Can you use a laptop / second PC as an extender?

Soprano · **12th February 2008, 01:19 PM**

Is there a way of using another computer or laptop as an extender?

I have been experimenting with Vista MCE on my laptop, and so far like what I see.

So, I am going to build a HTPC when time and money allow.

Can I use my Vista MCE laptop as an extender once have built the HTPC? Or, would I only be able to use it as a full MCE. Using it as a full MCE wouldn't be an issue for say music, as all our music is on an NAS drive anyway - but I would like the movies, TV and TV recording to be integrated.

Thanks.

dgaust · **12th February 2008, 01:24 PM**

Short answer is no.

Although you can share everything except LiveTV. There are posts here about sharing recorded TV, and if you share the directories with your videos you will also be able to access them using the library function.

wallaceff · **12th February 2008, 01:26 PM**

You can't use it as an extender. You can however share all the media from your NAS (including recorded TV and videos), but all the guide features and recordings would have to be done from a PC with tuners in it.

dgaust · **12th February 2008, 01:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallaceff

You can't use it as an extender. You can however share all the media from your NAS (including recorded TV and videos), but all the guide features and recordings would have to be done from a PC with tuners in it.

Actually, RecordingBroker allows you to use another Vista PC to set recordings using the guide (although you will need to fool that PC into thinking it has a tuner to enable the guide).

crankcase · **12th February 2008, 01:42 PM**

I use WebGuide4 on the HTPC and use a web browser on my old laptop. With this I can stream recordings, music and photos ect to my laptop form my VMC. I can also set tv recordings using the guide function as well.
Not a full blown extender but it works well. Streaming HD requires a wired lan to the laptop

link - http://www.asciiexpress.com/