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After what seems like an extremely long wait Windows Home Server Power Pack 1 has been released.  If you have automatic updates enabled on your server then Power Pack 1 will be downloaded directly, but if you can’t wait for that then the download is up here. Power Pack 1 includes several new features and fixes, most notable Vista x64 support and a fix to the nasty data corruption bug.  Other features include Home Server Shared Folder backup, improved remote access, and power consumption/performance improvements. Hot on the heels of Power Pack 1, HP has also released their MediaSmart Server … Continue reading Microsoft Releases Home Server Power Pack 1

NBC has teamed up with TVTonic to provide online coverage of the 2008 Summer Olympics via Media Center.  Be sure to watch the ‘Explore’ section of Media Center for more, as well as TVTonic (requires install).  More information at TVTonic. In addition the Queensberry Fight Network has launched an online application available now in Media Center to get your fighting/boxing fix 24/7.  Considering the downfall that has been network TV, Microsoft needs to make sure they are making every effort to get more online content up and accessible via Media Center.  I’m dying for a Hulu plug-in.

Ian Dixon had a ton of good stuff this past week at HP’s Connecting your World event in Germany.  Among the top announcements was HPs new TouchSmart PC which features a 22-inch display.  Best of all, this thing is cheap!  It starts at only $1,300, nearly half of their pervious TouchSmart PCs (and much more attractive).  Ian also did a special edition of The Media Center Show for the event. Saying with HP for a minute, they will be holding a series of webinar’s from June 24-July 10.  Guests include Ian Dixon, Patrick Norton, Mike Garcen, and Ed Bott.  Be … Continue reading Short Bits: HP, TouchSmart, Webinar, Live for TV

Have any questions for me?  As a part of Media Center Week I’m trying to answer as many as I can.  Post them here.  Q: I’ve heard that Cox is refusing new HD channels for CableCARD users even though they are not going to SDV until the end of the year. Do you know why and how they are able to do such a thing? I haven’t heard about this specifically, and I’m not sure it would work.  The channels either need to be on their existing network, or the SDV network.  If they are not on either, you’re talking … Continue reading Reader Questions: Round 1

Hauppauge put up the pre-order form for their HD-PVR 1212 that I talked about last week.  Especially if you are ordering with Media Center in mind know that it will not work out-of-the-box, Media Center can’t support the video format it is pushing out.  Hopefully Hauppauge can add support by years end.  Price is $250 per device. Update: SnapStream Blog has photos of it working with Beyond TV. Looks like the data corruption bug in Windows Home Server is finally set to be fixed with Power Pack 1.  (Via Missing Remote) Mike wrote a great article also on Missing Remote … Continue reading Short Bits: HD-PVR, Home Server, Online Spotlight

To celebrate the consumer availability of new Extenders for Windows Media Center, the Windows Media Center team is today unveiling a Digital Home Makeover Contest.  For one lucky winner, the makeover team will transform their disconnected digital lifestyle into a home entertainment dream with a prize package totaling up to $10,000. The Digital Home Makeover Contest is designed to address the real challenges people face when adopting today’s digital lifestyle. Today’s consumers have a wide variety of digital content in their homes—thousands of digital pictures, MP3’s, TV shows and movies— and homes may have dozens of devices which allow people … Continue reading Microsoft Introduces $10,000 Digital Home Makeover Contest

Chris Morley let the world know that Omaura cases are finally available online through their new partner Dell.  These are by far the best looking HTPC cases around, and competitively priced as well.  For more information on Omaura in general, visit their website. HP is looking for owners of HP MediaSmart Servers to take an online survey about their experience so far.  If you own one, let HP know what they can do better and you will get a $20 gift certificate for hpshopping.com.  You can find the survey here, and yes it is an official HP survey.

Microsoft has started another round of Media Center/Extender online advertising on sites like The Green Button, AVS Forum, and more.  It is nice to see Microsoft advertising more, but the point still stands that the people who need to know about these technologies are not being informed.  Microsoft needs to wrap up Xbox 360, Zune, Media Center, Extenders, and Vista into a huge advertising campaign directed at people who are not already visiting informed web sources. I posted last night about MAINGEAR’s new Media Center PC that uses the beautiful Omaura TF8 chassis.  What is interesting about this is that … Continue reading Short Bits: Advertising, MAINGEAR, Ultimate PC

S1Digital is launching a number of new products for 2008, starting with their newly designed website that looks great.  On the hardware side, S1Digital will be launching two Windows Home Server’s and a 17 inch Media Center touchscreen.  The new solutions are outlined in their new brochure (PDF) that lays out the S1 vision of the connected home using Media Center as the center piece. While exact details have not been released on the new hardware, it appears they will have two flavors of S1 branded Windows Home Server’s.  The first is a 1U rackmounted server, and the other is … Continue reading S1Digital Prepping Windows Home Server & Custom Touchscreen

New Power Pack 1 adds support for Windows Vista x64, enhances remote access capabilities, extends data protection and supports the Chinese and Japanese languages. LAS VEGAS — Jan. 7, 2008 — Attendees of this week’s 2008 International CES will be introduced to Windows Home Server Power Pack 1. The new software delivers a range of enhancements for customers who have embraced Windows Home Server since its launch last November, helping them protect, organize and share their digital photos, music, videos and documents. Microsoft Corp. is committed to continually enhancing the capabilities and benefits of Windows Home Server for partners and … Continue reading Windows Home Server Breaks Ground on New Features, Expands Into More Homes Worldwide