SubscribeNews and Notes
Tips, Tricks, Tweaks
Start Here: Microsoft- Microsoft's Home Page for Windows Media Center 2005
- Microsoft's Home Page for Windows Media Center Extenders
- Microsoft's Home Page for Portable Media Centers
- Windows Market Place - Find the components you need to upgrade your current Media Center, get cool peripherals, or find software programs created specifically for Media Center PCs.
- Burn, Archive, and Share Digital Videos Using Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005: Covers importing from a camcorder or other device. Also details on burning DVDs and CDs.
- DVD details: Not specific to MCE but a nice resource that lists DVD specifications and details
- How to synchronize your system clock to attempt to resolve Media Center guide download errors - page by Aaron Stebner on how to get your system clock synching with the atomic clocks.
- How to Use Dual Set-top Boxes in Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
- How to put MCE 2005 on a Macbook - Barb Bowman's article on putting MCE on a Macbook Pro Intel
- Upgrade to Update Rollup 2 for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
- Update Rollup 2 setup failure while installing KB891593: Aaron Stebners Weblog page on fixes for issues with Update Roll-Up 2 for MCE 2005
- What to do if licensed content stops working
- Google Group article - Microsoft MVP Jason Tsang has some details on fixing DRM in this Google Group entry
- Xbox 360 Windows Media Center Setup Guide
- Supported Media Types for the Media Center Extender
- Optimizing Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, Xbox 360 and Media Center Extender Networks
- Bring the Media Center PC experience to the Xbox console - This one is for owners of the old (pre-360) XBox
- XBox 360 FAQ - From the page: "Read here first if you are having problems with Windows Media Connect or Windows Media Center Extender"
- FAQ: Media Center and Xbox 360 - This page is from Microsoft
- Fun with DVR-MS: Summary from the site: Stephen Toub discusses the DVR-MS file format generated by Windows XP Media Center 2005, provides an introduction to DirectShow, and shows how the latter can be used to work with the former. (47 printed pages)
- Creating a web page that's designed for Media Center
- ExtremeTech article on building your own Media Center PC ARTICLE DATE: 12.04
- How to build a Media Center PC running Windows Media Center Edition 2005 from Ascetic Minimalism. ARTICLE DATE: 02.05
- Designed for Media Center Master List downloadable MS Word file with a list of all DVD decoders, TV tuners and other hardware that has earned the dfMCE logo.
- PC Magazine - Build It: A Homemade Media Center PC - ARTICLE DATE: 02.15.06
- CableCARD: A Primer
- HDTV over WiFi - ARTICLE Date: 12.15.05
Community
General web sites- Google Group: microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter - Friendly place to go ask questions. Search the group before you post. You might find your question asked and answered already.
- The Green Button - Another site with a forum and helpful downloads for Windows Media Center. Caveat: Don't use Firefox. The pages will load but it doesn't present correctly.
- Media Center Stuff - Dana Cline's site. Includes details on hardware, troubleshooting, FAQs, downloads and other links.
- Australian Media Center Community - Check it out now matter where you live. Excellent resource.
- Ed Bott's Media Center Blog
- Matt Goyer's Media Center Blog - Program Manager, Windows Media Center Team
- Chris Lanier's Blog - News, Analysis, and Opinion on Microsoft Digital Media Technologies
- The Media Center Show - Ian Dixon's podcast all about Windows Media Center
Utilities
- Windows XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility - Helps you determine if an MPEG-2 video decoder (also called a DVD decoder) is installed on your Windows XP computer and whether or not the decoder is compatible with Windows Media Player 10 and Windows XP Media Center Edition. You have to have a DVD decoder to make MCE work.
- TweakMCE - Gives you access to systems settings and options not normally exposed in the Windows XP Media Center Edition user interface. Example, you can change the location where MCE stores recorded shows.$Free
- Hibernator - Sometimes MCE machines don't always go back to 'sleep' as they should. This program will let you profile your computer and set a screen saver that will put the computer into hibernate mode. Excellent tool. Note: You have to register to download but it's worth it. $Free
- Crunchie - Crunchie will let you convert MPG files to MPEG4 using an xvid codec. Be sure to read the how to. Note: You have to register to download but it's worth it. $Free
- MyMovies - Movie collection management and more. $Free
- VideoReDo - This is THE program to get if you want to edit dvr-ms, mpg or even DVD VOBs. You can make edits and save with out the long transcoding process that other software has. It will save you hours. Has great support forums too. $50 USD and you can download a trial copy for 15 days.