Configure MediaPortal (2 Viewers)

[bigl]

I have a new "Media PC" Built Round and ACER Aspire L3600. It is a custom built "Media Centre" with almost no documentation running Vista Home Premium.

I have downloaded MediaPortal0 2 3 0 and installed it

According to the documentation there is a Configuration wizard that runs the first time media portal set up is run. However such a wizard did not run and instead I got the configuration interface which does not do the searches indicated. So the documentation says
“If we run the Setup again at a later moment, we will be presented with a more advanced configuration interface. If, for whatever reason, you need to have the wizard again at a later time, then you need to rename or delete the MediaPortal.xml file in your MediaPortal folder.”

However there is no MediaPortal.xml file just a MediaPortalDirs.xml file.

I have uninstalled Media Portal several times and reinstalled it. Carried out some searches on this Forum and found no similar problems suggesting that I have done something really stupid. Any help would be appreciated

 

[steven83]

search on the whole harddisk for this file. i can't remember where this file was on a vista pc but it was somewhere out (not in the mediaportal directory it self)

 

[ronilse]

Hi,
MediaPortal.xml it's in "C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal" on vista comps.

Regards
Roy

 

[bigl]

Thanks steven83

I suspect that you are right but cannot find it. Perhaps it is "hidden" in the users directory. The settings for my weather seem to be protected even when I uninstall the program.

Curious and Curiouser - the folder C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal exists but does not have the MediaPortal.xml file - Do you think that I have a corrupt install file?

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

This is a hidden system file, found at c\programdata\team mediaportal\mediaportal.

the wizard is not really the best way to configure MP, while MP config is, try not to change too many default settings, until you are comfortable doing so.

Yes you may have a corrupt install, personally turn off UAC.

 

[ronilse]

Hi,
bigl, the wizard it's disabled because of bugs, if you need to setup things just run MP Configuration. In configuration you can add folders under My Videos, My Music, My Pictures & in Television -> Capture Cards & edit your card & hit scan for finding channels.
Btw, if you copy %ProgramData%\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal to the run command the folder should open correct.

Regards
Roy

 

[bigl]

Thanks Very much to you and Roy (Ronilse)

I suspect that Part of the problem is that I am a complete newbie at VISTA (and 'ate it with passion) and I am uncertain if I am logging on as administrator or as a "default ordinary user"

I suspect that I should set up a new user "idot" and log on as "idot"

OK I have downloaded Media Portal again and was not sure what UAC is but googled it and found that it meant User Account Control as in the linkhttp://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista/en/library/0d75f774-8514-4c9e-ac08-4c21f5c6c2d91033.mspx?mfr=true.

I see that even after I have uninstalled MediaPortal the files are all still there. OK I will delete all the files and restart and then reinstall with UAC off and then have a think what I am doing

Thanks for all of your help I have leant a little and am very greatful for the pointers

 

[bigboss97]

I just bought the same machine from Bing Lee yesterday. I've been using MP on XP until silent night when my PC went silent. If the new PC doesn't provide MediaCentre I guess that I have to go through the same thing as you. So, please report all your findings here.

btw, I read that there's no restore CD included. Did you take a disk image before you experiment with MP?

thanks
Phuoc Can HUA

I see that even after I have uninstalled MediaPortal the files are all still there. OK I will delete all the files and restart and then reinstall with UAC off and then have a think what I am doing

Thanks for all of your help I have leant a little and am very greatful for the pointers

 

[bigl]

First of all I want to thank every one who commented.

I bought my machine from Harvey Norman and they have been very helpful

I have tried adding a new user and found that this was a waste of time. However I did download and run filmerit_30en and found no Codecc errors.

SO then I un-installed MediaPortal and turned off UCP (in user of control center
Reinstalled MediaPortal (and found that this time all previous configuration data had been removed.
Used the MediaPortal Configuration to set my weather cities, my pictures folder, my music folders and the remote.

I cannot access the TV channels yet – possibly due to the region that I live in (I am checking this out still)

I have just tested the picture, music weather and played the DVD –

Running “Play DVD” with the “Opera Australia” Pinafore gave a great performance. This was very good but running “The Valet” a DVD that I bought overseas on a recent working trip to Europe) showed that the drive is a region locked RPC2 drive (MATSHITA DVD-RAM UJ-85JS vF100).

So MediaPortal worked very well at least as well as the Windows Media Center (THANKS to you guys) but I still unsure if I got the best computer.

 

[bigboss97]

It's my first day with my Acer L3600. I found that MS Media Centre is already on board. So, I tried to configure it first and then decide whether I want to go back to MP. I've the DTV working. The only problem is that I can't get my remote working. There's an IR sensor with the cable. But I just can't find where I can connect it. I thought it's supposed to be built-in. Any idea?

The best? I guess not, because I've seen this in the shop for few months already. As we all know the "best" can only last for few months for a computer. But I think the look is still one of the best. At least it can impress most of your friends. Not many people have seen that kind of desktop before

So MediaPortal worked very well at least as well as the Windows Media Center (THANKS to you guys) but I still unsure if I got the best computer.