Windows Media Center Edition Wishlist Item

[Jason Dunn]

Know what would be cool? If the ZOOM setting was remembered on a per-series basis. I have a widescreen LCD TV that I watch my MCE shows on, and some shows are in widescreen and some are not. I'm constantly having to toggle back and forth with the zoom in order to get the right setting. It would be great if MCE was smart enough to either remember the aspect ratio I last had for this series of TV shows, or detect that it's a widescreen show and adjust automatically.

What other MCE features do you wish for?

[Neil Enns]

A media center PC :) I don't even have one!

[Mike Temporale]

Oh my, where do I start...

- Multiple TV hook ups. I would like to be able to drive 2 TV's from the one MCE machine. I have 2 digital tuners feeding it, and would like it if I could setup a small TV for my kids to watch their shows on. I don't expect to ever see this done, but it would be nice.

- Last Channel button - I'm sure it's just my Alienware remote, but I would love to have a last channel button again. :(

- Multi User - I want to remote into the MCE and not have it stop the TV. Right now, only 1 user can be logged into the box at a time, so if I remote in (using any account) it will logout the "owner" account which is the one working the TV.

- Guide Awareness - this one isn't so much a feature as missed error check/notification opportunity. If you're system has failed to download the guide or for some reason has lost all guide information, when you click on live TV nothing will happen. It will spin a little, but nothing comes of it. At the very least it should pop a message box letting you know that the guide was not found and ask if I want to download it now.

- On Startup, go directly to live TV. Don't sit and wait at the menu.


and from the MEDC keynote....

- hibernate once and resume many - I know this is an XP embedded feature, but dang! I want it. I've been hit with 2 blackouts in the last couple days and now I have a UPS in my living room. :evil:

[fslongo]

- Last Channel button - I'm sure it's just my Alienware remote, but I would love to have a last channel button again. :(

...

- On Startup, go directly to live TV. Don't sit and wait at the menu.

...


I agree with your other likes but thought I would point out that you may be able to get two of your wishes today.

Use the OK button on your remote to go to the last channel when viewing TV. This works on a Microsoft branded remote so I don't see why you couldn't make it work on an Alienware remote.

Here is a link to some settings you can tweak in the registry that can, for one, make MCE go directly to live TV on Startup.
http://www.thegreenbutton.com/community/shwmessage.aspx?forumid=42&messageid=86515

[Mike Temporale]

Use the OK button on your remote to go to the last channel when viewing TV. This works on a Microsoft branded remote so I don't see why you couldn't make it work on an Alienware remote.

Oh my! For the love of all things sweet and pure, it works! Thanks :mrgreen:

Here is a link to some settings you can tweak in the registry that can, for one, make MCE go directly to live TV on Startup.
http://www.thegreenbutton.com/community/shwmessage.aspx?forumid=42&messageid=86515

8O This works too! Sweeet! Thanks! MCE just got a whole lot better. It still has a way to go, but it's rockin' nicely now. Thanks again. 8)

[that_kid]

For me it's more tuner support. It's Media Center Edition, it can't be the center of my media when you can only use 2 ntsc cards and 1 atsc card and that's all. I've always eyed MCE and thought about installing it a few times but I need for it to be the center of my media system. I need it to allow me to connect as many direct tv boxes as I need and connect as many extenders as I need. Until then I'll have to keep using other solutions but if they added more tuner support to MCE i'd install it so fast it'd be a crime.

[Mike Temporale]

How many tuners would you need? Or how many are you currently using?

I've got 2 tuners hooked in and it's enough for 95% of the stuff I'm doing. Maybe the odd time I could use 3, but that almost never happens.

I will admit, if I could hook up more, I would. :mrgreen:

[fslongo]

For me it's more tuner support. It's Media Center Edition, it can't be the center of my media when you can only use 2 ntsc cards and 1 atsc card and that's all.
If you don't mind playing with the registry, and have room to add more tuners, here's a link that describes how you can add as many as you want.
It is not for the faint of heart, as you are looking at doing registry exports and imports, but from what I can read there are some running 4 or more tuners at once.

http://www.thegreenbutton.com/community/shwmessage.aspx?ForumID=27&MessageID=106105

[that_kid]

How many tuners would you need? Or how many are you currently using?

I've got 2 tuners hooked in and it's enough for 95% of the stuff I'm doing. Maybe the odd time I could use 3, but that almost never happens.

I will admit, if I could hook up more, I would. :mrgreen:

Currently I'm running 5 tuners with Sage and would like to add at least 2 more. If I can get up to 5 tuers with MCE i'll be good.

[that_kid]

describes how you can add as many as you want.
It is not for the faint of heart, as you are looking at doing registry exports and imports, but from what I can read there are some running 4 or more tuners at once.

http://www.thegreenbutton.com/community/shwmessage.aspx?ForumID=27&MessageID=106105

I know what i'll be doing tomorrow :D thanks for the link.

**Update
After reading through the posts it seems that control of STB's is still not up to par yet. I'll keep an eye on this but for now I'll stick with Sage.

[Damion Chaplin]

My wish: that they would sell MCE by itself.

I know you can get it at select e-tailers, but I don't want to have to buy a hard drive with it... I want to see it on the shelf right next to the Home and Pro editions. They could at least sell it with a tuner card and remote and compete with ATI... 'Course, who's card are they going to put in the package? ATI's? :wink:

[Jason Dunn]

...but I don't want to have to buy a hard drive with it.

Why not buy it with a remote, since you'll need one anyway? Check NewEgg.