[mythtv-users] Giant test of WinXP Media Center Edition 2005

Michael T. Dean mtdean at thirdcontact.com
Fri Oct 15 06:20:49 UTC 2004


On 10/13/2004 02:37 AM, Adam Egger wrote:

>I've just found a giant test of the new MS WinXP Media Center Edition 2005 on anandtech: http://www.anandtech.com/multimedia/showdoc.aspx?i=2240
>Just take a look.
>  
>
Interesting read...

OTA-only HDTV (once Microsoft releases the HDTV patch :)--except for the 
patch, same as MythTV.

Media Center Extenders and Xbox Extenders - frontends for the Media 
Center "backend."  Sounds familiar.

Quoting the article ( 
http://www.anandtech.com/multimedia/showdoc.aspx?i=2240&p=10 ):
All of those speeches about digital convergence and the future of the PC 
are finally upon us, Microsoft is transforming Media Center PCs into 
true media servers.

So, does that mean that mean we can't call it the "Mythical convergence 
box" anymore.  Are we going to have to call it "ActualTV?"

Quoting again:
Take this techy dream even further and you can see how supporting only 3 
tuners is a limitation, but then again our hardware isn't quite ready 
for that yet.

Hmmm.  Our hardware works fine on the Myth box into which I just 
installed 4 PVR-250's--and that was an Athlon XP 2000+, not an AMD 
Athlon FX-53...

Portable media centers look cool.  But, I think I'd rather walk across 
the house to my little 27" TV in front of the couch rather than try to 
watch "Lost" on my 3.5" Zaurus screen...

New feature:  transcoding.  Sounds familiar.

Quoting ( http://www.anandtech.com/multimedia/showdoc.aspx?i=2240&p=13 ):
Through the Online Spotlight you can ... even order movies on demand. 
... you're not getting the highest quality video and anything above and 
beyond the bare minimum 4:3 format and 2 channel audio isn't usually 
provided.  You're much better off recording your own movies (at least 
they're free this way) or renting a DVD.

The UI seems to be very resource intensive ( 
http://www.anandtech.com/multimedia/showdoc.aspx?i=2240&p=14 and 
http://www.anandtech.com/multimedia/showdoc.aspx?i=2240&p=15 and 
http://www.anandtech.com/multimedia/showdoc.aspx?i=2240&p=16), although 
it looked pretty nice.  I like the "shortcuts" (kind of like context 
menus) that give easy access to the commonly-used features under a menu.

Final quote ( 
http://www.anandtech.com/multimedia/showdoc.aspx?i=2240&p=17 ):
The problems with Media Center Edition continue to be the same ones that 
have plagued it all of its short lived life: 1) cost, and 2) stability.

Mike


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