I don’t have much info on it, but JackLuminous, the developer for the Video Library, has posted a link with some screenshots of his new 2.0 alpha build that has yet to be released.  You can see them here.  It looks pretty good.

No word on when it will be released yet, but he does mention there are a few more things to complete before considering it.  You can keep track if its status in this thread at TGB.  Skip pages to the 90s for recent developments (it’s a long thread).

I’ve seen a rash of new tools for grabbing the necessary information that the built-in DVD Library in VMC and 7MC need lately and thought I’d post them here since they’re really quite nice (even though I’ve never used the built-in library).

First, is the DVDXML.com Windows Client by kleinma over at TGB.

It looks very nice, right?  Check it out over at TGB using the above link or download directly here.

Next, we have a utility created for 7MC by Woodbark, also found over at TGB.  This tool is called My Movie Finder for 7MC, and while not as heavy on the eye candy as the previous utility, it can still get the job done well.

Finally, we have the DVDLibraryTool byClever Technologies.  There is a thread for it over at TGB also.  This application, however, is commercialized and NOT FREE! Why anyone would pay for this when we have the previous tools now available is beyond me.  There is also the DVD Library Manager for VMC by taranu that has been around forever.  This utility is also only good for the VMC Library, not 7MC.  Anyway, cost is $20 for the licensed version.

These tools kind of make me want to give 7MC and the built-in library another look…

I’m sick as a dog right now, so I’m going to make this short and sweet.  I came across another video plugin just now created by a German programmer that goes by the name of Maschmo.  It’s pretty simple and i personally don’t care too much for it, but at least it’s another offering in the mix.

The site it’s on is in German, so I have no idea what is needed, how to install, or how it works.  If any of you wish to give it a try, let me know how it goes.  If I feel better tomorrow and stay home, I’ll post a few more screenshots of it in action (and English).

Here’s a few images I grabbed from HENNES105 at the MyMovies forum.  Sorry that they suck so badly, but it is all I could come up with.  Here is the link to the German forum everything is available at.

As far as I know, the last SVN has been committed that would prompt the first beta release of the new Media Browser plugin.  There’s not a ton to add since I gave the first sneak peek a few weeks ago, but I wanted to include the latest screenshots and give a quick rundown of some of the features.  Media Browser (renamed from Video Browser) now includes:

• Automatic metadata and image fetching
• Automatic thumbnail generation
• New settings and configuration interface
• Resuming of playback
• Multiple views (detail, poster, thumb, banner, etc.)
• Vertical or horizontal scrolling (you decide!)
• Adjustable poster sizing
• Automated playlists (adjustable too!)
• Smart sort indexing
• Adaptable view settings
• Multi-threaded background caching for fast metadata loading and library browsing
• Greatly enhanced information screens with selectable synopsis and actor fields
• …and more!

Instead of posting screenshots here, I’m just going to link a gallery that I created.  The images are a little higher res this time around as NextGen Gallery is finally working with it’s new version for WP 2.7.  I have no idea on a formal release date for the new beta, but I do know that is very close and there should be no discernible changes between what you see here and that time.

Take a look and then head on over the Media Browser forums to let them know what you think!

I’ve never really had this issue since first using  Vista Media Center, but thought I would pass along this little tidbit of information since I’ve seen it on a few different forums lately.

The issue involves the Video Library in Media Center and the inability to remove video locations that you have added (or even default locations).  If you find yourself in this predicament, you may need to refresh your Windows Media Player database.  I don’t want to repeat a good set of directions, so head on over to the Microsoft Knowledge Base and check out KB925718.