Media Center Cabinet?

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..:: Free Radical ::..

The Transcendental
gr8 Vi$hrut.
Nice to know that you are happy with your config.
I have reviewed Media Center PCs & HTPCs for the last couple of years too to make my ultimate.
What we seek in a Media Center device is exactly what is implied in its name, i.e. a true convergence device which can handle anything and everything.
However, technology is advancing so fast that as soon as we get what we wanted, something comes up which makes the whole endeavor seem like a wild goose chase and we end up back where we started.
First it was Media Center 2005.
Then, I decided to make a MythTV based Media Center device. Then along came these Satellite TV services.
MTNL has started offering IPTV ( gr8 prospects)
Then there is the hope of HDTV.
Then came along Vista and Sideshow. The possibilities are endless.
Its so tough keeping up with technology.:confused:

Ricavision's Vista MCE SideShow remote does Bluetooth at 100-meters

Posted Dec 21st 2006 9:05AM by Thomas Ricker
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Media PCs
*www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2006/12/ricavision_vista_mce_bluetooth_remote-copy.jpg
Just one day after seeing the first "officially announced" SideShow remote for Vista Media Center Edition, out pops this slider from Ricavision. Their loquaciously named remote -- the Microsoft Windows Vista SideShow Media Center Remote Control -- is a confirmed IR and Class 1 Bluetooth device. That gives you a 100-meter (or so) operating radius when coupled with the included USB RC6 (IR) receiver and Class 1 Bluetooth receiver. Nice, however, what's most notable is that sweet, sweet 2.5-inch QVGA LCD display for Microsoft's promising SideShow technology; a bit of magicking that hooks the remote into a suite of Media Center "Gadgets" allowing you to extract and display information related to your media. In short, you'll have damn-near full control over your media center's TV recordings and schedules, music library, radio presets, and collection of pictures and video. Better yet, the remote works with any Gadget assigned through Vista's SideShow Control Panel like eMail, calendar, and RSS feeds just to name a few. Great, now add a touchscreen and hack that thing in half and we'll be able to carry it around in our pockets. Nevertheless, we'll have to give this, and other SideShow remotes a thorough hands-on at CES in January to see if they're worth the premium. Otherwise, you'll just be in suspense, wondering how to spend the ₨8,653 ($199) the MWVSMCRC will cost ya when hitting in April, 2007 -- that would just be mean. More product renderings after the break.

Read (not live until CES in January)*www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2006/12/_ricavision_open_and_side.jpg

Source:
*www.engadget.com/2006/12/21/ricavisions-vista-mce-sideshow-remote-does-bluetooth-at-100-met/

Interlink unveils SlideLink: the first SideShow remote for Vista MCE

Posted Dec 20th 2006 10:12PM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Media PCs, Peripherals
*www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2006/12/12.20.06---interlink-slidelink.jpgWhile SideShow, that snazzy forthcoming feature that lets you fire up slideshows, widgets, and other random goodies with actually booting up, has been garnering a good bit of attention lately, it's not much good without a equally flashy remote to control the action from afar. While there's been several devices parading around as Vista MCE remotes, CEPro is now reporting that Interlink Electronics -- the folks who sued Nintendo for jacking their motion-sensing technology and implanting it in the Wiimote -- is the "first company to officially announce a SideShow remote control." The firm asserts that the SlideLink will let customers "select songs, schedule recordings, navigate video clips and photographs, display TV program guides, and even browse recorded TV shows" right from the worn down cushion of your sofa. Still, we're not yet sure if this thing will utilize RF, Bluetooth, or some other short-range wireless format, and since this doesn't seem to be the company's "first priority" (see lawsuit mentioned above)
Source:
*www.engadget.com/2006/12/20/interlink-unveils-slidelink-the-first-sideshow-remote-for-vista/
Real Windows Vista Media Center Remote

*www.surfatschool.net/cgiproxy/nph-proxy.pl/101111A/http/www.gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2006/11/vistaremote.png
Remember the boxy white piece of crap we thought was the official Vista remote? Looks like that was just a demo version, as the official Windows Vista Product Guide lists a much more aesthetically pleasing version.
Compared to the old Windows Media Center Remote (after the jump), we'd have to say we like the Vista one more. The combination of Wiimote-like taperedness combined with that grey finish makes us drool.
Source:

*gizmodo.com/gadgets/peripherals/real-windows-vista-media-center-remote-218050.php

Sneak peek at Microsoft's Windows Vista MCE remote


Posted Oct 17th 2006 9:55AM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Media PCs, Peripherals
*www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2006/10/10.17.06---vista-mce-remote.jpg​
Joining the celebratory Windows Vista soft drink as accessories that have hit the streets long before a finalized copy of the operating system itself, the Vista MCE remote was out and on display at this year's Digital Life expo. A curious fellow over at Neowin got a brief glimpse of the remote in action, and even got some hands-on time with the yet-to-be-released media liaison. The remote appears oddly rectangular -- an unusual deviation from the curvaceous trends we've seen in remotes -- yet was said to "fit in your hand beautifully despite the squared edges." While the obvious Vista logo dominates the face, the remote is otherwise subtle when it comes to labeling, striking a surprisingly clean look compared to the sticker-ridden devices we've become accustomed to. Moreover, the kiosk was supposed to demonstrate how Vista (and presumably the remote) interacted with the Xbox 360, but a "number of technical difficulties" prevented that anticipated show from commencing. As of now, there's been no word concerning price, expected delays, or eventual availability, but we're sure this is just the first of many media remotes we'll see coming down the pike for Microsoft's forthcoming OS.
Source:
*www.engadget.com/2006/10/17/sneak-peek-at-microsofts-windows-vista-mce-remote/

 
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PhoenixAG

PhoenixAG

Broken In
ranjan: Hope to hear from you soon about your media center project, if you do indeed decide to make one :)

free radical: While that is true, I find that the best way to be happy is to utilise technology as much as you can instead of waiting for the new things to arrive. New stuff always have teething problems and its only after a service pack or an update, do they become better.

I find myself steering away from .0 products as mostly, they tend to break something or the other. Unless they bring something entirely new to the table or fix a major flaw in the existing system.

I've been using Vista for quite a while and it also runs on my main PC. Vista's MCE component is a little better than XP 2005's.
My choice to go with Xp 2005 was because of lower system requirements (I wasn't making a MCE comp from scratch, but was using one of my old systems). Also, XPMCE has a large installed user base so support is easily available. The problems have mostly been fixed and there are various 3rd party apps to go along with it.

Let's look at Vista now. Vista has MAJOR sleep problems. The whole ACPI architecture is used differently and you only have to make one google search to find millions of problems people are having. I also had problems with my old computer and my new one when my computer hibernates or goes on stand by, or the monitor goes into power saving.
Plus, there is no official version of Divx for Vista available right now. I am using the vista codec pack on my main machine but it is not as good as the release from divx.
The video card drivers from nVidia are horrible for Vista. I still have intermittent problems when playing games or using the desktop. Everyone is hoping for an update soon and if you go to nVidia's forums, you'll find many very unhappy people out there.

All in all, Vista's support for products both hardware and software is adequate at best. Nothing outstanding and to truly use the system to the best of its ability, you need a new machine with 4gb of ram. We use 2gb because it is relatively less expensive than 2x 2gb sticks.

Sideshow is a great technology and I am sure 6 months from now, it will be well implemented and usable.

But as of now, I am enjoying my media center without any hassles or problems. I have had to spend at least 2-3 days on each machine in my house, sorting out all the incompatibilities and problems caused by Vista.

Now, I am not saying Vista is bad. In fact, after using it, I don't want to go back to XP even though I know there will be a good bit of difference in the speed. Vista is truly a modern OS and its little changes make life much easier for the end user. But as of now it is an enthusiast's OS. Not one on which you do mission critical work. After SP1, it might be different.

XPMCE just works :) A good media center must always "Just Work". If it doesn't, then it will cause more headaches than it is supposed to relieve.

Hope this provides some insight and is helpful to people who are confused as to whether to install XPMCE or Vista on their media center comps.

As a side note, I think those 2 remotes that you posted look awesome! In fact, they're making me jealous already. But when they come, they're going to be expensive and work only with Vista. So I can't say I am too excited by them.
 

ranjan2001

Cyborg Agent
Thanks to both of you for so much info being posted here, this thread will be soon a great resource for starters who want to build MCE using new or old PC.
I will take sometime to read & digest all this new info & see what I need for myself.
 

..:: Free Radical ::..

The Transcendental
As a matter of fact, I didn't even buy the MCE remote. :D
I know such remotes and LCD display cabinets are beyond the reach of a common middle class Indian.However, the lust for such devices makes us reinvent things.
For starters, my first post on Digit was about my Avermedia remote.
To date, nobody could help me in configuring it. I brooded and brooded, tried a lot many softwares, modded, edited configs and then finally hit upon a solution after 2 years of tinkering to make my stupid avermedia remote have customized profiles for my media player, browser, explorer, macros etc., better than the MCE remote :D
It does wht I want it to do ( Only for my computer though, but I am planning on buying an IR blaster which interfaces with my PC)
First, i was planning to do that with LIRC, then I used my own set of hacked drivers for my Tv tuner interface. Ultimately, i am proud of myself to make a jugad which just works out of the box.
My next project, I am buying a USB dual shock gamepad, the left side joystick, i'll use as a mouse, the right side joystick as a direction pad, the pad buttons for my macros/profiles and the extra buttons for mouse keys and imp. buttons like Ctrl/Alt/Del/Tab/Enter

There you have it better than a remote. :D

Frankly, the MCE remote is overcharged. What can i say about the Sideshow remote.
:sigh: :(
well, it may be sour grapes but atleast one can use a bluetooth mobile phone as a HID remote device.( even Sideshow remotes shown above are based on bluetooth)

I'll post pics when i am done in a new thread.
PS., in due time, i'll build a media center with a hacked PlayStation 2 with a couple of swappable hard disks.

stay tuned and thanks for all the fish.
 
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