WebGuide - Free "Slingbox clone" for Vista/MCE

[shaun0207]

Originally Posted by smwoodward

Hey guys, i can answer these questions for you as I use Windows Vista Ultimate, Webguid, and the Q.

TV Card:
Any TV card that is recoginized and can be used in Media Center (the actual application that is built into XP Media Center Edition or Vista Ultimate or Vista Home Premium) will work for this application. Here is a list of compatible TV cards that work with Media Center. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/m...erlisting.mspx
Basically, any Hardware encoded MPEG-2 card will work with Media Center.

This program does work really well, as i have enjoyed it. It will stream all of your TV shows, videos, and music. i haven't tried pictures, but you might be able to do the hack so that websites won't automatically go to the mobile version and it should work. This program will also work using another computer on the internet. What it does is it sets up a webserver on your computer, and you actually log into your computer, and not a server that then relays it back to your computer like orb. Orb works great for something quick and easy for people that have an IP address that changes at home. If you use a router, most have a service for DDNS where you can signup for a static address, but will always point to your IP. This program really gives you control of Media Center remotely more than anything, and really won't help anyone out much without having media center.

if you would like to take a look at it, here is my webguid. http://vistamce.homeip.net and the username is "guest", and the password is "guest" (both without quotes) that i'll leave open for a few days so that you can look and actually use it.... now, keep in mind, my upload is only around 300k, so you won't be able to stream or download the TV shows at any reasonable speed as they are usually over 6 gigs. but feel free to look around, and don't delete anything (which i don't think you can remotely anyway)

under the log in page, you'll see the go to mobile link, so you can also see what that is like.

also the mobile address is http://vistamce.homeip.net/mobile even though it should be able to tell the difference, as it did with mine.

Cool. Do I go to that address from my phone or laptop?

[DrQ]

Originally Posted by shaun0207

So will I need the Slinglink since the router is on the 3rd floor and I'm in the basment? I'd hate to have it not work after all the moeny I spent.

I remember talking about this with you in another thread...the short answer is Yes unless you have a cable connection on the 3rd floor then your can connect Slingbox to your cable and router and sling to the first floor.

If you plan on using the software in this thread you don't need your Slingbox but will use the tuner card and set-up the way smwoodward describes.

I can't help with that set-up as I don't have Vista Media Center nor want to use my PC as a server. Slingbox works for my needs. Webguid sounds like it does a lot but not needed by me.

[smwoodward]

Originally Posted by shaun0207

Cool. Do I go to that address from my phone or laptop?

you can do either. If you want the full experience with nice background and what not, use your laptop. you can also use your Q and go to that address, and it will automatically select the mobile version. Either will work.

Hey DrQ, i felt the same way for a while myself, untill i started using Media Center. If you use a DVR, then you know how you love to use one. If not, I would sugguest using one, and actually use it, and you'll never watch TV the same way again. But what I lke about Media Center over other DVR's is 1, the ability to have video's, music, pictures, and TV all in one place and a nice menu 2, being able to do what i want with the TV shows that have been recorded (usually), meaning convert them to put on the Zune, or to stream over the web, and 3. that I can watch ANYTHING on ANY extender in the house... This is how I have my system setup.... I have my computer in the office, and I use it as my computer.... I might watch TV if i'm coding or doing something else, but usually not full screen. I have an extender in the living room, and in the master bedroom, when the new extenders come out, i'll put one in the 2nd bedroom, but i can't justify having 3 Xbox 360's. I can watch one thing, and my wife can watch another. I can also set to record a TV show, start watching it in the living room when i get off work, then I can stop it, go to bed, and finish watching it where i left off in another room. I haven't really had too big of a perfomace hit on my computer untill I started using Vista, and even then it's not very major. I have a P4 3.0 with 1.5 gigs ram, and I feel that if i upgrade to 2 or possibly 3 gigs of ram, i'll be great. with XP MCE I didn't have the performance hit. Now, I really don't game alot, but I do use video conversion alot. As for running the web server, I felt the same way at first, but the cassianni that webguide uses is very low useage, and the only time that I think it will ever get used is when I'm not at home, and no one is using the computer. Besides, i love to be able to add a TV show to record if I remember it when I'm not at home, and using it on my phone is a great conversation topic to tech people.

[DrQ]

Originally Posted by smwoodward

**snip**

Hey DrQ, i felt the same way for a while myself, untill i started using Media Center. If you use a DVR, then you know how you love to use one. If not, I would sugguest using one, and actually use it, and you'll never watch TV the same way again. But what I lke about Media Center over other DVR's is 1, the ability to have video's, music, pictures, and TV all in one place and a nice

**snip**

.

Thanks for the detailed info. Definitely something to ponder and put on my wish list. Yes I just added a DVR last winter and wouldn't want to live w/o it.
I just put an inexpensive TV card in my desktop and upgraded to a dual core and 4 gb of ram so power isn't my concern. However is there a way to utilize the Comcast digital HD signal with media center.

Even if this is something I won't use myself, I like learning the details and maybe someone else will be helped by hearing about your set-up. Sounds sweet.

My $120 Slingbox and DVR forhome HD viewing seems to fill my needs right now. How much does Media Center go for and how much are the Extenders?

[smwoodward]

Originally Posted by DrQ

Thanks for the detailed info. Definitely something to ponder and put on my wish list. Yes I just added a DVR last winter and wouldn't want to live w/o it.
I just put an inexpensive TV card in my desktop and upgraded to a dual core and 4 gb of ram so power isn't my concern. However is there a way to utilize the Comcast digital HD signal with media center.

Even if this is something I won't use myself, I like learning the details and maybe someone else will be helped by hearing about your set-up. Sounds sweet.

My $120 Slingbox and DVR forhome HD viewing seems to fill my needs right now. How much does Media Center go for and how much are the Extenders?

yes there is a way to use the digital cable signal, but unfortunatly you have to buy a new pc that has the OCUR tuner with it. here's one that dell has http://configure.us.dell.com/dellsto...=DXCWNF7&s=dhs so you can look over that. Now, using the OCUR i don't know if you can use anything like ORB or Webguide4 as everything that comes off the OCUR is protected.... it will still work with extenders, just not everything else.

as for the price. for Media Center, it is included in Vista Ultimate and Vista Media Center. Right now the only extender for MCE is the xbox 360, so you know the price on that, but new extenders are going to be coming out soon, that will have things like dvd players built in, and maybe even extenders taht are built into tv's, but there is no word on those prices.