Set Up a Fully Automated, Torrent-Seeding Media Center SExpand @macrumpton: Click the image for the full size to see what I'm talking about. Here's a side-by-side shot of Miro and MPC, both playing the same frame of "Pioneer One" S01E01 720p (h264) mkv file. Notice the difference in quality. XBMC and Boxee are comparable to MPC, I just used that for a quick screen shot (not full screen by default). Even if you don't want to go the media center route, and are content with Miro for downloading, I highly suggest you get a good graphics card (if you need one) and a separate program to decode and play back the files. Miro is not comparable to a true Media Center by any stretch of the imagination. Things Miro is lacking: • Good support for remotes and internet/eventserver based control for phones. • Proper databasing (sort by name, aired date, release date, actor, genre, MPAA/TV rating, duration...) • Auto-discovery of missing supplemental media (Fanart, screen caps, cover art, subtitles and lyrics etc.) • Boot as an OS for HTPCs • Media flagging
Naming video files/TV shows Important: THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP TO A SUCCESSFUL LIBRARY SCAN! In order for the media scrapers to pick up the correct information your file names must follow a certain format: XBMC requires each TV show to be in its own folder, and for each file to contain a pattern from which XBMC can determine the season and episode number (e.g. Folder name = Show title File name = Season/Episode number The folder name will be cleaned of commonly used strings, such as DVDRip, 1080p, x264, etc. before being passed to the scraper. Spaces, periods, or underscores may be used to separate words in the folder and file names, but shouldn't be mixed in the same folder name. Note: Flat structures with files for different shows in a single directory are not supported. 1 Directories You must set the content to TV Shows on the directory directly above the individual show folders. Below the show folder, the files may be organized how you wish, e.g. into separate season folders, or by year. 1.1 Simple Example
12 Essential Tips to Using XBMC as the Perfect Media Hub Micro-management just isn't Microsoft's thing. Why do we say that? It's because the folks from Redmond are regular Babe Ruths when it comes to coding an OS and knocked the ball out of the park with Windows 7. But when it comes to integrated apps -- all those things we would expect Microsoft to excel at -- the software giant is more like Casey at the bat and we're all just a bunch of Mudville suckers wondering how Microsoft manages to whiff it at the easy pitches. Internet Explorer? Most of us are rocking Firefox or Chrome. One of them is XBMC, an open-source project formerly known as Xbox Media Center. If you've never played with XBMC, it's time for a test drive. Some highlights: Add Your Video Library (and Tap Into an External Drive) Get More Free Content with Plugins Watch Hulu (It's Easier than You Think) Liven Things Up by Changing Skins Create Video Preview Thumbnails Watch Streaming Content from TVersity Quick Tips and Troubleshooting Now you're good to go!
How to Go Completely Wireless in Your Home I'm thrilled with the convenience provided by wireless. The ability to roam the house with Wifi, or have any number of guests visit. I love my wireless mouse on my laptop, and wireless keyboard on a media center. I understand that the theme of the post is "wireless", and you live in a place making wired impractical, however when possible I prefer wired. Wired Network connections are much more robust, faster (considering half-duplex vs. full duplex on Ethernet), and usually simpler to configure / setup (aside from having to pull wires). Also consider that there's only certain bands that the FCC allows for unlicensed activities, which means many of these wireless gizmos are trying to share the same frequencies, along with those of your neighbours. Unfortunately for me, other people who live here hate the look of exposed Ethernet, but if it were me, Wifi would only be used for the couch, for guests, and handheld devices.