Official Ceton Echo Extender Info Thread - Page 164

Hello all...I received my echo Monday and installed it and it updated to the stable firmware release ending in 1030...pleased with the sound and picture but one annoyance is that whenever I turn off the Echo and turn back on later it will not pair with the WMC on the downstair's HTPC ...I have to enter the 8 digit code every time on the HTPC when the Echo is turned back on ...any ideas?

The Echo is plugged into wall mount running Cat5 down directly to the router so nothing's in the way that I can tell that would be impeding the connection between the two...

I think if you put WMC and tweak in same sentence its root of your problems.

I actually use a second PC as my htpc because of that fear. I use one dedicated htpc with no codecs just the infinitv/hdhomerun tuners as a DVR/TV server. I pick my updates carefully and back up the OS (SSD - thanks Sammy2 for convincing me to use one) and data drives every night.

The main htpc and NAS also has nothing from a codec perspective on it now. I started ripping my new movies to m2ts to keep the MS world peace. i also hopefully will be able get my stuff to stream to other machines (Xbox, echo) better!

Too funny, but your right. I actuall have two HTPC's. One in a VM , and one on an SSD. Both work real well, bith have many tweaks for UI and still work well. It's the dam codecs and HDCP/EDID issues that really kill you. My new HTPC on an SSD, will play all, period. full HBR the works. I even have it fully customized with theater art work themed and fan art. It's differant hten my Sage server is, but in some respects I like it more.

That said, the hoops you need to jump through to get there are emense. Add a learning curve to it with codec's and such, and it can be down right daughting if you don't work with this stuff daily (I do and it still sucks). There is nothing like killing an entire weekend to get back to where you were on thur. night because you bought a new AVR. Going on my second weekend shortly. ...

I can't wait for someone to jump on the DTCP band wagon and make it work. Maybe Ceton could pull that off instead of the Q, rest in peace.

That's what I was doing, but I would really like to have the Echo on all the time to avoid the boot time wait...

I have the same problem. I thought that the last firmware update was supposed to fix this issue, but it is still happening. This is the main issue holding me back from returning my last cable box to Comcast.

When you turn it off, Echo takes couple minutes to completely shut itself down (try monitor the port LED on the switch or router your Echo is plugged in). If you turn on before that, your old session is still alive on the host PC and you will not be able to re-connect. When this happens, simply turn if off and back on again will usually get the Echo connect correctly. There is no need to re-pair it with the PC regardless what Echo screen shows. The latest beta, IIRC, keeps Echo front LED on while it is still communicating with network. It didn't resolve this particular problem.

If you turn off the Echo and waited long enough before you turn it back on, it won't have this problem.

The last four digits is the hour. The middle four tell the day. I think that is the 1214 f/w IIR. Stick with that one. The betas after that had some issues.

As far as the pairing issue, make sure your NIC drivers are up to date. Also, what router/switch are you using?

Showing both and still no Ceton folders.

Firmware?

Et Tu, Balmer?

http://thedigitallifestyle.com/w/index.php/2013/01/10/microsoft-confirm-only-the-xbox-360-will-work-as-a-media-center-extender-with-windows-8/

When will the Echo support Windows 8?
The Echo is compatible with Windows 7 today. Microsoft changed some things in Windows 8 that affect all extenders except the Xbox 360 when used with Windows 8. We're working with Microsoft on a solution and hope to have it available in the future ahem, we're $%@& by Microsoft, and hope to have a Plan B.
Edited by flipper59 - 1/10/13 at 2:26pm

Easy.

Jeesh..

It'd be nice if WMC was just released as open source software. Then the people could evolve it as time went on. If Ceton had complete control of WMC they could likely offer a nice solution with updates to it as time goes on.

The support I'm getting has been outstanding from Ceton for my InfiniTV 4. The issue as I expected is Time Warner buffoonery with getting a CableCard paired and provisioned.

That said, if I can't get a solid resolution from Time Warner then everything has to go back. It's not good that Ceton has to be defendant upon some MSOs whose employees don't even know what a CableCard is.

I'm not concerned with streaming BD rips. I just want the Echo as a cable box replacement. I would like it to access Netflix and Amazon add ins, but its my understanding this no longer works. I can always reuse my Roku when/if the HTPC takes its place.

I'd still love to see a partnership of Roku and Ceton where the Echo and Roku box merge into one device. That would be sweet.

Wow...what!

I'm beginning to suspect this 3 year old router I have is the culprit...the NIC drivers are current...

Latest beta release, I don't remember the numbers off-hand.

What really get's my undies twisted is the fact that the 360 is the only extender allowed by Microsoft. If your "important" changes in Win8 breaks any possibility of extenders, then okay, whatever. We'd all be in the same boat. But the fact that MS is only allowing its energy hog to connect to 8 MC is silly. Ceton has built an extender that is heads and tails better than any other extender that's ever been released to market and it cannot connect to the latest WMC simply because MS said so.

I hope Ceton can somehow make the echo appear to be a xbox to the Win8 HTPC.

There's an easy solution to this - don't drink the Windows 8 Kool-Aid! I bought Windows 8 the day it was released and I can't ever see me using it as the basis of a Media Center PC. Windows 8 has too many things against it for HTPC use whereas Windows 7 has full support and is extremely stable. The pros and cons of Windows 8 have been thrashed to death in another long thread so I really don't want to open that up again for discussion. Let's suffice it to say that if you're building a HTPC, I'd take a long look at Windows 7 before thinking about Windows 8.

I got a WMC update pushed to my computer yesterday, anyone have an idea of the changelog? One change I noticed - I was prompted and can now list my 'Recorded TV' as list instead of tiles...Pretty nice. It's nice to see MS updating WMC...

True Dat!

I GUESS if you want to use your PC as an HTPC and for regular PC duties, AND really want to try Win8, than it would be frustrating that the echo does not work with it, but for my dedicated HTPC, Win8 will not get anywhere near it!

Interesting.. Windows 7 or 8?

xnappo

I think I've had that option for a bit now but not for too long. Win7x86 here.

Win 7. On my HTPC there was a tray icon that said a WMC update had been installed successfully; and then the first run on both the Echo and HTPC of WMC, I got a popup when I went into recorded TV that enabled me to view as a list, instead of the single line of tiles. I'm assuming there would be more changes than that though....

Edit: Win 7 Pro 64 bit

I'm interested to know more about this update...

I can't find anything about it from the official listings of the updates deployed this week. It's possible my computer was lagging behind in some updates.... Has everyone else already got the option to view recorded TV as a list?

I've had that option since I first started using wmc about 2 years ago I believe. And those pop ups about media center are usually there after the guide updates

Pretty sure that the list option was always there. The first time you go into recorded TV, you get that popup notifying you of the option to view as a list. This is how it as ALWAYS been with Win7. I wonder if this update just somehow reset that "first time" bit, so you go prompted again? Although you never know, I HIGHLY doubt MS is adding any new features, assuming they are really making ANY updates to MC at all...........

I wonder if the 'Update has been installed' icon was indication of a guide update and this prompted the option to view as list to appear? That's not nearly as exciting...

WMC could have a gigantic security hole that can allow attackers have complete control of your system and they wouldn't update it.

No, the list option is there from day one. When your recordings reach certain numbers, WMC will auto prompt you to switch to list view. You can also manual toggle it using a mouse right click on the recorded show screen. However, I don't remember how can you do that in extenders without a mouse.

...still doesn't explain the 'WMC updated' icon that was in the notifications area.