My Media Eco-system on ‘Geek Your Rig’ Microsoft Video
Earlier this year The Green Button asked local Seattle-area Windows 7 Media Center enthusiasts to show off their rigs. I responded with photos and the blurb below. Microsoft sent a video crew out to our home to shoot for a day.
The shoot was back in June. The videos were produced and resulted in two shorts that Microsoft is now using as Windows 7 Help videos. During the holidays, the videos give some shopping ideas for the PC/Media Center enthusiasts.
There have been some upgrades since the video was shot. In the ease-of-use category I have added Logitech’s Harmony One Remote. This remote sorts out all the hard work of powering ON/OFF the right amps, A/V pre-amps, TV, and setting various inputs on the TV and pre-amp. The remote just presents “Watch TV”, Play “Xbox”, “Play DVD”.
The Windows Home Server has grown to 5TB of storage for photos, music, and recorded TV.
I have added an Xbox 360 4Gb console and Kinect Sensor. I love this as a workout assist. I’m not much of a gamer but the Xbox may change that. I have noticed that the Netflix Xbox Gold membership streaming options are different than what is available on the web. I my case I had added content on the Xbox.
Not mentioned in the video is the Remote Potato software installed on the HTPC for remote streaming. This provides sling-box type capability to you HTPC for no cost. With this software, I can can watch my recorded or live TV anywhere in the world with a internet connection, all served up from my HTPC setting at home.
Microsoft’s finally videos are found here.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/help/videos
My original post to the The Green Button.
I’d love to tell you more about our WMC networked home.
We have 4 Win7 WMC machines in the house: HTPC in the family room, Wall-mounted touch panel in the kitchen, Desktop for home office, and a mobile netbook. All of these use a WHS as a file server and backup manager. Live Mesh keeps them all in sync.
The family room serves as the movie lounge. The HTPC serves up Comcast digital cable, MyMovies, Boxee, and Weather, along with Photos & Music from the WHS. The Plasma and 5.1 sound system make for a great CD/DVD/Blu-ray playback experience. This system is also a favorite Playto target for other home PCs. This room shines for HD slideshows when friends bring over media from their latest adventures. We love the ability to "split-screen" WMC with IE or Bing maps, etc. to look up facts about the subject, location, and actors.
The kitchen is the entertaining hub for dinner parties. I love to cook and everyone gatherers here. The TouchSmart display rolls thru our photos using Windows Live Photo Gallery. These provide for lively conversation as friends see themselves and remember past adventures we share. We also playback Recorded TV from the HTPC, watch Hulu, Netflix, and play internet radio depending on what context the kitchen is in. We lookup recipes, IM, and email. The Zune Player gets allot of play time here.
The Netbook is used to play DVDs and blog during flights, share video calls using Messenger and check email.
My music and video can be streamed just about anywhere in or out of the home making me seem never far away. HomeGroup and Libraries make quick work of finding the information I need.
Dave's Geek Adventures 
[…] Thanks to The Digital Lifestyle for the link. More info on Dave’s media-eco system is also available. […]
Geek Your Rig Eco-System
December 2, 2010