HTPC Customization (1 Viewer)

[eXDee]

Hey there,
Wondering what methods people are using to make their HTPC less PC like and more HT like.

I have set a bios splash and customized the XP loading screen to mediaportal ones from the downloads section, but then the login box appears (welcome screen disabled), flicks from Luna to Windows Classic (less resources?) and does the auto login. Then the desktop shows, and Mediaportal begins to load(and takes its sweet time). The Main screen appears, i'd rather it flick straight to My TV and start playing on channel 1.

So what's a good method of making it looks better? The login dialogs that show need to go, the desktop still shows too long while mediaportal loads. I've heard running MP as a shell (no idea how) isnt the best idea, however is there another way to start it pretty much ASAP after windows loads?

Willing to change my current customized XP loading screen to anything, as long as it looks more like a seamless loading, then TV appears.
OS is XP Pro SP3

 

[quake2rambo]

Some hints ...

The login dialogs that show need to go

> use MS-Powertoys to create your AutoLogin

the desktop still shows too long while mediaportal loads

> use the background of your MP-skin as your wallpaper in Windows and delete (supress) all Desktop-Links

(at first convert a copy of C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\skin\skinname\Media\background.png to jpg or bmp.)

 

[eXDee]

Cheers,
I already had auto login setup, but now i've removed the last icon (recycle bin) and made the background the same as my MP one. I also ticked all the boxes to copy all settings to the login screen, and this seems to work.

I fixed it flicking from Luna to windows classic with a registry hack, however i'd rather hide the login dialog completely, or perhaps customize it. http://lim.sohtell.se/ allows you to edit the login screen image which is pretty cool, though i'd need a decent image to use. Again hiding it would be preferred.

It would be nice if the auto hiding task bar didn't appear temporarily after login also.

Seems fussy, but i'm trying to make it look less PC like. Surely others want/have done this too?

 

[pilehave]

You can disable the login-screen by changing the the way users log-in in the ControlPanel -> Users dialog. As far as I remember, at least, as I'm currently using a Vista-machine to write this

 

[eXDee]

That would be the welcome screen. I have already set it to classic login, which is also set to auto login, but its the XP box that appears with "loading your personal settings" etc which ruins the look of things. Perhaps i'll customize it with the MP logo or something.
As i said, im trying to make it look like it isnt a PC.

 

[mcraenz]

You can set mediaportal as the shell so explorer doesn't load at all.

 

[eXDee]

I'm told doing that causes problems and isn't designed to do that? Also i'm unsure how.

 

[mcraenz]

I'm told doing that causes problems

I don't think MediaPortal would be dependant on explorer running. I've never had any issues, I used to do that under xp but I've not tried it under vista.
Of course if you exit MP then you don't have a shell but you can always spawn the taskmanager with ctrl-escape then launch explorer.

change xp shell - Google Search

 

[big_pu_666]

the way i did it: make your tv secondary display with extended desktop. this way you don't see bootskins, mouse, winlogon or logout, taskbar, icons ....
all sou see is few seconds of blue screen and windows desktop wallpaper.