I know that you can use programs such as Media Center Studio to "theme" WMC. Is there a way to alter the default position/element structure of WMC meaning the root navigation, sound effects, transitions/animations? Just wondering if this is even possible. Using Windows Media Center 7 Thanks

All of the markup for Media Center is within the assemblies in the \Windows\eHome folder.    If you know what you're doing you can modify it, but it's not a straightforward thing to do, and could easily be broken by an update from Windows Update for an assembly you've modified.

Cheers,
Andrew

Thanks for your response. I'm new to this, I'm familiar enough with MCML to write my own WMC app, but I'd LOVE to get in and adjust some of the animations and sounds etc in the main menu. Do you know of any resource/tutorials on how to break out the elements of a .dll so you can adjust them and re-assemble? Assuming I don't know what I'm doing when it comes to that. Thanks for any help. - Ryan

I would try Media Center Studio to get started.

You can find it at http://www.adventmediacenter.com/

I use this to modify the "strips" I use in 7MC.

 

Yeah, I've use MCS for lots of customizations but the things you can't change are the background animations, the transitions between Entry Points and any sound effects. Would love to get in and change those.

Restorater can get into the resource files.

Most of the UI features,I believe, are in the ehres.dll.

Unfortunately it's not free.

http://www.bome.com/products/restorator

ResTuner is another but it has a free trial period, however the downside is that it's x86 only, so can't do anything with the DLLs on x64.

Cheers,
Andrew

MediaCenterFX http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/2007/06/04/mediacenterfx-vista-mce-theme-customizer/ there are a lot of user themes to download, I've never tried to create one though

MediacenterFX seems to be a dead project.

^^BUMP^^
I've been wanting to change my WMC7's sound effects for a while now.
Has anyone been successful?



P.S. Great Site! I've been a browser here for a while and it's been very helpful!

Restorator is still the best suggestion I have.

The image and sound files are located in

C;\Windows\ehome\ehres.dll.

Restorator can edit these files.

Most of thos files,if I remember correcty,are in the

RCData folder inside the ehres.dll.

Right click the file you want to change.

Go to assign/assign to and select the file you want to use.

Save the changes when done.

I used it to change the backgrounds.