Today is a really exciting day for me.  After a lot of work, a ton of great beta feedback and a couple of last minute fire drills, we have released the final version of the Windows Media Center SDK for Windows Vista today.

Since the RC2 build, we have done some additional work on the SDK and added the following features:

• An all new end-to-end MCML sample application, code named Z (see this blog post for more information)
• Lots more great documentation
• Sample XML registration files for registering entry points in every supported location in Windows Media Center
• Online version of MCML Sampler that we can use to provide new sample content even after the SDK has shipped
• Additional developer scripts to make it easier to build and debug the MCML sample applications (Q and Z) after installing the SDK

In addition to releasing the SDK, we have also released a power toy called the MCML Preview Tool Launcher.  This tool makes it much easier to preview markup as you write it by eliminating the need to type in file paths or URLs and adding the ability to track the history of previous files that you have viewed so you can jump back to them quickly.  Also, it makes it much easier to configure the command line switches supported by the MCML Preview Tool in the SDK.  This power toy requires that you install the SDK first.

The links below provide download locations for the Windows Media Center SDK for Windows Vista and the MCML Preview Tool Launcher power toy.  There are also links to the blog posts that Charlie posted this afternoon on the Media Center Sandbox site where you can read more details about the SDK, the power toy, and the Z sample application that has been added to the SDK.

Windows Media Center SDK for Windows Vista

• Download page - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=A43EA0B7-B85F-4612-AA08-3BF128C5873E&displaylang=en
• Direct download location for the setup package - http://download.microsoft.com/download/a/8/1/a81b4dba-66a6-4fe5-866c-55d1326a8b7c/MicrosoftWindowsMediaCenter-SDK-WindowsVista-ENU.msi

MCML Preview Tool Launcher SDK power toy

• Download page - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=F2060127-EB8A-4584-821A-69F70AF71568&displaylang=en
• Direct download location for the setup package - http://download.microsoft.com/download/7/f/4/7f4b7873-6b68-49a8-a31b-c674773f6167/McmlPadAuto.msi

Media Center Sandbox blog posts from Charlie

• Windows Media Center SDK - http://blog.mediacentersandbox.com/PermaLink,guid,c0603f22-6b40-47d0-8e41-3254a68b1ac3.aspx
• MCML Preview Tool Launcher power toy - http://blog.mediacentersandbox.com/PermaLink,guid,46555864-cd5d-450c-b528-216fd2776189.aspx
• Z Sample Application - http://blog.mediacentersandbox.com/PermaLink,guid,b04ae01a-19a6-496a-8812-117ef6ff7e71.aspx

I encourage anyone interested in Windows Media Center development to take a look at these posts, download and install the SDK and the power toy, and start digging in.  Please send any feedback you have and also send pointers to the great applications that you create!