Which is the best method for adding codec, playing video from remote shares, and most of all usable web browsing to an AppleTV? [more inside]
posted by rokusan on Nov 20, 2009 - 4 answers

Help me find a laptop to match with my TV. More inside. [more inside]
posted by markblasco on Nov 12, 2009 - 11 answers

Help me in my quest to never have to get up from the couch: What kind of wireless keyboard/mouse, keyboard/trackball, or keyboard/something-I-haven't-heard-of combo would you suggest for a media savvy couch potato who doesn't want to have to get up to navigate Hulu? [more inside]
posted by tihleigh on Nov 6, 2009 - 9 answers

Looking to build/buy a (maybe) Linux-based media center. Requirements: HDMI, YPbPr, and (bonus) standard RCA output (not all at once), region-free DVD/Blu-ray playing (physical drive[s?]), some sort of remote control, automatic boot into media center interface, small size (not a tower), and (of course) lots and lots of codecs: Blu-ray rips, H.264 .avi, VIDEO_TS folders, the works. Need to know: cost, upkeep, storage options. [more inside]
posted by reductiondesign on Oct 5, 2009 - 5 answers

Going crazy trying to figure out my HTPC/media server options from scratch. Yes, I've been reading other threads but I'm a unique snowflake so there's [more inside]
posted by itesser on Aug 10, 2009 - 11 answers

How do I add content to the hard drive running XBMC live on my new media center PC? [more inside]
posted by midwestguy on Jul 22, 2009 - 6 answers

How do I connect my xbox 360 to computers on the same wireless network if the xbox 360 is connected to a wireless bridge? [more inside]
posted by billtron on Jul 8, 2009 - 6 answers

Best way to turn PS3 into music player (with visualizations)? [more inside]
posted by idyllhands on Jun 27, 2009 - 3 answers

Auto ripping dvds on OSX? [more inside]
posted by brent_h on Apr 25, 2009 - 5 answers

Help me set up an geeky A/V solution in my new house! Ideally, I am looking for the One Box in my house that would record cable television (preferably in HD), show live TV, and act as media server for all of my televisions and computers. Is that possible? [more inside]
posted by blahblahblah on Apr 7, 2009 - 11 answers

Just bought a Sharp Aquos LC37D43U and am planning to use my G4 Mac Mini for at least a DVD player--but can I have it do more? And how would the setup work? [more inside]
posted by gramcracker on Feb 26, 2009 - 6 answers

I am creating a media center out of a high end Dell XPS Studio. I am using Dell hybrids as the extenders, but have a question about the storage/backup RAID setup I should use. [more inside]
posted by schindyguy on Feb 16, 2009 - 4 answers

Please sanity check a possible Mac Mini HTPC/media center setup. [more inside]
posted by swift on Feb 2, 2009 - 12 answers

How can I make Boxee on my Macbook look grand on my TV? [more inside]
posted by miniminimarket on Jan 21, 2009 - 4 answers

Looking for a media center solution (not necessarily a Media Center solution), that will automount DVD images (ISO files) for playback. [more inside]
posted by Ritchie on Jan 10, 2009 - 15 answers

Whats the best Media Center setup for a lot of data? [more inside]
posted by schindyguy on Jan 8, 2009 - 8 answers

How to use wifi, a PS3, and external hard drives to stream media to the tv? [more inside]
posted by Ghidorah on Dec 22, 2008 - 17 answers

WirelessNeworkFilter: Please help me set up my home wireless network using two routers. Despite all the particulars of my situation, there must be an easy solution. [more inside]
posted by billtron on Dec 19, 2008 - 7 answers

Does anyone have experience with using PlayOn! with an HP MediaSmart Server running Windows Home Server? [more inside]
posted by anotherpanacea on Nov 29, 2008 - 2 answers

DVDs and Blu Ray discs are such a pain with their ability to be scratched and the need to find where a disc is, is it in the right case, etc. I find myself often drawn to standard definition “on demand” movies on cable (free ones) instead of searching my own high definition or DVD movies. Is there a way to have the convenience of “on demand” and the quality of the original media? [more inside]
posted by arniec on Oct 7, 2008 - 11 answers

HD-capable HTPC advice / help? I'm overwhelmed here... XBMC, Boxee, MythTV, Windows Media Center, CableCARDS, Popcorn Hour, Apple TV -- too many options! What should I build to fit my needs within a reasonable cost? [more inside]
posted by twiggy on Oct 2, 2008 - 16 answers

Is there some way to tell the Windows Media Center software just to use a specific TV tuner card input (rca, s-video, etc) avoiding its incessant search for a cable box or its requirements that I use the remote? I know I did it, once ... [more inside]
posted by The Great Big Mulp on Sep 20, 2008 - 0 answers

With digital OTA coming in February and the possibility of dipping into HD in the near future, help me give my 2 year old HTPC a facelift. [more inside]
posted by genial on Sep 10, 2008 - 4 answers

Just how beefy does my media center PC need to be?! [more inside]
posted by trinkatot on Jul 11, 2008 - 20 answers

So, I have about 1400 CDs and I'd like to be able to listen to them at any time from a server at several locations through out the house. Whats new in the world of media servers? [more inside]
posted by softlord on Jul 7, 2008 - 21 answers

Help me find a linux build for my media PC.... please! [more inside]
posted by Dr-Baa on Apr 21, 2008 - 6 answers

I like Windows Home Server, but need to keep my PC media box to run my media center. Can I get the same features (remote access, automatic backup, and media extension) without decapitating it, i.e. by switching to Vista, using dedicated applications, or running WHS differently than advertised? [more inside]
posted by anotherpanacea on Mar 13, 2008 - 5 answers

Can a media center function as my main computer as well? [more inside]
posted by bigcheesegump on Mar 4, 2008 - 7 answers

How do I make an easy to use media server? I'd like a nice, pretty interface that'll allow me to play any files on the back-end without having to do work on the front-end. Can Windows Media Center be run over a VPN? Is there one that more properly showcases new movies or television shows? [more inside]
posted by geoff. on Mar 2, 2008 - 7 answers

What's the best way to configure an HTPC to easily manage and control 3 separate audio outputs and then flexibly route those outputs to 3 separate locations? [more inside]
posted by Embryo on Dec 29, 2007 - 15 answers

How do I turn "Movies" and "Music" folders in my Mac home folder into aliases? [more inside]
posted by hydrophobic on Dec 17, 2007 - 6 answers

I want to import HDV footage straight from my HDV video camera (Sony) to my Sony VGX XL100 "Living Room PC" aka "Media Center", and then, if possible without reencoding it, play it out to my HD TV, or to my computer monitor. Is there software, or a software combination, to make this possible? [more inside]
posted by londongeezer on Sep 26, 2007 - 3 answers

What is the best solution for setting up a media center that can serve regular DVD, HD DVD, BluRay, QT, MKV/H.264, AVI, et cetera to a 47 inch LCD at 1080p? [more inside]
posted by adi on Sep 23, 2007 - 9 answers

My PC is sick. Before I repair it, I want to build a new one to use while I work on it. I'm thinking of a HTPC sort of thing. Something I can use on the desktop in the office if need be, but also small and quiet enough to move to the living room and still powerful enough to run modern 3d games. I don't need the latest, fastest framerates, but it would be nice to have the option of playing some modern first person shooters. [more inside]
posted by PeterMcDermott on Aug 9, 2007 - 3 answers

TV tuner card and Windows Media Center problem with audio only and green screen instead of video. Why? [more inside]
posted by Blue Buddha on Jul 6, 2007 - 2 answers

Is there an alternative to Windows Media Center? [more inside]
posted by stupidsexyFlanders on Jun 27, 2007 - 7 answers

I'm building a media center PC for my living room and I'm trying to plan out the hardware/software I'll need. So I have several questions. [more inside]
posted by stupidsexyFlanders on Apr 28, 2007 - 4 answers

What is the simplest and least expensive way to stream MP3s and video in various formats to a standard TV? Considerably [more inside]
posted by WinnipegDragon on Jan 25, 2007 - 18 answers

Are there any standalone apps similiar to Windows Media Center for Windows 2000? [more inside]
posted by Scottk on Dec 22, 2006 - 10 answers

Help me build an awesome PC-based media center for $2k [more inside]
posted by Popular Ethics on Oct 26, 2006 - 9 answers

My new Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 5000 broke my screensaver. Help? [more inside]
posted by AstroGuy on Oct 13, 2006 - 9 answers

As a massive dork & media consumer, I have a Slingbox at home, as well as a PSP. This video alleges to show the PSP being used as a receiver for the Slingbox. I'm sure it doesn't work WELL, particularly, and I'm sure it wasn't easy to set up, but does anyone have any idea how I would go about doing such a thing?
posted by jonson on Aug 9, 2006 - 2 answers

Seeing that it's now free, can Microsoft's Virtual PC 2004 work with Windows Media Center Edition 2002 - sp2 as the host OS? [more inside]
posted by Jhaus on Jul 12, 2006 - 4 answers

What are the possible DRM consequences of upgrading to Windows Media Player 10 and/or Windows Media Center Edition? [more inside]
posted by anotherpanacea on Jun 12, 2006 - 7 answers

I'd like to stream my videos and movies on my XP Pro computer to my XBOX 360, without having to buy Windows Media Center and then having to do a complete OS reinstall. Is there any way? [more inside]
posted by wibbler on May 7, 2006 - 3 answers

What prevents the volume control working on a Mac when the optical digital audio output is being used? [more inside]
posted by bruceyeah on Apr 2, 2006 - 10 answers

Should I upgrade to XP Media Center? [more inside]
posted by wibbler on Mar 25, 2006 - 11 answers

Movie Maker + HP Media Center + DVR=a mess. [more inside]
posted by Todd Lokken on Feb 21, 2006 - 11 answers

The Logitech Harmony 680 is looking like a good way for me to control my Media Center Edition PC plus projector/audio receiver. However, its specs do not list a USB infrared receiver. It says it's good for controlling MCE PCs, but I can't figure out how it connects. I do not already have a remote hooked up to this MCE PC. Probably a dumb question, but... help!
posted by scarabic on Sep 13, 2005 - 6 answers

Any good guides on getting up to speed with Linux? Specifically Ubuntu, but also general things like filesystem, permissions, installing/uninstalling software, etc. [more inside]
posted by hoborg on Aug 9, 2005 - 9 answers