Those that read this blog know I'm a fan of my Data Robotics Drobo for storage and backup of all my music/videos/photos/documents etc.  But with my wife now toting her own laptop and my older son asking to spend more time in front of the computer, IT support needs in our home are expanding.  Spending a few hours rebuilding a laptop just doesn't have the new car smell it used to. 

I've been a fan, but not a user of Windows Home Server for a while now, mainly for lack of a Media Center solution. Instead my quad-core desktop runs all the time.  The thought of another PC running or having to transfer all of my content from my 2GB Drobo is daunting at best. Michael Gartenberg's opinion of the new HP MediaSmart EX485/487 over at MediaBistro.com has me rethinking this pain.

Points for Windows Home Server

• Automated backup on all my Windows PCs
• SkyDrive and Cloud storage and drive mounting
• Remote access (easily) via easy to remember domain name
• Vista Caller ID add-in
• No $129 startup + $49/year cost for Firmware updates like DroboCare requires
• Extendable past 4 drives via eSATA
• Robust application development and enthusiast community
• Mac TimeMachine support & iTunes
• Hack to stream Zune directly from WHS

Points for Drobo

• Fast USB file transfer (and 1394 on some units) from my desktop system for large HD videos.  With WHS it will have to run over the home network.
• No issues with CableCard-based Windows Media Center setup or My Movies 2 client.
• Little interesting or compelling add-ons when connected to a PC

So my main issues become speed of transfers and transcoding/connectivity to Xbox 360s as extender devices (via DLNA or Media Center).  I have all this working well with TVersity and Vista Media Center/Extenders.  Do I really want to risk breaking it?

It looks like the HP MediaSmart EX487 would be the right solution for my needs.  If I do make the switch, I'll post about my experiences migrating from Drobo.

Last week, I got two emails from readers asking if there was a way to get the old Yule Log Visualization for Windows Media Player running in Vista.  Originally released  as a part of the Windows Media Bonus Pack for Windows XP, in 2001 I hired Frog Design to re-create the classic Yule Log that so many of us enjoyed during the holidays on TV.  The problem is the installer hasn't been updated to support later Windows operating systems.  So today I'm happy to  unofficially release an updated stand-alone installer that works with Vista including 32 and 64-bit.

Download:

After installing, just go to Now Playing>Visualizations>Yule Log and fire up your music (sorry I couldn't resist).  If you want to tweak the effect, choose "Options", then select the Yule Log Visualization and click the Properties button.  You'll find a slider for sensitivity.

If you like the visualization, please donate a few dollars to your favorite charity.  Given the wintry weather, I'm also working to track down the original holiday skins and AutoPlaylists for WMP which I may also package up if there's interest.

Happy Holidays from our family to yours!

As those who have read my ramblings here know, I'm always looking for the perfect holiday mix.  This year, it's been easier thanks to two services I've been playing with: Zune Marketplace and Pandora. 

Tip#1: Find Great Holiday Music on Zune

Zune Marketplace serves up a broad range of musical suggestions, but if you click on the "more" option under Genres, you'll find the latest programming for the holidays.  Select, "Seasonal" and you'll find some great playlists - Christmas Classics and Holiday Cocktails are two of my favorite playlists.

Don't have Zune?  It's a great time to take advantage of the two weeks free offer or you can sample the catalog for ideas on Zune.net.

Tip #2: Serve up Pandora's Holiday Stations

A tip of the hat to the Pandora team for sharing some tips for creating Holiday stations on Pandora! Just start by entering the name of a holiday song you like. To create a station based on an artist who performs holiday music, enter their name, followed by the word 'holiday' (for example, 'Ray Charles Holiday').  

•         Classical Christmas    Listen Now
•         Rockin' Holidays         Listen Now
•         Swingin' Christmas    Listen Now
•         Jazz Holidays             Listen Now
•         Country Christmas     Listen Now

Having spent the majority of this weekend boxing up our house for our move, I can attest that these work great on Pandora on Sonos as well. (Note: Pandora also now powers MSN Radio here.) 

And don't forget last year's Holiday Trivia Picture pack - great to put as a slideshow on your TV or Digital Picture frame during holiday parties. Happy holidays all!

I just discovered these gems on Channel 10 - upload plug-ins for Facebook and YouTube coming to Windows Live Photo Gallery.  I've often wondered where the rest of the upload wizards are.  Now, can we just get one plug-in that handles upload to multiple services at the same time?

• Download LiveUpload for Facebook (Beta)
• Download LiveUpload for YouTube (Beta)

More Zune news trickles out. Customers spoke and Zune listened.  The people said

"We want all you can eat music, but let us keep the ones we like." 

"Oh and make sure the songs are MP3s"

"P.S. Make sure the music doesn't suck. Make the MP3 library a part of the offer"

So now as a Zune Pass subscriber you can download from millions of tracks, and you can keep 10 songs a month as MP3s in your permanent collection for $14.99/mo.  Even if you don't like the subscription model, this is still a pretty sweet deal.  I know my Zunes and other devices will be happy during the holidays.

Hot on the heels of releasing the Zune 3.0 release in September, the Zune team went into full swing this week for the holiday season:

• Starting with a new Zune TV spot during Monday night's episode of Heroes.  The ad is funky and features crossover DJ/Artist Common and featuring the Mixview feature I'm officially addicted to for exploring new artists.  Apparently we'll be seeing the ad during NFL games, and a lot of playtime on MTV networks.
• Then came the Zune 3.1 update on Tuesday.  Three new games: Checkers, Sudoku, and Space Battle add some WiFi-multiplayer action as well as updates to Zune Social, and rounding off some edges in the software and firmware
• And lastly, a Zune price drop for US and Canada (the current markets for Zune). Flash-based devices and accessories dropped for the 4GB from $129.99 to $99.99, and 8GB from $149.99 to $139.99. Additional details on accessory price drops can be found on Cesar's Zune Insider Blog here.  You should find the new prices at ZuneOriginals.net and major retailers.

If you've been wondering what Zune is all about, my recommendation is to download Zune and take advantage of the free trial period. Remember there's a large library of DRM-free MP3s waiting inside if you prefer to go the non-subscription route.  If you like what you see, the rest is up to you and your wish list. :)  As always you can make fun of browse my music collection with ZuneTag: Vhyper.

Last night, Microsoft unveiled the official Microsoft Store online in the US, offering direct purchase of Microsoft products online, including the largest library of Microsoft digital downloads.  Additional countries will be coming soon including UK, Germany, Korea, Japan, France, Spain, and the Netherlands.

If you're looking for an Xbox 360 or accessories for the holidays, Microsoft published games like Gears of War 2, Lips, or Zune devices and accessories, this is a great place to start.   With Xbox 360 bundles starting at $199, there are some good deals to be found.

Tip of the hat to Brandon LeBlanc at the Windows Experience

There are a few essentials my wife has in her purse and/or diaper bag - wallet, snacks for kids, emergency juice box, and a Flip Mino video camcorder. It's so fast and easy to use for the first time she's taking home videos on a pretty regular basis (vs never before). We have a great Canon HV20 that shoots 720p video but I'm the only one that seems to use it.

I've been on an HD kick, shooting all our home video on the Canon when I can think of it, but it turns out a lot of our video is now shot on the Mino.  This grates on my nerves because the quality has been so poor compared to the Canon.  Enter the new Flip MinoHD announced just today.  For $180, only $50 more than the original Mino, you get 1280x720 (720p) video in a tiny package that fits in any bag.  The Mossberg Solution wasn't so keen on the companion software and there's few details so far other than it records in MPEG4.  There's also no optical zoom on the camera which is disappointing but for capturing those quick moments, this looks to be a winner with fewer compromises in video quality.  I'll post more with videos over the weekend after I've had a chance to put one through its paces.

Read more at The Mossberg Solution

My old buddy Charlie Owen has posted an outstanding overview of Windows Media Center in Windows 7.  This oft-overlooked feature is getting a number of refinements. While PDC is focused on developers, there is a lot of goodness happening here.  A few of my favorites:

• Turbo Scroll- an essential for those of us with large libraries
• Refined Album Art Presentation
• A great new Now Playing view with animated album art
• Shared Libraries - yep, that's right - navigate Photos, Music, Video and even Recorded TV stored on other computers in your Home Group
• Pictures with Ambient Slideshows and Ratings - more needed refinement
• The Slideshow Creator - Now just give me the ability to order the photos to tell a story.
• For Video, H.264 playback out of the box.  Yes, you heard that right.  Even on Media Center Extenders.
• Bookmarking for videos so you can return to where you left off.
• HD Pivot in the Movies Guide

Kudos to the Media Center team.  Apparently I need to start testing again.  Time to dust off my old(er) PC for some Windows 7 goodness.  Beta can't come fast enough.

My favorite home audio solution just got a little sweeter and just in time for the holidays.  On top of over 15,000 radio stations being added, Sonos now has Pandora and Last.FM support for FREE. When Pandora support was added last year, it carried a monthly fee after an evaluation period, leading many customers (including myself) to evaluate and discontinue in favor of our own music libraries. Now with the support of arguably the two largest "free" personal music services, Sonos ups their game.

But it gets even better with support for Sonos Controller for iPhone and iPod Touch.   Let's admit it, the Sonos Controller first introduced in 2005 is getting a little long in the tooth.  While it continues to be best of breed, the lower-resolution display and large form factor just don't add up as well in today's marketplace.  While no less than four 3rd party solutions hit the market a short while ago, this natively supported application is a great addition for consumers who have an iPhone or iPod with WiFi support.  It also effectively drops the entry price for Sonos to about $350 for customers who already own a Sonos unit.  The application is also free, adding new value to their customers.  Check out the video for even more.  In a tough economic time when many companies are looking for any way to improve their bottom line by charging for updates and service packs, it's nice to see companies such as Sonos continue to innovate and add value for free.  Their higher price tag certainly looks better when you factor in the free updates.  Now how about support for Zune playlists? ;)

More here

Today, NetFlix announced that they have begun deployment of their new player to their customers, incorporating dynamic streaming for DVD-style fast-forward and rewind over the Web. This is a big shot in the arm for Silverlight 2, and hot on the heels of the overwhelmingly successful NBC Olympics coverage in Silverlight 2 beta.

It's hard to believe it was 18 months ago at the Microsoft MIX conference that Netflix first demonstrated their instant streaming application on-stage. One of the top features of this Netflix player was the ability to view movies on Mac and PC, and have a richer viewing experience. I'm very excited to see this happen as it brings one of my favorite Silverlight projects full circle.

When we first approached NetFlix, we had an idea for the player. I quickly wrote a two-page speclet describing the functionality.  For fun, I codenamed the project, "Big Red".  The concept was approved by Netflix and one of our top design partners refined and built the prototype in less than six weeks. Many didn't think the app would be done in time to see the stage in time at MIX, and others didn't think it would ever get released. I'd prefer to think this proves that good things come to those who wait, not to mention a ton of better instant watch content thanks to deals with Starz, The Disney Channel and others providers.  Combined with the new Xbox experience with NetFlix coming soon, it's going to be a NetFlix-powered holidays around the Alexander household.

Congratulations to the Netflix and the Silverlight teams.

This weekend I spent some time assembling new playlists with Zune 3.0 for an upcoming trip.  I was visiting a # of websites to look at playlists (e.g. XMFans.com) and an annoyance was the number of steps required to copy/paste between the browser and Zune.  So I wrote an Internet Explorer 8 Accelerator to help simplify and reduce the amount of copy/paste actions.  According to the IE8 website, "Accelerators let you efficiently complete your everyday browsing activities like mapping directions, translating words, emailing your friends, and more in just a few mouse clicks."  In building the accelerator, I discovered a wealth of detail available in Zune Marketplace on the web - you can sample music, read artists bios, browse charts, comments, similar artists and more.  

Install Zune Accelerator for IE8 (Beta 2)

To activate the accelerator, highlight the text on a page (Left Click+Drag).  You'll see the new accelerator icon (in blue in image to right).  When you click on this, it will launch the accelerator window.

I'm sure there are better ways to do this, but it was fun and useful enough for my needs.  Other Zune accelerators tend to break out accelerators by Artist, Song, etc. instead of aggregating into one.  Maybe I'll try and build an IE8 Web Slice for Zune Social next.   More details on writing IE8 Accelerators is available here.

For more accelerators, check out the IE8 Accelerator Gallery

They say you can never time the real-estate market.  In June we took our house off the market in order to focus on family events - namely three birthdays, eleven out of town guests, a baptism, and an anniversary all in July.  Then our friends across the street put their house on the market and we certainly didn't want to compete with them and figured we'd wait another year or so.  Now we're putting our house back on the market knowing with the amount of inventory it may be spring before we find a buyer and are comfortable with that.  This has been a hard decision again the second time around due to our close friendships in the neighborhood, but I'm confident they can weather our move. We're not that important, nor going that far :). 

Here's the listing if you know anyone interested: MLS 28156335.   Priced reasonably at $500,000 and includes over $30,000 in documented upgrades. 1yo Hot tub, Stainless Grill and outdoor speakers stay.

Stunning Swiftwater craftsman w/ thousands in upgrades. Charming & inviting w/ radiused corners, vaulted ceilings & painted doors & millwork. Custom window treatments. Warm wood cabinets, slab granite counters & stainless appliances grace the kitchen. Family rm wired for home theater. Bright & sunny 5-piece master bath. Cul-de-sac, professionally landscaped private 1/2 acre lot w/ garden space, fruit trees, shed, play equipment & privacy fence. Large patio w/ ext speakers & hot tub. Much more!

As for where we're moving, we're staying in the area and are watching two neighborhoods but won't do anything until our house sells.  We're considering using RedFin as our buying agent given the 2/3 commission back. We know where we want to move and over 130 Microsoft employees have used them so far.  We could really use the money to keep expenses in check should any move happen.  Our goal is to move to location with more interior space - we don't need as much land as we have now though I'm apprehensive about losing the peace and tranquility.  We're looking in a few areas, ideally with just under 1/4 acre.

Ahh yes, Olympics frenzy is upon us.  The time when countries cheer on their athletes in games of sport and goodwill.  It's also a time when companies cheer on their contributions to the Olympic efforts and services available to keep tabs on the event which is lining up to be the largest streamed event in history.  Since we're Addicted to Digital Media around here, it wouldn't be the Olympics without a roundup of the ways you can keep tabs and this year it's much cooler - with thousands of hours of content available in HD streaming on the Web for Windows and Mac users, perhaps for just a few weeks we'll see some peace and harmony.  Unfortunately for my friends outside the US, these services are specific to the USA so apologies. 

So, here's the roundup:

1.  Olympics Tracker in the new MSN Toolbar

What: This isn't your old MSN Toolbar.  Generally I cringe at installing any toolbar app into my browser, but this new version is both functional and visually slick in part thanks to being built with Microsoft Silverlight.  You'll find an Olympics button that presents the latest medal count, photos, video and sport-specific news right from the comfort of your web browser. The button even glows when updates happen to notify you in a polite way.  Alternately, Live Search is optimizing search results to include latest stats, news, and medal counts.  Details available here.

How to get it: Visit www.newmsntoolbar.com and download the free toolbar.

2.  Live and HD On-demand Events on NBCOlympics.com

What: So you forgot to set your DVR to record that amazing football game, or want to watch live coverage but it's not being broadcast on the myriad of NBC/Universal TV stations?  Have no fear - NBC and Microsoft Silverlight are bringing over 1000 hours of live and on-demand Olympics coverage to your PC or Mac.  On-demand coverage will use a brand-new adaptive streaming technology capable of true HD-quality video over the Web - no stopping and buffering either, the technology automatically adjusts video quality to available bandwidth.  Live events are presented using the Emmy-award winning Windows Media technologies.  Be sure to check out the enhanced player - in the Control room you can stream up to four events - at the same time! 

How to get it: Visit www.nbcolympics.com/video and check out the new player.  Note: Silverlight is a required installation for the experience.

3.  Windows Media Center on Windows Vista Premium & Ultimate

What: If you have a Windows Vista Premium or Ultimate PC, you can watch NBC Olympics On the Go in Windows Media Center, an Internet-delivered catch-up TV service from NBC Universal powered by Wavexpress’ TVTonic platform, no TV-tuner required. This free download-and-play service differentiates Windows Media Center as the platform with the highest-quality Internet-delivered Olympics experience in the USA. No word yet on whether this works via Extender - I will have to try it later.

With NBC Olympics On the Go in Windows Media Center, you will get:

• NBC Sports’ complete on-air HDTV coverage of the Beijing Olympics on the NBC, USA and Universal networks – even when you don’t have a TV tuner for your Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate PC
• 225 hrs of long-form Olympics video over 17 days
• 24 sports, full opening ceremony, and a closing ceremony montage
• Up to HD quality, with the vast majority of the video delivered in 840x480 progressive scan resolution at 1.5 Mbps bit rate, plus several events per day delivered in 1080i resolution

How to get it: Click here for details or here for the TVTonic app  Note: for 64-bit Windows users, hang tight- there's an update going through certification that should provide support before the games actually begin. 

There are a host of other ways to get the Olympic experience as well. Google has a summer games page and mobile page and I'm sure to have missed some others.  Tell us what you think- how will you be watching the Olympics?

A few weeks ago I got a call from the good folks at Sonos asking if I would be interested in reviewing their latest under embargo.  No problemo I explained.  Subsequently I had the good fortune to receive a ZP90 and ZP120 for testing.  I had recently written about the frustration I had during a block party that my ZP100 was too far for reliable control from our front yard, resulting in some strange body movements to get it to pick up.  The new ZP120 and ZP90 units use MIMO wireless technology and "SonosNet 2.0" to up to double the reception range and I can affirm that this is a definite help- block partygoers will be pleased.  The changes also benefit the controller which sadly, hasn't been updated.  Another benefit though is the update to the Sonos software, which now supports music collections with up to 65,000 tracks, and $200 in free music offers.

The ZP120 is a much smaller (and cooler temp) package than the ZP100, and I'll be posting a video review over the weekend comparing the two.  Between changes to the power amp and losing the 10/100 Ethernet hub (you get two ports, one in, one passthru).  I would have liked to have seen at least one extra Ethernet port since my ZP100 doubles as an ethernet hub in my home entertainment system. The overall size is only 7.3in wide by 8.15in deep, a definite improvement and the sound is so good, I would recommend a Sonos to any music enthusiast who A) Loves to entertain and B)Has $499 to burn on the ZP120, or $999 for the bundle including the diminutive ZP90 and ZP120.  More over the weekend.