Going to the movies

As mentioned previously the default dvd library gallery settings on Vista Media Center as not what you might want. I also wondered if there was a better means of presenting the dvd titles that are stored on disk for someone browsing with a media centre control.

Thats where MYMovies from http://www.mymovies.dk/ comes in. If what you want is a Disk cover display of the titles recognised by the application then this is the one for you.

I installed the server / client version from the site and then ran the procedure which tells it which directories to look at and catalog. Once done all of the cover images appeared and I was able to browse through the available films to see what I wanted.

Once small snag though – unrecognised dvds such as ones I’ve made from martial arts training and other family ones don’t have an image of course and I’m still working out the best way to add these private classifcations and images to complete my library. The display also helped me weed out duplicates in different folders !!!

HP 1015 printing multiple pages of print job on same page !! »« Oi – where's my dvd library Dude?

Oi – where's my dvd library Dude?

I installed a Dell Studio Hybrid (you can walk in and pick them up in PC World or off Dells web site) as as replacement for a Shuttle based TV media centre (the Shuttle has been moved to home automation duties – so more about that later). The form factor is perfect for something that sits under your TV and it has even been accepted as “tidy” by her indoors

However when I fired up Media Centre (ready with a Maplins supplied Vista remote control (nice) ) – I noticed that the DVD Library which was there in XP MCE was missing. Whats going on ?

Checking with Microsoft explained

In Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, DVD content that is stored on the hard disk appears in the My Videos folder. Windows Media Center on a Windows Vista-based computer displays DVD content in a DVD gallery. However, the DVD Gallery is not automatically enabled in Windows Media Center on a Windows Vista-based computer.

Okay – so how do you get it back

Run regedit

Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Settings\DvdSettings

In the results pane, right-click ShowGallery, and then click Modify.

Delete the contents that appear in the Value data box (probably “Play”), type Gallery in the Value data box, and then click OK.

Exit Registry Editor.

Start Media Center – and there is your Gallery back and ready for filling.

Going to the movies »« Disk Read Error – press Ctrl – Alt – Delete – Dell Dimension 4300

Disk Read Error – press Ctrl – Alt – Delete – Dell Dimension 4300

This error was coming up immediately after the Dell bios screen on a pretty old Dell Dimension 4300. On the surface of it – probably a hard disk failure but noted that the error was appearing almost instantaneously after the post screen – before trying to load windows xp.

I was curious and tried booting from CD and got the same message – rebooted and check the bios boot order settings by pressing F2. Changed the order to have the cd drive second after floppy – REMOVED AND REPLACED THE IDE CABLE – checked all the power leads – rebooted Windows XP CD and logged into recovery console.

The hard disk was detected there and reporting fine. I noted that the CD rom drive was actually moving backwards and forwards when pushed and simply reseated it using the green runners that Dell use to mount drives in the drive bays.

Rebooted and allowed machine to complete boot into XP and its working fine. My guess is that the IDE cable was damaged and preventing the disk from being detected correctly – once fom an old machine worked a treat.

Finally then upgraded to A06 firmware from A04 to ensure it has the latest settings.

Hope that helps you…

Oi – where's my dvd library Dude? »« Open sesame – getting console on VMware ESXi 3.5 – and getting ssh up