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[pfm555]

I have MC on three computers all on my home network. The issue i am having is the remote command to open MC. It works fine on the server but does not open the clients. They are connected by the access code to the server. All other commands work on the clients. i am using a MCE remote and it is set to that on both of the clients. Any help would be appreciated.

[Matt]

MCE remotes don't have a button to launch.  I don't think.

Instead, set MC to always be running by Options > Startup > Run on Windows startup

Then, push the green button even when MC is closed and it'll show.

[pfm555]

Thanks for the response Matt. I do have both MC/client computers set up to run MC on startup. The green button works on the server. The only difference is the server I have set to start server and mc. Since it works on the server is there any disadvantage to having the two MC/clients set to start server and mc as opposed to mc only?

[pfm555]

I thought I would post this for any new users like myself. My issue was that MC/client running on two computers on my home network  would not start with the remote (meaning pressing the green button on a media center remote).

I had to manually start MC by clicking on the icon with the mouse. I had "Media Center" only set to run on Windows startup in the tools>options>startup>Windows Startup menu.  My server computer which was set to start both media center and Media Server worked fine with the remote.

I set the client that same as the server and it now works perfectly. I don't know if this is the way that additional computers running MC on your home network should be set up but it does work.

It also solved a second issue. Again being new I thought the correct way to set up the additional  computers was to use the access key generated by the server when you enable "Use Media Network to share this library and enable DLNA under Media Network in the options menu. While this worked, there was a delay due to the access key and the username and password of the server computer being verified. Now with both clients set up to start both Media Center and Media Server there is no delay. It is instant on. In closing I don't know if there are any disadvantages to having it set up this way. I have not found any so far. Hopefully this helps.

[JimH]

You just need to run Media Server on Windows startup.

Thanks for posting what you found.

[pfm555]

Thanks Jim

[pfm555]

Jim,
I set the options menu to start the "media server" only like you recommended. While it does respond to the remote command, it does not let MC start up in theater mode. I have MC set to open in theater mode in the options>startup>startup interface>mode>theater view. Is this a glitch or is it by design that if "media center" is not set to run on windows startup that the software ignores the startup interface selection because media center has not been started? If it is by design then the simple solution for me would to keep both set to run on startup. thanks again.

[JimH]

Are you using the Green Button to start?

[pfm555]

In all fairness i believe i am using the green button command. I am using a logitech universal remote and the windows media center database that it uses, the command is titled media. For all intent and purpose it does what the green button does whether it is the exact same i am not sure.

[RoderickGI]

In all fairness i believe i am using the green button command. I am using a logitech universal remote and the windows media center database that it uses, the command is titled media. For all intent and purpose it does what the green button does whether it is the exact same i am not sure.

Are you using the Logitech "MC HTPC SE" Device type, with its extended command set?

That is what I am using, and I also use the "Media" command from that set. It appears to function exactly the same as the Green button on the standard MCE remote I have.

The Logitech standard MCE command set, "Media Center PC" has a command called "MediaCenter" which I just tested and confirmed that it also works the same as the Green Button.

Note that when I say Green Button, I mean the large green button with the Windows logo on it, not the smaller button in the Red/Green/Yellow/Blue set.

As to the original question, I have both the server and client start with Windows. If I shut down the client and press the Green Button, or the Media button, MC starts in Theatre View.

If I navigate to the TV Guide and start a program, each press of the Green Button or the Media button toggles between the program playing, the Guide, and the MC Theatre View menu.

If I stop the Media Centre process in the Windows Task Manager then the Green Button does nothing, although the Windows mouse pointer flashes showing that Windows receives the command. I don't even need to stop the Media Centre service to stop the Green Button working.

If I change MC to only start the Media Server with Windows, the Media Centre process and the Media Centre service show as started in the Windows Task Manager, and the Green Button launches Media Centre, starting in Theatre View. It doesn't seem to respect the startup location in Theatre View though, always starting at the top level menu, even though I have it set to "Video".

Just check. Do you have the Option > Theatre View > Disable Windows Media Center ticked? If not WMC could be interfering with the remote commands when MC isn't already running.

Note that I am currently still using MC version 19.0.158.

[pfm555]

Are you using the Logitech "MC HTPC SE" Device type, with its extended command?

Yes

If I change MC to only start the Media Server with Windows, the Media Centre process and the Media Centre service show as started in the Windows Task Manager, and the Green Button launches Media Centre, starting in Theatre View. It doesn't seem to respect the startup location in Theatre View though, always starting at the top level menu, even though I have it set to "Video".

Thanks for the confirmation. I am fine now that I know how it works. My main issue, being able to stat MC with the remote was solved with setting media server to start. Having MC start when the computer restarts is very minor and if I want it to I can just set both MC and MS to start.


Just check. Do you have the Option > Theatre View > Disable Windows Media Center ticked? If not WMC could be interfering with the remote commands when MC isn't already running.

I just did a clean install of windows 8.1 on my computers and did not reinstall media center. I would like to reinstall media center in order to use my Ceton again. The number of issues and unreliability I have had with the Ceton and or cable card have basically driven me to use the Verizon Fios box to view and record.

Thanks.