Ian Dixon's Blog

Asus officially launch Eee Top touchscreen PC line

While not in the league of the HP TouchSmart the EEE Top does look a very nice device for the home. According to Liliputing.com the 15.6” touchscreen all in one PC comes with Windows XP and an “easy mode” UI , it could retail for around $580. Now it would...

Published Thu, Nov 20 2008 5:10 PM by Ian Dixon

Microsoft Announces New Zune Pass Music Subscription Model

It’s a shame you can’t access the new model outside of the US or Canada as I would consider subscribing. Microsoft Announces New Zune Pass Music Subscription Model REDMOND, Wash. — Nov. 19, 2008 — Zune, Microsoft Corp.’s digital music and entertainment...

Published Thu, Nov 20 2008 5:01 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Zune

Okoro ship OMS-LX100 CableCARD system

Okoro Media Systems Now shipping 2009 LX100 CableCARD Media Center Okoro Media Systems, manufacturer of Digital Entertainment Systems for the high end audio video market, is pleased to announce the availability of the 2009 OMS-LX100 Digital Entertainment...

Published Thu, Nov 20 2008 4:45 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, CableCARD

The Media Center Show #182 – Home Server Addins

Listen Here (mp3) This week I am talking to the Home Server Show’s David McCabe about his top Windows Home Server addins including addins for enabling Windows Media Center integration. I have email on HD Home Run, Extender DVD playback and Sideshow...

Published Thu, Nov 20 2008 9:15 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Podcast, Windows Home Server, The Media Center Show

The Media Center DirecTV HDPC-20 caught in action

EngadgetHD managed to grab some photos of DirecTV tuners working on Media Center in Microsoft’s lab at Redmond. As Ben says just because it’s being tested in Microsoft’s lab does not mean it will end up in production but it’s nice to know its being tested...

Published Wed, Nov 19 2008 9:48 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

Windows Media Center in Windows 7 Touch Control

Gizmodo have a nice video showing off Windows Media Center in Windows 7 being controlled by touch. This feature must be disabled in the PDC version as I couldn’t get it to work in my Q1. The UI looks very smooth and the scrolling reminds me of how HP...

Published Wed, Nov 19 2008 8:32 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows 7

HP introduces the multi-touch consumer Tablet PC: TouchSmart TX2

One of my favourite Media Center enabled laptops is the HP Tx2500, it has a tablet PC digitizer and touch enabled screen which makes it great for using as a tablet PC and as Media Center device. HP have updated the device to the TX2 series which features...

Published Wed, Nov 19 2008 11:48 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: HP, Windows Vista, HP TouchSmart

New blog on TheGreenButton

It looks like TheGreenButton has a new blogger, Pete Brown’s new blog is aiming to “documents my life living with Media Center in a family of four in the American middle west.”. Pete is working for Microsoft and it looks like his brief is to see how Microsoft...

Published Wed, Nov 19 2008 10:11 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Blogs

Zune 3.1 Firmware and Software Released Today

Last week I talked about the Zune 3.0 update with ZuneThoughts.com ’s Jason Dunn and today Jason has details of the Zune 3.1 update . The Zune now has 3 news games and multi-player Texas Hold 'Em. The news games are: Checkers: "Checkers...

Published Tue, Nov 18 2008 8:48 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Zune

HP digiframe / slate PC hybrid device?

Engadget have an interesting rumour about HP developing a combined photo frame / internet companion device. According to the post the unit would be a digital photo frame that can double as a kind of slate PC with a full web browser, email client, RSS...

Published Tue, Nov 18 2008 10:32 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: HP

TheDigitalLifestyle.com Post Roundup

This week I have been playing with the Media Center sideshow gadgets on my Windows Mobile phone and Windows 7, taking to Jason Dunn about the Zune updates and talking Windows 7 with UMPCPotal. Here are the highlights from TheDigitalLifestyle.com over...

Published Sun, Nov 16 2008 9:56 PM by Ian Dixon

Windows 7’s new “play all” decoders, encoders and transcoding capabilities

Long Zheng has highlighted some of the decoders built in to Windows 7. He shows how Windows 7 support additional codecs over Windows Vista, which is great as in my experience every time I download a codec pack it breaks Recorded TV playback. I was testing...

Published Sun, Nov 16 2008 9:39 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows 7

Opportunity to beta test Windows Media Center

Over on TheGreenButton Microsoft are looking for potential Media Center beta testers. It doesn’t necessarily mean there is something to test as Microsoft from time to time like to update their database of potential testers but if interesting in...

Published Fri, Nov 14 2008 9:28 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

My Movies for Windows Home Server 1.02 adds Extender compatible DVD ripping

Brian Binnerup has added a great new feature to My Movies for Windows Home Server: Extender compatible DVD ripping. This is the ability to rip DVDs into MPEG2 format that a Media Center extender can play. You can configure it to copy to either create...

Published Fri, Nov 14 2008 8:49 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Home Server, Addins

Can Windows Live connect with the digital home?

I have been reading about the change of Windows Live in to a social networking hub and it looks promising, I moved away from Live Spaces due to it’s inflexibility and poor design and so the new social focus of Live could bring users back to the platform...

Published Fri, Nov 14 2008 5:29 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Live

The Media Center Show #181 – Jason Dunn on the Zune

Listen Here (mp3) This week I am talking Jason Dunn from ZuneThoughts.com a great resource for Zune owners. Earlier this year the Zune firmware and software was updated and I talk to Jason about what’s new on the Zune devices and the updated Zune...

Published Thu, Nov 13 2008 12:20 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Zune, The Media Center Show, Podcasts

Design Guidelines and Considerations for Building Windows Certified Network Media Devices

Microsoft have published a white paper detailing Design Guidelines for Networked Media Devices in Windows 7 . It looks like moving content around the home is going to take a big step forward in Windows 7 with Media Center, HomeGroup and Windows Media...

Published Wed, Nov 12 2008 5:43 PM by Ian Dixon

Video: Running Windows 7 on a Samsung Q1

When I was chatting with Steve from UMPC portal I promised a video of Windows 7 running on the Q1 and here it is, it’s just a quick look the PDC build of Windows 7 on the Q1. On the video I mentioned the audio problem and I have since given up trying...

Published Wed, Nov 12 2008 11:33 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: UMPC, Video, Samsung, Windows 7

Video: Windows Media Center Sideshow gadgets on Windows Mobile

I had been meaning to take a look at the Windows Media Center sideshow gadgets for some time now and since Windows Mobile can host Sideshow gadgets I thought I would give it a try on my HP Mobile. The first part of the installations is to download and...

Published Tue, Nov 11 2008 12:34 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows Sideshow, Video, Windows Vista, Windows Mobile

Listen to me being interview on UMPCPortal.Com

The UMPC is an interesting form factor, I have had my Samsung Q1 for a while now and have had some good use out of it but the performance of Vista on it meant that it’s been left in a draw and the EEE PC comes with me instead. So when I got the...

Published Mon, Nov 10 2008 12:03 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: UMPC, Windows 7

TheDigitalLifestyle.com Post Round up

A busy week again at TheDigitalLifestyle.com , here is a roundup of the top posts from the last 7 days and don’t forget Addin Reviews can now be posted directly on the Addin Review Wiki DirecTV’s HD tuner set to debut with Windows 7? ZuneOriginals...

Published Sun, Nov 09 2008 9:12 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: News

DirecTV’s HD tuner set to debut with Windows 7?

Ed Bott has an interesting find about DirecTV and Windows 7. Long time follows of Media Center will remember that DirecTV announced they were bring DirecTV to Windows Media Center back at CES in 2006. Up to now there have been plenty or rumours but no...

Published Sun, Nov 09 2008 8:43 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows 7

The Media Center Show #180 – Charlie Owen on the new Windows Media Center

Listen Here (mp3) This week I am talking to Microsoft’s Charlie Owen about the new version of Windows Media Center that will ship as part of Windows 7. Last week Windows 7 was shown off for the first time and Charlie posted details of the updated...

Published Thu, Nov 06 2008 12:00 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Podcast, The Media Center Show, Windows 7

VidaBox Introduce RackServer

Vidabox has introduced a new server called RackServer a 4U tall Windows Home Server based server. It starts with 2TB of storage and can be upgraded to 7.0TB, it also has has 1 step archiving of unencrypted CD, DVD or Blu-ray disc. Starts with 2.0TB, Expandable...

Published Thu, Nov 06 2008 11:38 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Home Server, Vidabox

Video of WebGuide Silverlight application from the Live Mesh desktop.

I noticed in a PDC session Doug Berrett had a Webguide icon amongst his Live Mesh shortcuts and as we have heard nothing about the future of Webguide I was very pleased to see this on10 video showing a demo of Webguide running as a Sliverlight app on...

Published Wed, Nov 05 2008 11:11 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows Home Server, Live Mesh

My Movies 2.48 and My Movies for Windows Home Server 1.00 Released

Brian Binnerup has updated My Movies to 2.48 and released the 1.0 version of My Movies for Windows Home Server , you can listen to Brian talking about his new application on The Media Center Show #176 . For installation and configuration instructions...

Published Tue, Nov 04 2008 9:51 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows Home Server, Addins

TheDigitalLifestyle.com News round up

I hope your enjoying the site redesign , don’t forget to add me as a friend on the site. All blog readers get Gold Membership to the site and creator access to the members blog so if you want Gold membership access email me or leave a comment. Here...

Published Sun, Nov 02 2008 10:46 PM by Ian Dixon

Tip on getting Media Center Extender sessions to play DVDs from Windows Home Server

Matt Pietrek has an interesting tip on his MSDN blog about getting ripped DVDs to stream from Windows Home Server to Media Center Extenders (in his case an Xbox 360), Matt kept getting "video decoder error". Where a lot of us would get frustrated...

Published Sun, Nov 02 2008 8:56 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows Home Server, Extenders for Windows Media Center

Media Center SDK v6.0 (Windows 7 M3) First Impressions

Niall Ginsbourg the developer behind many great Windows Media Center applications has taken a first look at the Windows 7 Media Center development kit. (v6.0) It’s early days yet but I think Niall was impressed with some of the improvements and...

Published Sun, Nov 02 2008 8:31 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows 7

TheDigitalLifestyle.com Members Adventure Blog

Have you ever wanted to share your experiences with Windows Media Center, Mesh, Zune or Windows Home server with the rest of the community but don’t want the hassle or commitment of maintaining a blog? If so then the Members Adventure Blog is for you...

Published Sat, Nov 01 2008 8:29 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: community

next generation Remote Control (ngRC) Release Candidate 1 is now available for download

Stuart Harrison on his new blog has details of the release candidate of ngRC (next generation Remote Control). This is the open source remote control for Windows Media Center, there is a a great review of the application on TheDigitalLifestyle.com Wiki...

Published Fri, Oct 31 2008 12:45 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

Windows Home Server and Live Mesh and Florence

Microsoft have put another PDC session online featuring Windows Home Server, this session looks at how you can connect Windows Home Server to devices over in the home and over the internet. I was very impressed by the a “science project” called called...

Published Fri, Oct 31 2008 12:23 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Home Server, Webguide, Mesh

Windows 7 on a Samsung Q1

After having successfully installed Windows 7 on my test PC I thought I would try another machine, after some encouragement via followers on Twitter I decided to give it a try on my old Samsung Q1 UMPC. This is the original Q1 with 1GB of RAM and a Celeron...

Published Thu, Oct 30 2008 9:32 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows 7

The Media Center Show #179 – Mike Garcen live!

Listen Here (mp3) This week I am talking to Mike Garcen from MissingRemote.com , we recorded the interview live and we talk about TV Tuner cards, CableCARD, Bluray and a whole range of topics. I also have all the Windows 7 news coming out of Microsoft’s...

Published Thu, Oct 30 2008 12:11 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Podcast, The Media Center Show

Developing Connected Home Applications and Services for Windows Home Server

Channel 9 have a great video from PDC 2008 showing how to develop Connected Home Application with Windows Home Server. The video actualy show some interesting Media Center integration and home automation. As well as a video of the session you can download...

Published Thu, Oct 30 2008 9:17 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Home Server

Libraries & HomeGroup in Windows 7

One of the interesting new features of Windows 7 is HomeGroup and Libraries, this is the way all your machines are going to share content over the network. Brandon LeBlanc on the redesigned Windows Experience Blog explains how Libraries and HomeGroup...

Published Wed, Oct 29 2008 3:29 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows 7

Windows 7 Picture Gallery and first impressions

I haven’t had much time to play with Windows 7 yet so I thought I would post a few pictures. The installations tool under 20 minutes on my test machine and on a Hyper V session, its very much like Vista at this stage. It boots very quickly but I...

Published Wed, Oct 29 2008 1:59 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows 7

Platform updates for Media Center in Windows 7.

Charlie Owen has details of the changes to the Windows Media Center Platform in Windows 7 . If you working on Media Center applications then you will want to read the details of the updates, they seem to be small improvements rather than any major changes...

Published Tue, Oct 28 2008 5:47 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows 7

Got any questions about Windows Media Center in Windows 7?

While the details of the Windows 7 version of Media Center are just coming out I am sure there are lots of questions about the update. I am going to be interviewing Microsoft’s Charlie Owen on The Media Center Show and I would like to get answers some...

Published Tue, Oct 28 2008 5:28 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows 7

HomeGroup in Windows 7

HomeGroup is a new features that is going to be great for Media Center users, there is not a lot of information out about it yet but it looks interesting . It’s a way to search and share multiple PC libraries, you can link all your Windows 7 computers...

Published Tue, Oct 28 2008 5:02 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center, Windows 7

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