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  1. Member
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    Good evening,
    -----I have a PC that I built to serve as my media server (3TBs of storage), and I am running Windows Vista Ultimate on both my media server and on my normal PC; I also have 2 XBOX 360 that I use for the sole purpose as Media Center extenders. My question is, is there a way to make my normal PC function kind of like my XBOX 360 (like a media center extender)?

    -----Since my normal PC doesn't have a TV tuner card in it Vista won't let me setup my TV folder in the Vista MediaCenter application, so I cannot via my TV files on this PC as I normally would on my media server or my XBOX 360s. I was thinking that I could install my TV card in my normal PC long enough to setup the TV folder, but I'm guessing that there is a workaround out there that one of you may be aware of. Thanks in advance for your help, Jon
    Thank you, Jon
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  2. Mod Neophyte Super Moderator redwudz's Avatar
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    I'm not exactly sure what you have in mind, but I have all my computers on a gigabit LAN and my video servers are in a back room. I use my HTPC in the front room to play the videos locally from the hard drives in the servers. That part is fairly simple to set up. I imagine if I had a tuner in one of the servers, I could just stream that video over the LAN with a player like VLC running on the server.
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  3. contrarian rallynavvie's Avatar
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    Yeah, just share the Recorded TV folder on your network so the other PC can see it. You won't be able to view the shows as they're recording but you will be able to shortly afterward. Streaming via VLC would require transcoding from the DVR-MS files and probably isn't worth the effort since MCE uses that file for subtitles and program info.

    You're really missing out by not having another tuner in that other PC. The more tuners you have the more overlapping content you can record. Or you could use it to watch live TV on that computer. With good tuner cards costing less than $100 you have some decent options. I have two tuners in my main workstation and a single one in my file server (which records simply as MPEG2 since it isn't running MCE).
    FB-DIMM are the real cause of global warming
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  4. Member
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    Yes, I know how to share the recordings over my LAN, as that is what I am already doing, but the Vista MediaCenter app will not use the files as TV recordings, as I must go into the Video section of the app, and open the recordings like I would a movie. This means that Vista will not group the TV shows as it normally would, and the files names are really long and ambiguous, plus the video section does not show the meta data like the TV section does. Thanks, Jon
    Thank you, Jon
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  5. contrarian rallynavvie's Avatar
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    Really? When I access native DVR-MS files from the "Video" section I see the titles like in the TV section as well as recording date, info, and all the rest normally available. I don't have the option to group by show but those archived DVR-MS files are manually filed away in different folders and such so I never really bother with grouping.

    I'm running MCE 2005 though. Kinda sick that Vista doesn't work the same way, but then you have open QAM support and I don't. I think I'll still be holding off on upgrading though. Check www.thegreenbutton.com and see if others have found a workaround in the Vista forums. I get most of my best information from there.
    FB-DIMM are the real cause of global warming
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  6. Member
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    Thanks for the help

    I uploaded a screen shot for your vewing pleasure. I still Love Vista though

    Thank you, Jon
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  7. contrarian rallynavvie's Avatar
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    While we've got you here are you using an HD tuner with Vista MCE? I was wondering if you've experimented with receiving unencrypted QAM channels via cable with it? Once a service pack comes out for Vista I'll probably upgrade. Hopefully Vista SP1 fixes a lot of the compatibility issues with applications I use.
    FB-DIMM are the real cause of global warming
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  8. Mod Neophyte Super Moderator redwudz's Avatar
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    rallynavvie, you've probably seen this Vista compatibility page: http://www.iexbeta.com/wiki/index.php/Windows_Vista_Software_Compatibility_List

    I haven't found many video programs that won't work with Vista. And the ones that don't are not easily fixed if they use DOS or 16bit or other things that aren't compatible with Vista.

    Here's a list from the site of video type programs that are incompatible with Vista:

    Subtitle Workshop v2.51
    Alcohol 120% 1.9.5
    CDBurner XP (32-bit)
    DVDXcopy
    Nero - 6.x versions.
    Padus DiscJuggler Professional v4.60.1214 (64-bit)
    Slysoft AnyDVD v6.0.8.5 (64-bit)
    Slysoft CloneDVD v2.9.0.1 (64-bit)
    WinISO v5.3.0.125
    Quicktime Player 7
    RealNetworks/Listen.com Rhapsody 2.1 Build 0.243
    Adobe Encore DVD 2.0
    Adobe Premiere 7.0
    Interactual Player 2.0
    Pinnacle Studio 10
    Pinnacle Studio 9.4
    ULead Media Studio Pro 7.0
    ULead Video Studio 9
    Zoom Player 5.0

    There are likely more, but most vendors have upgraded their programs and the ones that haven't probably never will.
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  9. Member
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    No, sorry I am using a Hauppauge 500. I do not have a High Def TV yet, so I would only be able to watch the High TV shows on my PC; I have two 22" LCDs hooked up to my PC that will upscale to 1080p (native is 1680x1050). The wife says no big screen until I buy her a big house

    I cannot wait to be able to get an ATI cable card TV card or something like that so I can actually get more then basic cable on my MC.
    Thank you, Jon
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