dvd volume level too low when watching through extender or media center

When I stream a movie from the Vista MCE to xbox 360, or watch it through Webguide, the volume level is much lower. This can create unfortunate situations where you switch back to TV or your computer makes a sound, and it is way too loud because you turn your volume up to hear the movie.

For audio encoding I am using AC3 Filter. I asked Doug Berret at Webguide about this and he suggested checking the settings in the AC3Filter.

I started by updating my version of AC3Filter on the Vista MCE.
AC3Filter webpage

Here are the instructions for using AC3Filter with Media Center
Instructions obtained from: http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/219065.aspx

Download and Install AC3Filter
Download DSFMgr.exe (Direct Show Filter Manager - Google it)
In DSFMgr look up the CLSID for AC3Filter and copy it to the clipboard
Open Regedit and browse to:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Media Center\Decoder
Paste the CLSID you copied into the PreferredMPEG2AudioDecoderCLSID property in the registry (double click the PreferredMPEG2... label name and there you can paste the CLSID)
Open up AC3Filter config from the start menu as an Administrator (right click it and start as Admin) go to the system tab and set the filter merit to 'Use AC3Filter' instead of prefer other decoder.

On the AC3Filter config utility, click the Main tab. Increase the Master slider under Gain. You may also want to enable DRC (Dynamic Range Compression) and increase it using the slider.

To understand what this does please read: http://ac3filter.net/guides/dynamic_range_compression

A big consideration here is not creating problems by increasing these levels too much. If you do you will get clipping and clicking during loud sounds. On the AC3Filter website you can read all about this and make your own judgement on how to best do this.

In the instructions linked above, the author describes having a movie going and having the AC3Filter tool up so that you can see the levels and adjust accordingly. To do this, open AC3Filter Config Utility, click the System tab, put a checkmark next to 'Show Tray Icon'. Now, if you are using media center, when you open media center, in the upper right click the middle icon
to display media center windowed. Start a movie. On the systray click the icon for AC3Filter. You can now see the input and output levels and adjust accordingly.

So far I have increased both levels to about +12db. This seems to have helped. Now when I run a movie using webguide on my xbox 360, the sound is about the same as when watching tv, without having to adjust the amplifier.

Also if you are installing AC3filter for the first time and use Webguide you may need to run the webguide configuration tool and tell webguide to use the AC3Filter.

Guitar Hero 3 guitar problems

We have the wireless guitar that came with Guitar Hero 3. There is an issue when playing RED and YELLOW notes together. When R and Y are pressed, strums trigger GREEN, so you cannot play RED YELLOW notes. But, I did find that if you strum up, it works.

I have tried taking the neck off and cleaning the contacts with a pencil eraser. That did not help. I also tried compressing the neck to see if better contact would fix it - it did not.

I've found multiple threads online where others discuss the problems they are having with this guitar. I've found others having the same problem I am.

One person supposedly figured out a fix but their English is not great. Have a look here:
http://www.guitarhero.com/forums/14/forum_topics/6008

Here is another thread where people discuss problems and possible fixes:
http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?s=b5a99bb179764f676ea434ec6e40af76&showtopic=628006&st=15

Vista Media Center - Media Center has stopped working

I started getting Media Center (Vista 32-bit edition) has stopped working right after I opened media center. I do not know what caused this error but I found a forum dicussion on this and one of the suggestions worked for me:

Go to c:\ProgramData\Microsoft\eHome (and sub-folders)
and delete all filesthat were created after you installed Vista

Free Rice

Free rice website

Link to some usefule Run commands

Useful Run Commands for Windows

The source of this list is listed below. I did not create this list - and it is not my intent to take any credit for the list.

(http://www.fixmyxp.com/content/view/20/42/)

Accessibility Controls
access.cpl

Accessibility Wizard
accwiz

Add Hardware Wizard
hdwwiz.cpl

Add/Remove Programs
appwiz.cpl

Administrative Tools
control admintools

Adobe Acrobat (if installed)
acrobat

Adobe Designer (if installed)
acrodist

Adobe Distiller (if installed)
acrodist

Adobe ImageReady (if installed)
imageready

Adobe Photoshop (if installed)
photoshop

Automatic Updates
wuaucpl.cpl

Bluetooth Transfer Wizard
fsquirt

Calculator
calc

Certificate Manager
certmgr.msc

Character Map
charmap

Check Disk Utility
chkdsk

Clipboard Viewer
clipbrd

Command Prompt
cmd

Component Services
dcomcnfg

Computer Management
compmgmt.msc

Control Panel
control

Date and Time Properties
timedate.cpl

DDE Shares
ddeshare

Device Manager
devmgmt.msc

Direct X Control Panel (If Installed)*
directx.cpl

Direct X Troubleshooter
dxdiag

Disk Cleanup Utility
cleanmgr

Disk Defragment
dfrg.msc

Disk Management
diskmgmt.msc

Disk Partition Manager
diskpart

Display Properties
control desktop

Display Properties
desk.cpl

Display Properties (w/Appearance Tab Preselected)
control color

Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility
drwtsn32

Driver Verifier Utility
verifier

Event Viewer
eventvwr.msc

Files and Settings Transfer Tool
migwiz

File Signature Verification Tool
sigverif

Findfast
findfast.cpl

Firefox (if installed)
firefox

Folders Properties
control folders

Fonts
control fonts

Fonts Folder
fonts

Free Cell Card Game
freecell

Game Controllers
joy.cpl

Group Policy Editor (XP Prof)
gpedit.msc

Hearts Card Game
mshearts

Help and Support
helpctr

HyperTerminal
hypertrm

Iexpress Wizard
iexpress

Indexing Service
ciadv.msc

Internet Connection Wizard
icwconn1

Internet Explorer
iexplore

Internet Properties
inetcpl.cpl

Internet Setup Wizard
inetwiz

IP Configuration (Display Connection Configuration)
ipconfig /all
IP Configuration (Display DNS Cache Contents)
ipconfig /displaydns
IP Configuration (Delete DNS Cache Contents)
ipconfig /flushdns
IP Configuration (Release All Connections)
ipconfig /release
IP Configuration (Renew All Connections)
ipconfig /renew
IP Configuration (Refreshes DHCP & Re-Registers DNS)
ipconfig /registerdns
IP Configuration (Display DHCP Class ID)
ipconfig /showclassid
IP Configuration (Modifies DHCP Class ID)
ipconfig /setclassid
Java Control Panel (If Installed)
jpicpl32.cpl

Java Control Panel (If Installed)
javaws

Keyboard Properties
control keyboard

Local Security Settings
secpol.msc

Local Users and Groups
lusrmgr.msc

Logs You Out Of Windows
logoff

Malicious Software Removal Tool
mrt

Microsoft Access (if installed)
access.cpl

Microsoft Chat
winchat

Microsoft Excel (if installed)
excel

Microsoft Frontpage (if installed)
frontpg

Microsoft Movie Maker
moviemk

Microsoft Paint
mspaint

Microsoft Powerpoint (if installed)
powerpnt

Microsoft Word (if installed)
winword

Microsoft Syncronization Tool
mobsync

Minesweeper Game
winmine

Mouse Properties
control mouse

Mouse Properties
main.cpl

Nero (if installed)
nero

Netmeeting
conf

Network Connections
control netconnections

Network Connections
ncpa.cpl

Network Setup Wizard
netsetup.cpl

Notepad
notepad

Nview Desktop Manager (If Installed)
nvtuicpl.cpl

Object Packager
packager

ODBC Data Source Administrator
odbccp32.cpl

On Screen Keyboard
osk

Opens AC3 Filter (If Installed)
ac3filter.cpl

Outlook Express
msimn

Paint
pbrush

Password Properties
password.cpl

Performance Monitor
perfmon.msc

Performance Monitor
perfmon

Phone and Modem Options
telephon.cpl

Phone Dialer
dialer

Pinball Game
pinball

Power Configuration
powercfg.cpl

Printers and Faxes
control printers

Printers Folder
printers

Private Character Editor
eudcedit

Quicktime (If Installed)
QuickTime.cpl

Quicktime Player (if installed)
quicktimeplayer

Real Player (if installed)
realplay

Regional Settings
intl.cpl

Registry Editor
regedit

Registry Editor
regedit32

Remote Access Phonebook
rasphone

Remote Desktop
mstsc

Removable Storage
ntmsmgr.msc

Removable Storage Operator Requests
ntmsoprq.msc

Resultant Set of Policy (XP Prof)
rsop.msc

Scanners and Cameras
sticpl.cpl

Scheduled Tasks
control schedtasks

Security Center
wscui.cpl

Services
services.msc

Shared Folders
fsmgmt.msc

Shuts Down Windows
shutdown

Sounds and Audio
mmsys.cpl

Spider Solitare Card Game
spider

SQL Client Configuration
cliconfg

System Configuration Editor
sysedit

System Configuration Utility
msconfig

System File Checker Utility (Scan Immediately)
sfc /scannow

System File Checker Utility (Scan Once At Next Boot)
sfc /scanonce

System File Checker Utility (Scan On Every Boot)
sfc /scanboot

System File Checker Utility (Return to Default Setting)
sfc /revert

System File Checker Utility (Purge File Cache)
sfc /purgecache

System File Checker Utility (Set Cache Size to size x)
sfc /cachesize=x

System Information
msinfo32

System Properties
sysdm.cpl

Task Manager
taskmgr

TCP Tester
tcptest

Telnet Client
telnet

Tweak UI (if installed)
tweakui

User Account Management
nusrmgr.cpl

Utility Manager
utilman

Windows Address Book
wab

Windows Address Book Import Utility
wabmig

Windows Backup Utility (if installed)
ntbackup

Windows Explorer
explorer

Windows Firewall
firewall.cpl

Windows Magnifier
magnify

Windows Management Infrastructure
wmimgmt.msc

Windows Media Player
wmplayer

Windows Messenger
msmsgs

Windows Picture Import Wizard (need camera connected)
wiaacmgr

Windows System Security Tool
syskey

Windows Update Launches
wupdmgr

Windows Version (to show which version of windows)
winver

Windows XP Tour Wizard
tourstart

Wordpad
write

Booting from WinPE WIM

Booting from WinPE WIM stored locally

Interesting read (and page for that matter).

His main page:
http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/socal/default.aspx

Remote support

Sometimes it is easier to try and fix something over the phone rather than drive out to the clients house. The problem may be a quick fix, or the travelling may be too much to justify the time and gas. I've been looking for an easy to use, free method of providing remote desktop support. Currently I am checking out the SharedView Beta 2 from Microsoft.

The install requires administrative permissions. Close Messenger and any Office apps before installing.

The environment I tested in is not NAT. But I do have a admin configured firewall on this system and I did not have to make any exceptions.

Sharing can be by open application, or the entire destop.

It is worth checking out. It does require Windows Live ID /Passport account.