I will try to make this brief and include only the details that are relevant.
I have a collection of .JPG files and .BMP files I want to display in the Image Window of the Playing Now screen while playing my MP3’s. Here is what I have found. If I have a music playlist active and drag a playlist consisting of all my cover art into the Image window everything behaves as expected. The music Playing Now window does not have the cover art added to the track list, they display in the Image window and all is fine.
I created a folder with .JPG image in them sent them to a Playlist called Boats. This particular playlist only has about 63 images in it and is about 4.5MB. I am able to drag this folder to the Images window and it plays fine in the Image Window. Right clicking and selecting Play on this Playlist works as well, goes to Image Window and not the Playlist of Playing Now.
As a test I created a Playlist called CoverArt consisting of all album cover art. There are over 1,000 files inside this and about 54MB. Dragging this folder to the Image Window it displays fine and does not add to the Playing Now list. All is fine there. Alternatively I can right click the Playlist CoverArt and say Play, goes to the image window and not the playing now list.
A second folder called Boats_1 has around 400 images in its Playlist. When I drag this Playlist to the Image Window it adds the tracks to the Playlist of Playing Now and shows with the music tracks but does not display the images until they come up in the Playing Now playlist.
I can select them from the Playing Now window and drag them to the Image window and they will play.
I have found a workaround. If I tag the Images as Boats and Boats_1 then go to Images,
Year/Genre/Comment and right click the Genre Boats_1 and right click Play they go to the Images Window and not the playlist of Playing now.
I have checked all files in the folders and they are all .JPG or BMP files. I have tried selecting only the smaller size ones and the behavior is the same.
Media Center 10.0.173 W2K. Am I hitting a number of files limit? If so why does my cover art directory play when it is larger? I am puzzled.