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Media Center Extenders & Windows Media Connect - Chris Lanier's Blog

Media Center Extenders & Windows Media Connect

If you listened to this weeks Media Center Show you heard Dave Alles, Product Unit Manager on the eHome Team say that more Media Center Extenders would be coming out in the Vista timeframe.  In addition, he said that the Windows Media Connect Team and the Media Center Extender Teams have basically merged (which I didn’t know).  Dave said that these devices will support DLNA and will have Windows Media Connect and Extender both built in.  Very interesting, but I’m still interested in a Standalone ~$150 Extender.

As a side note, Pioneer's BDP-HD1 Blu-ray Disc (BD-ROM/RE/R) Player will support Windows Media Connect out-of-box with supported playback of WMV, VC-1, MPEG-4 AVC, MPEG-2, WMA, MP3, LPCM, and more.  They should all be supported over Windows Media Connect, since it supports output of just about any format, the BDP-HD1 will do all the decoding.

Published Thu, Feb 16 2006 10:41 by chrisl
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Comments

# re: Media Center Extenders & Windows Media Connect

How practical is the BD player's Connect support? I'm assuming most people would put this device in their living room, which means that it's only useful for people with Connect-enabled devices (e.g. Xbox 360) outside of their living rooms (not too common, methinks).

In any case, $1,800 for this player? It's cheaper to buy two Media Center PCs at that point. Of course, we probably won't be able to play BD on Media Center PCs without buying new ones anyways[1,2]. All this copy protection is making it impossible for me to spend money on the content it's supposed to "protect". It's just comical at this point.

Guess I'll be sticking to regular DVDs for a while, just like I've been sticking to regular CDs due to the copy protection infested replacements (SACD, DVD-A). It's hard trying to be a legitimate consumer these days :(

1. http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/ati_nvidia_hdcp_support/
2. http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/archive/2006/01/29/82032.aspx

Thursday, February 16, 2006 1:17 PM by Derek

# re: Media Center Extenders & Windows Media Connect

It will connect with there PC (running Windows Media Connect on it).

It's a Digital Media Receiver just like the Xbox 360 is, you don't connect to other DMRs, rather the PC. This way, it makes perfect since. :)

As for the HDCP/HDMI, everyone in the industry has known for almost 5 years that HDCP/HDMI was the way to go. There is no reason for todays cards not to support, however that's something no one can change today. :( The worst part is that HDCP was developed by Intel of all people. Yet, Intel main market (PC silicon) doesn't have a good solution 5 years after development of the standard. :(

Chris

Thursday, February 16, 2006 3:39 PM by chrisl

# re: Media Center Extenders & Windows Media Connect

I can't really see standalone extenders coming for a while yet as they could impact on income from the 360. My guess is MS are wanting to get as many Xbox360's into peoples homes as possible, and by delaying the stand alone extenders it is likely those who want an extender will buy a 360 instead. If some of these people can then be pursuaded to get into the occasional game or download premium content, MS are onto a winner.

Friday, February 17, 2006 2:42 AM by Mrphil