Media Center replacement?
- Thread starter rudeguy
- Start date
Gooberlx2
Lifer
- May 4, 2001
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Personally, I've found Windows 7's implementation of Media Center to be pretty awesome, but if you want non-MS alternatives there's MediaPortal, SageTV, MythTV (not Windows, IIRC), and others...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_PVR_software_packages
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_PVR_software_packages
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XP media center was terrible. If you're using XP, I feel bad for you.
Vista is MUCH better, but it was unstable when released. It requires much more computer power than XP to run smoothly.
Win7 media center is very good. It is very similar to vista though, at least in the media center workings.
Vista is MUCH better, but it was unstable when released. It requires much more computer power than XP to run smoothly.
Win7 media center is very good. It is very similar to vista though, at least in the media center workings.
Anubis
No Lifer
- Dec 27, 2001
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chronodekar
Senior member
- Nov 2, 2008
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doesn't support tv tuner cards
Actually, I understand that with some plugins, the support IS there. However, I've never used it myself and you might need to be a geek to configure the thing.
-chronodekar
- Dec 27, 2001
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this is frustrating. I really like the look and feel of Media Portal but apparently I have to pay to get a channel guide?
WMC keeps crashing and my computer is my bedroom tv. I've rented 10 movies in the past 3 nights trying to keep myself from going bonkers.
WMC keeps crashing and my computer is my bedroom tv. I've rented 10 movies in the past 3 nights trying to keep myself from going bonkers.
WMC = XP (or "Media Center 2005")?
As I mentioned above, XP media center is terrible. If you're using Vista, it should be stable for TV unless you have something else wrong.
There's really nothing wrong with Vista as a media center....once you get it patched up. Win7 is better, but not by leaps and bounds like it is to the XP version.
If Vista acts up on you again, you can always download/grab a copy of Win7 and run it without a license for 90-180 days to see if it works better on your hardware. You really can't beat the student upgrade pricing for $30 though. If I had vista and the ability to upgrade to Win7 for $30 - I'd do it immediately.
If Vista acts up on you again, you can always download/grab a copy of Win7 and run it without a license for 90-180 days to see if it works better on your hardware. You really can't beat the student upgrade pricing for $30 though. If I had vista and the ability to upgrade to Win7 for $30 - I'd do it immediately.
7MC + XBMC [script navi-x !!] + HULU [plus?] + NETFLIX = da bomb.
there's an app that switches back to 7MC when you quite hulu desktop or xbmc.
what's the point of having a WDTV live when a cheap refurb asus for $200-350 exists??
heck my $330 asus refurb core2Q8300 will probably still have mojo 5 years from now when 4K video is out. you can score the core2q8300 or I5 (dual core) for that much on the best buy auctions (cowboom, private auction).
throw in a small SSD for boot and antec micro fusion case and booya - good to go for 4-5 years.
there's an app that switches back to 7MC when you quite hulu desktop or xbmc.
what's the point of having a WDTV live when a cheap refurb asus for $200-350 exists??
heck my $330 asus refurb core2Q8300 will probably still have mojo 5 years from now when 4K video is out. you can score the core2q8300 or I5 (dual core) for that much on the best buy auctions (cowboom, private auction).
throw in a small SSD for boot and antec micro fusion case and booya - good to go for 4-5 years.
question - what is the advantage of running both 7MC and XBMC ? Im curious on that one. Also what is the app that switches back and forth between everything?
chronodekar
Senior member
- Nov 2, 2008
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Guessing here, but I think he means to use 7MC as a TV and XBMC to watch pre-recorded videos.
As for an app that switches back & forth ... well we have Alt+Tab don't we ?
-chronodekar
whats funny is that i use a few different ones. yet to find the one that i like the best. but then again, i have win7 ultimate on my media machine, and it runs like a top. there is some stuff i dont like about it, like the navigation of it, thoroughly sucks, however, it works the best without having to add things.
I would love a replacement for WMC even if I have to pay for it. Have used WMC on vista for 3 years. WMC stopped downloading the guide a week ago. Tried all the tricks in all the forums to reset WMC to virginal state... still broke. SO did the nuclear option of starting from scratch with win7. still broke in the same place. Poked at it for hours. So blew everything away again and reinstalled vista. still broke. did all updates to OS and WMC .. .. still no update to guide. This is my only DVR . I don't have cable or satellite. still living with broadcast tv. NEED WMC to work or will take anything else that is reasonable.
Nice thread necro, marciap.
If the guide doesn't download, the culprit is often the clock set to the wrong time. This seems especially possible since you say you tried fresh installs of Win7 and Vista.
If the guide doesn't download, the culprit is often the clock set to the wrong time. This seems especially possible since you say you tried fresh installs of Win7 and Vista.
- Dec 27, 2001
- 47,351
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Good call. Are you getting security certificate warnings on websites?
Funny thing is I haven't used a desktop in years. I have to have boxes on all my tv's now, Sri I sold my desktop on browse the web from my phone
- Dec 27, 2001
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Gooberlx2
Lifer
- May 4, 2001
- 15,381
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Agreed. I have an old C2D/EE, with an old 80G Raptor for the OS and an old Caviar 250G IDE for storage, responsiveness is awesome.
That is incorrect. The HP Z555 in my bedroom HTPC has a 6600GT. The HTPC in my living room has a GT510. The HTPC in my HT room used to run an 8600GTS/256. I have never seen stuttering from any box while watching TV at either 720p or 1080i.
Your stutter problem was possibly due to your video drivers. Or it could have been lousy weather or bad antenna placement/orientation. But it wasn't the card.
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