I guess I'm retarded.

[sovtek37]

I have been chain-failing the last two days it seems on Windows 7.

Scenario 1: I would like to be able to stream video content stored on one computer to a different computer in the same house hooked up to the same router. I swear I used to be able to do this a couple years ago, but now it seems I can't. Windows HomeGroup no longer functions (and never has on this computer/install of W7). The other option I used was TVersity, but these days TVersity seems to only stream *** to consoles. So I tried this MediaPortal program, which would be more aptly named MediaPile, because it is absolutely useless to me.

I know people do what I am trying to do everyday, so what do I have to install to simply stream a video on one PC to another PC? I have looked everywhere, but it honestly seems like no knows how or is willing to share a solution other than "use vlc".
I want something NOT Vlc, NOT based on a webbrowser. Halp?

Scenario 2: I got to work today, and there are two computers running W7 Home, and can't find each other on the network. Clickibng "view full network map" only shows the local machine. Well, to use a software they want, the computers have to networked within windows. Both are on the same router, no fancy equipment, no frills. How do I set up a simple network, and why does everything suck these days?

 

[hang-the-9]

Windows Media Center works, VLC works (not sure why you don't want to try that).

Are both of the computers in the same workgroup?

Also why do you want streaming, you can just share out the media folder on the network, connect to that, and play the movie file directly.

 

[sovtek37]

Windows Media Center does NOT work, VLC is too complicated for some of the home users, and the HomeGroup is just beyond broken. there is absolutely nothing that has not been tried to get homeGroup working, from fresh installs to IPv6 reconfiguration. I would love to just "share the media folder on the network" and "connect to it", that was the entire point of my post, it isn't working. I need to find a third party solution.

As for scenario 2, I give up on it. The ATT router is incapable of functioning properly in the presence of a Windows Vista and Windows 7 machine. So that at least is a hardware issue that I can't (won't) resolve.

 

[hang-the-9]

Windows Media Center works fine, I run it on a laptop and an XBOX360, maybe it's not working because of your network issues. First thing is get the network working, routers don't really do much aside from toss network packets form port to port, if it's an issue with the PCs seeing each-other it's something else. Check firewall and workgroup settings? Are they both getting the correct IPs? Can you ping the computers aside from seeing them in the network GUI?