Configuring network shares as watched folders for Media Center recorded TV content

While not officially supported, it is possible to configure a remote network share as a watched folder for Windows Media Center recorded TV content. Watched folders are locations that Media Center looks in for recorded TV content that it will allow you to browse and play back in the Media Center UI.

There is a set of steps in this Green Button forum post that can be used to configure the security permissions necessary to use a network share as a watched folder for Media Center TV content. Those steps will work correctly for Windows XP Media Center Edition, but there is a slight modification needed if you want to use these steps in Windows Media Center for Windows Vista.

The Windows Media Center services that manage recorded TV (ehSched and ehRecvr) run in the Network Service context in Windows Vista, whereas they ran in the Local System context in Windows XP Media Center Edition. Therefore, you will need to add Network Service permissions in addition to the permissions listed in the forum post to get things to work correctly within Windows Media Center.

Important Notes:

  • If you intend to try out these instructions, please keep in mind that this "feature" is not officially supported and so you do so at your own risk.
  • Please make sure to carefully read the security implications outlined in the forum post because adding certain types of permissions can make your computer more vulnerable to exploits.