jagowar:

lifterus:

True, but the vast majority are those with the Xbox 360. IMHO, I haven't bought into the whole extender thing. You can find/build small quiet PCs for a similar price. There are $80 motherboard with integrated Nvidia graphics (many even have HDMI audio). And there are other ways to do a mult-room setup that aren't crippled by DRM issues (check out the HDMI matrix switch on monoprice.com). Extenders are good for people with CableCARD Media Centers (all five of them). And for those who require wireless. Not much else though.

pc is a horrible way to do things imo until softsled comes out (if ever).  maybe its me but the best thing media center offers is one recorded tv list, guide, scheduled recordings list that can be managed from any tv in the house.  i know you can get around the recorded tv list but not the other stuff (atleast seamlessly). 

its also great for the gamers too who can have their tv and games in one device.

i only have extenders (360's) in my house... with a centralized vmce server that they all read content from.

I have to agree. Without softsled, building another PC isn't as good an option as an extender is. I'd much rather have one centralized server instead of a bunch of separate ones. Plus the experience is seamless. And as was already mentioned, extenders can give you multiple uses (either as a game console in the case of the 360, or a DVD player in the case of some of the newer devices) that fit better with your other AV equipment. Getting a fancy HTPC case that fits in with your other components would cost more.

I just posted a video of the current build check it out. Let me know your thoughts.

First WPF test Build complete. Runs on MCE2005 and VMC.

No Mouse required!

Great news!  How can we get our hands on it?  I'd love to try it out.

gobanjoboy:

I just posted a video of the current build check it out. Let me know your thoughts.

First WPF test Build complete. Runs on MCE2005 and VMC.

No Mouse required!

It's looking good so far.

A few (minor) things that I'd suggest:

• Space out the genres a little more and add the  "<        >"  around the current one to make it more like the standard Vista MC experience.
• At the bottom where the title of the movie is, it'd be cool if you could do the discription (like how recorded TV does it).

 

And now for the other features I'd love to see (but understand that it might be a bit harder to do):

• It'd be nice if there were a way to do multiple rows of covers, or a list view with small thumbnails.
• A search feature (within each genre, and a genereal one would be cool).
• Ability to do Watch Now on extenders.

---

Just my $0.02.

Ability to do watch now on extenders is critical for me as my VMC is in the basement storage room.  If you can figure out a way to implement this I would greatly appreciate it.  thanks for all your efforts everyone on this plugin. 

Excellent work!  Where can we download it?

Thanks!

---

There's a lot of people out there who are like slinkies...pretty much useless...but they make you smile when you push them down the stairs.

This looks amazing. Please let us know if there is anyway we can participate in beta testing or what issues you are working to overcome at this point.

I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say that I would like to help in anyway I can to see this project come to fruition.

---

http://clifgriffin.com

I can't wait to try it!

gobanjoboy:

Project Status :
2/14/2008 - First WPF test Build complete. Runs on MCE2005 and VMC

So when do you think we'll be able to get our hands on this one...sure looks good so far.

Awesome! Can't wait to try it!

Mogulbasher:

Ability to do watch now on extenders is critical for me as my VMC is in the basement storage room.  If you can figure out a way to implement this I would greatly appreciate it.  thanks for all your efforts everyone on this plugin. 

I echo Mogulbasher's comments.  I would love to use this, but is has to work with the extender (specifically Xbox 360 for me).

---

My Network Project - Media Center Blog

AndresE:

I echo Mogulbasher's comments.  I would love to use this, but is has to work with the extender (specifically Xbox 360 for me).

It "has to"?  Come on....anyone who does any development knows that what this guy is creating is no simple feat.  I'm sure tons of time has gone into it and he says its going to be free and now you're saying what it "has to do"?  That's awful.  Don't look a gift horse in the mouth - be glad with what you're getting.

---

There's a lot of people out there who are like slinkies...pretty much useless...but they make you smile when you push them down the stairs.

Maybe it should've been worded, this solution has to have extender watch now to compete with Apple TV.  Why do we all care about this Netflix thing?  Because we just found out Apple launched online video streaming backed by the largest collection of studios, hence the most titles (Anybody visit the abandoned ghost town that is the Xbox Live Marketplace lately).  Who has a comparable library: only Netflix.  How many MCE user's normal experience is had over an extender: tons.  Therefore one way or the other, Extender software provided by Netflix or MCE Plugin, we need the ability to stream from Netflix to get at the biggest collection and resist Apple TV envy.  If you ask me, Netflix should be responsible for this software considering it's in their interest to at least corner the MCE movie streaming market.  We all knew everything was going digital streaming over hard copy media (format war = moot point).  Now it's all about who's got the most streaming content, and from where it's accessible.  

JohnnieMiami:

AndresE:

I echo Mogulbasher's comments.  I would love to use this, but is has to work with the extender (specifically Xbox 360 for me).

It "has to"?  Come on....anyone who does any development knows that what this guy is creating is no simple feat.  I'm sure tons of time has gone into it and he says its going to be free and now you're saying what it "has to do"?  That's awful.  Don't look a gift horse in the mouth - be glad with what you're getting.

Whoa, don't be so harsh on the guy. I doubt he meant it like that. Sure, a better way for him to have worded it would have been "I would love to use this, but it would need to work with the extender". In other words, it wouldn't be useful to him without it (he probably does not have his main MCE box connected to a TV). I don't think he was attempting to demand features or bash the developer in any way. He was simply stating that for his setup, extender support is critical to usage. And I'm sure there are others in the same situation. Everyone is so excited about this great app that they get a little over eager at times. They don't mean any harm, and I'm sure they're beyond greatful that something like this even exists.

tsh:

Maybe it should've been worded, this solution has to have extender watch now to compete with Apple TV.  Why do we all care about this Netflix thing?  Because we just found out Apple launched online video streaming backed by the largest collection of studios, hence the most titles (Anybody visit the abandoned ghost town that is the Xbox Live Marketplace lately).  Who has a comparable library: only Netflix.  How many MCE user's normal experience is had over an extender: tons.  Therefore one way or the other, Extender software provided by Netflix or MCE Plugin, we need the ability to stream from Netflix to get at the biggest collection and resist Apple TV envy.  If you ask me, Netflix should be responsible for this software considering it's in their interest to at least corner the MCE movie streaming market.  We all knew everything was going digital streaming over hard copy media (format war = moot point).  Now it's all about who's got the most streaming content, and from where it's accessible.  

Don't rule out xbox live so fast.