Does anyone know of a player similar to the windows media center edition. When I say similar I am looking for something that is easy to run with a remote, has large fonts and icons so it looks good on a tv, and takes over the pc.

I looked at some of the media center pc's and it works amazingly well (I was suprised anyway it is windows after all) it is really fast but it doesn't have insert and append (at least that I can find correct me if I am wrong) I didn't try the PVR part though.

I have tried to use moviX but I can't get it to run also I don't think it supports a remote.

The Xbox media player looks cool but because it's not really legal you almost have to be a programmer to install it they don't offer it compiled. Also I'm not sure if it has the all important insert and append features.

I should just buy a central but now I am kinda thinking it would be nice to just have a entire pc so I could view photos and the internet on the TV. Plus spending 1149 on it when the company just died it kinda scarey too (although I should know better about that )

SnapStream is one. I tried another one a while back that was also pretty decent, but unfortunatly I can't find it again. If I rediscover it, I'll make sure to post it here. (I abandoned running it at the time due to lack of a decent remote control, not due to faults with the software.)

Thanks I never saw that one after searching for a week. I wonder what some of these websites use for meta data.

Do you remember if it does audio ? It looks like it only does video.

I've got a buddy who just got MythTv runnin. It seems Awesome.
For example I noticed the local news was down at my friends firepit on the local river; I was able to login to his Myth and start recording.
I'm looking for a suitable machine and vidcard to set this up instead of buyin a tivo.

After the announcement of Microsoft's new encoding for HiDef DVDs I too have been looking into getting a Media Center style PC set up. I really like some of the specs on the Alienware Navigator. I priced out everything except the OS and I can get the same hardware PLUS a HD-recording Hauppauge card for $300 less at NewEgg.

That's the kicker... you cannot buy WinXp Media Center Edition without a pre-built machine. I've also checked out the MythTV stuff. Very impressive, but it looks extremely complex to set up. That and I fear Linux... I am but a dumb artist. I like my clicky-boxes and hate dual booting.

I'd be very interested in hearing what you guys end up doing... My friend has the new TiVo media stuff and it seems pretty cool, but I want the versatility of a PC.

The biggest feature I want is to be able to build a playlist on the fly like on the empeg and I have found that the media center pc's won't let you do that with the media center interface anyway so that's out.

The other thing that turns me off to the media center pc's is like you said you can't buy the os seperate and the systems consist of off the shelf parts. At least they could use a custom case that would blend in with a home entertainment system. Most of them are using a mini tower or a shutte barebones.

I checked the tivo stuff and it has the same problem it will only play playlists that have been previously created on you pc.

The two linux options look pretty green and I don't think I could get them to run. I would be using a seperate pc so dual booting wouldn't be a issue.

I think the empeg guys are the only ones that thing being able to change the playlist on the fly is a good idea even the all mighty ipod dosen't have this feature.

After reading your post I decided to see how long it would take to setup a box here with MythTV. It took me roughly an hour to recompile the kernel, put in the WinTV card, install all the prerequisites, install MythTV itself, and run through the MythTV setup.

Very nice so far, and I like that the backend and frontend can be two separate machines. Now I just need to move some things around and find the rest of the cables that goto the WinTV card so I can actually hook it up to the TV, record some shows, and see how the menus work.

It took me roughly an hour to recompile the kernel, put in the WinTV card, install all the prerequisites, install MythTV itself, and run through the MythTV setup.


Heh... Fine. You can come to my house and do all that for me. Recompile the kernel? I haven't the foggiest idea how to do that... I know it's fairly straight forward, and it's a requirement if I want to play in the world of cutting edge free software. I just don't have the time or stress level necessary to research all that. Pity as I think it would be a fun process and MythTV seems to make the menu art very easily accessible. Myth TV doesn't seem to support the Hauppauge card I want either yet... but is sounds like he's looking into it. Any idea if MythTV cares if the signal is HD or not?

msaeger, I hadn't noticed the on the fly playlist creation didn't work. That is disappointing...

Any idea if MythTV cares if the signal is HD or not?

I have been eyeing MythTV for a few months now. The second I hear that HD cards are supported, I will be building a box to replace my TiVo.

I was also looking into the Hauppauge HDTV card since it has component video out. However, TechTV blasted it. I would assume that the hardware is fine, it's just the software they didn't like. Does anyone have that card?

I was referring to the windows xp media center and the tivo home media option not mythTV I know almost nothing about mythtv.

I did find this program http://www.musicex.com/mediacenter/
it has insert and append and it offers a full screen interface that would work good with a tv and a remote. The full screen interface is kinda crappy right now but it is xml so I could potentially make my own (I think I would have a better shot at that then getting mythtv to work anyway)

Have you looked at Show Shifter?
http://www.showshifter.com
I have it running on an XP box.

Aha, Show Shifter, thats the program I tried in the past, and liked for the most part. Now that I have the RF ATI Remote Control, I need to look at it again.

Nope never heard of that one I will check it out

thanks

How's the ATI remote I was looking at that one. I was also thinking or just getting an IR port and one of the harmony remotes.

I absolutely love the ATI remote! I've got it programmed to control most multimedia aspects of my PC. If you get it, the first thing you should do is toss the included software (sorry, Bruno, it's just terrible), and download Girder. You can do almost anything with that combo. Now I can finally control my PC through walls and view the A/V signal I have going from my AIW card through a wireless video sender.

Here's another one
http://www.myhtpc.net/download/

Like the look of the interface of this one it has que but not insert (that I can find anyway)

I found this and kept getting it mixed up with MythTV

..... in the same vane as "myhtpc" you might want to check out some of the links here.... http://www.btinternet.com/~firepepper/nerdherd/links.htm

Most have free downloads, nay, most are FREE

Cheers, Sim

Here's another one

Hey! That one seems pretty cool... Does it use visuals while listening to music? In my cursory glance it seems to make use of WinAmp for playing music. That would be very cool if it could use WinAmp visuals...

The software to use for the ATI remote is uICE. Yes, ATI's included PC remote software is basic, but I really can't stand Girder.

Mediatexx makes uICE and though the interface is a slightly awkward at first, it's a lot more intuitive than Girder. I also found Girder lacked some pretty basic functionality when I tested it: namely different profiles per application.

You'll have to check out the Mac version of the Remote Wonder soon. And then again when we update the software (first version is a much scaled down implementaton of my full design).

Bruno

I don't think it has visuals yet but I think it is pretty new because there are alot of missing features but the interface is nice so hopefully he will keep working on it.

I didn't mean to insult any work you might have done Sorry!

I agree, Girder is definitely NOT intuitive. I set it up a long time ago, and if I had to make any changes, I'd have to go back and relearn how. My main complaint with the ATI software was that if controlled a limited amount of things, and nobody had made any profiles for it. If I wanted to control anything other than ATI's software or Winamp, I had no ability to. Also, I was unable to target anything. I had to be controlling whatever had the current focus.

Lastly, there were no states. With Girder, I can open Winamp, control it no matter what I'm focusing on, and without even focusing on it, I can use the same button to close only Winamp. That, to me, is great. I use this with Winamp, WMP6, OE, IE, and several folders with multimedia files.

There were other limitations that I just couldn't live with, but mainly it was that I couldn't control WMP6.4 and a few other things, so I went with Girder.

I look forward to looking at your program, though! I hope it can do what I want with it.

I was also thinking or just getting an IR port and one of the harmony remotes.

Don't. Get something that is RF based. My attempt at an IR setup is why I dumped Show Shifter a while back, I couldn't stand navigating the interface when a remote pointed right at the IR receiver.

Well, I guess I should throw the CarPlayer SP software in the mix. You may remember www.carplayer.com sold a few hundred EMPEG's, I am now working on some nice software/hardware for car PC's as well as home PC's. Take a look for the latest info.

Jeremy Briggs
www.carplayer.com

That remote seems to also be OEM'd by X10. BTW, what did Apple say when you showed them your Carplayer interface using their (copyrighted) icons?

Bruno

OK the heck with it I bought the rio central. Thanks for all the program suggestions but I couldn't find one that had all the features I want. If I would have went with the pc route knowing me I would have probably spent more time messing with it than using it anyway.

I'll have to change my signature when I get it

"OK the heck with it I bought the rio central."

Damnit... That's not what I want to hear. I was hoping you would take the plunge before I did so I might learn from your mistakes.

It appears that there is absolutely no way to get Windows Home Media Edition without buying a pre-made box. Even my inside sources cannot get their hands on it. I really don't want to go that route, but I fear the alternative software is too "garage" for my needs.

I don't get it... shouldn't WHME be a module to XP, such as the Plus Pack and the DVD stuff?

Very good feedback... It looks like the graphics guy I hired for the icons and background needs to be talked to, thanks so much. Expect a new skin up on the main page shortly.

Jeremy Briggs
www.carplayer.com

The only way I found to get Home Media Edition is if you have a microsoft developers network subscription you can buy it.
Or buy downloading a WaReZ copy. After playing with it for a while I can tell you it, isn't worth the trouble any of the programs linked in the thread are just as good it is missing too many features I come to expect after using my empeg.

I agree it should just be a plus pack microsoft must be getting more money this way or else they would just sell it seperatly.

Have you found this site
http://www.thegreenbutton.com/


I fear the alternative software is too "garage" for my needs.


Thats why I just spent the 1200 dollars. The central doesn't have everything I want

internet radio
empeg sync
video output

but I know it will work as good as the empeg does for playing music.

I am guessing that there will be some good programs available but I don't want to wait anymore.

I would keep watching the myHTPC one that looks about the best for playing music and it sounds like he has only been working on it for a coulple of months I'm not sure if you are looking for the tivo features or not I doubt any of the programs will surpass the tivo for that.

Thanks for the green button link. I had not seen that one...

I mainly want one of these for the music, but I was interested in checking out the PVR stuff.

I have a TiVo, but I've been loosing patience with it as of late. TiVo Inc. has all but told me my series one is discontined... Lifetime Membership and all. They could take a serious lesson from Empeg on how to treat their early adopters. As i now have a HD capable TV I've been looking for a HD PVR. The Tivo branded hardware won't be out until the end of the year. Hauppauge has an HD tuner card with recording capabilities right now.

I'm going to keep watching the myHTPC site. He was looking into support for those cards.

That's why I will never buy a "lifetime" subscription. I bought a series 2 when I got my 40xbr800 I just had the 20 hour tivo and basic looked fine on my 20" tv but it was crap on the 40".
So I just bought a new one instead of upgrading the HDD.

I don't care to much about HDTV I watch mostly old stuff anyway.