RE: Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 - UK Launch

["Kenneth Watt" <kwatt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Heh, the list was quiet, no real juicy posts so I decided to liven things
u=
p
a bit with a little intellectual debate so Phil is excluded! :P

> Yes, far from ideal if you have sky. I've no idea how bad/good this is
> handled in the system.  However I imagine it's something like TiVo,
not
> rocket science.

Yes, but from Sky you lose a lot and if you want to watch all the stuff
that's worth watching you need to pay Rupert his pound of flesh. :(

I still suspect that's why TiVo was killed off in the UK.

> Here I disagree.  I have had a slim and Rios it's pretty painful to
try
> and
> access tracks in a large collection.  Browsing my collection on TV via
> xbox
> is a much better experience. A regular visitor to our house picks up
the
> remote and navigates to the music he wants all the time.

Ah, I use the Slims as a playback device controlled via LAN or of course I
have the luxury of being able to use the remote to do it. ;)

But that's why I suggested a small LCD on the thing as, even from a few
feet, a reasonable LCD with a reasonable font should still be useable, hell
even a VFD would be nice! Just put something there so I can see at a glance
what's going on without having to resort to switching a TV on.

> This from a man with a =A33K AV Amp! LOL

Yes, for me. The other half uses a bog standard Sony set to watch TV with
the sound from the set as she won't entertain even a cut down AV system in
there. Plus I have a problem buying one so she can watch soaps and the odd
reality TV show as it's a waste really.

> This isn't a system for everyone, but the type of customer it's aimed
at
> is
> very likely to have an AV system already I'd have thought.

Probably, but with the figures they mention in the article on AH they are
aiming this squarely at the mass market, not us geeks that do have a clue
what it is all about.

> I've never seen a digital input into a telly, but the LCDs and Plasmas
> I've
> seen in shops look appalling.  I get the attraction from an aesthetic
> point
> of view, but not a quality one.

Some can look very, very good if it's done right. Mostly the muppets in the
stores have no idea on how to set up a picture, I mean a Currys
salesperson=
?
;)
=20
> The output of my xbox is very acceptable to me.  Certainly much better
> than
> any TV Out from any PC I've seen.

X-Box is okay but it is optimised for what it does. As a DVD playback
devic=
e
I think it's woeful, hard and fiddly to use and the picture is
"okay".

> This is the third generation now.  Things should be getting there by
now!

You would have thought, the hype certainly is, whether the product is or
no=
t
remains to be seen.
=20
> And you can't just compare it to a PVR.  It's so much more.  Like the
xbo=
x
> it's a movie player, music player, Digital Photo player, plus the PVR
> functions, regular PC etc etc.

Oh I agree but just look at TiVo's attempt to reach the mass market with a
device that does far less. However, I do stand by the argument that without
the TV switched on it's pretty much useless unless you have a secondary
display device.
=20
> As for "flakey" I'm hoping to get a review system to see if
it is or not
> ;)
> How can you judge without actually having used one for a few weeks.

Cool.

I can judge not how it performs other than my experience of PC's in
general=
,
but I can judge the ultimate usefulness of the device as I have an HTPC
sitting here practically unused for these very reasons. And I *DO* have it
connected to a secondary display!

> Luddite :P

Agreed! :P

K.