A couple of first looks at Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
posted Oct 6th 2004 11:28AM
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 might not be get officially official until next week, but both Thomas Hawk and
GamePC each have an advance look at it. Right off the bat the biggest difference between MCE 2005 and the versions that
came before it is that you can also now buy it as a standalone, user-installable app you install on top of Windows XP
if you want to build your own Media Center PC rather than have to buy somebody else's (they even toss in a remote).
Besides that, Thomas Hawk doesn't like the lack of support for HDTV cable and satellite broadcasts (though he
understands why), but GamePC declares it the "best home theater product on the market by a very large margin", which
seems to just teeter on the edge of hyperbole to us. The one thing we want to know: has Microsoft finally added some
decent support for widescreen displays?
UPDATE: Both Thomas Hawk and GamePC had the wrong info, it won't be available direct to
consumers.
For some crazy reason when I scrapped my damaged and screen burned 42" Sony Plasma earlier this year and replaced it with another plasma (yes I know, even a stupid dog doesn't kiss a hot stove twice) a Pioneer 43" for whatever reason I was able to get MCE into widescreen format even back in MCE 2004. I think that it is not a Microsoft support issue as much as it is a display driver issue. My guess is that the driver in my MCE machine did not recognize my Sony widescreen display but did my Pioneer. Just a guess, but in either case I can get widescreen display in both MCE 2004 and 2005 with the Pioneer 43 inch plasma that I bought from Costco.
The article is incorrect, you cannot buy MCE 2005 software at retail. The software is only available to OEMs and System Builders.
Disclaimer: I work at Microsoft on Media Center.
Here's what GamePC said:
"While these applications have worked quite well thus far, if given the choice, many would simply go with an easier to use Microsoft solution. Fortunately, Microsoft finally listened, and are opening up Windows XP Media Center Edition for everyone. Their latest version, Media Center Edition 2005, is now selling on the open markets, and is available to all."
Think I will stick to Xbox Media Center :-)
I am expecting SONY to release this upgrade and I will NOT buy anymore Sony products until they do.
you can easily buy windows xp media center os with remote on ebay
Media Center 2005 can be purchased all over the place, try MWAVE.com or Newegg.com, I bought a copy from mwave for $160 with an included remote control.
But Houston i have a problem, the problem is that the live TV feed will go dark (black screen) after use for a couple of hours with the sound continuing. Everything else works, you can see the mouse pointer, you can switch over and watch recorded TV, but when you switch back to live TV, the picture is black with sound. This is also not set to any particular intervals, it can happen after watching for an hour or it can happen after a few hours. Currently as I write this, it has been on and working for the last 5 hours without problem, but last night, it wouldn’t work past an hour.
Any help?
Is it just me, or is Windows Media Center another Windows ME?? It never works it just causes endless problems. Cannot watch live TV or Video. Using ATI Theater 550 and ATI 9800. Crashes constantly.
It's no wonder Microsoft won't support it. They would have too much work to do.