Time to introduce myself

Posted By: Steven Kerr Lindsay | Dec 3rd, 2007 @ 12:00 AM

I just wanted to make a quick post to introduce myself. My name is Steve Lindsay, I'm an SDET over at Microsoft's Forefront Server Security team. I have a passion for Media Center and Home Server in my spare time.

This blog is going to be my global hotspot for Media Center and Home Server tips and tricks. Over time I'll be posting tips and tricks for Media Center and Home Server.

My intention with these tips and tricks is to target not only regular Media Center and Home Server users. But also to deliver some 'outside the box' solutions which can add really extended functionality to Media Center and Home Server for the Power Users among us.

These tips will include things like:

How to setup archived Media Center Recordings on your Home Server.

Playback of Media Center media on Home Server.
Media Center development including MCML.
How to setup Photo CallerID through Media Center.
Using Media Center Extenders.
Using Zune with your media center.

As well as these tips above and many more which i'll share with you over the coming months. I'd love to hear from you, the community on what you want and what you want to do. If I can help you get there I will.

If you missed the video on my MCE / WHS setup you can catch it over here on Brian Johnson's blog.
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#Dec 3rd, 2007 @ 10:27 PM
tophfisher
tophfisher
Hi Steve, just watched the video of your media center setup. I am in the process of trying to build something just like it, you inspired me to considered the 360 as a serious option for each room that needs to get to my media.

At some point it would be really great if you could post the name/brand of your storage array, and maybe where you picked it up?

Thanks!
#Dec 4th, 2007 @ 11:16 AM
EnglishBloke
EnglishBloke

This is the hardware I have:-

I used PC Pitstop @ http://www.pc-pitstop.com

SC-MSATA-PCI 4-Port SATA Controller w/ext4X connector 2

SC-SAT84XB External 8 drive SATA II Enclosure w/4X

3 SAS-7070-1M 1m External SAS 4X to 4X Cable x 2

4 HDI-ST3500630AS Seagate Barracuda 500GB SATA-II HD x 8

One thing to note is I bought SATA cards and not SATA2 initially as shown above, you will want SATA2 cards (and they do not need to be raid cards, although it will do no harm if they are)

Steve.

 

#Dec 4th, 2007 @ 11:20 AM
glebreck
glebreck

Excellent video and setup. Microsoft should use you as an example of what the media center can do.

I have a very similar setup. 1 hi def tuner 4 NTSC cable tuners and home server running with 3.5 terabytes. I currently only have 2 Xbox's for extenders, but am awaiting the new linksys models.

Thanks

#Dec 6th, 2007 @ 3:09 PM
TechGuy85204
TechGuy85204

Steve,

Exactly the direction I am headed.  I have the tuners, the xboxes, the (xp) media center, and the home server.  I am glad to see someone at MS also putting the pieces together.  That said I would love to see how you tackle podcasts and streaming to your xboxes.  Since the new zune update zune software seems unable to share podcasts as videos or music.  I am anxious to read your posts on all things related to media at home.  Kudos to you on your setup.

#Dec 7th, 2007 @ 8:26 PM
jocal69
jocal69

Steve,

Love the video on your media center.  The hard drive box hooked up to a cheap home server is truely inspirational (though I don't know when I would have time to watch all that programing!)  I saw that you had a plugin for Stage6 that looked really great.  Any change you could share that plugin?

-jocal

#Dec 8th, 2007 @ 11:41 PM
EnglishBloke
EnglishBloke

Thanks, I'm not quite ready to make it public, but I will, the timing just isn't right yet. I will be releasing a few other tools and doing some tutorials on writing add-in's on this blog very soon though.

Steve

#Dec 9th, 2007 @ 9:16 PM
jocal69
jocal69

Looking forward to it Steve!  Thanks.

 

-jocal