What's this? A little standardization in the TV realm? Announced today at IBC2008, Microsoft has launched its Protected Broadcast Driver Architecture (PBDA), a new worldwide platform that was made possible by the recent release of
Windows Media Center TV Pack. In short, this system enables the "PC-TV hardware ecosystem to integrate virtually any free or premium TV service into Windows Media Center," which keeps content guardians ultra-stoked while giving consumers more choice when it comes to TV tuning. Essentially, PBDA gives OEMs and tuner-makers the ability to develop and ship wares for WMC "regardless of geographic location or television standard." The initiative is being backed by some serious players, too -- Hauppauge, AVerMedia, NEC, and NXP just to name a few -- and a couple have already shipped PBDA-based solutions overseas. Hit the read link for more... if you dare.
posted Sep 12th 2008 8:03AM
Protected Broadcast Driver Architecture- meaning no do it yourself DVR?
No thanks. Build a MythTV box or something like that if you're serious about your media center PC.
out of curiousity, can mythTV handle digicable/satellite/cablecard at all?
Wow, talk about misinterpreting it.
Yes, Windows Media Center is still going to work as well as before (which is to say, extremely well). If anything, this'll make it work better, since it'll have better support for encrypted/protected broadcast centers.
No, MythTV can't use CableCards, but it can use clear QAM or composite/s-video inputs from STBs.
@gti_guy: lol, at you being highly ranked for asking question?
And chock full of DRM goodness! Actually the press release doesn't name any Big Content companies that are happy about this, but I'm sure that they're always pleased when a big company like Microsoft makes an extraordinary effort to kiss ass. There is no legal requirement for Windows Media Center to enforce the "broadcast flag" therefore its support is strictly voluntary.
Microsoft has all of the piece in place to develop some great products, but their adherence to antiquated DRM policies totally kills it.
I have a modded Xbox I, I have XMBC installed on it. I have seen nothing on the market from any company that comes close to delivering the kind of features that it offers me.
I can browse my network play/copy/stream any media file or youtube. I can download straight from bittorrent and so on. Microsoft needs to fund the XMBC team. They are doing some great things.
Dream on. Although I agree with you 100%, it'd be a cold day in hell when MS decides to support XBMC. And, if MS was ever to get involved with XBMC, that'd be last day we hear of it as it'd kill it. Also, MS is a monthly fees believer. So, if they'd ever get involved with XBMC, they'd find a way to charge us for it. XBMC is doing great by itself. No need for MS to get involved and kill it.
@Rob, I moved from TiVo to Microsoft's WinXP Media Center to get away from monthly fees ... been using it for years and now use Vista Home Premium. We use the Xbox360 as extenders to multiple locations in the house and it works wonderfully without any monthly fees. On all of our TVs, we have our family photos & videos, music, recorded & live TV, digital movies, much more.
So what does this mean? Will I be able to plug the cable directly to my pc and watch premium channels like HBO?
Is there a pc that comes with Windows Media Center TV Pack? Is it still OEM?
This could possibly mean better end-user CableCARD support. If the PBDA path is CableLabs certified, the whole system doesn't need to be, which means you could buy a DCT and roll your own CableCARD Media Center.
MS did mention that the DRM on CableCARD recordings is going to go away unless the individual show (HBO shows, etc..) is protected
Anything to get rid of the crappy Comcast DVR and equipment fees.
So what is the opposite of "Big Content"? Pretty big words from a site that consists of really short reports that scroll and include ripped off pics and links to other people's videos!!! Funny how the anti-DRM folks aren't into creating real content at all!! That doesn't stop any of them from taking a swipe at "Big Content" for trying to keep THEIR content from ending up on every router in the world for free!!! Q.
So you complain about DRM in one sentence and mention Bit Torrent in another?!?! Are you kidding? I can't believe the insanity that is out there especially when the topic of Content versus thief comes up!! Q.
More development for Vista MCE is great news, I've been using it on my HDTV since XP MCE with a freeview card and it is a revolution, crashes alot less than my Virgin VBox did with much better quality picture.
How can anyone complain ? DRM doesn't ruin anyones life it just ensures that the big broadcast companies will support MCE.
I've used Myth TV and its like the dark ages compared to MCE. The only people who constantly complain are the people who can't manage to set it up right.
For any UK MCE users check out Tuner Free MCE it's the business.
Does this imply that Windows Vista Media Center now supports ClearQAM Tuning ? If thats true, its the single biggest reason I can see to buy Windows Vista right now..
Just got an email from Hauppage. I was wondering if they had a product that would support dual-tuners (let you watch one program while recording another) AND that supported CableCard. To my knowledge, such a product doesn't exist.
I specifically mentioned this article, hoping to help clarify what I was looking for (CableCard support).
They sent back an email stating that their high end PCI-slot tuner does support this. It doesn't. Buyer Beware.
Anyone know of a dual-tuner solution that includes CableCard support?
Aces! another way to lock out linux users!
Man it better support ClearQam or I'ma be pissed. I just bought a media center pc from asili and I know the card used on it has it.