If you use MediaPortal as normal and allow it to auto-start with Windows startup, but do not apply the fix to make MP run when the remote green button is pressed (take the tick out of the option on this page of the config GUI: ), when you PC boots then MP will run as normal. You might be able to achieve what you want by simply using the green button on your remote control. I am not sure how your DVB frequencies are configured where you live, but here in the UK I can record lots of channels with a single tuner - which is excellent! There is one massive advantage with the MediaPortal TV Server over that of MCE and that is the fact that it will record ALL channels on a single frequency using a single tuner (MCE can only record one channel with a single tuner). What was it about the MediaPortal TV Server that you didn't like?

When I'm done I return to MP w/ another button.

But I want to schedule a new program or just watch some TV - I press a button on my Harmony Remote and launch MCE.I plan to use TV Series to autopopulate recorded TV so I'd stay in MP to watch recorded TV.I would have to close each app for each switch, but that is not a deal breaker as it is very quick. I think I could write batch files and use the remote w/ unused keys to swap between the 2 apps. What I want is MCE DVR with MediaPortal for everything else. I have it working (no small feat) but its just not what I'm looking for.

So I added TV Server but was not pleased with the overall experience. In MediaPortal w/ LAV decoders (mostly) it is just fantastic.

As I'm canceling cable I have purchased an Hauppage 2250 dual tuner and a GT430 video card for that same rig. I had MediaPortal running for nearly 5 years on XP quite successfully. I've been using an HTPC a long long time.

Mediaportal live tv shortcut