Media Centre Extenders

mr kr0nik

I was wondering of the following was possible...

I've bought a new PC (XP MCE) and have begun loading my DVD collection on it. I would like to watch these movies downstairs on my TV. Could I load a copy of XP MCE on another PC and connect this to my TV. I have everything bar the MCE remote. I'd just like the PC downstairs with no peripherals (mouse, keyboard etc) so I guess my questions are:

1. Can a second XP MCE PC browse my DVD collection on my primary PC upstairs
2. Do I need a mouse/keyboard etc on my downstairs PC or will I get away with a MCE remote

cheers,
Chris

SouperComputer

having more that one instance of MCE in a home can lead to problems.

What software and compression are you using to store the DVD's?

To be honest for the price of a legit copy of MCE, you could buy and original Xbox and use that to view the content of your MCE computer instead.

Tivoli

SouperComputer wrote:

having more that one instance of MCE in a home can lead to problems.

What software and compression are you using to store the DVD's?

To be honest for the price of a legit copy of MCE, you could buy and original Xbox and use that to view the content of your MCE computer instead.

pick up a second hand modded xbox with a dvd remote, should be cheap (e50-e80) without games, then you just need to download the mce extender disk

i have 2 set up this way and its pretty reialable (depending on network)

8T8

Xbox (original) running XBMC would do but is very noisy I thought.

Could I load a copy of XP MCE on another PC and connect this to my TV

Yes but MCE does not support remote viewing of other MCE OS installs, the remote viewing of the UI only work with MCE extenders.

1. Can a second XP MCE PC browse my DVD collection on my primary PC upstairs

Yes but it would be a separate copy of MCE running on the PC and you would simply share out the folder over the network.

2. Do I need a mouse/keyboard etc on my downstairs PC or will I get away with a MCE remote

You can get away without the mouse though a small keyboard may be necessary for initial setup at least, you may have to change the bios to ignore warning about keyboard missing after that.

The Xbox 360 (the cheaper core system will do) acts as an extender and can play DVD's as long as you rip them in a certain manner but you get the movie only no menus or extras. You would get a UI for playing movies through the My Movies plugin for MCE and be able to extend the MCE interface to your TV with the console plugged into it.

At the moment as far as I'm aware the only way to playback full DVD's stored on a hard drive are;
1) Dedicated HTPC
2) Modded Xbox running XBMC
3) Some specialist media players

Tivoli

8T8 wrote:

Xbox (original) running XBMC would do but is very noisy I thought.

the system fan speed can be adjusted in xbmc, (if you have a 1.0-1.5 xbox it can vary the speed depending on the temp)

if its the hard drive thats noisy, a seagate drive is usually quiter then the wd or a laptop drive on a adaptor is nearly silent

mr kr0nik

thanks for the replies everyone. I didn't really want to shell out on a 360 but I dodn't realise I could do the same the the original XBOX. I'll investigate this and let you know what I eventually decide to do.