best HTPC frontend for window 7 based system

I

ironroot

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Apr 29, 2008
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Hi all
I am looking for the best front end to use on my windows based htcp

What I need is as follows:
I need to be able to select an external player. I watch a lot of anime so I would like to use MPC-HC. I need support for OGM, MKV, AVI ect...
Need option to be able to mount ISO from with in the application and play them. I use Virtual Drive Clone to mount ISO files.

any recommendations would be great
 
You can use Win 7mc + mediabrowser + media center master. it's the easiest to use.

Boxee has a lot of potential, but sucks in its current iteration.

I tried XBMC, it looked nice, but was needlessly complicated to set up.
 
If the 7MC interface doesn't annoy you, use it.

If it does, try MediaPortal or XBMC. Both take a bit more setup to get working properly, but IMO are overall better options.
 
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MP will let you automount with Virtual Clone Drive, and in fact it works much more reliably than Daemon Tools.
 
Thanks for the recommendations. I tried out both MP and 7MC+MediaBrowser

I am sticking with MP for one main reason. 7MC+MediaBrowser has very limited external player options right now. They only give you a few file types and if you try to use the Unknown File type option it breaks the ability to auto mount and play ISO files. It sounds like they are working on improving this but it is not in their current version.

MP is every thing I need and more and was simple to set up. So thanks for the info.
 
Ugh... I remember going through all of this myself. Trying to find the right one and setting them all up the way I like it.

Then I discovered Media Browser for Windows Media Center.

That right there makes all the other "frontends" irrelevant. Windows comes with Media Center so just install Media Browser and your done. A beautiful and rediculously easy to setup/use HTPC front end. Augment it with metabrowser for more complete metadata and 1080p art and you have one kickass HTPC setup with little to no work on your part.
 
True out of all the ones I have tried in the past few days WMC + MediaBrowser was the simplest to set up but with it's limited file types for external player and the bug with the catch all Unknown file type and mounting ISO, I had to go with media portal which also has a nice interface and was very easy to install and set up
 
ironroot said:
True out of all the ones I have tried in the past few days WMC + MediaBrowser was the simplest to set up but with it's limited file types for external player and the bug with the catch all Unknown file type and mounting ISO, I had to go with media portal which also has a nice interface and was very easy to install and set up
Click to expand...

Why would you need an external player when Windows 7 Media Center plays absolutely anything you can throw at it once you install Haali's.

Also, don't resort to the path of the uninformed and install a *cringe* codec pack *gasp!*

Not sure what you mean about mounting ISO's. Works fine with Virtual Clone Drive.
 
Do any of the Windows-based HTPC solutions support a backend/frontend architecture like MythTV ? I'd just use MythTV except that I need Windows for compatibility with some apps I want to run.
 
ironroot said:
True out of all the ones I have tried in the past few days WMC + MediaBrowser was the simplest to set up but with it's limited file types for external player and the bug with the catch all Unknown file type and mounting ISO, I had to go with media portal which also has a nice interface and was very easy to install and set up
Click to expand...

See my post above. It will play every format you throw at it.

And, you can install whatever codecs you need to get it going. Which is usually very little. And it will auto mount iso's.

I just use MPC-HC as an external player because it's quick, easy and seamless.
 
I'm a big fan of XBMC. The latest builds support DXVA and their interface is very intuitive and easy to setup. I have tried nearly every comparable HTPC front-end and in my opinion XBMC is a tier above the rest.
 
I have just begun trying things and wanted to add PlayOn to the list of suggestions. They are a pay service now I think, but I got in back when they were free and with a couple of plugins (which they more or less support) it seems to work really well for my needs.
 
svet-am said:
Do any of the Windows-based HTPC solutions support a backend/frontend architecture like MythTV ? I'd just use MythTV except that I need Windows for compatibility with some apps I want to run.
Click to expand...

Yes, Sage TV. Put the server on your WHS box, and connect to it with clients. It can manage and distribute your Tuners etc.

I was going to suggest SAGE TV, but I'm not sure about mounting ISO's from within the media center client because I don't have it setup yet (Waiting for the new version). I think it's not as popular because it is not free.
 
XBMC is awesome....once you get it setup. It does take some work but it's pretty sweet. I love it for the TV sorting, organizing, extra info, wallpapers, etc. I don't use it so much for movies or music.
 
FiZ said:
I'm a big fan of XBMC. The latest builds support DXVA and their interface is very intuitive and easy to setup. I have tried nearly every comparable HTPC front-end and in my opinion XBMC is a tier above the rest.
Click to expand...
I should also mention XBMC supports a huge majority of the slew of codecs you'd ever use out of the box (no installing codec packs or picking and choosing those you'll need). In this respect it's similar to MPC-HC, but they serve different purposes. Also XBMC doesn't take any more setup time than 7MC + MediaBrowser (in fact less because you don't have to mess with codecs).
 
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