Operating System Can Mediaportal run on Windows Embedded? (1 Viewer)

[zicoz]

Watching the latest episode of Windows Weekly, and there is alot of talk about Windows Embedded, where the latest version has just been released and is built "from" Windows 7. And Windows Media Center is supposed to be a part of it, something that opens up for stand alone WMC-devices.

What I'm wondering is if Mediaportal can run on Windows Embedded aswell, would be cool to have stand alone devices with Mediaportal.

 

[funkstar]

Whether is can or can't, one thing is for sure, it won't be a supported configuration

If WMC is in there then it sounds promising. It would be interesting to find a comparison list that tells you what all they removed from the full W7 to build the embeded version, and whether there was any sigificant changes to WMC to get it running.

I know users have had problems with XP systems and MP when they stripped the system back using XPLite (I also notice there is no VIstaLite or Win7Lite).

 

[zicoz]

Actually there is a Vista stripper valled Vlite.

vLite - Windows Vista configuration tool

 

[zicoz]

Ok, I just ran a test install of their "Set-top-box" settings, and what it does is boot up straight into Windows Media Center, and it seems that it's possible to remove/add alot of different stuff from Windows 7 to your "image", now if it's possible for us to create a set-top-box-image that launches MediaPortal instead of WMC it would be golden.

 

[Peter2]

Just out of curiosity: why would one use windows embedded?

 

[zicoz]

Well I'm hoping that one can create a better and more stable experiences using it by booting straight into Mediaportal without first loading the Windows 7 UI. Think of it as a set-top-box like the Popcorn Hour that's running a fully fledged Mediaportal client.

 

[gommer]

I'm interested in the idea too. But why would you use the set-top-box preset? Why don't you only select the core and let the dependency checker indicate anything and all that should be added?

About why anyone would want to install MP on WES7? i would do it because of the ease of building an (file based) image and reinstalling it afterwards. Or having it boot quicker with a smaller footprint. Or try to boot from flash with EWF enabled.

About skipping the win UI: My current MP boots with girder as the shell. Girder launches MP with the boot event (i think, it's been 2 years since installing). It's as simple as changing some registry entries. It's probably just as easy on Win7.

Kind regards, Marc

 

[zicoz]

I used the set-top-box preset just to see how it looked. I have never used Windows Embedded before and I can't seem to find any good beginner-info on the subject.

Are you using Windows XP on your HTPC? I know people used to remove the Windows UI with XP, but have not seen it done with Vista, and I also believe that Microsoft made it even stricter in Windows 7.

 

[tourettes]

Well I'm hoping that one can create a better and more stable experiences using it by booting straight into Mediaportal without first loading the Windows 7 UI. Think of it as a set-top-box like the Popcorn Hour that's running a fully fledged Mediaportal client.

Which is more unstable? MediaPortal or Windows 7? I bet my money on MP. It wont solve any stability issues to change the OS underneath (unless some bug is directly caused by the OS itself).

Actually you are most likely going to receive more unstable experience when you switch the OS to an "unsupported" one that no developer has ever used. Major part of the software quality comes from the big testing it received on specific setup. Windows 7 is common base for MP (among users and developers) where as Windows Embedded isn't.

 

[gommer]

I used the set-top-box preset just to see how it looked. I have never used Windows Embedded before and I can't seem to find any good beginner-info on the subject.

Are you using Windows XP on your HTPC? I know people used to remove the Windows UI with XP, but have not seen it done with Vista, and I also believe that Microsoft made it even stricter in Windows 7.

Yes, i'm using XP on my HTPC. The install dates from before even Vista was officially available. I'll be building a new machine which will run Windows 7 or WES7.

Actually, a full featured WES7 is the same as normal Win7. It has the added embedde possibilities such as HORM, EWF and the possibility to change the shell. If changing the shell is locked up in Win7, then that's one big advantage of WES7.

Marc