Microsoft Taking Media Center to Headless Appliances’

Is the future of Windows Media Center with Windows Home Server?

Is the future of Windows Media Center with Windows Home Server? — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:17:17 GMT

Pingback from Is the future of Windows Media Center with Windows Home Server?

re: Microsoft Taking Media Center to Headless Appliances’

Mike Pettit — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 01:49:31 GMT

I second the comment about XBox 360 becomes Media Center. There is no reason that even a rev of the 360 console (let alone a follow-on) can incorporate in hardware all that is necessary to best a Tivo and PS combined, 2 or 3 tuners included. If you add in the Tivo subscription fee, a $500 box is reasonable. Go with whatever purchase plan you want, but XBox Live + Netflix or Amazon Unbox isn't a bad place to start.

Assuming that downloadable High Def is going to be commonplace in a year or so, either leave off the Blu-Ray or drop in a $200 option. Again, if Tivo can find the hardware to do a Tivo HD for their price, MS can do the same. Give the OS away. Make it 64 Bit with signed drivers and auto-update to boot. Just plan to sell them in the same volume as Tivo.

A Verizon partnership isn't bad, either.

re: Microsoft Taking Media Center to Headless Appliances’

Aaron — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 14:08:01 GMT

Windows Home Server seems to have been done right with the same basic idea. I'm not saying it will ever have the adoption rate it should, but mind runs in the basement without issue 24/7. Maybe they could pull this off, but MSFT is to far done the other path to back up.

re: Microsoft Taking Media Center to Headless Appliances’

Stuart Anderton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 08:14:19 GMT

Media Center requires too much tinkering and fiddling to be a CE product.

And MSFT need to treat it as an application not a part of the OS so it can decouple its development cycle with that of the OS. Waiting 3 years between major versions is not acceptable for a product like this

Remember the last Windows Media Center CE Box

Ian Dixon's Blog — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:54:21 GMT

With the talk of a headless Windows Media Center System Richard Miller reminded me of Microsoft’s last

re: Microsoft Taking Media Center to Headless Appliances’

Larry McQueary — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:05:14 GMT

Typical Microsoft. It has taken them YEARS to catch on to what most of us figured out 4 years ago -- that MCE needs to be a device unto itself, and they seem to have figured it out too late.

I use an MCE "server" in my basement, literally in a utility closet. The only reason it needs a display at all is for troubleshooting.

Nobody truly wants a PC sitting next to their TV, and few people want their family's TV recordings to be interfered with by the instability that a frequently used M$ operating system typically exhibits.

Thanks for figuring out that this is supposed to be an appliance, Microsoft. This just in: people like to carry their music in their pockets -- oh wait -- you figured that one out already -- also four years too late (as usual).

re: Microsoft Taking Media Center to Headless Appliances’

DavidinCT — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:35:37 GMT

If they do it right, then it might not be bad.

1. Keep it in Windows and have a dedicated STB.

2. Features need to stay the same between both lines, so if the PVR offers on thing, it must be available for the PC.

4. Don't drop support for PCs

5. Keep them on the same time release schedule, so if Jan 23 is when the STB will come out, Jan 23rd there will be an update for Media Center to apply the same features.

6. Dont drop support for PCs. (yes, I said it twice)

It might be nice to have a STB with Media Center but, I do like what I can do with the PC side of my HTPC (from games to fixing other computers on the fly) and a STB wont be able to do that....

re: Microsoft Taking Media Center to Headless Appliances’

John K — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:25:58 GMT

Ok, now think about this...

What if Microsoft partnered with Verizon and offered this as a higher priced option over their standard DVR (Kind of like what Comcast is supposedly doing with TIVO)

You now get seamless Media Center HD capability, whole home audio/video, and WHS in an "appliance" that Verizon would be willing to troubleshoot. Plus, maybe Verizon now "leases" XBox 360's (with verizon branded options) for their extenders...

re: Microsoft Taking Media Center to Headless Appliances’

Andrew — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 22:59:26 GMT

Makes perfect sense to formalise a MS offering in the space. There are many developments already going on in this area. If you look at the "networked media tank" or NMT units like the popcorn hour a-110, eGreat or other units with "updated" interfaces and operating systems. There is a fast growing developer network around these as well.

A polished MS offering that interfaced directly to a main media PC or NAS would be great.

re: Microsoft Taking Media Center to Headless Appliances’

Sam — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:44:16 GMT

Xbox360 becomes Media Center

re: Microsoft Taking Media Center to Headless Appliances’

Dave Zatz — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:08:28 GMT

I kinda liked that old LG Microsoft DVR... I think they could do something along those lines again with modern hardware and technology.

re: Microsoft Taking Media Center to Headless Appliances’

chrisl — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:56:36 GMT

I'm not trying to imply that Media Center is being taken out of Windows.

re: Microsoft Taking Media Center to Headless Appliances’

Platup — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:52:54 GMT

"...take Media Center off the desktop..."? I hope you mean "porting to" and not off. Taking it off the desktop would indicate they're effectively killing MCE for the enthusiast. Anyone here know how to build a CE appliance? Given the price of the extender (CE appliance) I’m guessing it’s going to be a pretty penny. Especially when you have to buy all new extenders that work with it.

I guess it doesn’t really matter since this will surely be as fast as DirecTV integration, PIP or sub channel guide data.

re: Microsoft Taking Media Center to Headless Appliances’

Chris Luce — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 04:40:26 GMT

I think this makes sense for the custom installer market; I doubt it would be offered in the retail consumer space. CE is used as a managed change environment with stability being a primary concern. My thinking is this goes to AV Pros for custom installs, or to ATT U-verse or other content distribution schemes.

I would take a look at it if it did hit the retail space but would not hazard a price without a list of features. If you combine the 360 with Media Center CE, dual hybrid tuners and a 500GB drive I would like to see it at the $500 mark. It could be subsidized down to that price or lower by media subscriptions.

Running headless and delivering content via extenders relieves the need for a video card capable of decoding high-def and or scaling. If Microsft doesn't make it headless, they'll just end up making a MediaCenter edition Xbox- That new Cray looks good for it.

Microsoft has a good framework for delivering content- I think they need to focus on actual content- even the Live Marketplace (videos) would be a good start.

Microsoft planning La Veuve de Media Center?

Microsoft planning La Veuve de Media Center? — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 01:27:04 GMT

Pingback from Microsoft planning La Veuve de Media Center?

re: Microsoft Taking Media Center to Headless Appliances’

Al — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:24:38 GMT

I had an UltimateTV way back when... which was a DirecTV DVR that MS designed. That UI eventually moved to the PC as media center... now they are moving it back to an STB.

I'm hoping this STB device is a WHS based device but I'm not holding my breath. I just don't see them successfully creating a standalone STB to compete with the cableco or Sat company dvr's... it will have to do more than that.

re: Microsoft Taking Media Center to Headless Appliances’

Aaron — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 21:12:12 GMT

Most common users are pretty happy with cable boxes. There is nothing to them. If they stop working, folks call the cable company. I don't see folks paying more than $99 for this thing.

I'll reiterate what has already been said. Give me 4-6 DirectTV tuners and sign me up at any reasonable cost.

The single reason MCE has not taken off is that it lacks good HDTV support and companies like Dell refuse to make a system that looks decent next to a TV. When my friends see my system they think its cool, but then they talk about the 30+ HD channels they get with their HDDVR from Time Warner.

re: Microsoft Taking Media Center to Headless Appliances’

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:54:15 GMT

I'm not sure a headless server would sell all that well in the mass market, a server that functions as a set top at the main tv, then serves to extenders in other rooms might (if that makes sense). They could also roll all that into WHS as well and cover both markets.

As for what one might pay for such a device, I think it's entirely dependent on what TV support it has. In the US if it supports Cable and Sat native (replacing STB's) then quite a bit I'd imagine. In Canada on the other hand where we get S-Video support and thats it, then not much more than a TiVo series 2 $300-$400 maybe?

re: Microsoft Taking Media Center to Headless Appliances’

Neil — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:25:59 GMT

Give me a box I can put in the basement with 4 DirecTV tuners and lots of storage, and make it just work. I'm sick of dealing with different video card drivers, sound drivers, etc.

Then I'll buy extenders for all my TVs. Keep the server/tuner box below $1000, and the rest of my family will buy the same setup.

Chris Lanier - Microsoft Taking Media Center to Headless Appliances?

Ian Dixon's Blog — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:21:41 GMT

Interesting post from Chris saying he has a tip that Microsoft is going to produce some kind of headless