Vista Media centre Vs Media Portal

[Slinkie]

Hi Folks,

I have a HTPC in my lounge that I use to do the following

Play DVDs / Blu rays
Play ripped DVDs
Play and record TV with a dual tuner card
Listen to music.

I am currently using Vista media centre (Vista home premium 64) at the moment it is great at all of the above (power dvd 9 is inegrated for my Blu rays).

However, I have the way VMC looks which is why Media Portal appeals to me since you can customise it a lot easier.

However, I have given Media Portal a go and can't get on with it at all. It just doesn't seem as easy to use as VMC.

What I want to know is if anyone has any pros or cons to both? Should I stick with VMC and just put up with it's looks in favour of the good funcrionality or should I give Media Portal another go but with some advise on how to set it up and use it to get the best out of it.

Please note I have tried Windows 7 media centre but it kept crashing on me so I have gone back to Vista. I have an upgrade voucher for windows 7 when it is finally released but I might use that on my gaming PC which is also running Vista Home premium 64bit.

 

[Yeggstry]

I would wait until you get hold of the RTM of Windows 7 and try again with the media center. They fixed a few bugs in it from the beta to the RTM, including one which I am waiting on (dual tuner issue).

I've tried Mediaportal as well, and I didn't get on with it either. The amount of configuration you have to do may be useful for some people, but I just want to set it to scan then for it to work.

 

[BeeP]

VMC with mediabrowser for playing movies, it looks pretty good if you ask me.

 

[Banzai_Joe]

Gotta say, my htpc has a dvb-c card in it, so i have to use media portal as vmce doesn't recognise dvb-c cards.
If i were you, stick with vmce. I have MP working as i want it and i love the gui, but vmce is pretty good tbh.
Win 7 mc is good too.