WebGuide - Free "Slingbox clone" for Vista/MCE

[miro]

Check this out (posted on engadget earlier today):

http://www.asciiexpress.com/webguide/

This is an add-on for XP Media Center Edition or Windows Vista. It enables web-based access to your media collections and also Live TV (assuming you have the hardware).
The developer who wrote this has been hired by Microsoft to intergrate this functionality into Media Center.

There's a mobile interface as well... so far it appears to be very robust and easy to get around in.

Curiously, the mobile interface does not allow you to view photos. Not sure what that is about, seems like that would be fairly simple.

Out of the box the streaming music works well. I'm also planning on using this to view my Media Center collections on my Wii... :-)

[DrQ]

Originally Posted by miro

Check this out (posted on engadget earlier today):

http://www.asciiexpress.com/webguide/

This is an add-on for XP Media Center Edition or Windows Vista. It enables web-based access to your media collections and also Live TV (assuming you have the hardware).
The developer who wrote this has been hired by Microsoft to intergrate this functionality into Media Center.

There's a mobile interface as well... so far it appears to be very robust and easy to get around in.

Curiously, the mobile interface does not allow you to view photos. Not sure what that is about, seems like that would be fairly simple.

Out of the box the streaming music works well. I'm also planning on using this to view my Media Center collections on my Wii... :-)

Nice find, although isn't this more of a Orb clone than a Slingbox clone. I had just recently been told that Orb will only work with certain TV cards. I didn't see any compatibility list on this site. Have you steamed TV with this yet?

[miro]

Originally Posted by DrQ

Nice find, although isn't this more of a Orb clone than a Slingbox clone. I had just recently been told that Orb will only work with certain TV cards. I didn't see any compatibility list on this site. Have you steamed TV with this yet?

I was quoting the Slingbox comparison from Engadget's post, I only have experience with Orb, personally. I think the main difference is that Orb is sort of a hosted environment (they provide the "portal"), whereas this software runs on your machine and must be accessed by connecting to your PC directly.

I don't have a tuner, unfortunately so I can't speak to it. My plans for home movies via the Wii isn't working out, either... I forgot about the limited streaming support there. But I still have photos, music, and the mobile option which is pretty nice.

[DrQ]

Originally Posted by miro

I was quoting the Slingbox comparison from Engadget's post, I only have experience with Orb, personally. I think the main difference is that Orb is sort of a hosted environment (they provide the "portal"), whereas this software runs on your machine and must be accessed by connecting to your PC directly.

I don't have a tuner, unfortunately so I can't speak to it. My plans for home movies via the Wii isn't working out, either... I forgot about the limited streaming support there. But I still have photos, music, and the mobile option which is pretty nice.

Nonetheless still nice to have you point this out. I enjoy seeing the options available to us, even when I don't need it at the time.

So much technology and so little time. Thanks MIRO.

[shaun0207]

Originally Posted by miro

Check this out (posted on engadget earlier today):

http://www.asciiexpress.com/webguide/

This is an add-on for XP Media Center Edition or Windows Vista. It enables web-based access to your media collections and also Live TV (assuming you have the hardware).
The developer who wrote this has been hired by Microsoft to intergrate this functionality into Media Center.

There's a mobile interface as well... so far it appears to be very robust and easy to get around in.

Curiously, the mobile interface does not allow you to view photos. Not sure what that is about, seems like that would be fairly simple.

Out of the box the streaming music works well. I'm also planning on using this to view my Media Center collections on my Wii... :-)

I have Vista and Media Center on my laptop. I just recently purchased a Slingbox, but I havent hooked it up yet. How do I knwo if I have the Card installed on my laptop? I bought a coaxle connector and atenna awhile ago, but could never get it to work. I have Toshiba A105-S4064.

[miro]

Originally Posted by shaun0207

I have Vista and Media Center on my laptop. I just recently purchased a Slingbox, but I havent hooked it up yet. How do I knwo if I have the Card installed on my laptop? I bought a coaxle connector and atenna awhile ago, but could never get it to work. I have Toshiba A105-S4064.

I thought Slingbox hooked up to your TV?

The laptop you have doesn't appear to have TV-in connections, at least not the stock configuration.

[shaun0207]

Originally Posted by miro

I thought Slingbox hooked up to your TV?

The laptop you have doesn't appear to have TV-in connections, at least not the stock configuration.

I dont think it does either, other than S-Video. I have the AdverMedia TV Cardbus with an atenna. http://www.avermedia.com/cgi-bin/pro...rtvCardBus.asp

I plan on hooking up the SlingBox to the TV, but if I want to watch TV on my laptop will it work?

[DrQ]

Originally Posted by shaun0207

I dont think it does either, other than S-Video. I have the AdverMedia TV Cardbus with an atenna. http://www.avermedia.com/cgi-bin/pro...rtvCardBus.asp

I plan on hooking up the SlingBox to the TV, but if I want to watch TV on my laptop will it work?

Looks like you will either be able to watch TV with your slingbox (either through your network) or over the internet or with the TV card which should allow you to watch on your laptop with a coax connected. But you don't need both unless as you were previously saying you and your girl wanted to watch different things at the same time.

With the TV card you should also be able to record show and watch later.

[shaun0207]

Originally Posted by DrQ

Looks like you will either be able to watch TV with your slingbox (either through your network) or over the internet or with the TV card which should allow you to watch on your laptop with a coax connected. But you don't need both unless as you were previously saying you and your girl wanted to watch different things at the same time.

With the TV card you should also be able to record show and watch later.

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.

[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.