MyMovies is one of the most popular plug-ins for Windows Media Center, but it’s also available for Windows Home Server and there is a Collection Management tool available for Windows Vista and Windows 7.  MyMovies can replace the built-in Media Center Movies app with a much improved interface and a lot of options for customization.

Now the maker, Binnerup, will be requiring current users to upgrade to the latest version of all of the apps in order to be compatible with the latest security changes.  Failure to upgrade (it’s free) will result in users losing access to meta-data from the online service.  In a post to their web site earlier this week Binnerup explains the requirements in some detail.

“Due to security changes in communication with our online service, our users is requested to update their user clients before June 1′st 2012. The software will continue to operate after this date, but will after this date no longer be able to load meta-data from our online service.

Users running My Movies for Windows Media Center or My Movies Collection Management 4.00 or 4.01 for Windows 7 is required to upgrade to version 4.02 or later.

Users running My Movies for Windows Media Center or My Movies Collection Management 3 for Windows Vista is required to upgrade to version 3.25 or later.

Users running My Movies for Windows Home Server 2011 is required to upgrade to version 2.10 or later.

Users running My Movies for Windows Home Server V1 is only required to upgrade if client PC’s are upgraded to a version that requires a later version on their Home Server.

Users running My Movies 2 for Windows Media Center 2005 will for now not be required an update. However, we strongly recommend getting these systems upgraded to Windows 7.

Users running systems installed by a licensed professional My Movies installer will also not be required to update unless they are also signed into a user account, which is optional on these installations.

If you are in any way have problems with upgrading, or is unsure how to do this, please contact support@mymovies.dk where we are able to help you.”

If you haven’t checked out MyMovies then head over to the web site.  It’s one of our most recommended apps, especially for those running an HTPC with Windows Media Center.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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Kylo, the web browser specifically built to run in Windows Media Center, has been around a couple of years, but has seen very little in the way of feature updates or changes of any kind.  Perhaps that’s why today, maker Hillcrest Labs, announced they are turning the app over to the open source community.  To be fair, Kylo was created more as a demonstration than a real product.  Hillcrest Labs concentrates mostly on motion control technology and Kylo was a way of showing that off.

In a press release issued earlier today vice president Steve Scheirey stated “Releasing Kylo to the open source community is a natural progression for the TV browser. Kylo has always been a distinct initiative apart from our core Freespace business. By releasing Kylo’s source code, we expect to see new innovations and product enhancements from a much broader development community”.

This should be good news for users since it means more innovation will be coming to Kylo in the future.  The browser plugs into Media Center and works seamlessly, allowing users to easily browse a large amount of video sources from one central location.  If you haven’t used it before then you can download the browser from kylo.tv.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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Over the past few months Media Center has proven to be one of the greatest controversies for Windows 8 and today Microsoft attempted to clarify exactly what is going on.  Early on many users worried that Media Center would not be part of the next operating system, but then Microsoft assured everyone it would be and to prove their point, they included it in the Consumer Preview version of Windows 8, which was released on February 29th.  Then rumors began to circulate that it would only be in the Pro Version and, even with that, it would be an extra that users would need to purchase.

Today, on the Building Windows 8 blog, Microsoft decided to “share more details about our plan and the motivations behind it” regarding Media Center and their future OS.  First they covered some information on audio and video formats, specifically for the new Metro apps which be part of the new Start screen.

“Metro style apps can use any of the decoders included in Windows. These decoders are optimized for system reliability, battery life, and performance, and cover all key playback scenarios for mainstream content such as YouTube video, Netflix video, Amazon audio/video, H.264 web browsing/streaming, Hulu video, MP4 video, AVCHD video from camcorders, Ultraviolet video, and the HTML5 video tag. Metro style apps can also include additional decoders (such as FLAC, MKV, OGG, etc.) in their apps package for use within the apps.”

Microsoft goes on to point out the steady decline of viewers for physical DVD’s, including Blu-Ray, and for broadcast TV.  This has lead to a decision that, while Windows Media Player will be included in all versions of Windows 8, it will no longer be capable of playing DVD media.  That will save the company considerable cost in codec licensing.  Users who want simple DVD playback can use one of the many third-party apps available, such as WinDVD or Cyberlink PowerDVD.

For users who still want Media Center, which will still include all of it’s past features like DVD playback and live TV, there will be two choices.  One is to purchase Windows 8 Pro and then purchase the Media Center Pack.  The other is to upgrade Windows 8 to the Pro version by purchasing the Pro Pack.  There was no mention of feature addition or changes from the Windows 7 version of MC.

Prices for the OS and add-on packs will be released later.  Windows 8 is expected in late 2012, although a “Release Preview” is coming in June.  Now we have some clear answers about what is truly going on with Media Center and the new OS, but what will the enthusiasts think of this?  Are you satisfied with this solution?  Let us know in the comments below.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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Kylo, the popular web browser for Media Center, has teamed up with Warpia for a new PC and TV software-hardware solution.  Hillcrest Labs, the maker of Kylo, issued a press release announcing the new controller for Media Center users.  Over the lifetime of the Media Center platform there have been a number of ingenious ways to control it including wireless mini keyboards with built-in mice and specialty remote controls.

The WarpiaTV is a new type of wireless mouse that works somewhat in the way of what has previously been known as a “gyro mouse”.  However, WarpiaTV combines that motion-style mouse control with keyboard functionality to make the ultimate Media Center remote control.  They also include a web browser that borrows technology from Kylo to add a new TV-style browser that includes 150 of the most watched video sites on the internet.

The new WarpiaTV is available immediately for $79.99 from Warpia and includes the following features, per their source material:

• True 1080p Resolution
• Wireless Motion Controller
• WarpiaTV Browser Powered by Kylo
• High Quality 6ft HDMI cable
• Extend and Mirror Modes

We have not yet had a chance to test WarpiaTV so at the moment this is all based on product specs.  We’re hoping to get one for review and full-testing and will update you at that time.  From what we have been able to learn, this should make a great addition to any living room Media Center and we can only hope that it truly lives up to that.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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One of the biggest complaints from Windows users in the past has been the number of different versions (known as “SKU’s”) that were available.  For many casual users Windows 7 SKU’s were a source of confusion when they were faced with Starter, Home Premium, Ultimate, Professional, et al.  Today Microsoft announced that Windows 8 will be greatly simplified with only 2 SKU’s – regular and professional.

Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro will each be available in both x86 (32-bit) and x64 (64-bit) versions.  In addition there will also be a Windows 8 RT version for ARM devices, but it will be for OEMs only and not available at retail.

There was mixed news for Media Center fans in this announcement.  While Media Center will still be available, as Microsoft promised it would be, it will not be included as it has been in the Consumer Preview version.  Instead, Media Center will be an add-on for the Pro version only, and it will not be a free add-on, although no price is being given at this point.  Many people had previously speculated that this was the direction the software would head in for the next version of Windows.

Microsoft follower and blogger Ed Bott broke down the 2 editions of Windows 8 in the following way.

• Windows 8 is the default consumer edition, replacing Windows 7 Home Premium. It includes the ability to switch languages on the fly, a feature that was previously available only in the most expensive Enterprise/Ultimate editions.
• Windows 8 Pro is a superset of Windows 8, with the addition of BitLocker encryption and support for Encrypting File System, client Hyper-V virtualization, the ability to boot from a virtual hard disk (VHD), the ability to join a Windows domain, support for group policy, and Remote Desktop host capabilities. That complete package of features is currently available only in Windows 7 Ultimate and Enterprise.

Microsoft has not yet talked pricing for the new OS, but it’s unlikely that it will vary much from the equivalent versions of Windows 7.  The streamlining of the Windows 8 OS was not expected, but will be greatly appreciated by the vast majority of users.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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Microsoft assured users that Media Center would be a part of Windows 8 and they made good on that promise, but unfortunately the software is completely unchanged from Windows 7, at least in it’s current “Consumer Preview” form.  That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but  it also is a bit boring and not what Windows users had hoped for.  That got us thinking about non-Windows alternatives, which means either Apple or Linux, and if you’re a computer geek then you likely want to look at Linux.

There are several Linux versions that can replace Windows Media Center, but there are two that we wanted to focus on – Linux MCE and the brand new XBMCbuntu.  Both offer more functionality and extensions than Windows, but being Linux, they aren’t quite as simple to set up and use.

XBMCbuntu

This distro brings you all of the XBMC goodness along with a few extras.  For one it’s a full stand-alone Linux build.  When started up it boots directly into the XBMC interface – think of it as a Windows app that you have loaded into “Startup”.  You still can access the full Linux desktop and do upgrades.  There are also many add-ons for the operating system.

Linux MCE

This OS is probably the most full-features of the two.  It comes with support for home automation, telephone, home security, mobile apps, and more.  Linux MCE recently went from Alpha to Omega and they are hoping to hit Beta soon.  Don’t let this scare you off as it’s been around several years and is quite stable.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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Unify is a smartphone-based remote control app for Windows Phone that can control your media on any Windows computer.  Recently they released version 1.6 of their software nd there are plenty of reasons to upgrade.  Unify features a large format multitouch touchpad, for pointing, clicking, dragging, and scrolling.  It also has a full QWERTY keyboard with modifier keys which can be used in landscape mode for faster text entry.  In addition, it allows for copying and pasting between your phone and PC and features a simple media playback keypad that allows switching between input modes in a quick and easy fashion.  Finally, the app also features a “Wake on LAN” technology to automatically bring your computer out of sleep if you launch it from a pinned tile.

So, what’s new in version 1.6?  Here’s a short list.

• Inertial scrolling: This makes flicking through websites or long lists much smoother and easier. An option has also been added to focus on the window directly under the pointer when scrolling, eliminating the need to click into the window if switching between applications.
• Middle button click: Tapping the touchpad with two fingers simultaneously will act as the middle button on a mouse.
• Support for non-latin characters: Unify will now support basic text entry for any keyboard language supported by Windows Phone. An option for IME input has been added to aid input for Asian languages. Also works with the shared clipboard.
• Support for devices with 256MB RAM: The latest version of Unify has been compiled and tested using the latest SDK from Microsoft, in order to be compatible with new low-memory devices.

The app is $1.99 in the Windows Phone Marketplace and can be set up by even a novice user.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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Media Browser, one of the most popular plugins for Windows Media Player has been updated to version 2.5.3, known by the code name Apollo SP1.  Media Browser allows you to integrate all of your media into Media Center, including things like video podcasts.  With the newest version of the Microsoft OS, Windows 8, now out in Beta, it’s time for a new version of your favorite plugins as well.

While many users were afraid that Microsoft would do away with Media Center in Windows 8, it has been included as a part of the operating system.  The latest version of Media Browser has a long list of new features and updates, which you can check out below.

• Much faster RAL loading in most instances
• Faster performance with the Music plug-in in most instances
• Improvements to the default theme for Music items
• RAL should eliminate dups in situations where you have multiple children of a top item pointing to the same items
• Unavailable content should be handled much better. Now it will just skip the validation of the specific items that are not available and allow everything else to refresh.
• Support for logos, art and thumbs at the core level (so all themes can take advantage of them).
• Implemented non-english metadata retrieval from tmdb
• Indicators are shown for premium plugins in the More Plugins window of the Configurator and you can limit the list of plugins to only free ones.
• Screensavers can now kick in from the details screen
• Jump in List fixes with non-english character sets
• Much better Jump in List when not sorted by name. See: Search by NAME when sorted by DATE
• 3D Movies can now be recognized by Media Browser
• Added mk3d media type for external players
• Change in xml provider to look for movie.xml primarily instead of mymovies.xml. For more details see Important Notes.
• Default theme improvements and fixes

Download Media Browser

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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We knew that Microsoft planned to include Media Center in the Consumer Preview version of Windows 8, as they confirmed it themselves a few weeks ago.  While it wasn’t part of the Developer Preview, it is, in fact, part the latest release of Windows 8.  However, unlike many things in the new operating system, Media Center is unchanged from Windows 7.  That’s a bit of a surprise since we were anticipating that it may become a Metro app.

We have been playing around with it the past few days and have found absolutely nothing different in the actual interface.  There is a slightly newer splash screen on start up, but that’s hardly anything to write home about.  It’s not out of the question that Microsoft could make changes between now and the RTM release in late 2012, but we probably shouldn’t expect anything drastic at this point.

You can check out the new splash screen and same old user interface in the screenshots posted below.  If you haven’t yet tried out the new Windows 8, you can get it in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions now from Microsoft.  Expect a final version of the OS in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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One thing every home theater with an HTPC needs is a keyboard, although many of us try to avoid it with Media Center remotes and smartphone apps.  For the past couple of years we have used a small keyboard with a built-in trackball mouse from Vidabox.  Recently I came across a brand new one from nMediaPC that takes the whole HTPC keyboard to a whole new level.

It’s about the same size as the one we currently use in our house – 12.3 x 4.5 x 1.  It also has a built-in mouse and dedicated media center keys, but it brings a whole lot more to the game.  There is a built is scroll wheel, micro USB port for charging your devices, low battery indicator, auto sleep function, and a universal remote.

The universal remote has function keys on the bottom of the keyboard, but there is a power button on the face to make life easier.  The keyboard runs off of 2 AA batteries and uses RF with a tiny USB receiver plugged into the PC and has a functioning distance of around 40 feet.

The keyboard is available from various retailers including Amazon for a price of around $60.  We’re planning to get one for review very soon and also looking to purchase one for our Media Center.  This, at least on paper, looks like the best HTPC keyboard available right now.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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