The Oasis Home Theater Blog

My Top Vista Media Center Add-ons

2008-03-11T13:39:00.006-04:00

Recently, I got a great deal on a HP Slimline S3321P PC with Windows Vista Home Premium for the master bedroom that has renewed my interest in Windows Media Center. I have been using Media Center on and off since the early days, but have always gone back to the familiar and stable interface of TiVo for my primary DVR and media interface. But with the Vista version of Windows Media Center and the latest crop of add-on applications, I think Windows Media Center is here to stay. Here is a list of some of the Top Vista Media Center Add-ons�.

My Movies 2
MCE movie management � a must have!

Daemon Tools
For Mounting DVD ISOs

MyNetflix
Plug-in for MCE which allows you use your Netflix subscription with a remote control and view watch now videos full screen with remote control

DVRMS Toolbox
Automatically remove Commercials from MCE Recordings

WebGuide 4
WebGuide allows you to remotely view live and recorded TV programs and to remotely schedule and manage your recorded television programs, music, pictures and videos on your Media Center. There is a version for Windows Home Server too

Transcode 360
Transcode 360 enables the playback of unsupported video over Xbox 360 and Media Center Extender devices

Mp3tag v2.40
Mp3tag is a powerful and yet easy-to-use tool to edit metadata of common audio formats that supports database lookups for selected files, allowing you to automatically gather proper tag information and album art for select files or CDs.

If I can convince myself that MCE is the platform of the future for the family, I can get a MCE Cable Card PC, get some extenders, and go the way of some other bloggers like Thomas Hawk and make MCE the centerpiece for all my media and rid myself of the Comcast DVR forever. It is going to take a lot to get that peanut remote for the TiVo HD out of my hand.

Ultimate Home Theater Setup

2008-03-07T14:06:00.002-05:00

Derek Flickinger, a computer networking and AV veteran, provides a blueprint to creating the Ultimate Home Theater Setup on the new Microsoft Ultimate PC site. The setup is centered around a Windows Media Center foundation integrating Niveus Media products with high end McIntosh audio and video gear and leveraging media center extenders throughout the house.

The website is very interactive and pleasing to browse. You can also download a PDF of the blueprint here.

Ultimate Home Theater Setup

Sony PSP - Great Handheld Gaming and Media Player

2008-02-23T15:15:00.010-05:00

Sony PSP
My company has a fun Christmas party every year. We are all gadget lovers and our senior partner always does a great job shopping for gifts for the �dirty Santa� gift exchange. Some of the staff have scored LCD TVs, new Zunes, XM Radio receivers, and GPS receivers. In years past, I have come away with a cool electronic dart board, a portable DVD player, and a Slingbox.

This year was the best score though - a PSP Slim (the PSP-2001PB Model). This is my first PSP but I understand that the new Slim is lighter and thinner than the original PSP, has a AV output for video and games, and the game load times are quicker.

I would have never bought a PSP for myself, but getting one as a gift was great. I have a 8 year old son so of course he has a Nintendo DS Lite. I am not sure, but I think that having a DS is required for all kids in our area to get into play dates. The DS is a great platform, but there is something about being in you late 30s and whipping one out on a plane that makes you feel a little childish. The PSP seem more adult and higher cool factor.

Games
The PSP came with Madden 08. I�m not much of a Madden player and I already have a few versions of Madden for the Gamecube and Xbox, so I returned it and started looking for some games that were really unique to the PSP or were well suited to the PSP controls and screen. I did some research using some of the Best Of list on Cnet and Gamespot to make some selections. Our local Game Stop has a pretty good collection of new and used games, but I�ve gotten most of the titles new from eBay since it so much easier than running around town looking for games. I have picked up a few games and some of my favorites so far are Crush, Loco Roco, The Bigs, Virtua Tennis 3, Burnout Dominator, and Midway Arcade Treasures Extended Play.

Crush is a unique puzzle game that Sega designed for the PSP that has a dark, weird story line, and a really interesting interface with its use of 2D and 3D. Loco Roco is one of the most artful and entertaining games I have ever played. My son has played Loco Roco through twice in the last 4 weeks (it is hard to keep his hands off of Dad�s PSP). The Bigs has some great arcade style baseball game play and the graphics look great on the big PSP screen. Virtua Tennis 3�s main game is solid tennis action, but the real attraction to the game is the great collection of addictive mini-games that are fun to play and improve your play in the main game. Playing Burnout Dominator you can really feel the speed of the game on the PSP screen. Midway Arcade Treasure Extended Play is a solid collection of classic arcade games (from my era) and has a couple of my favorites included; Joust and Wizard of Wor.

My son is eager to get his hands on Patapon when it releases next week. Patapon is a real time strategy, rhythm game that is generating a lot of buzz in the PSP world and is priced at only $19.99.

Another good source of games and demos is the Playstation Store online. From the store, you can download directly to the PSP via the USB connection. The store has some of the PS one classics for download to the PSP along with themes, wallpapers and videos.

Accessories
I knew I would get some games with the PSP but there are always a few accessories you need to go with any game system.

Memory Stick -- I knew the first thing I would buy was a Memory Stick to store pictures, music and video for playback on the road. I hate paying the premium for Sony�s proprietary memory format, but used some Best Buy gift cards and store credit to get the biggest one I could find. I got a Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo 8 GB. That�s enough memory to store 4-5 full length movies and some TV shows along with some of my favorite current music and family pictures.

Case -- Since the PSP is not a clam shell design like the Gameboy SP or Nintendo DS, you will need a case to protect that great screen. I picked up a PSP Carrying Case that works great to hold the PSP and several games. The downside is you�ll have to haul around the AC adapter separately if you think you�ll be away for a while.

Video Cable -- Since the Slim has the AV out, I picked up the PSP 2000 Component AV Cables for $20 at Best Buy. The cables has some nice quality connectors, but only a 6� cable so you have to stay pretty close to the set. Toggling the video output from the PSP screen to the TV is easy with the Display button on the front of the PSP. The quality of game video output is blocky and grainy but OK. You do need to know that the game output will only fill about half of the screen. The video output of UMD discs is close to 480p quality so it is passable. I would say that the cables are more of a novelty than a necessity.

Media
With that great screen, the PSP makes a really nice media player. Here�s the scoop on some of the non-gaming content for the PSP.

UMD Videos � I don�t think that UMD disc are the future of video (didn�t have to go out on a limb to make that statement) but a picked up a few just to try it out. I got the Family Guy Freakin Sweet Collection on eBay. Our local Fry�s puts select UMDs on sale each week, so I picked up 007 Casino Royale for $4.99. The video looks great on the PSP (not as great on a big screen, see above).

TV Shows from TiVo HD � On a long flight it�s nice to some TV shows with you to pass the time. Getting TV to the PSP is pretty simple with if you have a TiVo HD and the TiVo Desktop Plus software. I have the TiVo Desktop Plus 2.51 installed on my basement media server and have it set to auto transfer a few of my favorite shows. You can also set the TiVo software to auto convert the download to a portable format and PSP is one of the options. So, when I�m ready to head out on a trip, I can connect the PSP to any PC on the network via USB and transfer the shows I want to take along since they are already downloaded and converted.

Video Downloads � I love to watch concerts and live music videos on flights. Most of these are internet downloads from the artist web sites or fan sites. The formats is all over the board so you need a good converter to get video into a format the PSP likes. The easiest program I have found is Easy Video to iPod/MP4/PSP/3GP Converter. I can take in almost any format video and get it to PSP and iPod format and it is super easy to use.

Internet
The latest PSP firmware (3.90) make good use of the wi-fi connection in the device. In addition to the basic browser and RSS Reader, there is a pretty good Shoutcast internet radio player and a PSP Skype client. Not sure how much I�ll make use out of either, but it was pretty cool to place a Skype call from the PSP.

New Stuff on the Horizon
The PSP seems to have some momentum at the moment and is coming up more in the news feeds that I read (or I�m just paying attention to it now). One of the more interesting stories is the annoucement of the Bluray to PSP Movie Transfer with this article that describes how it�s going to work.

Conclusion
All in all the PSP is a really fun new toy with some quality games and excellent media and internet support. I hope that Sony continues to make enhancements to the platform and with integration with its other platforms to enhance the PSP as a portable media center device.

1080p Does Matter - Here's When

2007-11-14T16:27:00.001-05:00

Great article from Carlton Bale on the "need" for 1080p versus other resoultions. The chart in this article is really good.

1080p Does Matter - Here's When (Screen Size vs. Viewing Distance vs. Resolution) � CarltonBale.com

The Ultimate Media Center Installation

2007-11-09T14:57:00.000-05:00

The Ultimate Media Center Installation Revealed: Imperium Smart Systems - CE Pro Article

Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD Player

2007-10-30T16:30:00.000-04:00

I am not choosing sides in a format war, I just wanted to see some of the great quality of HD content and the Toshiba HD-A2 with my current Netflix subscription seemed the cheapest way to get into it. I picked up a HD-A2 a few weeks back on a deal from Amazon. I didn't get it for $99 from Walmart or Best Buy, but even for what I paid I think it is a steal. So far I've seen some great HD-DVD titles with the highlights being Transformers, Hot Fuzz and 300. Here's a link to a recent review of the HD-A2 from Audioholics...

Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD Player Review � Audioholics Home Theater Reviews and News

Build a Windows Vista Home Theater PC

2007-09-25T16:01:00.000-04:00

Here is a new article from Extreme Tech that has me interested in making some upgrades to my HTPC.

Build a Windows Vista Home Theater PC

Building Your Perfect Home Theater | PVRblog

2007-08-15T15:01:00.000-04:00

The folks over at PVRBlog have started a new series on Building Your Perfect Home Theater. The first installment has some great advice on planning and researching before buying and drilling holes in your walls. Get their thoughts on paper, have a friend or installer look it over, talk with friends that have theaters, and visit some showrooms. Then revisit your plans a few times over a couple of weeks as you read and learn more, and your designs will change.... for the better.

Planning, Budgeting, Research, and Goals: Part 1 of Building Your Perfect Home Theater PVRblog

Netflix Instant Watching Lottery - I Won!

2007-02-01T14:21:00.000-05:00

I won the lottery (the Netflix Instant Watching Lottery, that is)... Followed this process in this Hacking NetFlix article and now I have access to the Watch Now tab. Give it a try and see if you're a winner...

Hacking NetFlix : The Netflix Instant Watching Lottery

X-RJAX Snap-in Coax Connector

2007-01-31T14:16:00.000-05:00

We can always count on Cyberguys.com (the guys that brought us the now famous Power Strip Liberator) to introduce us to new gadgets and accessories that you never knew existed.... but once you see them, you have to buy them.

The X-RJAX connector kits converts your standard F-type coax connection into a snap in connector using their couplers. I haven't tried these yet so I can't attest to the quality of the connection.

If you work on your media center PC very often, this new gadget might interest you. I have a couple of media center PCs with dual tuners and the coax connections on the cards are really close together and it is tough to get your fingers in there to turn the connectors. It would be really nice to pop out the cable connections like a network jack when moving or working on those machines.

X-rjax Snap-in Coax at Cyberguys.com

Comcast Atlanta adding HD Channels, Download Speed, and More Cost (of course) - March 1, 2007

2007-01-30T10:21:00.000-05:00

Atlanta area Comcast customers received a mailing yesterday called the 2007 Product Guide. The guide updates the channel listings that will be in effect by March 1/ 2007. Comcast is adding our local CW affiliate, A&E HD, National Geographic HD, Versus / Golf HD, and NBC Universal HD. I've thought the line-up was pretty good for a while now since the addition of ESPN2 and MHD, but more is always better.

Another service addition for high speed internet customers is the addition of PowerBoost which will increase your download speed to 16 Mbps for large file downloads. According this CNet article the speed will increase if it is available on the network. I'd be interested to see if it has any increased speed for large multi-part download (e.g. usenet). I would say that's no likely, but it might help you went watching your bizarre content on YouTube.

Now for the downside, of course Comcast is raising prices on some / most services. Most notably, The DVR rate will increase from $9.95 to $11.95 per month. HDTV equipment charge will increase from $5.00 to $6.95 per month.

SlingCatcher - Video Demo from CES 2007

2007-01-23T09:27:00.000-05:00

I've been using the original SlingBox for a little over a year now and love it. Sling Media makes some nice products that work just as well as they are marketed. I am looking forward to the SlingCatcher mostly for SlingProjector that will transmit any website or video file to the SlingCatcher to display on a TV.

More interesting is that the SlingCatcher has two USB ports on the back that will allow for the connection of an external drive (according to the video). If the SlingCatcher could plays back XviD files from that drive that would be really nice. A dream would be for it to play DVD ISO files images from a network drive, but that may be asking a lot.

SlingCatcher - Sling Media Brings Place-Shifting and More to TVs: Sling Community

Netflix "Watch Now" Demo - Service Coming June 2007

2007-01-16T10:54:00.000-05:00

Hacking NetFlix has a nice demo of the Watch Now service coming from NetFlix. According to the demo, users will be to view up to 18 hours of video online each month under the 3 out plan. With no added costs, this is a nice addition to the service for subscribers. The service is due for release to all subscribers in June 2007. Of course, we'll need to get a plug-in for Windows Media Center to browse and lauch these movies with the remote....

Hacking NetFlix : Demo: Netflix "Watch Now" Movie Downloads

Gallery of Windows Sideshow Enabled Devices

2007-01-14T14:44:00.000-05:00

Gallery of Windows Sideshow Enabled Devices

Apple iTV: Beam there, Done that

2006-09-20T11:41:00.000-04:00

Here is a good article from David Carnoy at Cnet... the Xbox 360 with the Windows Media Center 2005 PC has already covered the technical ground that Apple is heading to now. Of course both of these solutions bring to the mainstream what some of use have been doing for years with the original Xbox and Xbox Media Center (XBMC) and a central media server.

iTV: beam there, done that - Fully Equipped - CNET reviews

OPPO DV-970HD DVD Player Review

2006-09-05T14:28:00.000-04:00

Here is a review of the newer Oppo DVD player from The Home Theater Blog. I purchased this player about a month ago direct from Oppo and have been very satisfied with it (especially for the $150 price). I mostly use my HTPC for DVD playback, but I do use the Oppo for multi-channel audio (DVD Audio and Super Audio CD) and it is always nice to have a stand alone unit for guests and kids to use.

OPPO DV-970HD DVD Player Review

Kaleidescape AV Server Demo

2006-08-01T18:26:00.000-04:00

Demo of the Kaleidescape DVD and Music Server

This is the first time that I have seen the Kaleidescape server and interface in action. Very impressive to say the least. I have been running a build your own DVD server for the last few years and enjoy having movies on demand all of the house, but my user interface doesn't come close to what they have achieved.

The following text comes from the Cinenow.com website describing the video....

CEDIA UK'06 : Kaleidescape high-end Audio / Video server

"Kaleidescape, long known as a high-end manufacturer music servers, shows here their new Audio / Video Entertainment server with a 5.5 TB (5,500 GB!!) hard disc that will hold up to approximately 660 DVDs. Need more space, well their largest installation has 7 servers which makes for about a 5000 DVD capacity, and technically is no real limit in the clusters.

Ian Epperson gave us a full demonstration of the easy-to-use menus and high quality user interfaces. There is no limit to the number of interfaces in the house and all are independent. There is touch panel possibility to select a DVD or CD by touching the jacket over and the a program will propose using a presentation of jacket covers in a way to have surrounding the selected title those with a similar theme. There are other features such as touch screen scanning of the film, and more"

Slim Devices Transporter

2006-07-25T17:34:00.000-04:00

The Transporter is a new device from Slim Devices, maker of the SqueezeBox which is one of the best sounding and easiest to use digital audio players. I can't wait to hear this device!

Slim Devices Transporter

In my opinion, one of the greatest things about the products from Slim Devices is their ability to playback music from the Pandora music service.

Pandora is an automated music recommendation and Internet radio service created by The Music Genome Project. Using Pandora, you will discover a ton of new artists that write and play some great music that aligns with you particular tastes. The services uses a thumbs up and down rating system (similar to TiVo) with allows you to "train" your personal internet radio station.
I have been listening to my Pandora station using a SqueezeBox for a while now and I can't live without it now. Read more about Pandora on Wikipedia.

Media Center Pro, a New Publication Focused on MCE

2006-06-02T10:26:00.000-04:00

As a semi-pro integrator, I receive a lot of the industry magazines like CE Pro and Residental Systems. This month's CE Pro had a really nice magazine bundled with it called Media Center Pro. For those that frequent the forums like The Green Button or AVS Forum, there is not a lot of new information here, but the magazine is a great digest of what is happening with MCE and how professional integrators are using it in their installations.

The first magazine came to me yesterday and the website is due to go live later in June. Something to keep an eye on...

CE Pro Introducing Media Center Pro, a New Publication Focused on MCE

"We are thrilled to introduce Media Center Pro, a magazine for people who build, sell, install, integrate and support Media Center PCs and related technologies. It comes from the folks at EH Publishing, which publishes Electronic House for consumers, CE Pro for home systems integrators, and other magazines associated with integrated technologies for the home, business and commercial venues. "

A Living Picture

2006-06-01T10:11:00.000-04:00

Interesting digital frame what will make use of Windows SideShow coming in Vista. SideShow will be more that pictures....

From the website and press release....
"A Living Picture� is working with Microsoft to enable Windows SideShow capabilities on the full range of the A Living Picture� Digital Photo Frames for the upcoming launch of Windows Vista.

A Living Picture� digital photo frames end-users will be able to stream Windows SideShow information to any room in the home or office delivering information such as VoIP call notifications, weather information, stock quotes, Email notifications, whatever makes sense.... "

A Living Picture

Home of the Year 2006 - Electronic House Magazine

2006-05-10T11:20:00.000-04:00

From the Electronic House magazine site... some of the best high-tech home installations submitted by dealers and installers. I like this feature because they show installations in a number of price ranges.

Home of the Year 2006 - Electronic House Magazine

Making a Quiet Case Quieter

2006-05-04T09:31:00.000-04:00

Making a Quiet Case Quieter

Netflix has HD-DVD Titles

2006-04-18T15:35:00.000-04:00

Big kudos to Netflix for being so responsive on the new format and serving their customers that like to be on the leading edge of new technologies. Sure there are not a lot of titles available now but have a few available to test your new player is great.

Netflix has a nice wizard interface for setting up your account for HD-DVDs. It asks you to confirm that you have a player and if you want to always have HD version added or the convential version when building your queue.

How to Go from Xbox to Xbox Media Center in 30 minutes

2006-02-16T16:28:00.000-05:00

This post would have been great to have a few years ago when some friends and I were modding our Xbox(s). Our process took a good bit longer than 30 minutes, but the Xbox we created back then is still going strong as a media extender upstairs serving up content from the basement Media Server. There is a lot of buzz about the Xbox360 as an extender, but XBMC is still my favorite extender at the moment. To me, XBMC has always been the most flexible playback device since it can handle almost any video format you throw at it. Plus, XBMC recently added the ability to launch and play DVDs with menu support including ISO images. Now you can launch ISOs images of DVDs from from the media server and playback DVDs with all the menus and features of the DVDs in tact. So there is no need to convert the ISOs to MPEG or VOBs.

How to Go from Xbox to Xbox Media Center in 30 minutes - ProductWiki [via Digital Home Upgrade]

How-To: Scale video for better HDTV viewing - Engadget

2006-02-15T15:28:00.000-05:00

How-To: Scale video for better HDTV viewing - Engadget