RE: Windows Media Center Edition - 2005 - Killer App

["Don McAllister" <donmc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Google is your friend....

http://www.knowledgenetwork.gov.uk/oee/hci.nsf/0/F374136D3AD2881680256E0F00=
4
1F296?OpenDocument=20

HCI schemes are enabled by the Government's 1999 tax exemption on loaned
computers which allows employers to implement a tax-exempt loan scheme for
computer equipment for their employees to use at home.  Many employers use
HCI schemes to widen their existing benefits package.

Most organisations, large or small, are eligible. In recent years, many
hav=
e
successfully implemented schemes, including some of the biggest names in
th=
e
private sector, public sector organisations, and small and medium sized
businesses. In almost every case these organisations have been driven by a
desire to boost skills and learning, and increase their overall performance
and competitiveness.

Cost neutral

Most HCI schemes are cost neutral as many employers choose to use salary
sacrifice arrangements to offset the costs of administration and
implementation.   Where salary sacrifice is used, the employee accepts a
reduction in their gross annual salary in return for the use of a loaned
computer. Depending on the nature and scale of an HCI implementation, an
employer may be in a position to generate operational savings through a
reduction in National Insurance contributions on the amount of their
employees' salaries sacrificed.

-----Original Message-----
From: JT @ Home [mailto:Jonathan@xxxxxxx]=20
Sent: 30 November 2004 14:09
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Windows Media Center Edition - 2005 - Killer App


=93Home Computing initiative=94 =85 what on earth??????????
=20
Could someone enlighten me?
Jonathan.
=20
-----Original Message-----
From: Don McAllister [mailto:donmc@xxxxxxx]=20
Sent: 30 November 2004 11:18
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Windows Media Center Edition - 2005 - Killer App
=20
I just signed up for a new PC as part of the Home Computing initiative.
It=92s
a Fujistu-Siemens Scaleo T ix with 3.4Ghz Pentium 4, 1GB RAM, 250GB SATA
disk and 256MB ATi Radion 9600 XT-4. Oh, and a 19" TFT.

It came with XP Home on it - (spit).

I didn't aim to run MCE on it as it's meant to be my main desktop
machine
but as MCE is basically XP Pro with SP2, I thought I'd give it a go.=20

Be interesting to see how the extender technology works when it's
available
in the UK but when I get my hi-Def tele next year, I'll probably get
another
PC just to act as a Media Center PC.

PS the HiDef clips available from MS look stunning!

Regards
Don

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Smith [mailto:ukha@xxxxxxx]=20
Sent: 30 November 2004 11:06
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Windows Media Center Edition - 2005 - Killer App


Hi Don,

What spec machine are you using? Specifically the graphics card.


Regards,

Paul


-----Original Message-----
From: Don McAllister [mailto:donmc@xxxxxxx]=20
Sent: 30 November 2004 10:49
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Windows Media Center Edition - 2005 - Killer App


Seriously considering it now. I see Hauppague(?) have just launched a
MCE
edition of a PCI Freeview PVR card for about =A360

Once that's available I might go for that.

One Tivo is proving to be a bit limiting at the moment!

Cheers
Don



-----Original Message-----
From: Mark McCall [mailto:lists@xxxxxxx]=20
Sent: 30 November 2004 10:44
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Windows Media Center Edition - 2005 - Killer App


> DVD collection stored on-line in ISO format created with daemon tools.
I
> know that there have been several homebrew solutions around daemon and
> various frontends but this implementation seems spot on.

Good to hear Don, thanks for that.

Are you planning to try the PVR side?

M.