Archive for the ‘Media Center’ Category
RAW Image Support – W7/Media Center 32/64 bit
September 22nd, 2009
I feel like I just hit the jackpot.
I’ve been bemoaning the lack of support for Nikon NEF 64 bit support for as long as I can remember inside Windows Explorer. And I’ve been wishing for RAW support for NEF inside Media Center forever.
I’m happy to say that there is a really nice solution.
The free image codec pack at http://www.fastpictureviewer.com/codecs/ had all the answers and gave me the brass ring.
Here’s a snippet from their web site on what is supported:
Raw Image Formats |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extension(s) | Name | Autorotate | Metadata | Remarks |
| *.dng | Adobe Digital Negative | Y | Y | |
| *.cr2, *.crw | Canon Raw Image | Y | Y | |
| *.raf | Fuji Raw Image | Y | Y | |
| *.3pr, *.fff | Hasselblad Raw Image | Y | Y | |
| *.dcr, *.kdc | Kodak Raw Image | Y | Y | |
| *.raw, *.rwl | Leica Raw Image | Y | Y | |
| *.mrw | Minolta Raw Image | Y | Y | |
| *.nef, *.nrw | Nikon Raw Image | Y | Y | Can be configured to skip raw conversion and always use embedded previews. |
| *.orf | Olympus Raw Image | Y | Y | |
| *.rw2 | Panasonic Raw Image | Y | Y | |
| *.pef | Pentax Raw Image | Y | Y | |
| *.arw, *.sr2, *.srf | Sony Raw Image | Y | Y | |
Additional Features |
||||
| Extension(s) | Name | Remarks | ||
| All formats | WIC Thumbnail provider for XP | Provides support for thumbnail views in Windows XP Explorer (SP3), for all the above formats and all existing WIC-enabled codecs. | ||
| All formats | WIC Import Plug-In for Photoshop | Enables Adobe Photoshop to directly import images from any installed WIC codec. The plug-in is available as a separate download in 32-bit only at this time (so it won’t work on Photoshop CS4 64-bit edition for the time being). | ||
I shoot Nikon RAW NEF. And I have full support now inside Windows 7 RTM. Explorer thumbnails, even inside Windows Media Center. Here’s the proof. Worth 3,000 words and a whole lot more.
Thumbnails inside Windows Explorer of my NEF files in Windows 7
Picture Details inside Windows Media Center/Windows 7
A folder filled with NEFs is now viewable inside Windows Media Center
Yes, XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 all can play with this. I’m excited, are you?
http://www.fastpictureviewer.com/codecs/
Clubhouse Tags: clubhouse, media center, Media Center Windows 7, windows media center, how-to, Tip
Posted in Digital Photography, Media Center, Windows 7 | 
Tags: Digital Photography, Windows 7, Windows Media Center
Windows 7, Play To, and a Samsung DLNA enabled TV
July 24th, 2009
This is a love story. Sometimes diving off the technology cliff means you follow your heart and take a chance on emerging/converging standards. When my nine year old once upon a time bleeding edge first of its kind 45 inch front projection component only HDTV developed the purple blotchies, I knew it was well past time to replace it. It was an ugly beast as well.
I did a fair amount of online research and put three HD TVs on my “see and compare” list based on features. The best features were on a Samsung 52 inch LN52B750 that also happened to be on sale for $600 off at the time. The picture quality from High Def sources is absolutely stunning. Breathtaking. I was hooked. And there was a LOT of icing on the cake to go along with a superb TV.
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Old TV before the attack of the Purple Blotchies |
New Samsung LN52B750 |
Posted in DLNA, Media Center, Networking, Windows 7 |
Tags: DLNA, Windows 7, Windows Media Streaming
Linksys Discontinuing Media Center Extender DMA-2100
May 14th, 2009
Linksys is having a fire sale on the Media Center Extender model DMA-2100 – 50% off the original $300 unrealistic price. Don’t get me wrong, for $150, if you have a Vista PC and need an extender that is significantly quieter than an Xbox 360, this is a good deal. It has dual band wireless but does not have a TOSLINK digital audio port, only the COAX digital audio is present on this device.
Note that now that this is officially discontinued, there definitely won’t be firmware updates to provide additional codec compatibility. This would seem to mean that the more expensive DMA-2200 (has an on board DVD player that isn’t all that great but does have the Toslink port) probably won’t see firmware updates either.
This is a V2 extender that works with Vista and Windows 7. Note that Linksys (and everyone else) also killed of their V1 extenders, which worked only with Windows XP Media Center Edition.
All things considered, as long as you understand you are buying a discontinued product, this is a pretty good deal. I suspect that the price may drop even further as time goes on.
Clubhouse Tags: clubhouse, media center, Media Center Windows 7, windows media center, Tip
Set up a Comcast DTA with Media Center
April 17th, 2009
Many cable operators around the country are reclaiming analog space (separate from the over the air digital transition). If you have a cable set top box, nothing should change. If you connect coax out of the wall to an old analog set, you MAY need a Digital Terminal Adapter, DTA for short from your cable company. Most will make this available free of charge.
What you will need for optimum functionality and how to connect it:
1. Coax cable from wall to DTA RF IN
2. cable from DTA to existing Media Center tuner
3. Media Center Remote control
4. Either a built in eHome Receiver or external USB eHome receiver
5. IR two way blaster cable. The DTA adapter comes with a remote and an IR extender. Do NOT use the IR extender to plug into your eHome MCE receiver.
6. Carefully position the sticky adhesive on the LED on the end of the blaster cable over the receiver eye on the front of the DTA. Plug the other end into the port for you eHome IR receiver or the port on your USB eHome receiver.
7. The DTA has a switch on the back to set it to Ch3 or Ch4, for purposes of TV Setup on MCE this setting should not matter.
Now you are ready to re-run TV Setup. Open Media Center, Navigate to Tasks/Settings and then run TV Setup again. This article was prepared using Windows 7, but the steps are nearly identical for older versions of Windows/MCE.
Following is a screen by screen walk through using a Comcast DTA: