Windows Media Center Without IR Extender

I tried to configure my MAXtv to work with Windows Media Center. Since that set-top box has S-Video, I though this would be really easy. Oh, how wrong I was.

Someone at Microsoft decided that you MUST have small piece of hardware attached if you wish to receive signal from any external port. Message said it all: “IR Hardware Not Detected”. That small piece is usually called IR blaster and its sole purpose is emulating remote toward your set-top box. While that is useful in normal circumstances, you may not need it all time (e.g. you want to control set-top box with universal remote - like Logitech’s Harmony 555).

However, there is a solution. Installing virtual Vista MCE IR blaster driver takes care of missing hardware and lying to Media Center takes care of configuring it.

Once configured, everything works fine, but I wonder why I needed to jump through hoops to get my S-Video input working.

Windows 7 - VHD

I am giving lecture at KulenDayz 2009 developer conference. I am quite curious how it will go since I am primary a developer and this is my first lecture in system administration track.

If you are in neighborhood, please do come.

P.S. Guess which one I am on this picture (hint: look what pumpkin’s eyes are saying)…

Visual Studio and WPF

Visual Studio 2010 really shines with its new WPF interface. Side effect of this is relying little bit more on your graphics card. If graphics driver has a bug, you have a problem.

It seems that nobody at Microsoft tested their Visual Studio 2010 beta 1 with Intel’s GE45 integrated graphics. At least once per hour I get “Display driver stopped responding and had recovered” balloon. While this is not end of world, it is pretty annoying.

While this is probably driver problem, I cannot help but to put some blame on Microsoft since only application that ever caused this bug was Visual Studio 2010. Of course I need to blame myself a little also, since I am the one using both Windows 7 and Visual Studio 2010 in their beta stage.

[2009-07-22: New Intel graphics driver is issued over Windows Update with June 2009 markings. It seems that this driver solves problem. I used it for few hours straight without any issues. I do hope it stays that way.]

Wireless

New Virtual PC (currently in beta, integrated with Windows 7) is looking more and more like “light” Hyper-V. It requires hardware support for virtualization, uses same key combinations…

One thing that remains same is support for wireless network. Hyper-V deliberately doesn’t have direct support for it because of some issues, but Virtual PC ignores all and makes life a lot easier.

Project Natal

Today I was on coffee with dear friend and I learned that Microsoft has something called Project Natal. There I said that almost nothing can persuade me to get Xbox.

I saw this video and I changed my mind. There are things that could make buying Xbox a viable option.