Get yer copy of Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 online
By Peter Rojas 
posted Oct 13th 2004 11:30AM
posted Oct 13th 2004 11:30AM
Ok, so contrary to initial reports Microsoft actually isn't selling their new 2005 version of Windows XP Media Center Edition direct to consumers who want to build their own Media Center PCs, but there is at least one site which is selling OEM copies (that are meant for PC makers) to anyone who wants one anyway. These OEM copies are supposed to be bundled with hardware and only sold as part of a PC, but so far Microsoft has yet to bring down the hammer on Directron, the company which is doing this.
After reading the post yesterday about Windows MCE OEM not being for sale anywhere I was surprised to see it listed on the front page of Newegg. As of 11:45 am Wednesday it is listed as out of stock, but for sale if you go to the operating systems section.
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/ has it for sale in the UK...but they sell the OS and the remote seperately.
Ok so I have a set top DVD recorder...a high end home theater and an average 32" Sony Wega TV. Why woudl i want to build a Media Center PC or buy one? I have over a thousand CD's. Would the point be to have the ability to play those cd's (once they are all ripped) on my home theater? I can alreadt record my tv shows with the dvd recorder on DVD-RAM. I don't need to record 2 shows at once. All my videos on my PC are Pron. I have a Prosmiq media receivor for streaming music...which works like Shit as a side note. So why woudl I go to the trouble of building a little PC to clutter up my Home theater set up? Would I output that to my TV to run media? Please someone enlighten me.
You've obviously have missed the digital revolution. MCE (or even better Tivo) will allow you to listen to all 1,000 Cds without having to get up and change your discs. This can all be accomplished without changing discs. You also don't have to worry about scratched cds (although you do have to worry about failed hard drives if you don't back up your music) The ability to automatically record television is pretty awesome too. It's really nice to have people over and for them to see photos of themselves, while listenin to their favorite albums at the same time. You could even begin watching your porn on your 32' inch WEGA
You've obviously have missed the digital revolution. MCE (or even better Tivo) will allow you to listen to all 1,000 Cds without having to get up and change your discs. This can all be accomplished without changing discs. You also don't have to worry about scratched cds (although you do have to worry about failed hard drives if you don't back up your music) The ability to automatically record television is pretty awesome too. It's really nice to have people over and for them to see photos of themselves, while listenin to their favorite albums at the same time. You could even begin watching your porn on your 32' inch WEGA
Who is forcing you to build an MCE machine anyway, is Bill there with a gun to your head?
you can also get WMCE OEM from newegg.com
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=32-102-311&depa=0
Ok I didn't mean to peeve anyone off with my comment. I have digitized about 500 of the 1000 CD's I have now through itunes. My question was more like...why woudl I put a media center PC in my living room with my home theater set up. I understand the value in most ways...bt I don't think i have missed the digital media revolution..but maybe i have...cause I watch DVD's through my 5 disc changer that runs optical and composite outputs. Im thinkning picture quality and sound quality as opposed to setting up a media pc and then having to rip my DVD's to my hard drives.
I forgot to mention I live in Canada so im TIVO-LESS
Ars Technica actually cornered a MS spokesperson and asked about Joe User buying OEM versions of software. They are only releasing it to OEM so Grandma doesn't walk out of Best Buy with a box copy thinking she'll have it up and running in 20 minutes. People who buy from OEM style providers tend to be bright enough to handle the complexities of building a HTPC from scratch and that saves MS from answering 9,000,000,000 silly questions (no offense Grandma...send cookies).
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20041012-4302.html
You don't have to set up a PC in your living room. just use an xbox to remotely connect to your media center pc, and play your music, watch tv or your movies, all remotely.
http://gear.ign.com/articles/557/557142p1.html
Poolshark you do not have to build one. This article is for people that want to build one (or) that are interested,so dont try to be a hater(a spoiled sport)& spoil are fun.
I built me one the size of a internal cd-rom & it is a 2.7GHZ P4,2GB Mem,with four 7 inch touchscreen hidden monitors to use it in my car, without getting ripped off by electronic stores installing over prised dvd screens with no options for cars,etc & it handles all of my media needs. It is so small that I only have a automobile amp in my car & I just attach this mobile computer to my amp when I get into my car & I have a full media center in my car forget a Ipod I made my own & it even is a gps navigation system,blue tooth enabled to connect to my cell phone wirelessly to surf or send emails on the net (or) I can just use my wireless card to hop onto a open wireless network. Also this little pc comes in handy expecially in a big city because when a thief looks in my car to steal my car radio, there isn't one in my car,so there is nothing to steal because in the past my car radio has been stolen even with a alarm, but not anymore.
It also comes inside of my home & becomes my multimedia center in my tv room,bedroom & bathroom for long baths.
But I am a future gadget lover type of guy,so media center pc's are right up my alley.