Friday, November 8, 2013

Avoid Windows 8.1 Media Center


After trying out Windows 8.1 Media Center Pack for 2 months I'm giving up and will be returning Windows 8 for a refund. I will shortly be installing Windows 7. Here's Why.

I use the Windows Media Center to control my entire Home Theater System. I was really happy with the old Vista Media Center but unfortunately after 6 years of great service my hard drive died. I replaced the unit rather than repair in order to get the latest and greatest. I decided on a Windows 8 desktop mainly because no one was selling Windows 7 into the Home user space anymore. I did my due diligence research on Windows 8 and became convinced that it would work for me.

Surprise number 1: All versions of Vista included Media Center (except home basic), and all versions of Windows 7 included Media Center. Windows 8 comes in two flavours: Home and PRO. Who do you think would be more likely to have a home theater system? A home user or an office worker? If you answered the Home user you'd be wrong according to Microsoft. I wonder how many home theatres Microsoft has seen in a professional environment?  I purchased a PC with Windows 8 and then had to upgrade to PRO at extra cost. But wait, where's the Media Center? Still can't find it! It turns out Windows 8.1 PRO doesn't have it either. It only gives you the right to purchase, at extra cost, the exulted Media Center Pack, which I did.

Finally I got to use Windows 8.1 Media Center but quickly ran into the following issues:
1) There is no "Play DVD" button anywhere in Media Center 8. N.B. this button used to exist in both Vista and Windows 7 versions. Why no DVD's? Somebody at Microsoft decided that no one plays DVD movies anymore. Can you believe it?  If you go to the "DVD playback options for Windows" section (Google it) you will see the following statement: "Windows 8.1 and Windows 8.1 Pro don't come with DVD movie playback capability. If you're running Windows 8.1 or Windows 8.1 Pro, you can search for a DVD player app in the Windows Store (learn more about the Windows Store). If you have Windows 8.1 Pro, you can also buy the Windows 8.1 Media Center Pack that includes DVD playback." However the last part is false: Windows Media Center pack does NOT include DVD playback options. To play a DVD you must leave the Media Center, put down your remote control, look for the elusive mouse and start a third party player such as Cyberlink PowerDVD. Your remote is now useless. You have to start, stop, pause, rewind etc. with your mouse.

2) Similarly for BluRay movies I have to exit Media Center and start Cyberlink PowerDVD. N.B. Media Center could never directly play BluRays but a Cyberlink button was available inside the older Vista Media Center and Media Center 7 so that it was possible to start a BluRay movie from WITHIN Media Center with a remote.  In Media Center 8 again, put down your remote and pick up the mouse when you want to watch BluRays.

3) My Hauppauge Colossus TV tuner card does not work with Media Center 8    N.B. this card is listed as Windows 8 compatible. Although it is listed as Windows 8 compatible it is not Windows Media Center compatible. This is bizarre. Windows Media Center is the only Microsoft application that needs and uses TV tuner cards and if doesn't work then the only other option you have to bring a TV signal into your PC is to install a third party app. I tried WinTV, which didn't work. There are  several other good choices: XBMC and Mediaportal to name just two. If you go the XBMC route you would have absolutely no need for the Microsoft Media Center since XBMC does it all in spades. By the way the Colossus works perfectly in Windows 7 including the Media Center. One can't watch or record live TV without a functioning TV tuner card.

4) Before my Vista Media Center died I managed to backup my "Recorded TV" files. I copied these into Windows 8 Media Center's Recorded TV file. The thumbnails are displayed properly in Media Center 8 but will not play at all. Curiously both the Windows 8 Media Player and the third party Cyberlink PowerDVD both play them properly. but Windows Media Center 8 does not.


Here's the irony of this sad situation:
Windows 8.1 PRO Media Center is a great solution ......... unless you want to watch a DVD, BluRay, Live TV or Recorded TV. What a load of tripe!

Stay away if you want to keep your sanity.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Home Theatre Remote and Home Automation via a Windows Laptop

Introduction

In this blog I will describe how to turn your Windows laptop/PC into a fully featured remote control that can control any device (TV, DVD, Home Theatre receiver etc.) in your home via Infrared signals. Please note that infrared signals are inherently line of sight therefore you must be in front (within 4 meters ~12 feet) of the equipment that you wish to control.
This same Windows laptop/PC solution will also control Home Automation devices that conform to the X10 standard. With X10 equipment there is the opportunity to control switches, controllers and devices throughout the house from one location. X10 signals are brief bursts of radio signals that are transmitted over power lines or Wi-Fi.

Applications

The Home Theatre remote control function can replace any number of remote controls by one laptop PC (or a more compact netbook). In this regard think of this solution to be like a Harmony remote. However with a Harmony remote you need to be able to press buttons or touch a screen and point the remote in the proper direction. This Windows laptop solution makes it possible to operate in a truly "handsfree" mode. By adding a head tracker, a reflective dot and dwell-and-click software you will be able to select, click and type via head, body movement or voice control. This functionally replaces the need to physically press buttons or touch a screen. For a more detailed description of my solution to hands free PC operation please read my April 13, 2009 blog called "Head-trackers and Dwell-and-click software".
The X10 Home Automation function can also be controlled handsfree as required but can also run in an unattended mode. For instance timers can be programmed to randomly turn X10 controlled lights on and off when you're not at home.

Users

Anyone who can not use their hands or has limited hand control would be an excellent potential user for this solution. Some examples of potential users are Stroke patients, para and quadriplegics, persons with MS or cerebral palsy.
For users with good head control a reflective dot on glasses or hat, along with with a head tracker and dwell-and-click software would work well with this solution. Please note the reflective dot can be attached to any functioning body part other than the head such as elbow, foot, forearm etc.
For users who cannot use the reflective dot solution for any reason but have a clear voice, diction etc. would be able to use the Dragon voice controlled solution to select and press buttons etc.

What you need

Software

The software is called: IRCommand2 (~$25)
Universal Remote Control Software for the PC. Here is the link:

I won't describe it in detail here, I'll invite you to go to the site to get more info.
Following are a couple of screen shots to give you an idea of what IR Command looks like.

IRC2 Image of Master device tab



IRC2 Image of Tivo device tab








































Hardware

Controlling your Home Theatre and Automation components will require  some hardware in addition to the IRCommand2 software. Fortunately, there's a good choice of inexpensive supported IR and X10 hardware.

I chose an IR dongle called Tira 2.1 from Home-Electro (~$50) for 3 reasons:
Tira 2.1
  1. It's small and good looking
  2. It connects to the PC via USB
  3. It has excellent range, I am using it from 4 meters (~12 feet) away.
The Tira 2.1 allows to capture IR codes right from the original remote and reproduce them later. Additionally it allows you to receive IR signals from a remote in order to control applications running on a PC like Winamp, VLC or Windows Media Player.
Please see the following site for more details on this fantastic device:

http://www.home-electro.com/tira2.php


For X10 applications there is a variety of available hardware:
Device

Signaling MethodsListen TriggersCross-Device TrainingInterface
X10 CM11A / HD11APowerlineYesYesSerial
X10 CM15APowerline and RFYesYesUSB
X10 CM19ARFNoYesUSB
Insteon 2414UPowerline (X10 mode only)NoYesUSB




If you have any question or suggestions (always welcome) please leave a comment.