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Unanswered Windows Media Connect

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      Monday, February 25, 2008 2:25 PM
       
       
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      I've been evaluating Windows Home Server for a few days and have been liking it a lot except for the Windows Media Connect component. I'm using a PlayStation3 as my playback device and have always had good luck with Media Connect 4.0 that is part of WMP11 for Vista, but it definitely doesn't work as well with Media Connect 2.0.

      Why on earth did Microsoft decide to include an old version of this software on their server OS?

      Does anyone know of a way to force install a more up-to-date media server, or perhaps any other third party media servers that someone could recommend?

      Also does anyone know if Microsoft have any plans to update the media server component, or are we going to be stuck with this 2 generation old Media Connect 2.0? (The answer to this question is pretty much a deal breaker for me unfortunately).

      Thanks for your responses.
       

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    • Monday, February 25, 2008 5:57 PM
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      I believe Media Connect 2.0 was used because it was the last standalone version. Starting with version 3.0, it was included as part of WMP 11.

      While it is possible (even probable, I hope. Smile ) that Microsoft has plans to include better media handling with future versions of Windows Home Server, it won't happen for a while.
       
    • Monday, February 25, 2008 8:58 PM
       
       
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      Thank you for your answer, though I do hope that you are wrong about it not happening for a while.

      2.0 doesn't even let me share videos with my PS3 (except simple mpegs), and most audio formats show up with incorrect data. Version 3.0 works pretty good with the PS3, and Version 4.0 is actually really solid.

      I understand that it's now tightly embedded within Windows Media Player 11, but I don't see why it would be impossible to use that as the media server component in Home Server. Media Player 10 is already installed on Home Server for some odd reason. It would allow for much more control over the media library and the server is incomparably better than version 2.0

      Thanks again.
       
    • Monday, February 25, 2008 10:15 PM
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      Media Player 10 is compatible with the base operating system (Windows Server 2003) but Media Player 11 isn't. If you check the forums, there are some threads on hacking the WMP11 installer to get it to install and work on WHS. But it's (obviously) unsupported.
       
    • Tuesday, February 26, 2008 12:30 AM
       
       
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      I've read a few posts that show someone getting Windows Media Player 11 installed, but I haven't found one where they also got the media server component to also function. I believe it has a few additional dependencies.  Perhaps if you can point me in the direction of a thread that could help me resolve these, that would be great.

      Like I said, I'm evaluating right now, and my ability to stream media to my PS3 is a make or break point in the decision making process.

      Any help would be fantastic, whether that be unsupported or not.
       
    • Tuesday, February 26, 2008 8:30 PM
       
       
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      If you search the forums for 'PS3', you will get numerous posts, ranging from problems to success stories of geeting WHS to feed a PS3 and/or XBox.

       

      HTH,

       

      Colin

       

       
    • Thursday, May 01, 2008 5:11 PM
       
       
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      I have WHS installed from some months.

      Recently, I added on my local network an NMT (HD player HDX-900)

      From the new HD player, I see my WHS as an:  Windows media connect resource
      but ..impossible to play any video, music or photo file Sad

      For having good results in playing multimedia data on the HD player, I had to install on the WHS an http streaming soft :
        MyIhome 4.9.1 (freeware)

      But ... It's a pity that Windows media connect is impossible to use Sad

      Can we expect a solution resolving this problem ?

      Thanks

      Best regards from France


       
    • Tuesday, May 06, 2008 3:45 PM
       
       
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      Hello,

      Add-on to my previous post :

      Syabas MyIhome 4.9.1, which is an http stream server soft, most used  by the new HD boxes (Networked Media Tank) like Popcorn A-100, HDX-900, Istar HD, IS NOT fully compatible with WHS Sad

      For Photo slides shows for example, MyIhome installed on WHS crashes for big directories
      (MyIhome is OK on XP)

      So, if we want to use our WHS to store multimedia data and stream them from an  NMT, it's impossible :

      - Media connect is not usable
      - MyIhome stream soft is not full compatible

      So : WHS begin to be usefulness Sad Sad


       
    • Wednesday, May 07, 2008 8:57 PM
       
       
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      I done the WMP11 install to the WHS, and it worked VERY well for quite awhile.  The several weeks back the WHS stopped appearing when I searched for media servers on the PS3.  Not sure what changed, but I haven't gotten it working since then.
       
    • Thursday, May 08, 2008 8:50 PM
       
       
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      Check this forum.. Looks like this worked for one user

       

      http://forums.microsoft.com/WindowsHomeServer/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=3307332&SiteID=50