Microsoft, never content with just monopolizing one segment of the market, has decided to dip its big, scary toes into the
Slingbox-ish world of anywhere-TV with a new piece of software for its
Media Center PCs. Using the newly acquired (but not new) WebGuide component -- created by a gentleman named Doug Berrett -- you can now tune into your Media Center content from any place you have web access. The software actually goes beyond what Slingbox is capable of, giving you full control over your system remotely, allowing you to set record times, change schedules, and generally go buck-wild, even from a mobile phone or WiFi equipped PDA. Ballmer and Co. also added an ITV function to MC PCs, though apparently all it does is offer C-rate "internet" content for MCE users. Clearly, what's exciting here is WebGuide -- the software is free, and presuming you already have your system up and running, you could be "slinging" video around before you know it.
[Via
Cedia]
posted September 17th 2007 2:13PM
I love WebGuide. I had it before it was free!
@Eric Carrol
Good point. I was referring to people that most likely already own a PC and have internet access.
Of course everything costs money, but most people already have a PC at home. Not all running Vista/MCE of course, but still a large number of people already have the software/hardware in place for this.
So where can you download this?
@Eric Carrol
Eric, how did you setup your $179 slingbox? Is it OTA, cable, or sattelite perhaps? How much does that cost? Even OTA, how much did you pay for the antenna? How much is the TV you watch when at home? Did you pay for the TV Stand that it sits on? Does your sling box sit on that stand?
How about the floor that your stand is supported by..Did you pay for that? If you want to break it down like that...
Your point is basically irrelevant as most people on the planet at this point have PC's.
Although I appreciated your first post in reply to mine, this one is obviously lacking in logic... These are all costs the MCE solution incurs as well. Do I have Satelite TV? yup. Does that come free with MCE? Not that I know of.
So all I am trying to say is that Josh T. claims that this has functionality that SlingBox doesn't have. If so what are they? Then a whole bunch of you instantly labeled me a fan-boy and started yelling that it was free. Okay... but thats not a function, is it? and to defend my position I simply reminded you that it was free to everyone who was willing to pay the $800 entry fee to the MCE club (which is what one poster claims is the cheapest you can get an MCE for), so the "ITS free - is a function" argument isn't really valid. And although I agree that most people have computers, I would bet the number of people who have both a MCE PC and a second computer they can take advantage of this feature with is far below the "pretty much everyone" argument people keep claiming.
So can anyone actually tell me if there is extra functionality? Or does this pretty much let you guys do what SlingBoxes do?
Eric:
With WebGuide you can not only watch recorded TV, live TV, schedule future recordings, etc like a SlingBox, but also stream or download all your videos, music, and pictures stored on the MCE box you are running it on. Comparing it to a SlingBox is pretty stupid. Obviously, the people who use/will use WebGuide already have a PC they use as their DVR/HTPC. Why would they pay $179 for a SlingBox when they can get the same functionality (and more) from free software?
Ironically Patrick, if you took the time to read my whole post you'd realize that the entire point of any of my posts was to ask what this did that a SlingBox didn't since the Author of this article said: "The software actually goes beyond what Slingbox is capable of, giving you full control over your system remotely, allowing you to set record times, change schedules, and generally go buck-wild, even from a mobile phone or WiFi equipped PDA." All things I can do on a SlingBox, so my honest, sincere and downright earnest question was what does this do that a SlingBox does not since all of the authors examples of "going beyond" were things I can do with my SlingBox. A question you answered (finally, thank you).
But Next time how about you leave the "you're an idiot" comments out of it. I don't own an MCE PC, I have never used WebGuide. Kinda hard to "know" all of this from a one paragraph article, especially one that makes a pretty bad comparison, so all of you who called those of us with SlingBox idiots for asking for clarification (none of us said anything about Sling being better at any time btw) and telling us to shut up it was free... well, just chill and realize that not every question is an attack.
Sorry Patrick, I meant to thank you for answering and ask the others to stop calling people idiots for posting questions (I think your Stupid comment was in regards to the was the article was written), but I realize my post looks like I was asking you specifically to stop, I apologize. And honestly Thanks for being the first person to take the time to answer our Question. (Trying to write quickly from work, honestly sorry if it sounded like I was upset with YOU)
I have to condemn and commend in this post...(classic white, engadget#1, Jon) and (Kyle, Eric Carroll), respectively. The jury is still out on Patrick ;-)
I felt compelled to come to the suppport of Kyle and Eric for simply asking what anyone with a Slingbox would have thought...and for their efforts they get blasted for being 'slingbox-huggers'. C'mon people, let's actually read the content before we curse at and insult those posting.
To that end, the best thing you can do in reply to my post is...sit back and think about it...I hope you'll do the same before any of your future posts.
First of all Engadget this news is about a week old. Are you guys that hard up for news? Also, the Title is very misleading. Microsoft did not add this to their media center software. Is it available on the MS site...No? Windows Update....NO? There is nothing official from Microsoft. All they did was hire the guy who created this software. Now the software is going to fizzle away since it won't be supported anymore.
*cough* youtube on Apple TV, from articles on Engadget
"The wait is over, and you can finally train that Apple Remote of yours on videos of passable karaoke, mind numbing video blog confessions and the genius that is Daxflame. That's right, YouTube is hitting the Apple TV today, an.."
"Video quality looks pretty decent, all things considered. YouTube regulars will be more than satiated."
C-Rate video eh..
lol... :)
Good luck using this with a CableCard. DRM won't allow it. You can schedule recordings...and stuff like that...but you can't watch any channels and/or programs recorded.
"The software actually goes beyond what Slingbox is capable of, giving you full control over your system remotely, allowing you to set record times, change schedules..."
Uhh...I do all those things with my Slingbox already, even from my EV-DO smartphone. Granted, the control is over a TV and not a computer, but isn't the functionality the same? Or am I missing something here?
...And how is this different from actualy just remote desktop
Cool... is this available now?
I need to get a TV card, can anyone recommend one for Vista? (I have open PCI-E x1 and x16 slots)
Go to http://www.mce-components.com/
I can't speak to slingbox functionality. However, in addition to accessing and controlling the DVR features of media center with WebGuide, you can also access your music, photos and videos.
**update: Steve Jobs is wearing a turtleneck. Announced the ability to watch your iTunes movies from anywhere with a net connection. Microsoft stumbles and can't do anything right**
Wow, Who told the Microsoft viral workers that Engadget was raggin' in Windows? Go back to harassing the PS3 and Wii fans with your Microsoft can do no wrong and excels at everything attitude.
Be afraid of Doug Barrett - he's everywhere. Did you ever see the name on every advertisement for the BP credit card? That's right...
Unlike your agenda to inflate Microsoft at any turn? What do they pay?
Yeah, because Joshua is such a horrible person for posting about the new 360 controllers and how to get them:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/12/pink-and-blue-xbox-360-wireless-controllers-get-street-dates-co/
And skimming his posts and going back quite far to find a Microsoft related story, I find this highly fl amatory post on Microsoft's R&D Lucid Touch:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/24/microsoft-randd-strikes-again-the-lucidtouch/
Wow, he really laid it into Microsoft there!!
And let's not forget that jaunt into the unthinkable by posting about another Microsoft story on a huggable toy creature:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/21/bill-gates-backs-probo-the-huggable-childrens-robot/
How dare he rag on Bill Gates like that!!
"The software actually goes beyond what Slingbox is capable of, giving you full control over your system remotely, allowing you to set record times, change schedules, and generally go buck-wild, even from a mobile phone or WiFi equipped PDA"
For those that dont know, Slingbox gives you full control over your DVR/cable box. You dont need a TV for Slingbox. The DVR by itself is all you need. You can use it on many things too, like DVD players, TIVO....not sure why they dont support PCs(especially the newer ones with HDMI) or do they? Ive never tried.
I installed this, and then uninstalled it. I thought it was (at least at this point) much worse than ORB. This thing seems to install a web server in your computer, I was also worried with the implications of this. I hope they make it much better once we have a fully integrated solution. BTW, the URL to access your computer is a joke...
Sorry Patrick, I meant to thank you for answering and ask the others to stop calling people idiots for posting (I think your Stupid comment was in regards to the was the article was written), but I realize my post looks like I was asking you specifically to stop, I apologize. And honestly Thanks for being the first person to take the time to answer our Question.
I can't believe engadget would post this kind of MS PR hackery. Try installing webguide. It is a complete joke. And a huge security hole to boot. MS is running scared, no doubt, but why not just buy a real product like orb instead of a laughable imitation.
Interestingly, the website for Asciiexpress is gone.
Do you really think that this software is THAT big of a security hole?