Burning recorded TV to DVD to play in stand alone player

[Sniperoz76]

Hi All

I have been reading about the Digital Media Feature Pack for XP media Centre Edition 2005, Apparently this "bonus DVD" comes with a sonic encoder that will allow you to copy recorded TV shows to DVD that will play on a standalone DVD player.

I have looked everywhere on all my OPK and OEM disks, has anyone come across this? it also has bonus video, music etc to show off Media Centres capabilities. I am beginning to think it is a US only thing. Might be something to do with copyright. Apparently when you go to create DVD when you have this encoder installed it asks you which format you want to use (a bit like when you put a CD in) at the moment I only get to create a data DVD.

Well heres hoping someone knows something.

Regards
Sniperoz

[Sambooka]

Hi Sniper,

I believe this is an extra CD that comes with the 3 Pack of OEM CD's only (not a single OEM pack). The idea is that system builders can use the codecs when they build a system. I'm unsure of the licensing agreements with their use though.

Cheers

Sambooka

[Sniperoz76]

Hey Sambooka


Yes I have been told that but no one seems to be able to confirm it, just got off the phone with microsoft and they have said it isnt available in AUS version yet.

not like them to be wrong

Regards
Sniperoz

[Sambooka]

Hey Sambooka


Yes I have been told that but no one seems to be able to confirm it, just got off the phone with microsoft and they have said it isnt available in AUS version yet.

not like them to be wrong

Regards
Sniperoz

You mean you got someone on the phone that knew what MCE was???

[Sniperoz76]

hahahahahahaha

yes and only the third person, the first one tried to sell me Windows XP Plus! the next one had no Idea so I guess third time lucky

I wont go into the trouble I have had trying to get my IPAQ fixed but thats HP India for you

sniperoz

[Dion]

Don’t know the legalities of it, but I got a local system builder to build my mce (to my specs). I knew about the Multimedia Feature Pack DVD, so when I went to pick it up I asked them about it and they gave me a copy. They didn't know what it was and were just throwing them in the bin.

To be honest it is really just crap/filler, I installed it on my first build, but I haven't installed it since. It contains the following -
- a halo 2 clip
- about a dozen songs - a random selection
- a trial version of GalleryPlayer - an art slideshow program
- some espn program
- some sample artwork from gallery player
- some film clips (5 min) that are supposed to be recorded tv - babe, back to the future, ET, Fast and the Furious
- some sample video files - national geographic, and some music videos
- geforce visualisations for media player/mce - just like the other 200 viz's already installed
- and sonic encoders

the only thing you would want are encoders - "SonicEncoders.msi" hint, hint, google, hint!!

I've only tried it once and it didn't work, but Microsoft have since released an update so I’ll give it another go.

hope this helps
Dion

[Sniperoz76]

Cheers Dion


I knew someone would know something yeah I am only interested in the sonic encoder

off to go googling

Thanks again

Sniperoz

[Sambooka]

Hi Sniperoz,

I guess that 3rd person you got at Microsoft that knew something about MCE didn't really eh?

Looks like it is available in Oz.

Cheers

Sambooka

[Sniperoz76]

well sambooka of course they were right! we are all wrong, oh by the way my local harvey norman has Dual Core Athlon 64 systems in store, the sales guy was telling me this morning. and only $1499


shall I order everyone one?

Regards
Sniperoz

[Kryten]

So my dirty little secret is I actually bought a second HP MCE!

My 3Ghz HP Pavillion came with Sonic Encoders by default. The 3.2HT did not. So just FYI Sonic Encoders is officially available via kosha Aus OEM.

I actually use Nero Vision Express to convert from DVR to DVD (and remove ads). My hdd's filled up so quickly I needed something to help(!) me. With DVD-R at a buck a piece I decided to flush my hdd's and move almost everything to DVD format. Nero is working great for me (after I re-formatted my pc - i had all sorts of artifacts previously which I blame on other tools/junk i had installed). I do use a mouse and keyboard for this, and I have an HP HotSwap Drive to move from my MCE to my PC. I dont think Nero is the greatest quality, but it does what I need.

I could never get dCut working which was a bummer (GPF). DVR2Win would only ever do one at a time. And Sonic was not robust - i think it is getting better. I just decided to go off-the-shelf and stop the hdd space pain.

K.
P.S. On the second MCE - I needed a new PC for games and been putting it off for years always waiting for the next best thing (). The price I could get the HP was so good I bought one for the lounge room (MCE) and one for the dining room (games). Both are MCE, but I've played around with the sw and hw to suit my needs.

[daz_racing]

Hi, Sniper,

UK calling! Did you get your Sonic Encoders? If you didn't and want to try them, you should be able to find them here:

==========================
Link removed - thanks Daz - but if I'm not mistaken the software on the end of that link is copyright - if I'm mistaken, please provide details and I'll restore the link.
Mike
==========================

I installed them...and you're correct, you are asked what format you require, but my MCE hung at 1% complete for a while then came up with an "unsupported file type" error.

Does anyone know more about this...am I just missing a Sonic codec file or something similar???

Regards,
Daz_racing.

[Kryten]

There is a patch from Microsoft to fix that problem. I believe you can get it from www.microsoft.com/downloads

K