Anyone using Windows Media Center?

[smokey982]

I've been having many problems lately with my desktop computer so it appears I may be in the market for a new one. I'm just curious how many people currently have a Media Center PC and do you feel it's worth the extra money? Is it a feature you would not want to be without? I know the ones I've seen come with a TV tuner, which I don't feel I would ever use. So besides for TV purposes, what benefit do they have?

 

[navychop]

Personally, I'd wait until after October 22 and get a Windows 7 machine.

 

[smokey982]

Well I have considered that as well. But I still have the question of media center or no media center.

I wonder how long after October 22nd until the computers installed with windows 7 are on the shelves?

 

[mike123abc]

Well I have considered that as well. But I still have the question of media center or no media center.

I wonder how long after October 22nd until the computers installed with windows 7 are on the shelves?

If I remember with Vista many retail stores just sold out of computers, and held the stock of the Vista machines until release date. Perhaps they are doing the same this time, and we will have same day availability.

 

[stogie5150]

I've been having many problems lately with my desktop computer so it appears I may be in the market for a new one. I'm just curious how many people currently have a Media Center PC and do you feel it's worth the extra money? Is it a feature you would not want to be without? I know the ones I've seen come with a TV tuner, which I don't feel I would ever use. So besides for TV purposes, what benefit do they have?

I use it with an OTA antenna....its just alright...it should be great, but its way too slow, it does an alright job playing music and other media files, though.
My main problem is that while you are using it, it ties up whatever machine its running on! I have my HDTV connected to it VIA component cable, and if my wife is watching Survivor, the computer is disabled to do anything else. Some kind of Windows thing, I have used three different video cards, and all of them do it.

Vista will NOT let you have independent control of two monitors if one of them is a TV. For that reason and that reason alone I don't recommend it. :rant:

I have not tried to burn a tv show or anything like that, but MS being MS, they make sure they respect "do not burn' flags, I see them all the time in the notes for my programs.

Hope some of that helps. FWIW I have Vista Home Premium, a 3.0 Gig Athlon processor with 3gigs of RAM, 8600GT video card.

 

[diogen]

The Premium flavour and above all have the Media Center component, Vista and Win7. Most of the retail PCs (except netbooks) have Vista Premium today and most likely will have Win7 Premium. I'd also get at least this flavour if you are a DIY-er.

Go with a PC-based playback system for home video/audio only if you enjoy "tinkering" with computers, Media Center or not. If not - stick to players like PCH, HDX, WDTV, etc.
With enough time and sweat invested, you can make your HTPC as good as a Kaleidescape system while costing less than a tenth of it.

Vista will NOT let you have independent control of two monitors if one of them is a TV.

I don't understand where this come from - certainly nothing to do with reality.
You have to be careful when assigning primary/secondary monitor, mode they use, and rendering engines your player uses - that is correct.

I have not tried to burn a tv show or anything like that, but MS being MS, they make sure they respect "do not burn' flags...

Never heard about "do not burn" flag.
There are "copy-never", "copy-once", "copy-free" flags with digital broadcasting, but obeying these flags has nothing to do with "MS being MS"...

Diogen.

 

[avg1joe]

Do you currently have cable, over the air or satellite tv?

Do you want to watch or record tv on your computer?

Do you want to watch dvd's or blue ray disks on your computer?

Do you have decent internet speed?

Do you want to watch youtube videos, tv shows, and movies on demand for free, full screen on your tv?

If so, what is the model number of your tv or what connection inputs does it have?