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Ten Ways to Improve Your Media Center Experience
Ceton's CableCARD Solution Has Six Tuners In One Slot
Zone Pro Hands On Part 2: Copy Freely and Windows 7
Normal People Can Now Install CableCARD Tuners On Windows 7 PCs
Windows Media Center Opens Up DRM Restrictions on Shows, Allows More Copying
Windows 7 Might Block Third-Party Video Codecs
Largest TV Remote Ever Controls Windows Media Center
Windows Media Center Gets Sports Channel With Pretty Good College Hoops Coverage
Secondrun.tv Will Bring Hulu to Windows Media Center Soon
Windows 7 Media Center: The 10-Foot Experience's New Features

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aikiwolfie
10/31/09

In reply to Ten Ways to Improve Your Media Center Experience
@Monty:

If all you're doing is recording shows to watch later then it's not any more illegal than using a VCR.

Legal issues only become a problem if you want to start building a long term/permanent library of shows and/or start sharing them with your friends and family.

That's not to say recording off the TV is legal. Strictly speaking it's not. You're still making a copy you don't have permission to make.

Similarly if we interpreted the license that comes with CDs/MP3s and DVDs in the strictest sense. Then loaning a DVD you have bought is illegal and leakage from your MP3 player headphones can pass for a public performance.

Personally I stopped worrying about these legal issues a long time ago. When I can no longer enjoy the music, TV and movies I watch because of draconian DRM or legal restrictions I'll simply find something else to fill my time. Which is what everybody else should do.

So in the end the only people that lose out are the idiots trying to shake every single penny from our pockets. #htpcs
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Lizard_King promoted this comment aikiwolfie was starred aikiwolfie was unstarred

Lizard_King
10/31/09

@aikiwolfie: Licensing for CDs is far different that "time shifting" allowances given to VCRs 30 years ago. From what I've seen, these licenses are not to be followed.

A representative for the RIAA appeared at my cousin's school a few years ago to talk about illegal downloading, copying music and the like. Someone brought up fair-use, and an additional question was asked - "I can make one backup copy, and if my archive is destroyed can I legally use my backup?" To which the answer was yes. "If my archive is destroyed, but I still own it, can I copy someone else's CD as my backup?", Of course the answer is No, even though the end result is the same - A license and media is purchased, a copy is made, the archive is destroyed, user plays copy instead. The fact is, you are buying a package of license and media, and agreeing to the rules before you even read them.

Basic Point: Record TV shows all you like. No one's gonna bust you for it, but if you want to follow the letter of the law, you're prolly gonna need a lawyer. #htpcs
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Monty
10/31/09

In reply to Ten Ways to Improve Your Media Center Experience
There are plenty of options to remove advertisements in your program / web browsing experience. This may sound strange, but is this legal? I ask this and yet fully admit to using a DVR for watching nearly all TV shows to skip the ads, but if there truly is nothing illegal about this, how long can the companies selling these commercials survive without finding another revenue source? Like us. Oh yes, I am looking at you, Hulu. #htpcs
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Lizard_King
10/31/09

In reply to Ten Ways to Improve Your Media Center Experience
I put mine in the rafters of my basement. Installed 12' USB cords, coaxial audio and a VGA cord, along with extension of power and reset buttons, all creeping up through the basement ceiling/living room floor.

IR adapter upstairs, External USB Drive, External USB LCD display all in a small extruded aluminum project box which sits on a shelf under my TV. I have a Harmony remote programmed for Windows Media Center.

Completely quiet experience. no fan noise, etc. No restrictions on processor type, HD size, # of DVD drives, etc. Running Vista, hasn't crashed once. The only issue are the mandatory big updates sometimes hangs the system on reboot. I use it as a DVR box, but mostly don't see the frontend - I use it through the Xbox Media Extender more in both the living room and the bedroom. #htpcs
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Mike Zuniga: That was Unexpected
10/31/09

In reply to Ten Ways to Improve Your Media Center Experience
I'm about to change my HTPC from Windows Media Center to XBMC (better codec support). Anyone know of a good skin or enhancement that makes it look less fugly than the standard one? #htpcs
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september11th
10/31/09

@Mike Zuniga: get Aeon. by far the best i've seen. #htpcs
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Mike Zuniga: That was Unexpected promoted this comment september11th was starred september11th was unstarred

jscarpetta
10/31/09

@Mike Zuniga: That was Unexpected:
The Aeon skin is really nice, here's the url; [xbmc.org] #htpcs
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Mike Zuniga: That was Unexpected promoted this comment jscarpetta was starred jscarpetta was unstarred

Mike Zuniga: That was Unexpected
10/31/09

@september11th @jscarpetta : Thanks for the help, that skin kicks a whole lot of ass. #htpcs
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bagseed
09/11/09

In reply to Ceton's CableCARD Solution Has Six Tuners In One Slot
that'll be good for catching all of those episodes of ow my balls
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G.O.B.: Come on! promoted this comment bagseed was starred bagseed was unstarred

G.O.B.: Come on!
09/11/09

@bagseed:
- "And I object!"
"What are you objectifyin' on?"
- "I object that he interrupted me while I was watching Ow My Balls! That is NOT OK!"
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IN THE FACE!
09/11/09

In reply to Normal People Can Now Install CableCARD Tuners On Windows 7 PCs
Anyone know anything about this company/product? The info on their site is a little sparse, looks like the best option provided it's not vaporware and the price isn't astronomical...

[www.cetoncorp.com]
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aec007
09/11/09

In reply to Zone Pro Hands On Part 2: Copy Freely and Windows 7
Just think of it!.... What a bunch of idiots CableLabs CEO, CFO,CMO and everyone else have been.
They've lost a good 8 to 9 years to a PC Windows faithfull crowd that would have set a consumer base, boosterrevenue and development.

And when they finaly realize their mistake... Full HD Internet TV is almost around the corner to bury the hatchet once and for all....

What a bunch!
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Xeno
09/11/09

In reply to Zone Pro Hands On Part 2: Copy Freely and Windows 7
I'm really happy to hear about the user CC installation in Win 7. This means that When I finally want to stop using the 360 as an extender I can build a PC and still use my tuners! Now that files can also be shared between computers I could have several PC's and have them sharing media off of a server. So many possibility's!
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HeartBurnKid: Agent of R.O.A.C.H.
09/10/09

In reply to Normal People Can Now Install CableCARD Tuners On Windows 7 PCs
This is good news indeed.

Now let's see some Linux drivers, so I can use one with MythTV.
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Xeno
09/10/09

In reply to Normal People Can Now Install CableCARD Tuners On Windows 7 PCs
I absolutely recommend Cablecard tuners with WMC. I currently have 3 ATI tuners on my Media Center and I can't imagine going back to any other solution. I believe each card is $2 a month and the functionality is light years ahead of all cable boxes.
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axiomatic
09/10/09

In reply to Windows Media Center Opens Up DRM Restrictions on Shows, Allows More Copying
About f-ing time Cablelabs...

BTW, you guys still suck.
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IN THE FACE! promoted this comment axiomatic was starred axiomatic was unstarred

IN THE FACE!
09/10/09

In reply to Normal People Can Now Install CableCARD Tuners On Windows 7 PCs
THIS I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR!!! Of course it comes at a time when I won't be able to afford to buy any of those ATi Tuners for at least a few months... but oh well.

Its still fantastic that CABLElabs finally managed to remove that tree-stump from their ass!
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njb42
09/10/09

In reply to Normal People Can Now Install CableCARD Tuners On Windows 7 PCs
I'm not sure this is such great news. The press release says Microsoft will release a special tool that checks to see if your computer is capable of adding the tuner. I'm guessing the tool is going to confirm the same requirements for a pre-built media center PC, including the special BIOS additions to secure content.
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IN THE FACE! promoted this comment njb42 was starred njb42 was unstarred

IN THE FACE!
09/11/09

@njb42: The whole announcement would be moot (and mind-meltingly inane) if the tool was looking for the special bios just like in the OEM HTPCs...
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Random434
09/10/09

In reply to Normal People Can Now Install CableCARD Tuners On Windows 7 PCs
Oh thank god... I was going to hack this together, but now I don' t have to.. I don't have to have the Cable guy give me weird looks when I have him install a cable card hooked up to my Ion/Atom mediacenter.
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DeusExMach believes you have his stapler promoted this comment Edited by Random434 at 09/10/09 7:42 AM Random434 was starred Random434 was unstarred

DeusExMach wonders what the hell happened to his star.
09/10/09

@Random434: You'd better be careful. Next thing you know, your girlfriend's been kidnapped, and you've been arrested by one of his cop buddies, all because you wanted free Showtime.
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FalconFour
09/10/09

In reply to Normal People Can Now Install CableCARD Tuners On Windows 7 PCs
"so you can have four digital cable channels simultaneously without any kind of special setup."

-- Um... wat
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