Any suggestions for a TiVo like back end that will play nice with my Xbox 360 or modded Xbox frontend?

April 2, 2006 7:00 AM

Any good suggestions on a Media Center OS for my main tower? WMCE would be my optimal choice (I won an Xbox 360 from Mt. Dew, and I wanna use it's full functionality). However, I also have a modded xbox to use as a frontend. Oh, and by media center, what I really mean is TiVo like setup. Any other functionality is gravy.

The only real issue is that it needs to be TiVo like (rewind, fastforward, pause live TV, etc.), and it needs to use either the Xbox 360 (I know, only option is WMCE '05), or my Modded original Xbox (maybe Myth TV?).

Oh, and here's why I'm not just going WMCE: I hear it's only useful on VERY specific setups, and my tower is a custom job (AMD Athilon 3200+, some ATI graphics card, and a few others (I don't know what's important)). I of course will be buying a tuner for it, but that's later, and I'm not worried. I can do my research and find it.

So, any suggestions for a backend that will work with either of my front ends to provide TiVo like support?

Thanks everyone!

posted by TrueVox to computers & internet (4 comments total)

Well, if you really want the XBox 360 to work seamlessly with your PC, you'll need MC05. Good news is the newest version of Media Center 05 (Update 2, codename Emerald) is much, much better than pervious versions. In fact, the XBox 360 is the only device out there right now that supports HDTV playback via Media Center, so if you want HDTV support you've got no where else to go.

You can get a copy either though bitTorrent, or you can usually get an OEM copy if you buy a tuner card or something like that from some places online. MC05 isn't too hard to get to work on a homebrew PC, you just need to make sure you're using the right graphics card and tuner card. I bet it'll work fine with your ATI card, but check the MC05 compatibility list to make sure.

Now, MythTV will be more of a pain. If you don't have experience with configuring linux software and networking, I would stay away from MythTV all together and just go with MC05 for ease of use and XBox 360 compatibility. In terms of using your XBox as a Myth-frontend (IE, the XBox is taking recorded television/video files from another computer and playing them back on the Xbox), you'll want to follow this guide.
posted by SweetJesus at 10:50 AM on April 2, 2006

Well, to be honest, I have no prob with WMCE '05. HDTV means nothing to me (I don't have HDTV, sadly), but the integration is KEY for my wife to use it (she's why no HDTV :( )

So, WMCE plays nice with most ATI cards? And the Video card and Tuner are the only real points of possible incompatibility? That, my friend, is GREAT news. Well done, SweetJesus. You're my new hero.

Thanks!

(P.S.: Any one else out there with more input are welcome to chime in)
posted by TrueVox at 11:42 AM on April 2, 2006

I don't see why WMCE '05 would have any problems with your ATI video card, but watch out if you've got one of the ATI All-In-Wonder cards; apparently some older models (anything older than a 9x00 AIW) aren't officially supported, and you'll definitely run into trouble with third-party media center software like BeyondTV, MythTV, etc.

The standalone TV Wonder cards ATI also sells do appear to work just fine with both WMCE '05 and BeyondTV/MythTV/whatever.
posted by chrominance at 6:26 PM on April 2, 2006

(oops, my bad; apparently I'm an old fogey, ad BeyondTV does work with All-In-Wonder cards now. But WMCE '05 is a better fit for you anyways, so this is moot.)
posted by chrominance at 6:38 PM on April 2, 2006