{"id":2546,"date":"2009-05-04T09:02:54","date_gmt":"2009-05-04T13:02:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.starkeith.net\/coredump\/?p=2546"},"modified":"2009-05-04T09:04:47","modified_gmt":"2009-05-04T13:04:47","slug":"windows-media-center-extender-follow-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.starkeith.net\/coredump\/2009\/05\/04\/windows-media-center-extender-follow-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Windows Media Center Extender Follow-Up"},"content":{"rendered":"

Well, it\u2019s been over a month since I set up my new Windows Media Center Extender<\/a>, so now I can talk about how it works over the long term.<\/p>\n

Keeping in mind that I bought my extender on sale for a measly $99, and that normal models can go for a lot<\/em> more (I\u2019ve seen models in stores with HDD-based DVR-capabilities running upwards of almost $500), I can\u2019t say that I\u2019m disappointed with it\u2026 but I can\u2019t exactly say I\u2019m pleased<\/em> with it, either.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not to say I have buyer\u2019s remorse or anything, though. I like having it \u2013 it is handy to be able to pull up some music while I\u2019m cleaning, for example, or to sit down and watch some movies I\u2019ve got on my computer out in the living room (on the big \u2013 well, bigger<\/em> screen) \u2013 but I guess the bottom line with Windows Media Center Extenders is that they are \u201cnot bad, but not perfect.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n

For example, it goes without saying that music purchased from iTunes isn\u2019t going to play via a Media Center Extender (unless it\u2019s the DRM-free kind). The Linksys extender comes with a software program to \u201cimport\u201d your iTunes playlists into Media Center, which it does\u2026 but as for playing iTunes music, well, it sort of \u201chacks\u201d it. The software uses a feature of many sound cards which is often called \u201cwhat you hear\u201d \u2013 basically, it\u2019s a way of recording exactly what is playing through your sound card (without using a loopback cable or anything). And, yeah, it works\u2026 but while it\u2019s working, your computer is playing music too!<\/p>\n

What the software does is when you choose an iTunes DRM-protected song from the Media Center Extender, it opens up iTunes on your computer and starts playing the song \u2013 using the \u201cwhat you hear\u201d recorder to effectively \u201cre-record\u201d or \u201ctranscode\u201d the music and stream it back out to the extender. As I said, it\u2019s a bit of a hack. (And it\u2019s kind of annoying if someone is using the computer while the extender is in use, too.)<\/p>\n

iTunes aside, there are also a few other niggling issues which make the experience of the Media Center Extender \u201cjust OK\u201d rather than \u201creally nice.\u201d<\/p>\n