May 2007 - Ian Dixon's Blog - The Digital Lifestyle.com: Windows Media Center news, podcasts, videos, forums and wikis

Microsoft Surface Computing

Just as I prepare to leave for the airport I saw the press release on Microsoft's new Surface Computing product. It looks a fantastic user interface and at first it expected to be used in public places like Casinos. I can see that when the product becomes...

Published Wed, May 30 2007 10:48 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Computers and Internet

Off on holiday

For the first time in a long time I am going on holiday (vacation for US readers!) so there will be little if any posting, I will not be completely disconnected, I am taking my Samsung Q1 UMPC with me. I am looking forward to switching off for a while...

Published Wed, May 30 2007 7:42 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: None

The Media Center Show - Coming Soon

Listen Here The Media Center Show is taking a break and will be returning June 14th and when it returns there are a ton of great interviews coming up. From the Media Center world we have in-car Media Center PC systems, Microsoft's Jessica Zahn, Sony on...

Published Wed, May 30 2007 7:41 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Podcast

New AOpen miniPC

As I blogged about Apple discontining their Mac Mini yesterday and I said forget about the Mac and look at AOpen's min pc. Well today I read on Engadget that Aopen are launching a new Santa Rosa based mini PC As Chris Lanier points out in the comments...

Published Sat, May 26 2007 2:28 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

Mac mini to be dropped?

I am not one to normally report on Apple stuff but this may be of interest. There is a report that Apple are going to drop the Mac mini . This was touted as Apple's Media Center type device. It's interesting to see that Apple have either no interest in...

Published Fri, May 25 2007 5:18 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

Music in 5.1 DTS surround sound

As readers may know last year I bought a Denon AV receiver and it's connected to my Xbox 360 via optical cable and matched with Mission speakers . I love watching movies in 5.1 surround sound and also live music concerts are great too. But recently I...

Published Fri, May 25 2007 10:13 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Music

The Media Center Show #109 - Jason Alinen

By Ian Dixon (19.7mb 56mins 07sec) Direct Download Link - Subscribe via iTunes - Get the RSS feed HERE This week on the show MCE Integration's Jason Alinen returns to the show to talk about Media Center integration and his companies Ice House Media Center...

Published Thu, May 24 2007 11:24 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Podcast

Media Center Components Database

Chris Lanier pointed to a new web site called Media Center Components that aims to create a list of components that play nicely with each other. You can upload a system component list (or manually enter the information) and rate your system this is them...

Published Wed, May 23 2007 9:33 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

New Media Center PCs from Niveus, Interset and Exceptional Innovation

Over on CE Pro there are two posts about new Media Center systems coming out. Niveus are planning to come out with a lower cost Media Center system designed to fill the gap left by left by HP discontinuation of it's Digital Entertainment Center ( see...

Published Tue, May 22 2007 9:12 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

The Media Center Show Prize Giveaway

Just a quick reminder that on this weeks Media Center Show (show 108) I am giving away a great prize pack The Media Center Show Prize Pack includes: A signed copy of "Using Microsoft Windows Vista Media Center" A Windows Live USB Memory Stick...

Published Sun, May 20 2007 9:11 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Media Center Show

The Media Center Show #108 - Andrew Van Til

By Ian Dixon (29.9mb 60mins 42sec) Direct Download Link - Subscribe via iTunes - Show RSS Feed This week developer Andrew Van Til joins me to talk about his Windows Media Center utilities, one of them DVRMSToolbox is a Media Center Award Show winner,...

Published Thu, May 17 2007 12:25 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Media Center Show

Windows SideShow Fridge Magnet

While I was reading through some of the content coming out of WinHEC I noticed an interesting press release from Ricavision on there Sribbler / Sideshow Fridge Magnets ( MK140 FM Fridge Magnet) . The device can magnetically stick to your Fridge and talk...

Published Wed, May 16 2007 10:05 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

mControl on Window Home Server

Embedded Automation are launching mControl (their home automation software) as an Add-In to Windows Home Server. This is a great idea as Windows Home Server is the always on center of the digital home. You will still be able to use mControl on Windows...

Published Wed, May 16 2007 9:01 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Home Server

Control Windows Media Center using a Windows Mobile 5 Device

Via Windows Media Center Sandbox On Coding4Fun there is a article demonstrating how to use a Windows Mobile 5 device to control Windows Media Center. This looks a great article and it uses the Windows Media Center SDK, the Windows Mobile 5.0 SDK and Visual...

Published Tue, May 15 2007 5:47 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

Big Screen Photos 2 Beta

Today I got to play with Mobilesware's Big Screen Photos 2 . This is a Vista Media Center application that enables you to browse and view Flickr pictures. V2 adds features such as Geo Browsing and slideshows. The best part is its a true Vista Media Center...

Published Mon, May 14 2007 4:59 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

Boot Your Xbox 360 straight in to Media Center

Since the Spring Update for the Xbox 360 you can boot your Xbox 360 directly in to Windows Media Center. This is great for people like me that use their Xbox 360 mainly as an Extender. It all adds to the WAF! Thanks to Michael Creasy for the tip The new...

Published Fri, May 11 2007 10:41 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

Domia e-Home AUTOMATION to launch new "Lifestyle" solutions

More use of Windows Media Center as the core of the digital lifestyle. Domia are using Media Center in their Lifestyle brand with a new home automation solution being shown off in Dubai. Check out this video (divx) showing off the solution In a few weeks...

Published Fri, May 11 2007 9:16 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

The Media Center Show #107 RadioTime

By Ian Dixon (15.1mb 43mins 58sec) The RSS feed for the show is HERE Direct Download Link - Subscribe via iTunes This week Bill More CEO of RadioTime , an radio aggregation service for Windows joins me to talk about RadioTime and their Windows Media Center...

Published Thu, May 10 2007 11:28 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Media Center Show

Embedded Automation Previews Support for Web Services on devices

Interesting press release from Embedded Automation , great to see the whole system based around Windows Media Center: As part of the keynote speech by Robbie Bach, President of the Microsoft Entertainment & Devices Division, at the recent Microsoft...

Published Wed, May 09 2007 8:48 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

HP Pavilion HDX

HP have announced a very nice looking (and big) new entertainment laptop. It would make a great Media Center devices, just take a look at its specs Centrino (Core 2) Duo T7700 2.4GHz CPU 20.1-inch 1680 x 1050 "Ultra Brightview" display ATI Mobility...

Published Wed, May 09 2007 10:33 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

Wake on LAN addin for Windows Home Server

Evangelos Hadjichristodoulou a Microsoft MVP has posted a great tool for Windows Home Server to wake up a sleeping PC that supports Wake on Lan, which will be great when a machine is sleeping when you want to remote control it. More details from Forms...

Published Thu, May 03 2007 1:41 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Home Server

The Media Center Show #106 - Sean Alexander

By Ian Dixon (21.7mb 1Hour 3min) - Go to TheDigitalLifestyle.com for the full Media Center Show experience Direct Download Link - Subscribe via iTunes - Get the RSS Feed This week on the show Sean Alexander returns to talk about Microsoft Silverlight...

Published Thu, May 03 2007 12:02 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

Windows Media Center Markup Language MIX07 Hands-On Lab

I noticed that the Hands-On Lab documentation from the "Understanding Windows Media Center Markup Language (MCML)" MIX07 session is available on the VistaMix site It's an interesting document that takes you step by step through creating a MCML...

Published Wed, May 02 2007 5:16 PM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

Updated Windows Vista Media Center SDK

Aaron Stebner has posted details on the updated Windows Vista Media Center SDK: This refresh will automatically upgrade any previous version of the Windows Vista Media Center SDK that you have on your system. This refresh is mostly aimed at enhancing...

Published Wed, May 02 2007 9:13 AM by Ian Dixon

Filed under: Windows Media Center

May 2007 - Ian Dixon's Blog

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Microsoft Surface Computing

Off on holiday

The Media Center Show - Coming Soon

New AOpen miniPC

Mac mini to be dropped?

Music in 5.1 DTS surround sound

The Media Center Show #109 - Jason Alinen

Media Center Components Database

New Media Center PCs from Niveus, Interset and Exceptional Innovation

The Media Center Show Prize Giveaway

The Media Center Show #108 - Andrew Van Til

Windows SideShow Fridge Magnet

mControl on Window Home Server

Control Windows Media Center using a Windows Mobile 5 Device

Big Screen Photos 2 Beta

Boot Your Xbox 360 straight in to Media Center

Domia e-Home AUTOMATION to launch new "Lifestyle" solutions

The Media Center Show #107 RadioTime

Embedded Automation Previews Support for Web Services on devices

HP Pavilion HDX

Wake on LAN addin for Windows Home Server

The Media Center Show #106 - Sean Alexander

Windows Media Center Markup Language MIX07 Hands-On Lab

Updated Windows Vista Media Center SDK