What HTPC software are you using

[Cybordolphin]

I am working on my HTPC and wondering what software works best.

I am trying to use Media Center with Media Browser and PowerDVD. However with a very big NO JOY.

Is anyone using MC and MB on a Vista machine with real success and what player are you using for your DVD's AND your Blu Ray.

Thanks for any input

 

[blackangst1]

I use Windows media center for everything except video, and use Media Player Classic for that. Plays anything you throw at it. Some prefer VLC also.

 

[slag]

how can you integrate media player classic into media center?

 

[jdjbuffalo]

I recommend Windows 7 and Arcsoft's Total Media Theater (TMT3).

 

[jtvang125]

Mediabrowser supports dvds ripped in ISO. You just have to install a virtual drive to mount the ISO. For bluray you can use PowerDVD. Once it's installed it will create it's own link in Media Center.

 

[Booty]

I've been using Media Center w/ Media Browser for about a year now. First with Vista, then upgraded to 7 a couple months ago. Using ffdshow-tryouts and that's about it. Virtual Clone drive is on there for iso's.

I was using Media Control as well for a while, but it would set subtitles on by default and I couldn't find a way to change that. Also caused issues every now and then where it would change my audio output device and I'd have to change it back and restart 7MC. Not the end of the world, but annoying enough that I wouldn't expect a non-technical person to deal with it.

Anyway, otherwise, the setup has been fine for me. I haven't tried MyMovies or messed with XBMC, Boxee, etc... I'd like to, but haven't had the time to experiment and it's hard to justify messing with something that works well enough that my wife understands it.

 

[nickbits]

Amebox, but i wrote it myself

 

[Fallen Kell]

I use MediaPortal+StreamedMP Skin+Moving Pictures Plugin+MPTV-series Plugin. Other software installed includes FFDShow, Halli Splitter/Codec, ArcSoft TMT, PowerDVD 9, and Virtual Clone Drive.

MediaPortal integrates with Virtual Clone drive for playing .iso images of anything (CD, DVD, Blu-Ray, HD-DVD). You can also tune MediaPortal to use the exact codecs that you want depending on if you are playing a DVD, or captured video, etc. I typically am using the ArcSoft video codecs due to them having hardware offload support. You can also set MediaPortal to use any player software you want, or use the built in ones.

 

[blackangst1]

how can you integrate media player classic into media center?

Why would you need to?

 

[Booty]

Anyone using any of these apps on the same machine? I'd like to test out the latest versions of Media Portal and XBMC, but am hesitant to blow up the stable, working configuration I have w/ Media Browser and 7MC.

 

[Cybordolphin]

I am using Media Browser, Media Center, And PowerDVD to play the movies, and Daemon lite.

I can't see to figure out how to get Daemon to mount and unmount automatically. PowerDVD just keeps playing the original mounted file (same movie over and over). It won't unmount the original movie unless I do it manually.

Does anyone have a link to, or can they spell out specifics with regard to proper settings to acheive autoplay of movies chosen from Media Center?

Media Center is showing Media Browser with the cool movie icons etc., I just can get the darn thing to play a movie automatically per above.

I'd like to just use Media Center.... but I am building a library of Blu Ray and need a player for that. Can't BELIEVE Media Center can not play a damn Blu Ray.

thanks for any input

 

[jdjbuffalo]

I am using Media Browser, Media Center, And PowerDVD to play the movies, and Daemon lite.

I can't see to figure out how to get Daemon to mount and unmount automatically. PowerDVD just keeps playing the original mounted file (same movie over and over). It won't unmount the original movie unless I do it manually.

Does anyone have a link to, or can they spell out specifics with regard to proper settings to acheive autoplay of movies chosen from Media Center?

Media Center is showing Media Browser with the cool movie icons etc., I just can get the darn thing to play a movie automatically per above.

thanks for any input

Change to Virtual Clone Drive by Slysoft: http://www.slysoft.com/en/virtual-clonedrive.html
It was designed for what you are doing.

I used to use DaemonTools too but IMHO it's turned to crap. Just use Virtual Clone Drive.

 

[Cybordolphin]

It looks like TMT3 really is the player to have. I am reading that it fully integrates with Media Center.

PowerDVD kinda blows from what I can tell.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Cybordolphin]

I'll try the virtual clone by slysoft. thnx

 

[Cybordolphin]

Fallen Kell..... why are you using both TMT and PowerDVD? Why not just use the newest TMT3?

Also..... should I rip all of my normal DVD's using say DVDshrink, and keep everything in ISO form? Or do you guys just rip them in TS/VOB files?

What proggy are you using to rip and what format are you ripping them into?

 

[Cybordolphin]

Anyone know how to get around a problem I am having?

When I install TMT3 it replaces my Media Browser Icon in Media Center. I removed the NEWS icon, so there should be room for both TMT3 and Media Browser. How can I remedy this?

Thanks

 

[Raduque]

I recommend Windows 7 and Arcsoft's Total Media Theater (TMT3).

This. It "Just Works". I only use Media Center (Vista or 7) otherwise. Even my completely non-technical father can understand how to find movies/shows in the "Videos" library, so I don't need any of those silly fancy-pants apps like "MyMovies" or "Media Browser".

TMT3 handles the BR/HDDVD playback on my personal HTPC, with Win7's x264 codec handling video playback for format-shifted content and ffdshow handles everything else.

 

[Fallen Kell]

Fallen Kell..... why are you using both TMT and PowerDVD? Why not just use the newest TMT3?

Because I don't own the newest TMT3 and would have to pay for it. I got TMT1 for free with some hardware (forget what, maybe my blu-ray burner, maybe my HD-PVR, don't remember).

Also..... should I rip all of my normal DVD's using say DVDshrink, and keep everything in ISO form? Or do you guys just rip them in TS/VOB files?

For DVD, I rip to straight to ISO and keep everything. I thought about re-encoding to H264 a few times, but one, it is a pain, and two I would lose all the chapter, features, etc...

What proggy are you using to rip and what format are you ripping them into?

I use a combination of AnyDVD, DVDDecrypter, and a custom app/script I wrote so that I just load up one of my 200 disc DVD changers with the movies and walk away and 3-4 days later they are all ripped. You can find my script out there on the web. Just look for "XL1B" and "Fallen Kell" it will be one of the hits on google.

 

[Cybordolphin]

Ok.......... got my fancy pant program Media Browser back in business on Media Center.

Now. What do you use for Blu Ray rips??? I have my Blu Rays ripped to ISO. BUT....
low and behold.... TMT3 Does not play ISO!!?? Or at least not the demo version.

So. What is a good player that will play ISO rips?

 

[Chapbass]

Fallen Kell, this is the first ive seen of the XL1B changer, what're your thoughts of it, and what do you mainly use it for nowadays?

 

[Fallen Kell]

Fallen Kell, this is the first ive seen of the XL1B changer, what're your thoughts of it, and what do you mainly use it for nowadays?

I like it a lot. That said, it suffers from a lack of good control software. Someone developed a really nice app to share it out over a network and act as though it is a fileserver (it scans the DVDs/CDs tables of contents and makes an overall table of contents of all the data across all the DVDs/CDs and then shares it as a network share, when you select a particular file/movie, etc., over the share, it would mount the appropriate disc and send the data), but it is XP only...

Since upgrading, I have lost that feature. It let me previously use the 3 changers that I own to have all my DVDs accessible to my HTPC over my home network. Now, I really just use them as glorified burners/rippers. While they integrate with the newer Windows Media Center versions/editions, I personally don't use Media Center, especially not on the file server that they are attached to.

That said, they were a steal for the price. Sony discontinued them about 3 years ago now, and when they did, the started dropping the price. I picked up my 3 for $100 each. Not bad considering a dual layer DVD burner would have run you $40-45 at the time.

 

[Fallen Kell]

Ok.......... got my fancy pant program Media Browser back in business on Media Center.

Now. What do you use for Blu Ray rips??? I have my Blu Rays ripped to ISO. BUT....
low and behold.... TMT3 Does not play ISO!!?? Or at least not the demo version.

So. What is a good player that will play ISO rips?

Mount the ISO on a clone drive or with daemon tools.

 

[Cybordolphin]

Ok.... I am making progress.

Everything is working as it should with a few exceptions.

First.... I can not get TMT3 to play ISO's. So I have to DVDFAB6 those into .mkv files. Not too big of a deal as I have a small collection at this time of Blu Rays only in ISO. Maybe I need to tweak my virtual drive program to make sure it is mounting the ISO's but I am not sure if TMT3 would play them even if it did. ISO is NOT included in the list of file extensions in TMT3.

Another couple of problems I am having.....

My movie icons in Media center under media browser... scroll on like .... FOREVER. Like in one giant loop. I want the scrolling to stop at the end of my movies.

Also.... Meta Browser caused a bunch of movies star icons to appear with all of my movies.
I have to figure out a way of getting rid of those in my movies list.

I am just about there I think.

 

[Rio Rebel]

I'm not familiar with TMT, but media browser will play ISO if you point to the right directory to use daemon tools (or virtual clonedrive, if I'm not mistaken).

To me, playing the ISO file is a must for my htpc software. There's no way I'm willing to go through the pain of converting all my movies to a friendlier format. A couple years ago, there were few choices, but now there are plenty of devices and software solutions that play ISO files.

And it's by far the easiest way to rip. You just put in the dvd, use imageburn (formerly dvd decrypter) to create an iso, and that's it. I have anydvd to help with the fussy copy protections, and I've got about half of my movie collection converted now. Another 150 movies or so, and I'll be done.

 

[The-Noid]

Try SageTV with SageMCE addon off their forums.

Plays DVD/BR saved as iso/folder, .mkv, .ts anything that ffdshow plays. Allows you to setup specific filters for each type of file. Allows mpeg4 recording on the fly. A million conversion options you can setup allowing you to convert what you record to your portable or whatever after it is done. commercial skip, movie wall, tv viewer allowing you to combine by episode, show, date, ... full fanart. IMDB, TVDB info on each show movie with full info on movies.

Seriously one of the best programs I have used in years, warning it takes a lot of work to get it to work perfect but once it does, it is damn near the best piece of software I have ever seen.