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Convert Windows Media Center WTV Format Into AVI, MP4, WMV, And FLV

Komarik — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 10:53:46 +0000

If youve been using Windows Media Center to record live TV shows and dramas, you must have noticed that it doesnt support saving a recorded TV show in any popular media formats such as, MPG/AVI. So, it leaves users with no other option than to stick by with WTV format which is WMC native format for recorded programs. We have written about converting WTV format before but the command line tool was limited.MC-TVConverter is developed to address this very problem by allowing user to convert WTV recorded media files into WMV, MPG, AVI, FLV, DEMUX, and MP4 formats. Moreover, it has an ability to keep user-defined folder under consistent observation, looking for WTV files to convert them without requiring users input.

It supports simple drag & drop behavior to populate the list. You can also click Select Files button to browser through different locations to add files into the list. Beneath it, a folder can be specified where you save all the recorded TV shows files. Big play button refers to turning-on the folder watching feature.

Once youve put all the files in the list, select the target format from the drop-down menu to begin the conversion process. Along with WTV format, you can also convert DVR-MS and MPG media files into supported formats.

By default, it saves the converted files in original file directory, however, from settings you can choose a permanent output location. All other applications aspects including File renaming, Preferred language, Subtitle file saving, Context menu integration etc., can be controlled from main configuration window.

The application is highly recommended for users who frequently record TV shows using Window Media Center and want to play them on any other device. It supports both Windows Vista and Windows 7, testingwas carried out on Windows 7 x64 system.

Download MC-TVConverter

[via IntoWindows]

Media Center Studio – Customize Windows Media Center Start Menu Items

Komarik — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 17:04:02 +0000

Even though Windows Media Center offers a nice set of tools bundled in different menus ranging from Extras, Pictures+Videos, to Music, etc., many users find some options & menu items absolutely useless, thus, want to customize the Start menu along with included tools/options as per their liking. Media Center Studio is a tool for users who want to customize their Windows Media Center. It is a WMC customization tool which emulates same layout to let anyone easily change the main menu titles, while options for removing menu items are also provided to keep only most frequently used options/tools.

Additionally, with Media Center Studio, you can import themes to change the overall look of WMC. To edit the WMC Start menu, launch the application, and head over to Start Menu tab. Each menu title can be changed by clicking a small writing padimaged icon, navigation keys can be seen to browse through menu items spread across the screen, a check box is attached with each menu item, you can uncheck the box to disable the respective item from its menu.

Once youve made changes, click Save followed by Start Media Center in toolbar to view the changes made in WMC. If anything goes wrong, Restore Default option is always available to retain the default WMC menu configurations back.

The application include options to create customized menu items for WMC along with inserting image and audio files. Since it is in beta, you might encounter some problems while adding specified image / audio files or inserting a new menu item.

During testing, it changed menu titles and disabled menu items without showing any errors and lags. It supports Windows Vista and Windows 7. Testing was done on Windows 7 x86 system.

Download Media Center Studio

Lifextender Removes Advertisements From Recorded TV Shows

Komarik — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:29:42 +0000

Lifextender is a simple plugin for Windows Media Center designed to remove advertisements from recorded TV shows automatically. Generally a sitcom/drama is 20-25 minutes long but considering the full video playback length, it can extends up to 40 minutes due to the inclusion of commercials after regular time interval. Dealing with such situation needs patience or a fast forwarding is required. It is built to help those users who hate the idea of even manually forward the ads and are in need of an application which can root out commercials right from the start.

It sits in the system tray to let user quickly scan the Media Center library. On finding a show carrying commercials, the progress window will pop-up to uncommercialize the show.

Click Skip to Jump on the next show, if you need to cancel the process, just click Cancel button.

For configuring advanced options, open configuration window from system trays icon. It offers multitude of options and features to customize the overall behavior. Under General Settings, you can set TV Recording path, enable Automated library scanning, configure other settings such as; dumping original file (carrying commercials), removing duplicate TV shows, etc. The More Settings tab refers to the main working directory, output directory, and other post-process options.

It also let user create rules, which helps in filtering out specific episodes, channels, movies from the process.

It is helpful for users who are looking for a simple way to remove advertisements from TV Shows. Its intuitive mechanism of finding out commercials is remarkable, which lets user easily get rid of advertisements. The application works on Windows Vista and Windows 7. We tested it on Windows 7 x86 system.

Download Lifextender

Extend Windows Media Center On Dual Monitor Display

Komarik — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:35:02 +0000

Windows Media Center is a nice piece of high-functionality software from Microsoft. While it is aesthetically pleasing and convenient, one issue that users with dual or multiple displays face is the restriction of mouse to only the WMC window, especially when maximized. Maxifier is a free tool that answers this problem, freeing mouse movement even when Windows Media Center is itself running full screen mode.

Note: Maxifier is only useful if you have two displays or more. On a single display most of the features are not even noticeable.

Once installed, the utility will sit in your system tray and show two different menus depending on whether Media Center is running or not.

If WMC is not running, you will get this menu.

Here, clicking Start Media Center will start the Media Center application, or you can click one of the page names shown to go directly to that page.

If WMC is already running, then you get the full menu.

Here, you get five additional options. Full Screen will maximize Media Center to the secondary display, but unlike standard maximize, the mouse will not be captured by WMC so you can easily move it between the two displays and continue to work on your primary display. Fit to Screen will also maximize to the secondary display but retain windows borders. Minimize is self-explanatory, while Fit Screen on Main Screen and Full Screen on Main Screen will utilize the primary monitor for these functions rather than the secondary one.

Clicking Options will bring the preferences dialog, where you can tweak the application settings.

You can also select HotKeys from the menu to configure hotkeys for various actions.

Maxifier is an essential accompanying tool for Windows Media Center if you are running your PC on a dual display setup. It is free and lightweight, and although the developers website claims it to be stable on Windows Vista yet, we found it to be working perfectly fine with Windows 7 as well.

Download Maxifier

Power Playlist – Enhance Windows 7 Media Center

Komarik — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:08:18 +0000

We hear about various Windows 7 features but forget the most core entertainment feature Windows 7 Media Center. Just like other features has been enhanced, Media Center has also gotten a fair share of upgrade. But this post is not about whats new in Windows 7 Media Center, rather it is about a 3rd party plugin called PowerPlaylist.

PowerPlaylist adds a strip in the start menu of Windows Media Center which adds five different tiles. These tiles represent audio, slideshow, and/or virtualization combination and according to the developer they are highly customizable. In order of appearance, they are Audio only, Slideshow only, Audio+Slideshow, Audio+Visualization, Audio+Slideshow+Visualization.

Here is how the Audio+Visualization looks like. Note that I have selected bars and you can change the visualization by hitting the Ctrl -/+ hotkey.

Download PowerPlaylist

Apart from Windows 7 Media Center, it also works with Windows Vista Media Center. Enjoy!

Integrate Hulu Desktop In Windows 7 Media Center

Komarik — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:43:34 +0000

Lets be straight here, Windows 7 Media Center is an excellent tool to watch videos, news, shows, and more. The same goes with Hulu Desktop that brings thousands of shows at your fingertip. But what is lacking here is the integration of both apps.

Note that we are not talking about integrating Hulu in Windows Media Center, rather we are talking about integrating the Hulu Desktop in Media Center.

Hulu Desktop Integration does what Hulu and Microsoft failed to do together, it adds Hulu Desktop inside Windows Media Center so that users can switch between both apps with a click of a button.

Now you can sit back and relax, when you need switch from Windows Media Center to Hulu Desktop, just select Hulu Desktop from the remote control. Doing this will will close the Media Center and open up Hulu Desktop in fullsceen mode. When you close Hulu Desktop by clicking Exit in the main menu, it will start up Windows Media Center back again.

Switching between the two apps has now become a piece-of-cake. Technically, it saves a lot of headache for those users who need to switch between these apps frequently.

Netflix comes to Windows Media Center

Komarik — Wed, 20 May 2009 03:53:45 +0000

Starting tomorrow, Windows Media Center users who are also Netflix members will gain access to more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes from Netflix directly within Windows Media Center on their PCs.

Using the two together is easy and convenient. In Windows Media Center, a new Netflix tile will appear under TV + Movies. To stream movies and TV shows from Netflix, just click on the new Netflix tile and login with your Netflix account.

You will be able to search the entire Netflix library right from Windows Media Center, and manage both your Instant and DVD Queues. Windows Media Center will also take advantage of Netflixs recommended categories.

Windows Media Center Gadgets for Windows SideShow Released

Komarik — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 23:32:10 +0000

The Windows SideShow Team has announced that the final version of the Windows Media Center Gadgets for Windows SideShow is now available for download on Windows Live Gallery in 32-bit and 64-bit flavors!

Download: Windows Media Center Gadgets for Windows SideShow (32-bit)
Download: Windows Media Center Gadgets for Windows SideShow (64-bit)

The Windows Media Center Gadgets for Windows SideShow package is made up of the following 4 Gadgets for your Windows SideShow device:

Now Playing: View what is currently playing in Windows Media Center (includes playback controls)
Pictures + Video: Browse your Photos and Videos folders
Music: Browse your Music folder and play any song
TV: Look at what is on TV via the Windows Media Center Guide, Schedule Recordings, and View Recordings (in a Thumbnail view)

If you are a heavy Windows Media Center user and have a Windows SideShow device these gadgets are a must-have. My main desktop PC is a Dell XPS 420 which comes with a built-in Windows SideShow display on the top of the system. It is great being able to walk up to the system to check and schedule TV recordings especially if Im in a hurry and dont want to sit down at my desk and fire up Windows Media Center. Quick access is awesome.

HP Announces New HP TouchSmart PCs

Komarik — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:01:33 +0000

Several weeks ago I had blogged about HPs all-in-one PC with amazing touch capabilities the HP TouchSmart PC. Specifically, I discussed the IQ500 series HP TouchSmart PC models (the IQ504 and IQ506). The IQ500 series HP TouchSmart PCs were considered the 2nd generation HP TouchSmart PCs. The original HP TouchSmart PC made its debut in January of 2007. Just recently, HP has announced the IQ800 series HP TouchSmart PCs the IQ804 and IQ816.

So whats new with the IQ800 series HP TouchSmart PCs? The IQ800 series HP TouchSmart PC is 25 versus the IQ500 series models which were 22. Just like the IQ500 series HP TouchSmart PCs, the IQ800 series sports ambient lighting that shines on your keyboard. This can be very useful in low lighting. However the IQ800 series allows you to change the color of the ambient lighting. The IQ800 series also comes with a pocket media drive bay for users portable media (the HP MediaSmart Connect has a pocket media drive bay so you can take media between the two devices). The IQ800 series (both the IQ804 and IQ816) come with built-in TV Tuners for Windows Media Center awesomeness.

The IQ800 series HP TouchSmart PC is also wall-mountable as well!

There are some differences between the IQ804 and IQ816 HP TouchSmart PC models. The IQ816 comes with a Blu-ray drive for HD movies. The IQ804 comes with a 500GB harddrive while the IQ816 comes with a 750GB harddrive. The chipset and graphics for the IQ816 is a bit higher than the IQ804. If youre looking to maximize your investment in the HP TouchSmart PC the IQ816 is top-of-the-line.

The IQ800 series makes a worthy addition to the HP TouchSmart PC Family. I hope to blog more about the HP TouchSmart PC this fall!

Access Hulu, NBC and ABC Videos Outside the US !

Komarik — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:29:00 +0000

Hulu is one of the most popular video sites nowadays, and hearing from my US friends that they watch all their TV shows online doesnt help to relieve the pain that its a region restricted website. The same is the issue with NBC, ABC and also Internet TV in Windows Media Center. While I may never understand why they have to restrict access to users outside of the US, I have understood a way to access them easily.

NOTE: HotSpot Shield is blocked by Hulu and most other services. You can now use UltraVPN to watch the shows for free.

Hotspot Shield is a free VPN service for your PC, laptop or iPhone that creates a VPN between your Internet device and their gateway. This tunnel effectively hides your Internet traffic and secures all your data from prying eyes, which even include packet sniffers as well as any firewalls. Since, its based in US, were also able to access US only websites and web services using it. The installation method is very simple. Just point your browser to Hotspot Shields homepage and download the 3.0 Mb application. Hotspot Shield works with

Windows Vista
Windows XP
Windows 2000
Mac OS X (10.5 Leopard)
Mac OS X (10.4 Tiger)

After youre done downloading it, just install the application and run it. Itll load up your browser and connect to its Internet Gateway.

No configuration is required as itll do everything itself. You wont even need to change any proxy settings. Just right click on the taskbar icon and click disconnect whenever youre done with Hotspot Shield.

Using this, youll be able to access Hulu, NBC, ABC, WMC Internet TV and any other website that requires you to be in US. Keep in mind though, that Hotspot Shield will show Ads in a frame at the top of the website you visit, which can be closed with just a click. But hey, support the guys! This is one hell of a service they are providing, and it really helps you stay secure for free. Apart from letting you access free TV shows for free !