The Media Center Show #108 – Andrew Van Til

By Ian Dixon (29.9mb 60mins 42sec)

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This week developer Andrew Van Til joins me to talk about his Windows Media Center utilities, one of them DVRMSToolbox is a Media Center Award Show winner, and is a great tool for processing recorded TV files. We will be talking about ad skipping, tuner sharing and his other Media Center applications

I have email, news items and a chance to win a prize bundle including "Using Microsoft Windows Vista Media Center"

The Media Center Show with Orb Networks

Win this lot!

Show Times:

00:50 Coming up this week
01:48 Email – Media library problems
03:34 Win mcePhone
03:51 Email – Xbox 360 Extender in 50hz mode?
05:57 Webguide Updated more details on Missing Remote
06:48 Big Screen Photos V2, pics on my blog and more info on the Big Screen Blog
07:41 Spring Update for the Xbox 360 – boot in to Media Center mode
09:16 Controlling Windows Media Center with Windows Mobile 5.0
10:49 mControl for Windows Home Server
11:58 My Blog
12:14 Win my book "Using Microsoft Windows Vista Media Center" plus a goodies pack!
13:22 A Message from One Voice
14:37 Welcome to Andrew Van Til
15:12 Getting in to Media Center
16:20 Starting Media Center development
18:00 Development challenges
20:00 DVRMS Toolbox
22:50 Sharing Recorded TV
22:50 FFDShow
26:50 Copying TV to a Windows Mobile device
27:48 Converting to audio
28:49 Auto Commercial Skipping
38:56 Media Center Recording Broker – let Media Center PCs pool their tuners
49:35 LCD Writer application
52:50 YAC – Caller ID addin
55:21 Media bookmark
56:08 Andrews Web Site, Forums
57:00 See you next week

Music by Ian Dixon

Technorati tags: Windows Media Center, podcasts

Windows SideShow Fridge Magnet

While I was reading through some of the content coming out of WinHEC I noticed an interesting press release from Ricavision on there Sribbler / Sideshow Fridge Magnets (MK140 FM Fridge Magnet).

The device can magnetically stick to your Fridge and talk wireless to a Vista PC. They are SideShow devices and features a 3.5" QVGA LCD screen and can run any of the SideShow gadgets and it comes with a scribbler application for taking handwritten notes that can be sent to the Vista PC.

I can see an opportunity here to have these devices as wall mounted control panels for Windows Media Center with very little effort, I can’t wait to try one.

 

More details on the WinHEC Press Release

 

 

Technorati tags: Windows SideShow, WinHEC

mControl on Window Home Server

Embedded Automation are launching mControl (their home automation software) as an Add-In to Windows Home Server. This is a great idea as Windows Home Server is the always on center of the digital home. You will still be able to use mControl on Windows Media Center as the UI can still run on Media Center (Vista or XP).

I will get Ted Singh from Embedded Automation back on to the show to explain more on a future show, for now here is the press release:

 

Embedded Automation Announces mControl’s Support for Windows Home Server
 Surrey, BC – May 15, 2007
 Today, in conjunction Mircosoft’s announcement of Windows Home Server hardware and software partners at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC), Embedded Automation announced it’s popular mControl Digital Home Software will be available as a Windows Home Server Add-in.
 Embedded Automation’s support of the Windows Home Server platform will allow users of mControl to:
Ø Easily install mControl using the native Windows Home Server Add-in functionality
Ø Conveniently administer the mControl system using the Windows Home Server console
Ø Serve mControl user-interface clients – including via Media Center clients (Windows Vista and Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005) and Windows Mobile clients
Ø Allow authenticated user access of mControl remotely using the native IIS web server functionality of Windows Home Server
 “Applications like mControl extend the possibilities and customer benefits of the Windows Home Server platform,” said Steven VanRoekel, director of Windows Server Solutions at Microsoft. “Working together, Windows Home Server and mControl will make home automation and management more accessible and cost effective for customers.”
 “We’ve have evaluated Windows Home Server beta technology and look forward to the product’s final release. We believe it will be a great platform for the ‘Digital Home’ because, first and foremost, it provides a convenient and easy way to centralize, share and protect personal digital media and data. But secondly, and importantly to Embedded Automation, it provides a great platform for mControl”, said Ted Singh, Business Development Manager of Embedded Automation. “With Windows Home Server, mControl can be ‘always on’ and can be conveniently located to Ethernet and other interfaces. The combination of mControl and Windows Home Server is just another piece of the digital home puzzle falling into place.”
 mControl will be available as a Windows Home Server Add-in after the release of Windows Home Server later this year.

 

 For the corresponding press release from Microsoft:
http://www.microsoft.com/…/05-15WHSNewHardwarePR.mspx
 For the Bill Gates webcast and transcript from WinHEC:
http://www.microsoft.com/events/executives/billgates.mspx
 For information on Windows Home Server from Microsoft:
http://www.microsoft.com/…/windowshomeserver/default.mspx
 For Embedded Automation’s analysis of the Windows Home Server beta:
http://www.embeddedautomation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=334

About mControl
 Thousands of customers worldwide use mControl software to view, manage and secure their “digital homes”. mControl integrates lighting systems, security panels, cameras, climate control and audio/visual components into a unified interface which is accessible through televisions using a remote control, via an Internet browser, through touch screens and even by voice. mControl meshes seamlessly within a Media Center environment to provide an integrated home control and media management solution.
About Embedded Automation
 Founded in 1998, Embedded Automation designs, manufactures, and markets solutions for “Digital Home” under the mHome product family. mHome products allow consumers to easily and affordably add control and media management capabilities to their homes. mHome products are available from Embedded Automation and through the mHome Authorized Dealer Network.
Contact Information
 Embedded Automation Inc.
http://www.embeddedautomation.com
sales@embeddedautomation.com
 (604) 596-4999

 

Technorati tags: Windows Home Server, Windows Media Center, Home Automation

Control Windows Media Center using a Windows Mobile 5 Device

Via Windows Media Center Sandbox

On Coding4Fun there is a article demonstrating how to use a Windows Mobile 5 device to control Windows Media Center. This looks a great article and it uses the Windows Media Center SDK, the Windows Mobile 5.0 SDK and Visual Basic or C#

It takes you step by step through creating a Media Center Presentation Layer Application, creating an AddIn for the mobile client to talk to and creating the Windows Mobile 5 client application. It is a very complete sample with C# and VB code (which is nice for us VB devs)

This would be great to use on my Windows Mobile Treo

 

Technorati tags: Windows media Center, Windows Mobile

Big Screen Photos 2 Beta

Today I got to play with Mobilesware’s Big Screen Photos 2. This is a  Vista Media Center application that enables you to browse and view Flickr pictures. V2 adds features such as Geo Browsing and slideshows. The best part is its a true Vista Media Center application so it has a very rich user interface, in fact the feel of the application is very much in keeping with the rest of Media Center

 

 

I have just started playing with it and will report more when I have had more time with it , I think I will have to get Nial Ginsbourg back on to the show!

Technorati tags: Windows media Center, Flickr

Boot Your Xbox 360 straight in to Media Center

Since the Spring Update for the Xbox 360 you can boot your Xbox 360 directly in to Windows Media Center. This is great for people like me that use their Xbox 360 mainly as an Extender. It all adds to the WAF!

Thanks to Michael Creasy for the tip

The new Spring Update for the Xbox 360 is out.

While playing around with my system this morning I found a new feature I hadn’t seen reported before.  You can now boot your Xbox 360 directly into Media Center.  From the dashboard, go to System, Console Settings, Startup and there along with Disc and Xbox Dashboard is the new option, Media Center.  Select that and the Xbox 360 will boot directly in to the Media Center extender experience when you turn it on.  Great if you use your Xbox 360 mostly as a Media Center Extender.

 

Technorati tags: Windows media Center, Xbox 360

Domia e-Home AUTOMATION to launch new “Lifestyle” solutions

More use of Windows Media Center as the core of the digital lifestyle. Domia are using Media Center in their Lifestyle brand with a new home automation solution being shown off in Dubai. Check out this video (divx) showing off the solution

In a few weeks time I will have Tim Ellert from Domia on The Media Center Show to explain all.

More info on their blog

 

PRESS RELEASE

Domia chooses e-Home AUTOMATION to launch new “Lifestyle” solutions developed in partnership with Intel® Corporation

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 10th May 2007 –

e-Home AUTOMATION is proud to announce that it has been
chosen as the first company to offer a truly innovative way of smart living to home owners and developers in the
United Arab Emirates. e-HomeDomia Lifestyle is a brand new home automation solution developed in partnership
with Intel Corporation which allows you to cost effectively control any part of your home – whenever you want, from
wherever you are!
Committed to providing the most affordable and cutting-edge home automation to consumers, e-Home
AUTOMATION will be launching this new solution at the Hometech Middle East show in Dubai from 13th-15th May
2007 (stand no. HT410). The company will be joined by leading European smart home developer Domia, and Intel
Corporation to showcase this fully integrated digital home solution.
With e-HomeDomia Lifestyle, intelligent technology for today’s living is now within reach of every homeowner.
Fingertip control over lighting, climate control (HVAC), audio & video, appliances, energy management, security and
surveillance is conveniently and centrally delivered to the homeowner via a variety of smart interfaces. With the
significant growth in new-build property development and an ever-increasing demand for fully integrated smart home
solutions, the United Arab Emirates has been chosen by Domia as a primary region for market development.
"We believe that the cost of owning an e-HomeDomia Lifestyle solution is significantly less than competitor
systems, largely as a result of the work we have carried out in partnership with Intel on their Quad core systems,”
comments Darryl Mattocks, Managing Director of Domia Ltd. “This technology enables owners to control and
automate more Lifestyle technologies on a single computer than was previously possible. This has led to a simpler and
cheaper system than previously thought possible.”
“In particular, CCTV management, appliance control, and voice recognition can now be handled transparently in the
background, whilst still leaving sufficient processing power to enable full media experiences such as playback of high
definition video and gaming,” Mattocks continues. “Without the power and energy efficiency of the Intel Quad Core
CPU, these tasks would have required separate computers to process individual aspects of the lifestyle system, costing
more to both the end user and the environment. We believe installers will find the system simpler to commission and
families will benefit from having more control over their digital lifestyle using fewer hardware components and at a
cheaper cost.”
“To control your home from a central point either remotely or locally through a variety of multi-functional interfaces is
now an integral part of everyday contemporary living,” comments Arch. Khalifa A. A. AlJaziri, Managing Director of e-
Home AUTOMATION. “e-HomeDomia Lifestyle is superior to other smart home products currently on the market
as it provides a greater range of user interfaces than competitors such as Vista’s Media Center GUI, mobile phone and
web interfaces.”
“The beauty of our system is that it is designed in a form that has more modules at a wider variety of price points,”
continues AlJaziri, “this means that you can customize and grow an entire solution in stages. The latest version of the
Domia Harmony software is also extremely flexible, allowing you to use any equipment, in any system, from any
supplier – seamlessly.”
“e-HomeDomia Lifestyle is an exciting leap forward for the smart home market,” enthuses AlJaziri. “It enables you
to take full control of your home from anywhere in the world – switch off your lights via the Internet from your desk
at work, even monitor your home from your favorite spot on the beach via your mobile phone, the possibilities are
endless! Furthermore, this sophisticated technology is incredibly responsive. For example, if you use your mobile
phone to switch on your cooling, all other interfaces such as the touchscreens in the home are automatically updated
to show the true status of your home at anytime.”
About e-Home AUTOMATION:
e-Home AUTOMATION is the leading supplier and installer of integrated smart home solutions to the United Arab
Emirates and the Gulf region and beyond. The company integrates a vast array of smart applications such as audio &
video, lighting, climate control (HVAC), security and surveillance into complete and affordable digital home solutions.
e-Home AUTOMATION draws on the experience and innovation of Domia Ltd, Europe’s leading developer of home
automation software, hardware and lifestyle systems who works in partnership with Intel Corporation. e-Home
AUTOMATION’s goal is to make home automation flexible, simple and comprehensive by offering a completely
integrated lifestyle product range. For further information about e-Home AUTOMATION, e-HomeDomia Lifestyle
or Domia Harmony please use the following contact details:
e-Home AUTOMATION
Business Avenue Tel: +971 (4) 295 7878
P.O. Box: 779 Dubai Email: info@e-homeautomation.com
United Arab Emirates Web: http://www.domialifestyle.com
The Intel logo is a trademark of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries

 

Technorati tags: Windows Media Center, Home Automation

The Media Center Show #107 RadioTime

By Ian Dixon (15.1mb 43mins 58sec) The RSS feed for the show is HERE

Direct Download Link  – Subscribe via iTunes

This week Bill More CEO of RadioTime, an radio aggregation service for Windows joins me to talk about RadioTime and their Windows Media Center Plug in
I have email and news items, plus details on a new competition to win my book "Using Microsoft Windows Vista Media Center"

The Media Center Show with Orb Networks

Show times

00:55 Coming up this week
01:42 Dual Monitors on Windows Media Center, forum thread
03:21 Gyration Remote Control, Gizmodo link , my video from CES
04:49 "Using Microsoft Windows Vista Media Center" – want to win one?
06:09 The Portable Media Center Platform is dead
08:09 A message from One Voice
09:19 Welcome to Bill More
10:00 What is RadioTime
13:00 How it works
16:00 Improving the Radio experience
20:00 Finding content
21:10 RedButton application  – Time Shift Radio
26:50 How is the Radio Industry taking to Internet Radio
30:00 Satellite Radio
33:00 The Media Center version
38:00 Send in your feedback
40:00 Keep the email coming in
See you next week

Music by Ian Dixon

Technorati tags: Windows Media Center, podcasts

Embedded Automation Previews Support for Web Services on devices

Interesting press release from Embedded Automation, great to see the whole system based around Windows Media Center: As part of the keynote speech by Robbie Bach, President of the Microsoft Entertainment & Devices Division, at the recent Microsoft Mobile & Embedded Developers Conference 2007, Embedded Automation’s mControl Digital Home Software with support for Web Services on devices was demonstrated. This technology is based on the Devices Profile for Web Services (DPWS) specifications. The Devices Profile for Web Services technologies allow distributed devices, such as lighting, security and thermostat controls, to plug-and-play into the "digital home" over the standard home network. mControl provides a platform for managing all digital home devices and presenting them in easy-to-use interfaces. By adding support for DPWS-enabled devices, mControl automatically discovers and presents the devices to users for inclusion in their system. All that is required is to attach a name to the device and it is ready for viewing and control. mControl provides many user interfaces for managing devices, including: >> Access via web browser, for local or remote access >> Media Center interfaces for television and touch screen operation – this is available on both Windows XP Media Center Edition and on Windows Vista >> Windows Mobile devices, including Smart Phones and Pocket PCs (PDAs) "mControl has supported Web Services from day one and so it is a natural progression for us to support the Devices Profile for Web Services ", said Ted Singh, Business Development Manager of Embedded Automation. "The combination of DPWS devices and mControl means that the task of adding and using these devices is now near-transparent. As DPWS-enabled devices proliferate, mControl becomes the natural destination for controlling the home." The DPWS adapter for mControl will be included in an upcoming release of mControl. For a transcript of the keynote by Robbie Bach, please visit: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/rbach/05012007MEDCRobbieBach.mspx For a picture from the keynote demo, please visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/medc2006team/480526821/ For a screen shot of the mControl Vista Media Center user interface, please visit: http://www.embeddedautomation.com/images/…November%2014,%202006).jpg

HP Pavilion HDX

HP have announced a very nice looking (and big) new entertainment laptop. It would make a great Media Center devices, just take a look at its specs

• Centrino (Core 2) Duo T7700 2.4GHz CPU
• 20.1-inch 1680 x 1050 "Ultra Brightview" display
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2600 XT 256MB graphics (DirectX 10)
• 4GB RAM
• Dual 200GB SATA drives, eSATA port
• Integrated ATSC / NTSC tuner with IR blaster  I wonder if there will be a UK version with DVB-T?
• 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth
• HD DVD (read-only), dual layer DVD±RW drive
• ExpressCard slot, HDMI out

According to Engadget it’s heavy (15.5 pounds) but I don’t expect anybody would want to carry it around with them, more mobile Windows Media Center PC around the home

 

Link to HP Pavilion HDX "The Dragon" entertainment laptop announced – Engadget

 

Technorati tags: Windows Media Center, Laptop