MS Windows Home Server

There’s a lot of chat at the moment (here and here) on how Windows Media Center users and those with Windows Home Server integrate both in their home setups. Their is currently no easy way of combining the best of both products unless you have the time available to do so.

Now things have got a whole lot easier with Recorded TV Manager, an Add-in for Windows Home Server designed specifically for Home Server networks that include one or more “Media Center” machines which record television programming for later viewing/time shifting.

Available from next week as a paid add-in for $24.95, it includes the following features:

• Collections – Collect series episodes automatically to the Home Server (or other location) and then watch them in original broadcast order on any Media Center computer on the network.
• AutoMove – Automatically move all new recordings on a specific Media Center computer to the Home Server (or other location).  Great for that old XP Media Center machine with the small hard drive!
• AutoDelete – Automatically delete duplicate recordings and previously watched episodes.  Overcomes some of the shortcomings of the Media Center scheduler.
• Runs 24/7 on the Home Server as a Windows Service Application. Fully configurable using the Recorded TV Manager tab in the Windows Home Server Console from any connected client machine on the Home Server network.

More info on Recorded TV Manager, help topics and a list of collection scenarios when using the collection Wizard are available.

NB: The Recorded TV Manager website is still being worked on and will not be LIVE until next week, but feel free to have a browse.