The Media Center Integrator Alliance has just published two case studies demonstrating two approaches for installing Windows Media Center. The first case study out of Florida is a fully automated showcase home coming in under $50,000 with Windows Media...

Microsoft heads to CEDIA EXPO 2008 with some exciting announcements and new initiatives for custom installers. Last year at the show, the Windows Media Center team showcased the latest hardware from their channel partners and engaged integrators in education...

The second half of Todd Rutherford's presentation on integrating Windows Media Center into a whole home solution focuses on content acquisition for the customer. Topics covered include: Content Online - Download...

Our very own Todd Rutherford builds on previous Media Center University topics in the first half of his presentation by providing guidance on integrating WMC with automation systems and designing the right WMC solution to meet the needs of the customer...

In the final segment of Optimizing Media Center for Entertainment & Networking, Mike Seamons walks through Extender set up, network tuning, Windows Home Server and some different deployment topologies. WMC can be installed as a HTPC, centrally in...

There are many of you who are using Xbox360's as great additions to your custom installed home entertainment solution for your clients. Whether they want an awesome gaming console or a compelling and powerful Extender for Windows Media Center, there is...

Mike Seamons continues his presentation of Optimizing Media Center for Entertainment in this second video filmed at EHX Spring 2008. In part two, he discusses the steps he takes to optimize Windows Media Center. He discusses removing all unnecessary software...

If you are looking to get a better understanding of which Extenders are right for your installations, take a look at Ben Drawbaugh's The Media Center Extender shootout article. He walks you through some of Extender options on the market today, their features...

On Tuesday June 10th, 2008, at 10AM PST, Microsoft will release the Cumulative Update for Media Center for Windows Vista (KB950126) that addresses some of the concerns around the CGMS-A flag. More information around copy protection for television broadcasts...

Download: iPod | MP3 | WMA | WMV | WMV (high) | Zune In the first installment of Optimizing for Entertainment and Networking at EHX Spring's Media Center University , Mike Seamons provides guidance on choosing one technology over another. In his...

Recently there has discussion regarding copy protection for television broadcasts , we wanted to provide some top level information on some of the various copy protection mechanisms that are used for television broadcasts and the affect on Windows Media...

Setting up a web site can be an overwhelming effort for a small business. As a home entertainment integrator, creating a destination where your customers can find you on the web and learn about your business is a must. A web site can give your business...

One of the simplest strategies for setting up a Windows Media Center (WMC) home entertainment network is to place the Extenders in the same room as the audio and video equipment. Similar to the centralized Extender design we covered previously, the...

Are you looking to revamp your remote control offering or find new ways to reduce complexity for your customers? CE Pro just published an article and slideshow that walks through many of the latest remote control options on the market. Most of the...

There are several ways to provide your customers with the Windows Media Center experience. This post covers one of those design strategies simply referred to as centralized Extenders. Like all designs, this approach has certain advantages and disadvantages...

In the last WebGuide installment , we gave an overview of the rich feature set that allows users to remotely access content. This installment covers the installation process, including how to configure WebGuide so users can access their Windows Media...

HP recently released a firmware update for their SL4278N and SL4778N MediaSmart TVs that enables the display to connect easily to a Windows Media Center PC and view HD content in any room in a client's home. This is the first Extender for Windows Media...

Larry Larsen from Channel 10 caught up with several companies doing great work with Windows Media Center at EHX Spring 2008 in Orlando. Representatives from Autonomic Controls, Superna, Cutting Edge PC’s, and Cannon PC’s showcased several products that...

Residential Systems Magazine just published a great article on the winner of our first Ultimate Install Contest. The article gives a full overview (including pictures) of the winning 12 zone Windows Media Center based system from Imperium Smart Systems...

Take a look at the OMS-ZX 100 Windows Media Center PCs from Okoro Media: From the Okoro web site : ZX100 Digital Entertainment System Intel Core™2 Extreme Quad Core Processor QX6850 3.0GHz 3 Gigabytes of Memory NVIDIA...

According to a report released by ABI Research, the number of PCs running home theaters could grow to 25 million worldwide by 2013. Microsoft Vista and the Windows Media Center application are helping drive growth in the HTPC market. With the introduction...

A new Digital Cable Setup video is available that gives step by step instructions on how to setup digital TV in Windows Media Center on a Windows Vista Digital Cable compatible PC. The video walks you through the steps to activate CableCARD™, configure...

Using Windows Media Center as the entertainment backbone of an installation will allow your customers to enjoy their personal media, audio, and video from anywhere in their home. WebGuide takes this a step further by allowing clients to access the same...

It is interesting to think how close to the Jetsons we have really come. As an installer you deal with the future of home entertainment and home control integration, but at CES 2008 The NextGen Digital Lifestyles Home really showed some of what is possible...

The 2008 Ultimate Install Contest was kicked off today. For the second year in a row, we are challenging integrators to find new and creative ways to use Windows Media Center as the entertainment backbone of their installations. The winner will be announced...