Microsoft Reveals Plans for XP Media Center

[Jason Dunn]

<a href="http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,102668,tk,dn071602X,00.asp">http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,102668,tk,dn071602X,00.asp</a><br /><br />I was initially quite ho-hum about the product code-named Freestyle, but this is sounding very, very cool! I'm looking forward to it - as long as they'll have hardware bundles to purchase and not make it an OEM-only thing. This is part of the "Amazing PC" initiative that you'll be hearing a great deal about in the fall.<br /><br />"Microsoft released details on Windows XP's upcoming media trappings Tuesday, revealing the company's plans to make the PC an all-in-one digital media center, replete with video, photos, music, and TV programming. The Windows XP Media Center Edition, formerly code-named "Freestyle," is set to ship to original equipment manufacturers in time for the end-of-the-year holiday shopping season in the U.S., Canada, and South Korea, the company says.<br /><br />The media center will allow consumers to listen to, store, and organize digital music, watch DVDs, and access and browse personal digital video files. Users will also be able to watch TV on their PCs as well as pause, rewind, and play back live TV programming with the Media Center's included personal video recorder. A remote control is included, allowing users to use their PCs like a TV. The product will also be tailored for storing, sorting through, and viewing digital photos. Users will also be able to produce digital slide shows, with music added, the company says."

[schwuk]

Sounds like they're just trying to get the jump on Apple... Difference is, Apple normally announce products when they're available, not six months ahead...

[GadgetDave]

I think everyone's heard the comment that MS usually gets things right the third time around - which bodes well for the Freestyle. If you look at history, ULtimate TV was #1, The Xbox (which was touted as the entertainment center for the future) was #2, and this is the third try ... :turn-l:

[Busdriver]

I'm still not going to watch TV on my computer. :roll:

[ThomasC22]

I think everyone's heard the comment that MS usually gets things right the third time around - which bodes well for the Freestyle. If you look at history, ULtimate TV was #1, The Xbox (which was touted as the entertainment center for the future) was #2, and this is the third try ... :turn-l:

Well, except Ultimate TV was made by an outside company that was bought by Microsoft, XBox was never actually intended to be an Entertainment Center (at least according the the book "Opening the Xbox") and created by a whole different group of people.

Microsoft, in my opinion, needs to work on stability before they run into the consumer electronics market. I like to think I'm one of the more understanding users out there (as I don't blame Microsoft for third party apps crashing) but when Media Player, which ships with Windows, crashes on me I get annoyed and my thought is that if my TV crashes while I'm watching my favorite show I'll get REALLY annoyed.

[jdhill]

I'm still not going to watch TV on my computer. :roll:
I think the point of this is watching computer on your TV, not the other way around.

The PC would use your TV monitor and allow you to listen to your digital audio (MP3, WMA) and view your digital photos (JPG) and video (WMV) using a TV-like remote control as the primary user input interface.

See http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ehome/default.asp for more information.

[Sslixtis]

So what is the difference between this MS offering and say the ATI All-In-Wonder 8500 or the nVidia 4600 Ti? My ATI AIW 8500DV already does all this stuff. And as far as watching TV on my PC, well, it has this cool feature called blending that makes sort of a shadow of the TV on the monitor that lets you surf the web, etc and see the tv at the same time(sort of a ghost image of the TV) It has the remote and TV recording as well, it even lets you record in WMV format if you like :wink: Sounds like remaking the wheel to me.