Smart Home Blog

Good news for all movies fans who own Windows Media Center. Now you can watch more than 3400 selections of movies, TV shows and music videos on your media center thanks for offered extender.

Once you install the CinemaNow extender you’ll able to watch selected movie or TV show (pay-per-view), download it to your media center (download-to-own) or get legal DVD copy (burn-to-DVD).

The price is very reasonable. So, you need just a high speed Internet connection which is not something unreal today.

[via CEPro]

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MCEGuru is a software for Windows Media Center users which allows to control it from several touchscreen devices. One of those device can be Nokia Internet Tablet - Nokia770, N800 or N810. Once installed on the device and MCE the MCEGuru gives you following options:

• See your photos
• List your movies and videos, with their thumbnail image
• List TV channels configured on your Media Center, as well as the program guide for them
• List all the music available on your Media Center, and even listening to it directly on your controlling device
• Manage current playlist on your Media Center
• Control the currently playing media on your TV, browse in it, etc…

To install MCEGuru on your Internet Tablet use that direct link or check the project page on Maemo site.

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German company HIGHDEF Technology Gmbh offers a very nice looking Vista MCE based home entertainment systems. It includes a TV reception with HDTV and a twin tuner, a hard drive and DVD recorder, DVD and CD player, archive for video, music and photos, and Internet and email, as well as video on demand. The Box One has probably the best case for media center I have ever seen. It’s an excellent mix of an austere style and functionality. The Box One fits to others A/V devices ideally.

To control the Box One media system the 7″ touch panel and the keypad can be used. The old school remote control is also an option. Based on my personal experience it’s the best way to control media center.

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Video: The Top 5 Things YOU didn't know you could do with your Vista Media Center PC

Here is a video which might help you to use your Vista Media Center more efficient. It covers following topics:

1. Advanced Scheduling.
2. Internet TV (powered by MSN Video).
3. Sports (specifically scores/stats/programming).
4. Using Windows Home Server with Media Center.
5. Extending Your Media Center Experience (specifically using Windows Media Center Extenders).

We have a Vista Media Center on my wife’s laptop but we didn’t have a chance to play with it. Because we have a dedicated media center with LinuxMCE and VDR.

[via eHomeUpgrade]

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Sqeezebox together with SlimServer is the easiest way to create a multiroom music system. Now with plug-in mceSoftsqueeze it’s possible to use Windows MCE as a Softsqueeze - software emulator of real Sqeezebox. It logs into SlimServer (preferably installed on a separate networked PC) and can be managed directly from your Media Center’s 10-foot interface and remote in your entertainment area.

[via eHomeUpgrade]

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