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Hands-on with Microsoft's internet tv beta 2, still unwatchable
There's bad quality internet video and then there is really bad internet quality video and there is no doubt that the latest internet tv beta 2 from Microsoft is as bad as we've ever seen. Checking it out we couldn't believe our eyes and tried a number of clips before shaking our head and thinking "are you kidding me?" In some cases the video is presented as 4x3 even though we know the show is available on other sites like Hulu in 16x9, but to make things worse, even when the content is in the original aspect ratio, it is so over-compressed we don't see how anyone could take this serious. The interface is decent enough and does do a good job of integrating well with the rest of the Media Center experience, but we hate to say it but we'd rather see nothing at all then garbage like this. Our favorite internet tv beta 2 feature? The ability to hide it from the guide, and with any luck, forget it even exists.
SecondRun.tv updated with direct play Media Center Extender support
Media Center Extender users now have a reason to check out the SecondRun.tv plugin, with the latest build supporting direct play mode on any providers that support it (read: not Hulu, at the moment.) Right now Revision3 and the unfortunately overcompressed GameTrailers.com are the big names but users will know which ones work by a green arrow in the corner. Otherwise the latest revision has other tweaks including fixed display sizing problems and movie covers, but you'll have to load it up on your display to let us know how well it's working.[Thanks, Nathan]
New utility makes any computer's BIOS CableCARD ready
After learning that some were having success adding ATI Digital Cable Tuners to HTPC they built themselves, we knew it was only a matter of time before it would be possible to make it work on any computer, but we have to admit we never thought it would happen this fast. The Green Button forum member DanITman posted some directions and links to everything you need to make ANY Vista or Windows 7 computer support digital cable. The hack is very simple actually, it just uses a modified version of VistaLoader to emulate a Sony OCUR compliant computer's BIOS. The real beauty is that it can easily be installed or uninstalled and if Microsoft were to black list the Sony BIOS, emulating a different BIOS would be trivial. The only potentially unworkable caveat at this point is if you are using an Dell OEM Windows PC using the OEM key, this will break your activation, but hopefully a solution for that will be discovered shortly as well.
Entelligence: Beware of geeks bearing gifts
Today we reintroduce Entelligence as a new column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide. Here's a riddle. Why was a $300 PC with a Pentium III CPU, an 8GB hard drive, 64MB of RAM, 10/100 Ethernet, a DVD player, and an NVIDIA graphics chip considered a killer PC system in late 2001? The answer is because it wasn't a PC -- it was the original Xbox. In recent years, Microsoft has evolved the Xbox quite a bit. No longer is it a PC system with N-1 technology -- it is now a targeted and focused piece of engineering that is state of the art and optimized for games -- but importantly, a lot more than games. It's the Xbox that will likely be Microsoft's beachfront into the digital home, and it will be the Xbox which furthers Microsoft's role in the digital home beyond the PC.
Commercial skipping via ShowAnalyzer coming to WTV files in May
If you're like us then you've been playing with the various Windows 7 Betas. Although we really like the direction Microsoft is headed with it, some of our favorite features keep us from making the switch from Vista Media Center full time. We'd say the number one feature that keeps us living in the past is automatic commercial skipping, but earlier tonight we heard some great news. The guys at the Entertainment 2.0 podcast had the author of one of the best commercial scanning utilities on, ShowAnalyzer, and was full of useful information. The most notable part was that he's been working on supporting wtv for some time, and actually expects to have it working by May -- yes, next month. This isn't the only feature we're still waiting for though, but it sure is a big one and we're glad to know it should be ready about the same time 7 gets its first release candidate.
How to force Windows 7 to use 3rd party codecs
There was quite an uproar a few weeks ago when ffdshow developers started to expose the fact that 3rd party codec support was changing and Windows 7 and while many were quick to jump to conclusions and write about the big bad corporation, we had a feeling some wires were just disconnected somewhere. Regardless, the good news is that 3rd party codecs are still supported in Windows 7, but if H.264 is supported natively then using a something like ffdshow instead is no longer a trivial matter -- and in our opinion not a bad thing considering the nightmares this has caused in Vista. Now forcing a 3rd party codec to play natively supported codecs isn't going to be easy, but it is possible. The up and coming Hack7MC.com has a pretty good explanation of just how to get it done. So if you're brave and just can't stand decoding H.264 with MS's included codec, then click on through and give it a try.
Microsoft clarifies codec position for Windows 7
Last week it was uncovered that the way 3rd party codecs will work in Windows 7 is going to be different. Microsoft wasn't exactly happy with our interpretation of the events and so we received a nice email today clarifying a few points; like the fact that Windows will "continue to use codecs and other format technologies from third-party companies." This is great and all, but doesn't exactly jive with what the developers of some third party companies are saying. The real point of contention seems to be that in Windows 7, if the video you want to watch is naively supported by Windows, there's no easy way choose a different codec, like the popular ffdshow. Now obviously you'll be able to add support for a codec not already supported by Windows, but that isn't going to be enough for some. That's not to say there isn't a way to override this out of the box behavior, but it isn't like it used to be. But honestly, a part of us understands what Microsoft is trying to do here. Anyone who has ever messed up their direct show filter priority with some hack codec pack knows the pain of re-installing Windows just to get a video to play again. So in a strange way this might actually be a decent compromise. Now if it was down right impossible to override the default codecs, it'd be a different story. But based on the current beta builds floating around the net, that doesn't seem to be the case. The full official response from Microsoft is after the break.
vmcPlayIt pulls PlayOn streams into Media Center and Media Center Extenders
Sure there's other ways to get bits like Hulu and Netflix on your Windows Media Center and Media Center Extender interface, but since PlayOn media server's already set up to add streaming video from those and other services like ESPN and YouTube, why not slide them all in at once? If you've already dropped the cash for a PlayOn install or are trying out a demo, the vmcPlayIt add-in serves as a Vista Media Center front end for all those video sources. 32- and 64-bit versions are available for the low low price of free, if this matches your setup it should be worth a try.[Via eHomeUpgrade]
Will Windows 7's integrated codec support cut off third party solutions?
Whoa, we may need to slow down on the celebration over out of the box h.264 codec support in Windows 7, with reports from developers indicating the beta OS blocks the usage of third party decoders under Windows Media Player and Media Center. Of course, the included codec support would obviate third party installs for many users anyway, and until we get an official release candidate we can't be sure how things will stack up in the retail experience. Digitalwerks has run down the sources, noting that third party solutions like VLC and Media Player Classic could still serve as workarounds, but Media Center Extender heads will want to keep a close eye on things going forward.
Windows Home Server PP2 adds Media Center integration
If you haven't played with Windows Home Server, we're not sure what you're waiting on. But if a $99 version of Windows 2003 Server with great image backup software, drop dead simple remote access, and mindless RAID, weren't enough to get you to check it out, perhaps the new Media Center features in Power Pack 2 will do the trick. Officially released tomorrow, Power Pack two will be installed via Windows Updates and among other things -- like remote access enhancements and backup fixes -- includes extra support for Windows Media Center. Now we're not exactly sure how this new functionality will compare to great 3rd party solutions like Recorded TV Manager, but we have our hopes up that this is a prelude to tuner support.
Microsoft restores guide data for ATSC channels in Media Center
We'll say one thing for our friends in Redmond, they might not always be on the ball but they do recovery quickly. Not even 48 hours after we reported the problem of missing guide data for ATSC channels that no longer have an NTSC counterparts, Microsoft came up with a interim fix that should restore guide data to all those pre-TV Pack Windows Media Center users. As we suspected, the issue had something to do with the old analog channel requirement and the root source of the guide data -- you didn't think Microsoft hand coded all that information did you? Evidently one of the sources of data used for both NTSC and ASTC channels dried up, post analog shutoff, and it caught the eHome team off guard. The good news is that all should be restored when your HTPC requests new data and if your like us -- you know the impatient type -- then a quick visit to "Tasks --> Settings --> TV --> Guide --> Get Latest Guide Listings" should do the trick. The full response from Redmond after the break.
Windows Media Center isn't ready for the digital transition
Media Center fans woke up to a rude awakening late last week when they realized that many of their OTA HD channels were missing guide data. After a number of reports at The Green Button -- where Microsoft is usually very receptive to programming data problems -- it become apparent that almost all the channels missing data were the very same ones where the broadcasters stayed on schedule and shut off their analog transmitters in February. We dropped a quick note to Microsoft to see what the deal is, but while we wait for a response we theorized that this might have something to do with the way OTA HD used to work in Windows Media Center Edition. Back in those days you had to have an analog tuner in order to add an HD tuner, so it makes some sense that the two were linked together, at least at some point. Further lending to this theory is the fact that those running the infamous TV Pack aren't affected and nor are those running a Windows 7 Beta -- MS completely rewrote how the tuners work in the newer releases. Now if you'll please excuse us while we go manually schedule all of our recordings, you know, like on an old VCR.
New CableCARD diagnostic tool for Windows Media Center makes installation slightly less frustrating
Let's be honest, getting a CableCARD to work with Windows Media Center is far, far, far from a smooth process. Thankfully, the Media Center Integrator Alliance -- this sort of the things is its bag, naturally -- are set to show off a Digital Cable Tuner Diagnostics tool at next week's Electronic House Expo. It'll provide all kinds of information on your tuner and CableCARD, including modulation type, format, frequency, carrier, PCR Lock, encoding level, and authorization -- and if all that goes way over your head, there's an option to export the data to XML and send it to someone who can help. No word on when we'll see an official release, but no matter what, it won't be soon enough.
PowerDVD 9 with native Media Center UI goes live
We've given up on waiting for Microsoft to natively support Blu-ray in Windows Media Center, but the good news is that the 3rd parties seem motivated to fill in the gap and the latest player from Cyberlink leap frogs ArcSoft's TotalMedia nicely. Although there are some additional under the hood enhancements -- still no HDMI 1.3 support, but seems to be coming with some sort of "Advanced Pack" -- that are welcomed, the big news in PowerDVD 9 is the Windows Media Center interface. Rather than just add a shortcut to the main menu that launches the application, Cyberlink has done some good work building a native MCML application. It pretty much looks exactly like it did when we filmed it at CES, and for the most part we like it, but we still think it could be a little more like the Media Center UI -- mostly we're referring to the scrub bar. %Gallery-46101%
Windows Media Center gets channel logos, finally
We're a big fan of Windows Media Center around here -- where else can you get a truly multiroom DVR solution after all -- but for whatever reason there are a few glaring missing features that have kept us scratching our heads for years. One item on that list that we can finally check off in Windows 7 is channel logos. Sure, this wasn't as high on our list as dual live buffers or the ability to record the Live TV buffer, but it is a welcomed addition. What we still can't figure out though, is why Microsoft hasn't added this years ago? And even more so, why even now is a 3rd party that got it to work? The good news is that My Channel Logos for 7MC is not only a free plug-in, but open enough that you can add your own logos -- this has some particularly interesting uses for those channels your significant other likes, but you don't.
The real reason why the Media Center TV pack update was OEM only?
One thing we know for sure is that the entire way Microsoft handled the TV Pack (code named Fiji) update was not well received by the enthusiast community. The primary reason for the disgust was the fact that the TV Pack update was OEM only (ie the likes of Dell and HP only), meaning those on the outside looking in felt slighted. The overall feeling seemed to be that Microsoft was once again pandering to the big OEMs -- like in the case of the original MCE or Digital Cable Tuners -- while leaving the build-your-own HTPC crowd on the sidelines. But here we are six months later and to our knowledge no OEMs are actually shipping Windows Media Center PCs with the TV Pack installed and we think we know why. At first we have to admit we had no clue what was going on, but then recently Microsoft proudly announced that unlike Windows Beta's before it, Windows 7 was only going to have one beta before going straight to release candidate 1 (RC1). %Gallery-29109%
Hulu on its way to Windows Media Center via SecondRun.tv
promising There's no question that the hottest new video site these days is Hulu and every media streamer and HTPC software around it trying to get in on the action by offering a way to access the fast amount of Hollywood content on bigger screens. The latest in the mix is Windows Media Center via a plug-in called SecondRun.tv. Before you get too excited though, it should be noted it's still in a private beta, but the screen shots do look promising. Now if only the video and sound quality of Hulu wasn't completely unbearable on a 60-inch HDTV with surround sound.
Windows 7 gets Hauppauge HD-PVR support via 3rd party
The HD-PVR FAQ on Hauppauge's website has always been very clear that the reason why there wasn't support for Windows Media Center was because when it comes to Live TV, Vista Media Center couldn't handle h.264. So it should come as no surprise that now that the Windows 7 Beta has been out for a bit, someone has figured out a way to get the two to play together. The DVBSBridge add-on is available now for those who can't wait for Hauppauge's drivers and are of course running Windows 7 -- Vista fans need not apply -- but we'll warn you; we just took a look at the directions and this is not for the faint of heart.[Via Geek Tonic]
Missing remote covers the new highs and lows of Media Center in Windows 7
The Missing Remote spent a few weeks with the new Windows Media Center in Windows 7 and was nice enough to share the experience by posting an overview and a few nice videos. Most of the this has been covered before, but there were a few good tidbits like m2ts container support, which will come in handy for playing Blu-ray rips. The most interesting part though is the list of pain points that were not addressed, like the fact that you still can't record the live TV buffer, no channel logos, and there is still no native Blu-ray support. The author obviously isn't an avid EHD reader or he would've been intimately familiar with the new Cyberlink Blu-ray playback software that was shown at CES. As for our coverage of the new Media Center features in Windows 7, stay tuned.
boxee for Windows alpha previewed
Looking for another Windows Media Center complement / alternative? Download Squad's taken a look at the currently in private alpha Windows version of boxee and found the interface a breeze to operate with a standard Windows Media Center remote, not surprising since it was originally designed with Mac remotes in mind. Of course, without Media Center's DVR underpinnings it's not a full replacement, but with a slick video browser and often updated sources, it could find its niche as a way to navigate both locally stored and online streaming video. Hit the read link for more impressions if you haven't been invited to the party (now open to all on Mac or Ubuntu) yet.
