Hello just a quick update, there are two new custom intro templates available on VIPID, one is a Warner Brothers one and the other is a Lucas Film one.
Click HERE to see a sample Warner Brothers custom intro clip
Please let me know if you have been using the VIPID service and what you think about it?
I saw an interesting post on The Green Button here that linked to another interesting post on the Logitech Harmony forums here. What was being discussed was two additional Microsoft Media Center devices that are listed in the Logitech Harmony device database, one is called “Special Edition” Windows Media Center which is a Media Center PC device that has an extended command set, the other device is an MCE Keyboard which maps all the keyboard keys and commands.
I wasn’t aware these two additional devices existed and when program Logitech Harmony remote controls for use with Windows Media Center PC’s in the past I’d used the standard Windows Media Center device from the Harmony database.
I recently purchased a second hand Logitech Harmony 555 as I really like this particular discontinued model and I’d used the 550 USA version of the same remote before in the past. The newer Windows Media Center SE device in the Harmony database has support for mouse cursor!
The new device can be added as follows:
Device type: Computer -> Media Center PC
Manufacturer: Microsoft
Model: Windows Media Center SE (Copy and paste in this device name in the Model field)
Add the new Windows Media Center SE device to your device list in the Harmony software
The below instructions are from the Logitech Harmony forum post, I will go through each number below and add a few things as well.
Below you will find the instructions to create a mouse control activity.
1: Create a Generic activity only using the Windows Media Center device.
Answer Title: Adding an Activity that does not fit into any category in the Logitech Harmony Remote Software
Answer Link:
For the input select the following option
I don't need to set the input on my Microsoft Media Center PC
2: Program the activity to leave on the unused device.
Answer Title: Setting a Harmony remote to not power off devices when switching between Activities
Answer Link:
3: Rename the activity to Mouse Control
Answer Title: Renaming Devices and Activities on a Harmony remote
Answer Link:
4: Change the button mapping
Use the Map the Mouse Up,Down,Left<Right to the direction buttons.
Map the Mouse Left Up and Mouse Left Down to the Volume Up and down buttons.
Map the Mouse Right Up and Mouse Right Down to the Channel Up and down buttons.
Stuart’s instructions -
1. Add custom Activity
In the Harmony software go to the Activities tab and add a new Activity.
Select No - manually add an Activity to my setup and click on the Next button
Select the Activity category Utility and click on the Next button
Select Generic Activity and click on the Next button
Confirm that you would like to add a Generic Activity by clicking on the Next button
Choose the device(s) you would like to add by clicking on the Add button. When you have finished adding all of the devices, click on Save
I just added the Media Center PC device at this stage.
If you would like to have the Harmony remote set the device to an input when you select the Generic Activity, then choose the input for the device, otherwise select I don't need to set the input and click on the Next button.
Here I selected I don’t need to set the input on my Microsoft Media Center PC
Review the settings for the activity. If the settings are correct select Yes, these settings are correct and click the Next button
Complete the setup of the activity by clicking on Done
After adding a Generic Activity, when you select the Activity on your Harmony remote, none of the buttons will be programmed. You will need to customize the buttons in your Generic Activity. For more information on customizing the buttons on your Harmony remote, please search our knowledge base with the term "Customize buttons in an Activity"
Once completed, you will need to update your remote. Click on the Update Remote button and follow the onscreen steps
On this screen click Next and then Done
Your new Generic Activity will now be listed under the Activities tab in the Harmony Software, click the Settings button.
Select Rename Generic Activity and call it Mouse Cursor and save this change.
Go back to the Generic Activity settings and then select Change Options and select Leave On, save this change and click Done.
From here click Customize Buttons
In here you need to assign the mouse cursor commands to the various buttons as shown below.
Change the button mapping
Use the Map the Mouse Up,Down,Left<Right to the direction buttons.
Map the Mouse Left Up and Mouse Left Down to the Volume Up and down buttons.
Map the Mouse Right Up and Mouse Right Down to the Channel Up and down buttons.
Logitech’s instructions mention nothing about left and right mouse buttons! So on my 555 remote I assigned the Mute button as LeftClick and the Prev button as RightClick
That’s it your done!
Now you can select the Activity called Mouse Cursor and use the Harmony remote controls directional / volume / channels buttons to move the mouse cursor around the screen and if you also added left and right mouse buttons as I did you can select items and right click.
I am sure there is much more scope for other new customisations with these Windows Media Center SE and MCE Keyboard extended command sets.
Brian Binnerup of My Movies has released a new YouTube video of My Movies for iPad in action controlling Windows Media Center.
I have to say the remote control looks very impressive indeed! You can control multiple Windows Media Center PC’s and 5 Windows Media Center Extenders per PC.
Watch the demo video:
Learn more about My Movies for iPad on the My Movies website here.
I added a Denon CD Receiver (AMP) to one of my 7MC PC’s today to power some in-room speakers. I used the analogue stereo 3.5mm port on the back of the motherboard to the phono line in Left / Right ports on the back of the Denon amp.
I then needed a way to be able to change the default windows audio device from within the Media Center user interface, (Speakers) audio device for the Denon amp and (HDMI) audio device for the HDTV.
I tried to do this in the past using Vista Audio Changer but found it didn’t work 100% as it would minimize Media Center and then using a macro open the Playback audio devices dialog box and change the default audio device, it was hit and miss to say the least.
I then found a Windows Media Center add-in called Audio Renderer Updater on this page here. I installed it today on one of my 7MC PC’s and it works great, no minimizing of Media Center or any of that malarkey, it just switches the default windows audio device perfectly every time!
You can download the English version from here and the French version from here.
