Windows Home Server was designed to “grow with you”. That may be obvious when it comes to adding additional hard drives but also includes the option to install extra software features to help customize your Home Server. The development community has created “add-ins” for Windows Home Server that extends its capabilities in fun, exciting, and useful ways. There are currently over 100 add-ins available for download.

Three widely popular add-ins that are being used today include: Lights-Out, WebGuide, and Whiist.

Lights-Out

This power management add-in is used to put your Windows Home Server in a hibernated mode when you are not using it. This is a great way to cut down on energy bills and make your home or office a little “greener”.

*Windows Home Server console screen shot of Lights-Out add-in

This add-in allows your Home Server to go into hibernation mode when users are not using it, based on your calendar of events, or a combination of both. You will also have the option to set a defined time in which the Home Server will fully turn back on. Windows Home Server will never remain asleep if you have a backup scheduled. Therefore, all of your important data will remain safe and still be automatically backed up.

WebGuide

WebGuide allows you to remotely view live and recorded TV programs while you are away from home. It will also enable you to remotely schedule and manage your recorded television programs, music, pictures and videos on your Windows XP Media Center edition or Windows Vista Premium, or Windows Vista Ultimate PC.

*Screen shot of Windows Home Server’s add-in, WebGuide

*Screen shot of streaming videos through Windows Home Server’s add-in, WebGuide

WebGuide provides you with mobile access to your music and videos from your Windows Mobile devices. This means you can have access to all of your pictures and movies while you are on the road.

Whiist

Whiist is a Windows Home Server add-in that allows you to create and manage web content on your Windows Home Server. Once downloaded, Whiist can be used through your Windows Home Server console. This tab makes it so that you can easily create and manage new websites, photo albums, and homepage links.

*Screen shot of Windows Home Server console with the Whiist add-in

Some of the key features that are found in Whiist include:

• Quickly create new websites on your home server.
• Create new photo albums to share with family and friends in a few simple steps.
• Share photos with family and friends through online photo sharing.
• Create public content, or restrict access to users of your Windows Home Server.
• Easily customize your public and private Windows Home Server Homepage links.
• Fully integrates with the Windows Home Server management console.
• Customize your Windows Home Server homepage

You have now seen three out of many Windows Home Server add-ins. If you are interested in learning about all of the other available add-ins to download, you can visit: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/windowshomeserver/add-ins.mspx.

-Nicole

You may have been hearing a lot about Windows Home Server recently, so now you are asking, why should I buy one, and what benefits will I get out of it? Well, to help you answer those important questions, the Windows Home Server team has come up with the Top 10 reasons to use this product! In this post, you can read a brief overview of each item, but check back soon because we will be taking a closer look at each point, along with how Windows Home Server has already helped thousands of people.

1. Image-based backup

Rest easy and know that your irreplaceable videos and pictures are always safe since Windows Home Server automatically backs up your entire computer on a daily basis.

2. Restore 

If catastrophe strikes, Windows Home Server has simple and fast data recovery with a restore feature for single files or entire hard drives that have failed.

3. Monitor

Windows Home Server will monitor the health status of your home network and immediately alert you if there is a problem.

4. Centralize

Windows Home Server stores your digital memories in a central location so you can access what you want from any computer on the network and save time by having all your things in one place.

5. Storage

With Windows Home Server, storage space grows as your needs grow. You are able to add internal or external hard drives of any size so that you can have an unlimited amount of storage space for HD movies, or your home videos.

 

6. User accounts

Windows Home Server allows you to create up to 10 user accounts. To increase protection, you can change the Shared Folders that users have access to, and enable remote access for each user.

7. Remote Access

When you are out of your home or office, Windows Home Server has remote access capabilities that make it possible for you to view, find files, and even use applications.

8. Stream media

Windows Home Server enables you to view, listen, and watch your videos, movies, and picture slideshows through playback devices such as Xbox 360.

9. Fully Expandable

Windows Home Server add-in programs can enhance and extend your home server's capabilities.  There are already over 100 add-ins available for download.

10. Easy to use

An uncomplicated, self-explanatory installation process for Window Home Server will have you up and running with minimum time and effort.

Hopefully, you are now ready to buy your very own Windows Home Server and start organizing, protecting, and sharing all of your digital experiences!

-Nicole

Starting tomorrow, Windows Media Center users who are also Netflix members will gain access to more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes from Netflix directly within Windows Media Center on their PCs.

Using the two together is easy and convenient. In Windows Media Center, a new Netflix tile will appear under “TV + Movies”. To stream movies and TV shows from Netflix, just click on the new Netflix tile and login with your Netflix account.

You will be able to search the entire Netflix library right from Windows Media Center, and manage both your Instant and DVD Queues. Windows Media Center will also take advantage of Netflix’s “recommended” categories.

 

Here is a short video of Netflix in action in Windows Media Center:

Netflix in Windows Media Center

And here is another really neat video walk-through of Netflix in Windows Media Center:

Getting Netflix in Windows Media Center

You can also use your Windows Media Center remote to navigate the player controls and queues for Netflix in Windows Media Center too!

Netflix in Windows Media Center is powered by Silverlight.

If you also have an Xbox LIVE Gold membership and have been streaming Netflix movies and TV episodes to your Xbox 360, this offering will work for you as well.

Netflix in Windows Media Center currently will work only for Windows Vista Home Premium and Ultimate users today.

This is very cool stuff. You may remember back in March, we launched the Windows Media Center Sports Channel, which offers a variety of interactive sports content including from CBSSports.com, FOX Sports and MSNBC.com. Now more than ever, Windows Media Center offers a great entertainment experience.

UPDATE 5/20: Netflix in Windows Media Center works for Windows Vista Home Premium and Ultimate users in the U.S. only and does not support Extenders for Windows Media Center.