I'm soooo overwhelmed... I installed MediaBrowser, but what else?

R

RavinDJ

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Apr 9, 2002
Messages
4,454
So I have Windows Home Server with all DVDs and BluRays that are in my collection and then I have 2 HTPCs (1 in Living Room and 1 in Bed Room)

So, I'm under the impression that I'm supposed to install MediaBrowser on each HTPC? WHS won't let me install it.

So, what else do I need to do and install on either the WHS box or each HTPC so that my WMC7 (each HTPC is running Win7)

I'm sooo overwhelmed and I want to make sure that I do it only once and do it RIGHT.

I've been catching up on my reading in all the old threads, but I'm still confused :(

I just want it to look all pretty with nice poster images and backdrops :p
Do I use MetaBrowser? MyMovies? Something else?

I don't mind paying if the product is good and works nice.
 
Last edited:
i have to say when i tried media browser months ago i couldnt get it to work....but ive just recently flipped over to using it as it does look very nice.

you just install media browser on the htpcs.

any adjustments you make in media browser you will have to make on all of the htpcs independantly.

open the media browser configurator. under number 1, add a folder with your movies (or whatever it is you want to be displayed)...

close the configurator and open up media browser

now you have some options at the top.
start off by clicking the configuration wrench. by default the ehs is turned on. imo i dont like it on but its up to you. make sure the boxes are checked on the right under views...show fan art,show backgrounds etc... this will get you the backgrounds.clik continue.
now click view and make sure coverflow is on. imo this is the best way to view your files but again everyone has their own opinions, so you can change them to find the method you like.


if you want to spice up the interface, and i suggest you do to make it look better, go back to the configurator. click advanced. click plugins. choose more plugins at the bottom. from here you can select plugins which will affect how thigns are displayed. imo start off with carbon.install it. (if you dont like it you can always just turn it off so dont worry). once installed goto the display tab in the configurator. under themes choose carbon. i find color scheme black works well but you can experiment with whichever you like. also check the "show theme background" box.
while you are in the display tab you can select/unselect displayed items. myself i just use it to view movies so i unchecked all the boxes on the left except dim unselected posters, and i unchecked the enhanced home screen.
after that close the configurator and launch media browser...you should be good to go. the coverart will download automatically. sometimes it may take a few seconds when the folder is first accessed to display the art etc...especially the first time.
i dont think i forgot anything...but im sure someone will point it out if i have lol.
hope that helps.
 
MediaBrowser Quickstart Guide

This basically sums up the initial screens to get Media Browser up and running.

Most important thing is to have your media files/folders structured correctly to get metadata working.

i.e.

Movies\Inception (2010)\movie.mkv

TV Shows\30 Rock\Season 1\S01E01.mkv

That's it.

I do recommend donating $10 to MediaBrowser for the extra plugins, and just to support this awesome program. CoverArt, MBTrailers, and Pearl Themes are worth it IMO.
 
tryhard said:
I do recommend donating $10 to MediaBrowser for the extra plugins, and just to support this awesome program. CoverArt, MBTrailers, and Pearl Themes are worth it IMO.
Click to expand...

Going to donate tonight! Definitely worth it and going towards a GREAT cause!

Rogue71 said:
hope that helps.
Click to expand...

Yesss, it did!!! Thanks sooo much!!

Also... DDR4040 and Anh N. -> will read both of those later tonight after work!

Thanks, guys!!
 
RavinDJ said:
So I have Windows Home Server with all DVDs and BluRays that are in my collection and then I have 2 HTPCs (1 in Living Room and 1 in Bed Room)

So, I'm under the impression that I'm supposed to install MediaBrowser on each HTPC? WHS won't let me install it.

So, what else do I need to do and install on either the WHS box or each HTPC so that my WMC7 (each HTPC is running Win7)

I'm sooo overwhelmed and I want to make sure that I do it only once and do it RIGHT.

I've been catching up on my reading in all the old threads, but I'm still confused :(

I just want it to look all pretty with nice poster images and backdrops :p
Do I use MetaBrowser? MyMovies? Something else?

I don't mind paying if the product is good and works nice.
Click to expand...
Media center master works great for automatic metadata, coverart and backdrops for mediabrowser. Can't recommend it highly enough. As long as your files are structured logically and named mostly right, it'll download everything automatically and even rename your folders and files the way you want (i.e. Title (year) I also recommend setting MPC-HC as an external player for .mkv's and such, since its much easier to get working with bitstreaming audio (with ffdshow) and subtitles than trying to go through WMC's built-in player

As mentioned above, GreenEyez thread over at AVSforum is amazing. Your first and last stop for all the basics of setting up WMC to look and act the way it should
 
Activate: AMD said:
Media center master works great for automatic metadata, coverart and backdrops for mediabrowser. Can't recommend it highly enough.
Click to expand...
Maybe it's just me but I hated Media Center Master. It screwed up a lot of him files; for example, even though they're all named properly (title season episode episode name) it still oddly tagged a few TV shows as movies and, hence, renamed the episodes screwing everything up.

For Firefly, it tagged it as Sparky The Firefly (1953) and retagged all 13 episodes as "Sparky The Firefly part 1, part 2, part 3, etc; all thirteen episodes.

It did this to several TV shows.

Now, Metabrowser has never screwed up any of my shows. That's what I use and what I suggest.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top