2.4GHz, 3GB RAM, 640GB HDD, Radeon 5450 512MB, most recent drivers and updates installed). Tried to set up the tuner in windows 7 media
center and had to add the tuners manually. It found all the stations I was looking for but many had only one red bar for signal strength. If the stars line up correctly I can watch the stations with one red bar but most of the time I get an error
message. I even have one station with all green bars but Media Center still gives me an error when I try to watch that station.
I then decided to use the software that came with my tuner (ARCsoft Total Media). All stations came in with a strong signal.
The signal used in both situations came directly (I unplugged the cable from my TV and plugged it into the tuner) from an antenna in my attic that has been connected to my TV (Pioneer PDP-4280) which shows a signal strength of ~60% plus for all stations.
Pretty sure it's not a signal strength or quality issue because everything works fine with the TV and with Total Media.
Would rather use Media Center because it seems easier to navigate and is easier on the eyes.
Any ideas on how to get the stations with only one red bar of signal strength working in Media Center?

Have you ran the troubleshooter yet?
If you're having trouble setting up your TV signal, try using the Set up TV tuner troubleshooter to automatically find and fix some common problems.
Open the Set up TV tuner troubleshooter by clicking the Start button
and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type troubleshooter, and then click
Troubleshooting. In the left pane, click View all, and then click
Set up TV tuner.
Notes
During the setup process, you might be asked to install a program called
PlayReady. PlayReady allows you to play protected, premium TV content from your service provider in Media Center.
If you receive an error while setting up your TV tuner—for example, a download error, or an error during PlayReady installation—you might need to go through the entire setup process again in order for your TV signal to work properly.

Qosmio F30: How to: Manual Installation Of Windows Xp Media Center Edition 2005

Manual Installation Of Windows Xp Media Center Edition 2005 On Toshiba Qosmio F30 Laptop
Last Update 3 Oct 2006
Important Notes Before You Start:
1-These Steps Used For "Toshiba Qosmio F30" And For Other Qosmio Models That Comes With "Intel Centrino Duo" Cpu's And With Xp Media Center 2005 Installed.
2-Apply These Steps If You Have Previous Experience In Installing Windows Xp , If You Don't Have That Experience , Then You Can Use The Supplied Recovery Cd To Restore Your System.
3- Windows Xp Media Center Cd's Are Not Supplied With Your Laptop, If You Want To Get The Cd's You Can Buy It From Many On-Line Shops And If You Do So You Will Get Valid Windows Xp Product Key Which You Will Not Need It (Because You Already Have One You Can Find It In A Small Sticker In The Back Of Your Laptop And You Can Activate Your Windows With It).
In Other Words ( You Need The First And The Second Cd Of Windows Xp Mce 2005 SP2 Oem).
4- Do Not Try To Apply These Steps On Other Versions Of Windows Xp , Use "Windows Xp Media Center Edition 2005 Sp2 Oem" Only
5- You Must Have Usb Floppy Drive To Install "Toshiba Raid Controller" , It Can Be Installed Only By Having The Driver On a Floppy Disk And By Pressing F6 During The Installation Of Windows Xp, If You Do Not Install The Raid Driver Then Windows Xp Will Not Recognize Your Hard Disk.
6- Disclaimer of liability
I shall not be responsible or liable, directly or indirectly for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of the this site or its content, including but not limited to delays, omissions, and inaccuracies in its content.
Steps:
1- Create Drivers Cd From "Toshiba Assist Utility" ,You Should See The Toshiba Assist Icon On The Desktop, Then In The Toshiba Assist Choose The 'protect & Fix' Tab ,There You Will Find The Option `Create Drivers & Tools Cd` And Insert a Blank Cd To Write It
"If This Option Did Not Work Then You Have To Install The Restore Cd To Get It Work" , The Drivers Are Installed In A Folder Called Toolscd In "C:" Drive. To Install Your Recovery Cd Power On Your Laptop And Hold "F12" And Use The Arrow Keys To Choose Cd-Rom Icon To Boot From the Cd.
2- Create Toshiba Raid Driver From The Drivers Cd, The Toshiba Raid Driver Has To Be Added During The Installation of Windows XP When Asked To "Press F6 If You Need To Install A Third Party SCSI Or Raid Driver".
In Order To Do That , Insert The Drivers Cd "from Windows " It Will Run Automatically Or Run "Browser.Exe" Inside The Cd The Select "Raid Driver" And Click On "Installation" Button, It Will Show You The Raid Driver files , Insert A Blank Floppy And Copy The Files Into The Floppy "Be Sure That All The Files Be On The Root Of The Floppy" or download the Toshiba RAID driver from the Toshiba driver download web page and extract the zip file to a floppy disk."Again, All The Files Should Be On The Root Of The Floppy Not Inside A Folder"
3- Connect Your Usb Floppy Drive And Insert Your Windows Xp Mce 2005 Cd 1 And Power On Your Laptop Hold "F12" And Use The Arrow Keys To Choose Cd-Rom Icon To Boot From The Cd.
When You Get The Message To "Press Any Key To Boot From Cd...", Press Any Key , If You Do Not Press Any Key, It Will Not Boot From Cd-Rom,Press F6 When Asked To "Press F6 If You Need To Install A Third Party Scsi Or Raid Driver".
The Setup Continues Until You Are Asked Whether You Want To "S = Specify Additional Device". Press 's' And Specify The Toshiba Raid Driver For Xp. Then Press 'enter' To Continue With The Installation.
Do Not Upgrade Your Xp Installation ,Start New Windows Installation And Partition Your Hard Disk , Windows Installation Will Ask You To Insert Cd 2, And Will Copy Some Files And Will Ask You To Insert Cd 1 Again ,Continue The Setup Until Windows finish The Insallation.
4- After Windows Finish The Installation Insert Drivers Cd And Select "Microsoft Updates" From The Drivers Cd Click On"Installation Button" ,Click "Qfe" And Install ONLY the Following Updates (Do Not Let The Updates Restart Your PC Until You Finish The Installation of All Updates)
A- Q896256
FIX "Computers That Are Running Windows Xp Service Pack 2 And That Are Equipped With Multiple Processors That Support Processor Power Management Features May Experience Decreased Performance"
B-Q910437
FIX "High Hit Count Watson Crash In Wu Client"
C-Q889673
FIX "Hardware (Dep)-Enabled Computer May Unexpectedly Quit After You Resume From Standby Or From Hibernation In Windows Xp Service Pack 2"
D-Q896243 (Very Important ,This Will Make SD And MMC Cards To Work)
FIX "ADD Support The High Speed SD Card"
Other Updates Are Not Necessary To Install, Because You Will Install It Later When You Run Microsoft Updates From Microsoft Updates Web-site After You Finish Activating Your Windows.
5- download and run "Intel(R) Chipset Software Installation Utility" from Intel website
(Restart Your PC After You Finish The Installation)
Do Not Install "Chipset Driver" From The Drivers Cd , It Is An Old Version , Try To Install The Latest From The Link Above.
6- Install The "Display Driver" From Drivers Cd (No Need To Restart).
Note : To Avoid Annoying Messages During Drivers Installation Try To Do The Following:-
Go To Control Panel , System Properties , Hardware , Drive Signing , Select "Ignore - Install The Software...."
Go To Control Panel , System Properties , Hardware , Windows Update , Select "Never Search Windows Update For Drivers"
7- Now You Have To Setup Your Internet Connection and Activate Your Windows So That You Can Run "Windows Updates" From Microsoft Windows Update Website
Your Internet Connection May Need One Of The Following Drivers (Depending On Your Modem)
A- If You Your Internet Connection Through LAN Then Install The "Network Driver" From Drivers Cd.
B- If You Your Internet Connection Through Wireless Then Install The "Wireless Network Driver" From Drivers Cd.
C- If Your Internet Connection Through USB Then Install The Driver Supplied By Your Modem Manufacturer.
D- If Your Internet Through Dial-Up Then Install The "Sound Driver" From Drivers CD , This Driver Will Install The Sound Driver And Will Activate The Modem Device and ,A Message Appeared "Find New Hardware ,Modem Device" Ignore The Message And Restart Your PC Then Install "Modem Driver" From Drivers Cd.
8- Now Go To Windows Update Web-Site And Install All The Necessary Updates "Try To Run Windows Updates Several Times Until You Install All The Updates Because In The First Time, Windows Updates Website Will Install 3 Files Only After That Restart Your Computer And Go To Windows Updates Site Again And Continue To Install The Updates , Select Custom Updates Method And Install All The Critical And Optional Updates".
9- install "Common Modules" from drivers CD This module is an essential component on Windows XP systems It is required to make other TOSHIBA original programs work properly.
10- Now Continue To Install Other Drivers And Utilities From Drivers Cd But Do Not Install The Following Drivers:-
Atheros Client Utility " No Need"
Bluetooth Monitor " Do Not Install This , Install Only The "Bluetooth Stack".
Enjoy Your Powerful Toshiba Qosmio Laptop.

you can see this tutorial also in this website
salah.coms.ph

Media Center

Hi everybody. Sorry if this topic doesn't quite fit here. You can redirect me if there's already another discussion about this going on.
I am in the process of doing a major overhaul on my home entertainment system. Getting some new speakers, a TIVO, etc...
One possibility I had in mind involves the colleciton of divx/avi/mp4 files I have. I've thought about buying a Mac Mini and hooking it up to my television so I could watch these files. A few weeks ago, though, I bought myself an ibook and tried hooking it up to my television using the same kind of adapter I'd be using with the Mac Mini. I was pretty disappointed with the quality - especially with DVDs. The playback is jittery and the color is all washed out.
Now I'm wondering if what I need is the Elgato Eyehome?
Maybe someone else here is using a Mac Mini for the same purpose and has some ideas about how to improve the picture quality?
Thanks.

I have my mini utilized in just such a setup. Mine worked just fine when I connected it, but there are a couple things you can try. First of all, make sure that the display resolution is as close as possible to the TV's native resolution. For standard TVs, you'll want to set it to one of the lower resolutions, such as 640x480. In the case of an HD TV, find out it's resolution and adjust the mini's output in System Preferences to match. As to the washed-out problem, you could create a custom color profile using ColorSync Utility (In the Utilities folder under applications) and adjust the gamma, brightness and other settings to give a better picture. As to jitteriness with DVD playback, you could try a different player, such as VLC Media Player. Aside from that, I don't know - DVDs play fine on my Media Center Mini. Remember also that the mini is a different system from the iBook, and may have different characteristics when connected to a TV.

Media Center Guide - Failed to retrieve EpgListings Error

When is Microsoft going to address this? This is a HUGE PROBLEM for people that use WMC. It couldnt be a bigger problem as it renders my ENTIRE media setup worthless. Below is a link to a workaround and a forum with tons of people having
the same problem.
http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/viewtopic.php?p=80288&f=5#p80288
Re-running the TV setup works for a few weeks but then you start getting the same error. I have 2 TVs in the house that use WMC. Both have the problem. I did what this link suggested and it fixed TV1. I re-ran the setup again on TV2
and it worked, until tonight which is about 2 weeks since the last time I ran it. This is a temporary workaround NOT a solution!
This is a MICROSOFT PROBLEM and this is EXACTLY why ZERO people take WMC seriously. Can you imagine if you turned on your TV with dish, directv, comcast, whatever and you had no guide data and you had to jump through all sorts of technical hoops to
get your guide back? It would be chaos. WMC "could" be one of the best pieces of software from microsoft but with this sort of thing happening, it will never be anything but a snap-in.
I also find it amazing that there is no help on this MAJOR, SHOWSTOPPING, APPLICATION KILLING, bug/defect/issue within Microsoft's forums. I have customers that I have recommended and built WMC based HTPCs because of how "great" they are...I
mean were. This is embarrassing for me, my company, and it should be for Microsoft. I am completely done using WMC after this. We have better support from the open source solutions.

On Mon, 27 Oct 2014 07:52:51 +0000, BmcD wrote:
WMC "could" be one of the best pieces of software from microsoft but with this sort of thing happening, it will never be anything but a snap-in.
Microsoft has discontinued all development for Windows Media Center. There is no
development team as those folks have all moved on to other groups or left
Microsoft. It's difficult to get MSFT to look at problems with EPG downloads. If
you post your issue at
http://connect.microsoft.com/site1145 (you may have to
sign in/create an account to see the feedback tab) and it is trending, they
might eventually look at the issue. There was an issue in the UK about 10 days
ago.
Please don't shoot the messenger.
-- Barb Bowman

Media center setup

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