Heatwave, one of the more popular weather plugins for Windows Media Center and one of the first plugins to be covered here on Hack7MC has been updated to support the final release version of Windows 7. Previously, a small change to the Windows 7 Media Center code had made running the application problematic for those with the final release [...]
The latest version of Media Browser, code named “Phoenix”, includes the addition of a parental control option. This much requested feature enables the locking of content of a certain rating and requiring a pin number to be able to view the media. Much like the common cable DVR this is enacted to prevent younger audiences from getting access to [...]
Continuing on the last article covering an assortment of movie and audio plugins you need to try with Windows 7 Media Center, we’ve got even more plugins you need to give a try. These plugins cover features that should be included in any decent ten-foot media application in this day and age of widespread internet access, Weather and Social [...]
Any good media player relies on a community of plugin developers to fix the small gaps and specific features that have been left out of the original design. Windows 7 Media Center is no exception with plenty of plugins being developed and release each day to enhance the experience provided. While it’s not always easy to find the plugin [...]
Many Windows 7 Media Center enthusiasts have forgone the built-in Movie Library for something a little more sophisticated and feature packed. Plugins such as Media Browser and Open Media Library can provide a much more evolved move browsing experience than the native Movie Library. The problem is that, although these packages typically install a basic start menu strip of [...]
As any bachelor can tell you the basic sleep timer function built into any recent (or even not so recent) television is the perfect partner for those nights falling asleep on the couch. This basic functionality has long been missing from Windows Media Center however. For those missing this feature, look no further. The Green Button forum member StixBit [...]
Just getting started with Windows 7 Media Center? Microsoft has created a short series of videos to help you get started using your brand new media experience. These videos are perfect for the absolute beginner to the Media Center experience. If this is you and you’re more of a visual learner be sure to give these videos a quick view [...]
Around here we love when someone comes along and creates an application to take even the simplest processes and refines them into an even easier single solution. Previously we covered creating your own bootable USB Windows 7 installation manually and today we’ve got a couple of applications that make the entire process a snap. Even better, both applications are [...]
There may come a time when you want to edit the metadata of a WTV or DVRMS file manually. Luckily, Windows 7 includes a built-in editor allowing the editing of metadata of both file formats. Much like music metadata editor provided in previous versions of Windows the metadata editor for WTV and DVRMS files can be accessed by right-clicking [...]
There are a good number of guide to creating a bootable USB disk to install Windows 7 which is handy when installing on a system that may not have a DVD drive (or any drive at all). Some people like to keep their Media Center HTPC as small as possible and taking the disk drive out of the equation [...]
Ever cleaned out the music library, removed some albums or updated album art only to find that Windows 7 Media Center is still using the old album art in various places throughout the program? It’s a common problem due to the fact that Media Center utilizes an album art cache that is rarely (if ever) checked for consistency. This [...]
There may come a time when you need to completely erase the history of your downloaded guide data and tuner setup. Something may have gone wrong with your setup, tuners may have changed or maybe you’re just looking to clean house a little. Don’t worry, this isn’t going to require a complete reinstall of Windows 7, the process is [...]
Much of the data retrieved by Media Browser is stored on the hard drive and needs to be retrieved frequently as you browse through your movie collection. Information such as movie metadata and covers is constantly being loaded up as you browse through your movie folders. This data retrieval process leads to some extremely slow performance in large collections [...]
My Channel Logos is definitely a favorite around here, partly because it’s just so darn easy to use. This handy little utility to add channel logos to your Windows 7 Media Center guide is so easy that it practically runs itself. Now the latest version of My Channel Logos even includes color channel logos and the ability to download fresh [...]
Don’t let the name fool you, recent versions of Vista4Cast have added support for Windows 7 Media Center allowing you to get the local weather at a glance. For those looking for an extremely easy way to check the weather from inside Media Center or in need of replacing an old favorite that no longer works in RTM, Vista4Cast [...]
From an older LifeHacker article and tip form one of our readers, Conor, we’ve got a way for you to simplify the already streamlined DVDShrink process into something even less intense. Hack Attack author Adam Pash has created a few automation scripts that allow you to just enter the name of the DVD and send the program on it’s [...]
Interested in a minimalistic codec package that provides you with the necessary components for hardware accelerated video playback in an easy to consume package? Antipack, from Andy VT (babgvant) may be just what you’re looking for. From the creator of DVRMSToolbox comes a solution to getting only what you need without the excess, a codec pack for people who [...]
