Windows 8 Pro HTPC Server with extenders

[Techbutton]

[quote=Chasseur]

I tried the xbox media remote (latest black edition) with the xbox: I like the feel and responsivess. However, it was not built for media center because it miss some buttons: 

– No Green button: we can’t go back to main menu!

– No stop button: The main reason I don’t use the remote! You cannot stop the tv show you are watching. This is really annoying. 

[/quote]

Agree.. I am about to buy up extra White media controllers so I have them.. Who doesn’t put an Stop button on a remote..

[SJMaye]

[quote=osburnfamily]

With NetFlix, HBOGo, Amazon Prime, & Vudu apps all being native, and with the PlayOn software also installed on my HTPC (sorry, forgot to mention it was doing that and RemotePotato too).. I came to the realization that I really didn’t NEED the HTPC on my main TV and brought it down stairs in place of another Xbox.

…just food for thought…

[/quote]

Interesting.  Never thought of that.  Since moving I have various issues with video and such on the MC.  I have an XBOX as an extender I rarely use.  So you are saying you use this for your main TV and it also offers the variosu streaming apps?  I will have to give this a try.   

[osburnfamily]

Correct.

I had a HTPC on my main tv for years.  But once all the videoapps came to the Xbox, it just made sense to switch.

I can tell ya, ever sense I did, I no-longer have a f with video drivers and tweaks for the HTPC OS.  Plus, (and this makes the wife VERY happy)– since I’m not in front of it all the time now, I stopped “tweaking” it and it’s been infinatly more stable ever since!

Only thing I miss is the bluray built into the mediacenter– now I use the standalone bluray player.  BUT, I REALLY don’t miss all the problems with Bluray playback integration into MediaCenter.

 

[SJMaye]

I can deal with the Blu-Ray issue. 

Can you help me understand something?  So, I can place my WMC in a remote place on my network and use the XBOX at the TV.  I read many times of people using Windows Home Server or Windows Server 2008 as opposed to simply using Windows 7 Media Center like this.  Is there an advantage? What is the difference?

[osburnfamily]

You are correct on the first part (sticking the WMC HTPC in some remote place in the house — just make sure it has air to breath like any other electronics would).

…as to home server or server2k8…

At the end of the day, you still need WMC–and that only comes with Vista/Window 7/*8.

So, I’ve seen others do a 2k8 server on the physical host, and the bring up a virtual machine guest for the windows 7 piece.  It’s doable but I believe requires hacks in the guest (not sure on that part, check other posts of people who’ve done it).

I never found the pros of having a server outweigh the complexities of another layer to support.  Maybe others can chime in here.

[babgvant]

[quote=osburnfamily]

So, I’ve seen others do a 2k8 server on the physical host, and the bring up a virtual machine guest for the windows 7 piece.  It’s doable but I believe requires hacks in the guest (not sure on that part, check other posts of people who’ve done it).

[/quote]

If a DCT is used, you will need to use the DCA override tool to enable it. The only other caveat is that all of your tuners will need to be network or USB addressabl.

[quote=osburnfamily]

I never found the pros of having a server outweigh the complexities of another layer to support.  Maybe others can chime in here.

[/quote]

If WMC & file serving is the only thing you use it for then there isn’t a reason to take on the additional complexity. I run a w2k8r2 box as a file server and use Hyper-V to host a web server, WHS11, and some testing builds so I would have the infrastructure setup anyway. In this scenario (if I didn’t want to have a WMC at the TV) it would be easier to setup the box as a VM on the server than use physical HW.

[SJMaye]

Thanks for the info.  This weekend i will try relocating the MC out to my office and connect the XBOX to the main tv and see how it goes for a while.

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