Not Supported any longer RIP Windows Media Center, was good while it lasted - Using PLEX now
Here is the list of software I installed to get my Windows Media Centre To Look like this.
Do This At Your Own Risk
1 - file2folder.bat
2 - Media master_1.30c__setup.exe
3 - MCE_Media_Browser2_3_2.msi
4 - Music Browser 1.3.msi
5 - SetupVirtualCloneDrive5450.exe
6 - MediaCenterJukebox-0.5beta.msi
7 - Heatwave.Win32.1.3.1.0.msi
8 - MacroTube.Win32.0.8.2.0.msi
9 - mcShoutCast_32Bit_3_8_19.msi or Radiotime or Simpleradio
10 - MCStudioLauncher.exe
11 - RemotePotatoSetupv1.0.2_Stable.zip or ServeToMe
12 - Sharks 007 windows 7 codecs
Don't forget to get out of media centre before you install any of these add-ins.
All artwork in my media centre was found in google images.
1.1 - Rename movies to the same spelling as IMD, otherwise if this is a big job you can leave this to later on, but it may take little longer.
1.2 - Add cover art to Windows Media Centre Movies Library instead of the dreary coloured boxes.
To do this, you will need to download : file2folder.bat : http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/tutorials/12135d1243394321-media-center-setup-movie-library-file2folder.zip
File2folder allowed me to take my movie files and create separate folders.
This will allow backdrops, cover art, dvdid.xml, and mymovies.xml if needed to be created.
Having this stored locally will allow things to just work trust me.
2 - Download Media Master : Media master_1.30c__setup.exe : http://forums.mediacentermaster.com/viewforum.php?f=2
2.1 - Once installed go to Application then Settings & Preferences, Read through all settings and change to your needs.Since I wanted this to work in Media Centre I ticked the box in the movies tab that said CREATE DVDID.XML META DATA(WMC MEDIA LIBRARY) Press Save.
2.2 - Go to Application, then Set Scan Folders, Press Add New, choose the destination path to your movie folder, Press Ok, then Done.
2.3 - Once your collection has been loaded, right click on a movie title, then click Fetch Meta Data.
Hopefully if everything is ok you should have some backdrops(if available), folder.jpg, dvdid.xml, and or mymovies.xml in the movie folder.
2.4 - If you haven't renamed any movies, Media Master will tell you when it can't find a movie. It will prompt you to add the movie ID number. See : http://lozaelec.blogspot.com/2011/06/imdb-movie-id-number.html on how to find the movie ID number from IMDB.
2.5 - Run Media Centre and scroll to Movie Library, click on it, you should see your covers appear.
3 - Download and install : MCE_Media_Browser2_3_2.msi : http://code.google.com/p/videobrowser/downloads/detail?name=MCE_Media_Browser2_3_2.msi
3.1 - In the basic view Media tab, click on Add, then go to the folders where you media is held.
3.2 - I have created a Movies folder, a Kids folder, a Tv series folder, and a Standup folder. See example below
3.3 - Press done when finished.
3.4 - Click on the Plug-ins tab, click on More Plug-ins, choose the plugin you would like.
3.5 - You can install them all, some of them are free the rest cost.
3.6 - They do have a trial period, or you can purchase 1 or a bundle : http://www.mediabrowser.tv/store
3.7 - For more information see: http://blog.manghera.com/search/label/Pearl%20Theme
3.8 - On the display/playback tab under Theme Settings change the visual theme to one you like I have chosen Vanilla.
3.9 - Under the enhanced home screen change the yahoo weather Id to your region, see : http://lozaelec.blogspot.com/2011/06/yahoo-weather-id-for-media-browser.html
3.10 - Close when finished.
4 - As you will see there is already a Music library in windows media centre, but this does not allow you to choose your music by folder view. Music Browser is great.
4.1 - Music Browser 1.3.msi : http://musicbrowser.free.fr/download.html
4.2 - Download then install. When you run windows media centre you will only find music browser in the extras section, don't worry we will move this later.
5 - Time for Media Centre Jukebox, I use this as a Video Jukebox for the Music videos.
5.1 - You can Rip you personal dvd collection with Pavtube: http://www.pavtube.com/blu-ray-video-converter-ultimate/and convert them to say avi, saves space. Does cost, but works. Trial Available.
5.2 - You will need to install this file first : SetupVirtualCloneDrive5450.exe : http://virtualclonedrive.software.informer.com/download/
5.3 - Once installed, you can right click on Virtual Clone Drive in the tray and untick show in the tray.
6.1 - Launch configuration tool, in the library path, choose your folder with all the avi music videos.
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/12176/view-weather-conditions-in-windows-7-media-center/
7 - Mce Weather : http://www.jaast.com/downloads/ Works
When you first fire this up it maybe in another language.
Restart media centre again then choose extras, click on the weather icon then adjust settings.
7.1 - Time to download and install : Accept the terms and press next, tick show on start menu, next press install.
7.2 - Once installed run media centre and scroll to Weather, click on weather settings, click on add location and type in your city. Now click on edit locations, delete the locations you don't need, click save.
Sorry I havent updated the pictures for weather.
8 - Watch Your Favorite Youtube Videos From Windows Media Centre
32 bit : http://freedompeace.net/uploads/MacroTube.Win32.0.8.2.0.msi
9 - Now for Internet radio
9.2 - You have just installed Shoutcast which is present in "extras" in Media centre.
9.3 - We will create a web radio station icon that will work in a radio media centre strip later on.
9.4 - First run Media centre, then go to extras, then Laura FM, then search, enter your country or city, mine is Melbourne.
9.5 - Some common stations should appear.
9.6 - Left mouse click on a desired station under Add To Favourites, untick Your Favourites.
9.7 - keep adding stations that way, once done make your way back to Favourites in Shoutcast, you should see the stations you picked.
9.8 - To test click on a station, then play, you should hear it play.
9.9 - If you want to create your own stations that are not present in shoutcast, you will need to register and login into the shoutcast website first.
10 - Before we customize are themes and strips for windows media centre, run media centre, scroll to Tasks, then Settings, now Media Libraries, click on music, next, add folders to a library, next, on this computer, next, choose the folder that contains your music, next , no I want to make more changes, continue.
10.1 - Now do the same for picture. For Videos I added the folder of my home Family videos.
10.2 - For Movies, next, add folders to a library, next, on this computer, next, choose the folder that contains your movies, (sec3.2) tick Movies , then Kids, then Tv, then Standup, next, yes use these location, finish. Your Libraries may take a while to populate depending on how big your library is.
10.3 - Media Centre Studio : http://www.adventmediacenter.com/ this uses click once technology.
Site down try : http://www.hack7mc.com/2011/11/media-center-studio-installation.html
Download :
http://www.hack7mc.com/wp-content/plugins/download-monitor/download.php?id=111
10.4 - Unzip and run MCStudioLauncher.exe
10.5 - If you would like to use my theme and then modify some menu strips and picture later, you can import my mct file from :
Mct File : https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0BwjqRgkVKt1INzdkYzUwY2UtYTcyMi00N2MzLWIwNTQtNzllODA3MzljMTAw&sort=name&layout=list&num=50
How to import the MCT Theme.
Run Media Centre Studio, then click on the higher themes tab, under neath that click on the lower theme tab.
Press import, choose the location where the MCT was saved.
Now click on the new theme and highlight it, then click on apply
Move over to the lower Start Menu tab
Right down the bottom you should see the words Entry Points, click on it.
10.6 - If you would like to make you own, there is a detailed explanation of how to add themes here :
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/17860/add-background-images-and-themes-to-windows-7-media-center/
and
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/16973/customize-the-windows-media-center-start-menu-with-media-center-studio/
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1bWhswVJpA
10.7 - After media centre was updated, I had issues saving some custom strips and pictures.
10.8 - I navigated to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\eHome\Packages\MCEClientUX, renamed the files in the "dsM" and "dsm-2" folders to "StartResources.old"
10.9 - See here for for info : http://www.hack7mc.com/2010/09/pair-of-themes-and-an-mc-studio-fix.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HackingWindows7Mediacenter+%28Hacking+Windows7+MediaCenter%29&utm_content=Twitter
10.10 - Themes to download : http://www.hack7mc.com/downloads?category=12
11 - RemotePotatoSetupv1.0.2_Stable.zip : http://www.remotepotato.com/downloads.aspx
11.1 - Streamtome : http://lozaelec.blogspot.com/2011/04/streaming-music-to-iphone-from-windows.html
12 - Win7codecs_v290.exe : http://shark007.net/win7codecs.html and 64 bithttp://shark007.net/x64components1.html
and http://www.codecs.com/AAC_aacPlus_Player_Plugin_download.htm
If you would like to reset Media Centre back to the default view, run Media Centre Studio, then on the home tab, click on restore default.
