Tales of Windows Media Center Program Management

Disapointing rollout schedule.

Progress, but I am waiting for 2.0 (two way).

FANTASTIC news and only the beginning. How come everyone at MSFT is being so quiet about it? This is big.

I think we're all exhausted from working so hard. :)

I'm really psyched. Between XBOX 360 and Cablecard we are going to the next level. I can't wait!

You're right, David - this is huge. And establishes the Media Center as the nexus for premium content, both HD cable and broadband. Amazing that MS got the DRM certification - and it comes at the right time, with Vista just around the corner.

The timing couldn't be better.

I wonder if this could (just by proximity) provide some impetus for the whole Blu-Ray/HD-DVD DRM thing. I think the closer we can come to a "unified DRM chain" the better...

For existing media center pc's, what hardware will be required? Tuner cards (some today have QAM support already), Cablecard/PCMCIA module?, newer video cards for protected video path? New Monitors for video path drm? There is much confusion over vista and what will be required to play HD type content.

I want to be sure that the MCE system I'm building today for OTA HD will be upgradable at a resonable cost to a Vista/Cablecard ready MCE system. Hopefully, it's the cost of vista and a cablecard module...

I don't know about the specifics on HW yet. I believe you'll need a specific type of tuner and other HW but I just don't know the list at this time. It is pretty new for us on this. I'll ping the folks driving the project and see what, if anything, we have availalbe and post back here if I find out anything interesting.

I am super-excited though, still.

On the HD-DVD issue I was told that part of the HD-DVD spec was to allow streaming and DRM for every disc so we could be close to the final vision that I've always had. All media, HD quality from anywhere in my house.

Now if we could just increase bandwidth enough to make super high quality media availalbe from anywhere in the world streaming from my house.

Of course http://www.orb.com is a very cool start.

We've had this discussion already (http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/entry/1565/windows_vista_mce) on eHomeUpgrade back in July when details first started coming out about Windows Vista's need for protected software/hardware to operate optimally (note: some info has changed since then). Bottom line: Either consumers will have to buy their PCs directly from OEMs if they want 100% of all the functionality promised (next gen-DVD support, AACS managed copies, HDCP streaming, Protected Video Path for HD video playback, [Now] CableCARD, etc.), or they can upgrade their current system to Vista, but they will not have access to Vista's advanced features unless Microsoft allows hardware manufactures to sell "certified" trustworthy PC components (and I definitely mean that in a plural sense) to the general public. If you guys know different, please comment.

Sounds cool, but according to the press release none of this is available until "the holiday 2006 time frame"??

Why would your company announce this now? Do you suggest no one buy a Media Center PC until the holiday 2006 time frame?

Alexaner: Microsoft doesn't control the sale of hardware, no reason to wait for them to "allow" NVIDIA to sell a graphic card to the general public. Hardware manufacturers will be able to sale their products as they do today. Everything else that is "special" is added via drivers and other software interfaces with the card. No different from graphics cards today supporting CGMS-A or Macrovision (which is suggested, if not required for official Media Center support) No Linux drivers add CGMS-A or Macrovision support, yet the hardware supports it as do the Media Center drivers. That hardware, still works in Linux too.

Chris Lanier

Chris, if it’s as simple as you say as vendors just needing to add drivers that will support the system, why are there so few compatible MCE TV tuner cards? My point is you can’t just use generic hardware, you have to use hardware that is designed to work with Vista’s protected environment (of course they can still be designed to work with any other OS, if the company so chooses).

What about European (DVB-C) cable providers?

Alexander Grundner: (already replied in different thread)

I never said that new hardware will not be needed for many of these new techologies, I was respond to what you said about Microsoft controlling the sale of hardware, which they don't.

Your point is the exact same as mine, but your not reading my post correctly based on your replies. :-) You will be able to buy the hardware, Microsoft doesn't control that, everything else needed to add support for the protected bits of the cards/hardware will be enabled by software in Windows.

Unless, of course, there are necessary enhancements at the Bios level, which usually requires a new mobo and therefor a complete rebuild.....

You know, similar to how we (existing MCE owners) got burned with "away mode" most recently.

Anyway, I think I'll be ready for a new machine in a year, so I'm not complaining!

Aaron

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