MCE Tunes Allows You to Share Your iTunes Library with Windows Media Center

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.mcetunes.com/index.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.mcetunes.com/index.htm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"MCE Tunes is a special plug-in developed exclusively for Microsoft Windows Media center which enables it to play iTunes music (m4a and m4p) files right from the easy-to-use Media Center music navigation interface. No more fumbling with a mouse and keyboard to find the right music to listen to! Simply grab your remote and find all your music - quickly and easily."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/sharescreen_small.jpg" /><br /><br />If you're trapped in the awkward world where you're using iTunes to manage your music, but you also have a Windows Media Center machine that you're using for music, MCE Tunes will build a bridge between the two. There's a free version and a $29.99 version - the main difference seems to be the paid version will allow you to listen to your DRM'd ("FairPlay") tracks in Media Center. Cool!

[Phronetix]

So I have this question bugging me and I don't know where to start to get the answer.

I like using FrontRow on my iMac to watch video and am looking forward to seeing what Apple's iTV can do this winter. If it isn't what I hope it will be, then I will take interest in the PC offerings.

Here is my question...

Can you stream the AAC files from a Mac over a network to a media centre pc? This may be an unknown, but is there any reason to believe it won't work or should work?

Dennis

[Jason Dunn]

Can you stream the AAC files from a Mac over a network to a media centre pc? This may be an unknown, but is there any reason to believe it won't work or should work?

I don't know much about AAC - MP3 is the cross-platform audio format that works without hassle. Just my opinion, but ripping to AAC is asking for trouble (though I know that's the iTunes default and thus the Apple opinion on things...). It doesn't seem that Windows Media Player can play AAC files, even non-DRM'd ones. Yet this application seems to allow for M4A playback, so I'm a bit confused...maybe it includes a codec for M4A/AAC playback? I think what you might be possible - the networking part is easy, right? Macs can see PCs on a network? [can you tell I never work with Macs?]

[Phronetix]

the networking part is easy, right? Macs can see PCs on a network? [can you tell I never work with Macs?]

Jason. Thanks for taking a stab at it. I'll be looking around the internet come January if the iTV isn't up to expectation. I may just hook up an eyeTV from elgato (http://www.elgato.com/) to my 24 inch iMac at that point. Which, if i ever get that first review done, I may consider talking to elgato about another one. But that is another story.

And if previously I hadn't seen you sweat blood when talking about the condescending tones of some Mac users, I'd suggest you try out a Mac. They're quite nice. :wink:

And don't worry about being unfamiliar with the Mac. Try not knowing much about Windows... You should see the looks I get when I struggle to do the most basic stuff with XP. :oops: