Xp Media Center Edition? (1 Viewer)

[Chris Bardon]

Has anyone had a chance to try this out yet? I read the info on the MS site, but it never really specified what the OS really does differently. Am I to assume that the OS will now handle scheduling/recording of TV programs (hopefully better than the ATI crap)? I wouldn't mind trying it out, but it seems like the only way to get it is to buy a PC with it pre-installed. Any chance the components for TV recording etc will be made available in a WinXP pro service or expansion pack?

 

[Mike LS]

I saw the retail version of this at Best Buy on Tuesday. I think it was $50.

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

As far as I understood, it was just a stripped down XP for use as a backbone for a media device (i.e. anything non-media related is simply removed). I don't think this offers any real features you can't get in Xp Pro/Home...

There was some stuff about this on AVS- and MS even setup a discussion group related to HTPC for ideas on future development.

-vince

 

[Wayne Bundrick]

I thought the OS (which I thought was just XP with a dumbed-down shell meant to be viewed from a distance on a TV screen and controlled by a remote) was to be available only preinstalled on select PCs especially configured for it. HP is one of the few who put together a PC with all the extra components MS wants in the way MS wants it, such as a remote control, TV tuner board, etc.

 

[Brian Ruth]

This seems like a waste of money. Other companies can do this (Creative/ATI/Sony), and they can seemingly do it better, so I wouldn't bother with it. All the software capability in Media Center can be found elsewhere.

 

[Chris Bardon]

About the only thing that I was looking for from it was something better that ATI media center for recording TV. The capture doesn't work very well, and the scheduler crashes about half the time, so using it as a digital VCR really isn't all that practical.

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

ATI's media center is junk- but there are at least a half dozen other PVR options without media XP. Check out AVS sometime- all the PVR options on earth have been explored, audited, reviewed and summarized!

-Vince

 

[Brian Ruth]

Will other PVR options work better with an AIW card?

If so, which one/s would you recommend?