RE: Media Extender software?
- From: "Derek Kwan" <DerekKwan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2005 13:19:02 -0800
Cool.. thx for your detail reply.... Now hopefully I will find some time to
set things up....
D
"P-Chip" wrote:
> Derek,
>
> I think using your XBox MCX as your primary MCE client is an excellent idea
> since you are already hooked into your home theater with that. Curiously
> enough, I got my MCX for US$54 from buy.com. Maybe you can find discount
> retailers that are selling it for cheap as well.
>
> As for your other questions, let me just copy and paste a post I made a
> couple of days ago:
>
> I just installed my XBox MCX over the weekend, and I have to tell you -- the
> trouble I had to go thru to upgrade my PC to MCE 2005 was well worth it. It
> is just the most awesome piece of software for the XBox (it's right up there
> with Halo 1 & 2!).
>
> For one, I can view all my videos and listen to all my music on my 5.1 home
> theater (to which the XBox is plugged into). And after I connected my XBox to
> my A/V receiver using the digital optical cable, I was totally blown away by
> the audio. I also realized that I was looking at pictures and home videos a
> lot more, now that they were available in the living room
>
> To answer your questions:
>
> * You can play DVD's directly on your XBox using your MCX kit, so you
> wouldn't have to use your PC to play a DVD. In my case, this is terrific,
> since my PC is on a different floor than my XBox. I would imagine it to a
> real pain each time I had to take a DVD from my collection up to my PC to be
> able to stream it down into my home theater.
> * Live TV, as you already found out, works great! You can record live TV,
> record one channel while watching another (on any other MCX device, or on
> your PC), or record two different channels. But you need two tuners on your
> PC, or a dual-tuner card, such as the NVTV dual-tuner card (which I have), or
> the Hauppauge 500 MCE. With a single tuner, you would be able to watch and/or
> record one show.
> * E-mail does not work on your MCX device. But it doesn't work on the MCE
> app either, so I don't think it's a lack of functionality on part of the MCX
> software.
> You do have a caller ID alert on the XBox MCX. I don't quite have a use (or
> understand one) for it, but it's there if you need it. I guess it's there if
> you connect to the Internet using dialup or something.
> * You can play regular FM radio on your MCX, which is a pretty neat feature.
> I'm not a big radio listener when I'm not in my car, but I found myself
> listening to it just because it's so convenient now. You do need a tuner card
> that has an FM radio tuner.
> * You can play any number of Online Spotlight sites that MCE features from
> time to time. This includes free video sites (MSNBC, FOXSports, CNN, etc.),
> Internet radio, downloadable music (MSN, Napster, etc), movies (CinemaNow,
> MovieLink), etc. This is one feature that has me totally psyched. We are
> basically talking about COD (content on demand) features without any premium
> cable services. And it's fun being able to order a movie with the click of
> the remote thru the Internet. I've been doing this for years on my dish, but
> with the MCX, the cool factor is way out there.
> * You can get your local content (weather, news, etc.) I don't know how it
> works since I never quite signed into MSN Messenger. But it was telling me my
> local weather and all. Possibly because I was signed into MSN Passport on my
> PC? I will have to play around with this to find out more about this.
> * As for plug-ins, I was not able to get MCE Solitaire to show up on the
> MCX. I do believe programs have to implement a special interface in order to
> work on the MCX devices. Not too sure about this.
>
>
> In terms of the value, it is out of this world. I would get a new XBox just
> for this feature. And if you already have an XBox, getting the MCX "game" is
> a no-brainer. I got it for a great price at buy.com. I would recommend that
> you go and get it. I am seriously considering buying another XBox just for
> the MCX functionality for my other TV.
>
>
>
> "Derek Kwan" wrote:
>
> > Humm.. I have to give it a try again... Last time I recall MCE won't allow me
> > to use a network drive as the recorded tv repository. But I think w/ a
> > dedicated 100Mbps segment between MCE and the 'file server' should be more
> > than enough :) In fact I think if the signal are good, a 54Mbps WLAN link
> > should be ok too?
> >
> > About the XBOX media extender, yes, I do have a XBOX, but the price for the
> > 'game' is a bit expensive for me (CDN99). I wouldn't mind if it is selling at
> > half the price or lower... I guess I will have to wait.
> >
> > Since you have the XBox media extender, does it work will all the 3rd party
> > plugin that runs on your MCE PC too? And it does allow you to watch Live TV
> > from your XBOX (stream from your MCE PC) right?
> >
> > I am thinking maybe I will use the MCE PC as my workstation and watch TV
> > once in a while in my 'home office' but I will use my XBox as the main TV
> > tuner for my living room.....
> >
> > :)
> >
> >
> >
> > "P-Chip" wrote:
> >
> > > Derek,
> > >
> > > You could absolutely set it up so that both your MCE PC's are recording to
> > > the same Recorded TV repository. But you might want to consider the network
> > > performance issue with this. I know that some people have had an issue with
> > > this.
> > >
> > > However, you really don't need multiple MCE PC's for this to work -- you
> > > really only need one PC with MCE. The other can be a vanilla XP (or any other
> > > version thereof) which can simply play dvr-ms content from the MCE PC.
> > >
> > > Finally, if you are wondering if you can turn a vanilla XP PC into an
> > > extender device, the answer would be no. I have not tried remoting into my
> > > MCE box to see if the MCE app will stream over. If someone has tried this,
> > > they will be able to answer. But even if this were to work, you wouldn't be
> > > able to use a remote control. So it wouldn't really be a true "extender".
> > >
> > > Personally, I have had a totally knockout experience with the XBox extender.
> > > For me it is one of the most exciting PC/Home-theater convergence advances
> > > ever made. If you have an XBox already, getting the extender "game" is a
> > > no-brainer. I would absolutely recommend it.
> > >
> > > HTH,
> > > Pat
> > >
> > > "Derek Kwan" wrote:
> > >
> > > > As far as I know, so far the media extender solution is either a 3rd party
> > > > hardware or using a XBOX. Just wondering if there is a media extension
> > > > 'add-on' for regular windows XP box planned in the future... (so there is no
> > > > need to reinstall the OS)
> > > >
> > > > Or should I rephase my question... if I have 2 (or more) PC running MCE, can
> > > > they all share the recorded TV as a minimum?
> > > >
> > > > Thx
.
- References:
- Media Extender software?
- From: Derek Kwan
- RE: Media Extender software?
- From: P-Chip
- RE: Media Extender software?
- From: Derek Kwan
- RE: Media Extender software?
- From: P-Chip
- Media Extender software?
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