Re: Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 - UK Launch

[Wayne <wayne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hiyall,
are you not missing the point a little (/me runs and ducks) - but
doesn't it also give you access to your 'central movie / song store' on
your servers - the ability for it to do a nice 'you have mail' popup, or
to tie in with your telephony system for popups and caller id's (or even
video calls!) Internet browsing / games playing (mame!) / weather
reports? all with a 'nice' little remote controller with a 'windows' key :)

or are we all using x-boxes for this :)

I guess its MS's official 'dont hack my x-box' software - although I
dont think at the moment you can 'record' with an xbox.

Thoughts?
Wayne.

Martin Greenwood wrote:

>I agree with Kenneth, a TV is a TV. It may work in a bachelor pad where
>only one person is using the set.
>In our house even turning on the "Now and next" overlay
annoys everyone
>else who is watching the current channel. Years ago it was the same
>with Teletext, low resolution and it took over the set (ok it was quite
>slow as well).
>Our previous video recorder could be set by typing in the videoplus
>code and looking at the display on the front of the video to check it.
>With our current one you have to use the onscreen graphics to set the
>timer, again quite annoying..
>
>Why the big push to merge computers into TV??
>
>Martin
>
>On 27 Oct 2004, at 17:40, Kenneth Watt wrote:
>
>
>
>>>Last night saw the official launch party for MCE 2005 to the UK
>>>
>>>
>>press.
>> > Unfortunately I was unable to make it but while I wait for
the
>>press pack
>> > to
>> > arrive here are some pictures and details from the launch...
>>
>> There are just one or two small flies in the ointment here, Sky
for a
>>start!
>>
>> It's all very well and good having such a system but it will still
>>rely on a
>> Heath Robinson IR control affair for a Sky box which is what
really
>>puts me
>> off the whole HTPC idea in many ways. So you still have to faff
about
>>with
>> IR emitters and whatnot and suffer a degraded picture and have no
>>Dolby
>> Digital if you want to record to any HTPC, so a waste of space IMO
>>for those
>> of us that actually care about such little details.
>>
>> But here are the biggest bugbears of any such systems...
>>
>> To listen to your MP3 collection you have to have a screen on! Not
>>ideal and
>> the sound through the TV just ain't that good in most people's
living
>>rooms.
>>
>> Since most people out there actually do not have their TV hooked
up
>>to an
>> audio system of any kind, let alone a DD/DTS capable one, then you
>>have to
>> wonder just who's going to buy this and why.
>>
>> Bar DVI/D-Sub any output I've seen to a TV is crap, just more
>>degradation in
>> the quality if you use S-Video and, even at that, the TV or
display
>>has to
>> accept the input. Even many of the LCD sets out there do not have
a
>>DVI
>> input on them.
>>
>> Great idea which really needs time to mature and stop being so
flaky,
>>it
>> also really needs a small, say 6" or 7" LCD on it, so
you can see
>>what's
>> going on without having to turn the telly or PJ on just to listen
to
>>a bit
>> of music or see what the weather forecast is.
>>
>> Roll on MSTV, downloadable TV programming... at a cost! ;)
>>
>> But that's just my opinion.
>>
>> K.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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