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Vista Media Center - Beyonwiz PVR Shootout
Published by Mike
29th June 2007
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Vista Media Center - Beyonwiz PVR Shootout
 Adam Turner has written an opinion piece over at Hydrapinion on his home shoot-out between his recently commissioned Vista Media Center and a Beyonwiz PVR test unit.
Makes for an interesting read, and I for one would like to hear more about the outcome.
"For the next few weeks I'll have a Beyonwiz PVR and a Vista Media Center HTPC sitting side by side - fighting it out to see which is worthy of a place in my digital lounge room.
Until recently I would have said the Beyonwiz DP-S1 PVR would have to start the hot favourite - when combined with Ice TV it can almost match the features of a Vista Media Center PC but has the stability advantage of not actually running Windows. Still, having lived with a Vista Media Center for a month or so I have to admit its growing on me. Thanks to the helpful folks at www.xpmediacenter.com.au I've managed to work most of the bugs out of the Vista box and it's even starting to achieve an acceptable WAF - Wife Acceptability Factor. As sexist as that sounds it's actually a very useful yard stick for judging a device. My wife is technically capable without being an ubernerd like me, so she's prepared to tolerate the learning curve when new devices enter our lounge room but won't embrace things that require a pilot's licence just to turn on. As such, when I catch her warming to a device I know the usability balance is about right."
read more . . .
source: Adam Turner (in house) |
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Re: Vista Media Center - Beyonwiz PVR Shootout
Good stuff.
See Adam, it is possible to write a balanced and informative opinion piece after all 
Ideally aimed at the 'not sure what to decide' crowd, the pros and cons are there, devoid of the judgemental editorial rant, which isnt really helpful for anyone.
Reading that people will get the message clearly that MCE rigs can do alot, but with some work. If you're not ready for that, a PVR suits best. Thats the key to the whole HTPC/PVR game.
Personally, I dont think MCE will ever be the staple of the average av setup, like dvd players are for example. There's just too much complexity there.
astro |
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Re: Vista Media Center - Beyonwiz PVR Shootout
Hey astro,
I think it well and truly could be, if it was based on an xbox 360 with tuners. Write the code for thier hardware and there's no excuses for getting it wrong, bar what the TV networks do here now and then with their streams.
Lester
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Re: Vista Media Center - Beyonwiz PVR Shootout
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lester_Burnham
Hey astro,
I think it well and truly could be, if it was based on an xbox 360 with tuners. Write the code for thier hardware and there's no excuses for getting it wrong, bar what the TV networks do here now and then with their streams.
Lester
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yes, there probably would be a huge market for an enhanced 360 with TV capabilities. On a similar note, many eyes are on the PS3/Linux based project that has the potential to achieve all that.
Tech-wise - tuners arent that big a deal, I dont understand why HD based devices like the ps3 and 360 never included them. I guess they think it would detract from people buying games if all they were using their platform was media functionality....
I think the next-next gen devices will be true multimedia devices - incorporating HDTV.....and the days of our reg hacking and driver whining may indeed be over
Still, it wouldnt have the total tinkerability of a pc.....we all know that  What would we do with ourselves!!
Astro
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By
arkay
on
29th June 2007, 10:23 PM
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Re: Vista Media Center - Beyonwiz PVR Shootout
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lester_Burnham
Hey astro,
I think it well and truly could be, if it was based on an xbox 360 with tuners. Write the code for thier hardware and there's no excuses for getting it wrong, bar what the TV networks do here now and then with their streams.
Lester
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Lester,
No offense but a 360 with tuners wouldn't give you what a HTPC currently can. No commercial solution in a box ever will. There's too many formats to license and to much politics involved.
i.e. Trying to play divx on a 360 right now is sub optimal and only available by a community hack.
I believe the only hope for the consumer is a home brew application using dedicated, unchangeable hardware. Such as the xbmc port to PS3 project mentioned above.
Cheers,
Arkay.
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Re: Vista Media Center - Beyonwiz PVR Shootout
Quote:
Originally Posted by arkay
Lester,
No offense but a 360 with tuners wouldn't give you what a HTPC currently can. No commercial solution in a box ever will. There's too many formats to license and to much politics involved.
i.e. Trying to play divx on a 360 right now is sub optimal and only available by a community hack.
I believe the only hope for the consumer is a home brew application using dedicated, unchangeable hardware. Such as the xbmc port to PS3 project mentioned above.
Cheers,
Arkay.
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When you think about all the formats, I totally agree, but I also had a picture of an old xbox in my head too
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Re: Vista Media Center - Beyonwiz PVR Shootout
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lester_Burnham
When you think about all the formats, I totally agree, but I also had a picture of an old xbox in my head too |
I was thinking the same thing too, XBMC already plays just about as many formats as a PC now, when its migrateded to linux and hence the mighty PS3 we'll get HDTV tuner support on top, after that who needs a PC in the lounge room any more.
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Re: Vista Media Center - Beyonwiz PVR Shootout
This is cool. One major advantage the MCE has for me is storing music.
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Re: Vista Media Center - Beyonwiz PVR Shootout
I have recenlty replaced my media centre with a beyonwiz and its been great. I do miss some of the functionality of the media centre but don't miss the constant problems I had with it.
I have moved the media centre into the office where I can work on it when I have time and I won't have the wife complaining about not being able to watch her programs because I have it in bits again.
I think the Beyonwiz is a worthy replacement for those who want something that just works!
Regards
Warren
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Re: Vista Media Center - Beyonwiz PVR Shootout
I think wazandnat has nailed it - if you've got other people in the house who won't tolerate downtime then something like a Beyonwiz is a great peace-keeper.
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