Windows Media Center For Set-top Boxes
Last Updated on Sunday, 12 December 2010 01:19 Written by Alan Friday, 30 April 2010 08:00
Windows Embedded has just announced some big news! Windows Media Center will now be available for “… set-top boxes (STBs), connected media devices (CMDs), and TVs for consumers.”
This is something I have been talking about for some time. Media Center is so much more capable than any of the cable or satellite set-top boxes currently out there. It’s better than TiVo as well. Microsoft should have pushed this years ago. A simple TV ad showing what Media Center can do and asking “Can your DVR do this?” would blow people away. The integration of pictures, music and online video along with recorded TV is something I think a lot of people want and don’t know they can have. From the screenshots it appears it even has an “app store”.
I hope Microsoft really pushes this. It can be big.
Rebuilding Windows Media Player Library
Last Updated on Sunday, 12 December 2010 01:24 Written by Alan Wednesday, 28 April 2010 08:00
If you ever run into a problem in Windows Media Player (WMP), as I recently did, and rebuilding your library seems the only option then it’s not as bad as it sounds. I actually found it to be pretty simple and painless as a matter of fact. Here are the steps to take (This in Windows 7).
1. Open Windows Media Player, click Organize => Manage Libraries => Music and click on each folder listed and choose Remove. Now close WMP.
2. Click Start =>Computer => C Drive => Users => (your user name) =>AppData (note: you need to enable the viewing of hidden files to see the App Data folder)
3. Once in the AppData folder click Local =>Microsoft => Media Player.
4. Look for a file called CurrentDatabase_372 and rename it (in case you need it back later) to something like CurrentDatabase_372a. If yours has a different number from 372 that’s fine. Different versions of Windows have had different numbers. I believe that all Windows 7 are probably 372, but I have not been able to verify that.
5. Once the file has been renamed re-open WMP and repeat step 1, only this time adding the folders you want. Some default folders may already appear to be back and that’s fine. Depending on the size of your library this part could take a while so walk away from your PC and find something to do. The library will automatically rebuild itself even if you’re not there to watch it.
Why Jason Calacanis is Wrong
Last Updated on Monday, 13 December 2010 10:06 Written by Alan Sunday, 25 April 2010 02:19
I know I spend my time here writing about Windows in all its iterations. But today I’d like to take the time to write about something that has nothing to do with an OS.
If you are a geek/podcast fan/techie then you know Leo Laporte and you probably know Jason Calacanis. Jason has appeared many times on Leo’s This Week in Tech podcast and has never failed to be insightful and knowledgeable and nothing short of a great panelist.
Leo has built his TWiT Network from the ground up over the past few years and added great shows which he has painstakingly vetted. He readily admits that he does not own the “This Week in” name and that prior art prevents him from claiming it in the future. So, When Jason asked to use the “This Week in” phrase for a show Leo readily agreed.
Most people would understand this as a favor from a friend and be grateful for it. And for a while it seemed Mr. Calacanis would handle it in just that way. Then, however, he began to add more shows which all began with “This Week in” and even went so far as start and/or purchase the website thisweekin.com (I will not link it here). He claims he offered Leo Laporte the chance to purchase the domain, and I don’t doubt that he did. But, really? Why would anyone given an inch by a friend jump on it and take a mile? Clearly he has to know that his new network is riding on the coattails of TWiT? That most of his traffic is coming from people searching for TWiT? It really amounts to nothing more than domain-parking. No better than someone registering micrsoft.com for a link farm. He is building a network off of the confusion. Maybe his content is good. I wouldn’t know and don’t plan to find out.
Really, Jason? You made your money already. Was this really worth it for a few more dollars in your pocket?
UPDATE:
Jason responded to me via Twitter: “Jason
@alanbuckingham I agree I was wrong. 
And I commend him for it. I know he is a good guy and I have appreciated his contributions online. I hope he rectifies this situation.
