Using Media Center after installing Media Portal (1 Viewer)

[koesterkm]

I currently have Windows 7, on a computer not needing to upgrade to 10, but my Media Center has been having issues since 7/.20/15. Without adequate help from Microsoft, I'd like to start using Media Portal instead. However, I have many recordings in Media Center that are still unwatched.
I think I read somewhere that Media Portal will disable Media Center, at least to a certain extent. I need to know if, when I install Media Portal and set it up to start recording, will my old recordings still be accessible and viewable in Media Center?
Thanks for any answer, Kevin

 

[CyberSimian]

I have many recordings in Media Center that are still unwatched.

MediaPortal can play WTV and DVR-MS files directly; you don't need to convert them to something else. However, I think that it is the case that you won't see any metadata for them. The metadata is embedded in the file, and not understood by MP. When I migrated from WMC to MP (a year ago), I wrote a program to extract the metadata from my DVR-MS files and create the XML files that MP uses.

I think I read somewhere that Media Portal will disable Media Center,

You can choose whether you want to disable WMC. If you choose to leave WMC enabled:

(1) MP and WMC cannot use the same tuner at the same time. You can avoid problems by allocating each media center different tuners, e.g. if you have four tuners, allocate tuners A and B to MP, and tuners C and D to WMC. Alternatively, record only with MP; make no more recordings with WMC.

(2) MP can be configured to use the WMC remote control, including starting MP from the desktop. But if WMC is still enabled, WMC will start too (and not only with the START button -- other buttons start WMC as well, e,g, the GUIDE button). So trying to use a remote may become a bit confusing.

Currently there are two versions of MP: version 1 is the stable version that the majority of people use; version 2 is less complete, and still being extensively developed. Choose whichever you prefer, but I would suggest starting with MP1. Once you have that working, you could try MP2 if you wanted.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[kiwijunglist]

Good advice, although MP2 is being extensively developed, It is already more stable than MP1.

MP2 has been designed to be easier to use and setup than MP1.

 

[CyberSimian]

I have many recordings in Media Center that are still unwatched

I see from the following thread that MP2 does now extract the metadata from WTV and DVR-MS files, for display in MP. This may possibly influence your choice between MP1 and MP2!

https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threads/add-mce-recording-support-to-mp2-wtv-dvr-ms.131082/

-- from CyberSimian in the UK