I have got Vista Media Centre Edition (MCE) with xmlTVNZ and BladeRunner3.0 Working so thought I'd write some notes on here...
a) I installed .net v1.1 and .net 1.1 sp1 and .net sp1 vista hotfix (just in case some programs want it later on)
b) I turned off windows firewall and vista user access control, just to stop any silly vista issues poping up.
1) use xmlTVNZ program to download the listings first (find setup and installation details on their website)
2) install BladeRunner v3.0 (dont use BladeRunnerPro3.5 its not supported for Vista, i tried.)
3) optional: turn off UAC (user access control) (I got annoyed by all those click to run/are you sure message boxes)
4) install IIS web server (from the control panel/programs)
5) IMPORTANT: download and use a program called KeepKey (do a google search for it)
6) change some defaults in the BladeRunners Native xml files, and set the IIS folder to use bladerunner files, and set some registry keys (find details elsewhere)
7) use the c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts file to add 127.0.0.1 mce-pc (since the demo files for the previous step I found used this as a computer name)
8) in MCE use the postcode 0000
9) in MCE you can re-setup the tv guide settings by going to: Tasks/Settings(left)/General/Windows Media Center Setup/Set Up TV Signal)
10) Once its all working and listings loaded, by default the channels are old sky digital channel numbers, to change them in MCE goto: Tasks/Settings(left)/TV/Guide/Edit Channels)
http://www.reven.co.nz/index.php?opt...27&topic=244.0
Note: at this time VNC freeware doesn't support Vista, but the Enterprise version of VNC does.
I have Vista Ultimate so I can enable the Terminal Server component, and use mstsc.exe from other machines more details on this soon.
23/04/2007:
I wanted to play my DVD folders (dvds I ripped using SetupDVDDecrypter_3.5.4.0.exe)
found that in Vista the DVD library is disable by default.
Here is how to enable it, and allow DVDs to be played:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930526
23/04/2007:
Now I'm up to customizing which folders show up in my VMCE (Vista Media Centre Edition)
I have managed to remove all the folders I don't want from Vista MCE.
STEPS:
1: Delete ALL video files from WMP Library.
2: Remove or ignore ALL folders in WMP watched folders except "recorded tv"
3: Remove ALL Folders from VMC except "recorded tv"
4: Delete ALL video files, folders and shortcuts from the folder \USERS\PUBLIC\PUBLIC VIDEOS
5: Delete Shortcut to Sample videos from \USERS\PUBLIC\RECORDED TV
6: Delete ALL video files, folders and shortcuts from the folder \USERS\<USERID>\VIDEOS
7: REBOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!
8: Add a folder/shortcut heirarchy to the folder \USERS\PUBLIC\PUBLIC VIDEOS containing links to only the folders you want monitored.
DO NOT ADD ANY FOLDERS TO WATCHED LIST IN WMP (Windows Media Player) OR VMC (Vista MCE)
Note: I did have to add the folder that contained my DVDs to the watched list in order to get them to show up in DVD LIBRARY
23/04/2007:
I couldn't play my digital camera .mov files and divx and xvid movies.
So I installed klmcodec201.exe KLite Mega Codec pack (includes Media Player support for .mov quicktime files)
I also installed quicktimealt180.exe just in case too.
My advice is to install 1 of the good codec packs from
http://www.free-codecs.com/
IMPORTANT: stick to the codec pack defaults when installing.. you'll be asking for trouble if you change any of the default install options.
23/04/2007:
I installed VistaCodecPack (not sure what extra codecs I got, as the packs above seemed to have everything already)
WebGuide4 (I'm not sure what this is, perhaps you can read up on it)
14/06/2007:
Have 2 users and get 1 to login automatically
Keep your two users and do the following:
- Windows+R (or start->run)
- enter "control userpasswords2"
- uncheck "USERS MUST ENTER A USERNAME AND PASSWORD"
- click ok
- You are then prompted for the username and password you want it to logon with at boot
up.
14/06/2007:
Speed up vista
The default power option has a cpu limit of 50%. START->CONTROL PANEL->POWER OPTIONS
and change from balanced to high performance.
14/06/2007:
To get back administrator rights turn off UAC and do the following.
Here’s the simple solution: Remember that cute “Administrator” account you see when you login to safe mode? That’s the built-in administrator account that’s installed by default, and disabled by default too, after a little digging-in I made this tutorial that’ll let you enable and use this account in normal mode, and with a little other tweak, enjoying an XP-like administrator experience, while UAC is left ON (or off, it doesn’t matter), but with no prompts or right clicks.
1- Click Start, and type “secpol.msc” in the search area and click Enter.
2- You may receive a prompt from UAC, approve/login and proceed.
3- In the left list, choose “Local Policies”, then “Security Options”
4- Set “Accounts: Administrator account status” to Enabled.
5- Set “User Account Control: Admin Approval Mode for the Built-in Administrator account”
to Disabled.
6- Now log-off, and you’ll see a new account named “Administrator” will be available,
click on it to login.
Now you are the master of your domain! I recommend if you’re going to use this method is to apply it as soon as you do a fresh install of Windows, so you can simply delete whatever administrator you created in the setup process, and make this one the “real”
administrator for your PC, also you can rename this new admin account or change its
password like any other account from “User Accounts” in the Control Panel. I’m sure many
of you will be happy to have 100% power over their new operating system
14/06/2007:
MPEG-2 Codecs
-Wont change even if you load new ones (Best are nvidia purevideo (better colour on Dvico cards) and powerdvd 7.2 better driver atm but colours are more washed out)
-- Get vmcd.exe from Gary Whittiker to easily change codecs.
