Entire home setup, need assist

mojofizznut · 15 Jan 2010

I'm trying to find a complete guide that can show an entire home setup, not having any luck. I want a central media center server that connects to my cable provider, then watch HD TV or Blue Ray DVDs (or any of my media content)throughout the house on any monitor. Are extenders like Xbox360 enough? Or do I need a full win 7 box at every monitor? The Xbox 360s are a bit bulky, I was hoping to find a really small, sleak extender that can stream content from the central server through ethernet. I've seen lots of extenders, but they all seem to be wireless.

Can I pop a Blue Ray DVD into the central media center machine, then watch it from any of the TVs with only an extender? I know you can configure media center to see other libraries on other machines, but can they see a physical Blue Ray dvd player? Or is the only way to do this to rip the DVD onto the harddrive and then share it in a library?

I've read all the getting started info on MS site, but wow, very high level. No real guidance or actual walk through of how someone might setup an entire home.

AngelProcesser · 15 Jan 2010

There are multiple options:

Windows Media Extenders - these extend a Windows 7 PC onto a device like a TV, Stereo or Home Theater .

Digital Media Servers - these serve media files onto a home network and/or work similar to an Extender

Windows Home Server - Used in conjunction with multiple home PC's as a central media storage hub/backup device/media server and much more)

My choice is the latter...you will first have to decide by reviewing what each device can do for you and your budget, and, for example if it's more likely your group wants to sit in front of a large screen TV and watch it all together or if you want to do it in your rooms...etc...

Also, if all your home PC's have Windows 7 (with Media Center), you can all share (PC to PC) your movies, Recorded TV, Music, Docs, Pics, etc through WMC without any of the above.

I will be glad to assist, please keep asking, mo...