DirecTV HR-20 Windows Media Connect Media Client
It looks like DirecTV have been rolling out updates to it’s receivers. Charlie Kindel part of the Windows Home Server Team has posted over on the Windows Home Server Blog that when plugging his home network ethernet cable into the port on the back of his DirecTV HR-20 “HD DVR” set top box he noticed a new menu item in the set top box UI which he had not seen before entitled “Music & Photos”.
He says that he clicked and a screen popped up saying that Intel and DirecTV had collaborated on this and it could connect to a PC etc, and that it was a beta.
The onscreen menu listed:
My Computers
SERVER: 1
This was his Windows Home Server, which meant that the DirecTV set top box was a Windows Media Connect media client.
He says that upon clicking on “SERVER: 1”, that it took him to a menu system that let him listen to and play all his music and view all his photos just as he could on his XBox360 and his Roku SoundBridge, but in even more places in his house.
It just worked said Charlie.
UPDATE: I have been informed that this update has been available since December 2006 and is available on the HR20 & HR21. The new H21’s have a network port, but they are not currently active.
Thanks to Robert Stinnett for bringing this to our attention.
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I’m not all surprised. Many devices can connect & access content from a UPNP capable NAS device. WHS is not unique here. In future release of WHS and Media Connect, I’d like WHS to provide…
1. Search Engine for Media Connect devices. I think search capabilities become more relevant as your media libraries grow.
2. Live SkyDrive Access for Media Connect devices. Essentially allow Live SkyDrive to look like a normal WHS share. For example, perhaps my brother wants to share some family photos. If he posts them up on SkyDrive. If I configure WHS appropriately, I should be able to have my Media Connect devices view those photos.
3. Media Library Organization Tools
Hi JohnCz,
Thanks for your comment. Nice list, It may be a good idea if you haven’t already to post this as a susgestion on the connect site.
This is great! I just started working on my home network and got a Windows notification asking if I wanted to allow DirecTV to access my files. I’m very excited to get this working. Thanks for confirming what I was hoping.