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Microsoft Officially Announce "Fiji" Is OEM Only

Published by aanda6
11th August 2008

Microsoft Officially Announce "Fiji" Is OEM Only

July 16th, 2008, Microsoft has released an update to the version of Windows Media Center included with Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate to their OEM partners - this update is referred to as the “Windows® Media Center TV Pack”. In order to ensure that users get the best experience possible, this update will only be available from OEMs, as they are best positioned to provide the testing and hardware configurations for a great customer experience.

This is due to the fact that in some geographies there are specific technical and hardware requirements for the Windows Media Center TV Pack that are best handled by the OEMs. We are working closely with our OEM partners as they finalize their decisions on Windows Media Center TV Pack products.

The Windows Media Center TV Pack is primarily targeted at adding support for additional international broadcast standards including:

o Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting – Terrestrial (ISDB-T) Digital television standard for Japan

o Digital Video Broadcasting – Satellite (DVB-S) free-to-air satellite standards in Europe

o Digital Video Broadcasting – Terrestrial (DVB-T) digital television with improved user experience in Europe

o ClearQAM (Unencrypted Digital Cable)in the United States

o Interactive television with integrated Broadcast Markup Language (BML) in Japan and Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group (MHEG) (MHEG5) in Europe

This version does not include native support for subscription-based satellite tuners or the H.264 video standard. We test many features in beta releases, and optimize our feature set in the final code for the best user experience.

We do want the Windows Media Center community to know that Microsoft will continue to improve upon the Windows Media Center experience for our customers worldwide, by adding content partnerships and enhanced features. We will share these developments as they become available.

source: www.thegreenbutton.com

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#1 (permalink)

By logifuse on 11th August 2008, 02:46 PM

Re: Microsoft Officially announce "fiji" OEM only

Wow, what a shock......

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#2 (permalink)

By arkay on 11th August 2008, 03:07 PM

Re: Microsoft Officially announce "fiji" OEM only

Way to go MS!

Instead of supporting the few people brave (silly?) enough to move to Vista (the ones propping up the sales data), you choose to give them a slap in the face with no update instead.

Guess it doesn't matter since most of the "features" of Fiji (like the much touted "features" of Vista) are vaporware.

Cheers,

Arkay.

#3 (permalink)

By slimf on 11th August 2008, 05:00 PM

Re: Microsoft Officially announce "fiji" OEM only

So, if they are not going to release this update to existing users does this mean they have now forked the code and will supply updates to both versions?

#4 (permalink)

By dgaust on 11th August 2008, 05:02 PM

Re: Microsoft Officially announce "fiji" OEM only

Doubt it, I imagine TV Pack will last for Vista only and be re-merged in Windows 7.

I think the only reason they made it OEM only, was because it should really installed with a completely new install, and god knows they make it difficult enough to do that when the person knows what they're doing.

Imagine someone who only knows how to turn a computer on.

#5 (permalink)

By aanda6 on 11th August 2008, 05:03 PM

Re: Microsoft Officially announce "fiji" OEM only

What I find strange and confusing is that they are still allowing links to the update on their site,

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Tucker

I'll also add that while many of you feel "betrayed" that this is an OEM-only release, and there have been comments that we are witholding this from the enthusiast community... you don't see us squashing conversations involving versions of the TV Pack that are clearly pirated, nor have we pulled the links to the downloads. I understand that this does not change the fact that this release is only supported through OEM channels, but it should at the very least let you know that we aren't here to censor the site or stop our enthusiast community from playing at their own risk.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeff Tucker
Microsoft | eHome

#6 (permalink)

By djos on 11th August 2008, 06:34 PM

Re: Microsoft Officially announce "fiji" OEM only

oh well, slighty annoying but there isn't anything in this "pack" that we need in australia anyway - EIT support is useless for us and if you really want it you are better off using vista + the EIT scraper thats been made by forum members, otherwise the data is pure crap!

#7 (permalink)

By slimf on 11th August 2008, 06:42 PM

Re: Microsoft Officially announce "fiji" OEM only

the new version will undoubtably have a better way of handling guide data - which will make it easier and more reliable for 3rd parties like IceTV and freeepg. I think the benifts of this release are all under the hood.

In the long run we will benifit from a better guide subsystem and more than 2 tuners. Not exactly all earth shattering but better than nothing I suppose.

#8 (permalink)

By slimf on 12th August 2008, 11:39 AM

Re: Microsoft Officially announce "fiji" OEM only

Quote:

Originally Posted by aanda6

What I find strange and confusing is that they are still allowing links to the update on their site,
Quote

I'll also add that while many of you feel "betrayed" that this is an OEM-only release, and there have been comments that we are witholding this from the enthusiast community... you don't see us squashing conversations involving versions of the TV Pack that are clearly pirated, nor have we pulled the links to the downloads. I understand that this does not change the fact that this release is only supported through OEM channels, but it should at the very least let you know that we aren't here to censor the site or stop our enthusiast community from playing at their own risk.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeff Tucker
Microsoft | eHome

Hi Jeff

As an early Vista adopter (64bit media center and a 32bit vista desktop - Both Ultimate) I was sold on the promise that Vista would recieve updates via Windows update to keep my system up to date.

This press release from Microsoft solidifies my belief that MS are not interested in supporting existing Vista users, but rather they are interested only in how they can convert those users to the next OS.

As I purchased my Vista prior to this update, my installs of Vista will not see ANY significant updates to Media Center before the release of Windows 7.

I expect the cycle to repeat it self again after the release of Windows 7.

The only way I can see this situation changing is for Media Center users to partition Microsoft to seperate Media Center from the operating system and to sell it as a product in its own right. I would pay for media center and updates and I think many others would to. The package could then be updated with new features without having to wait for OS updates or being involved in the politics of OS releases.

I do understand that the updates made in the TV pack are a step in the right direction technically but I disagree on how those updates will reach end users - or rather in my case will NOT reach end users. The continual 'feature holdback' for a new OS is killing media center. The politics of OS releases should not effect the development of this wonderful product any longer.

So what do I have to look forward to in MY Vista Media center?

More than two tuners? No.
Better guide support? No.
Enhanced UI? No.
H.264 support out of the box? No.
BlueRay support? No.

We were promised during the development phase of Vista that more updates and enhancements to Media Center would come post RTM but wont happen now - at least not for us existing users.

Windows 7 will be the next time I see any update. Not really happy at all Jan!

What are others thoughts?

Please seperate Media Center - give it an SKU and whack a price tag on it. They will come.

#9 (permalink)

By aanda6 on 12th August 2008, 12:08 PM

Re: Microsoft Officially announce "fiji" OEM only

Slimf,

I like what you have written and think you should post that over at TGB. Not sure if you thought that I was "jeff tucker". I was actually showing a quote of what he had written over at TGB

#10 (permalink)

By CordlezToaster on 12th August 2008, 12:49 PM

Re: Microsoft Officially announce "fiji" OEM only

Can i have a link to the update so to speak? pm if it cant be displayed here

#11 (permalink)

By aanda6 on 12th August 2008, 01:07 PM

Re: Microsoft Officially announce "fiji" OEM only

Quote:

Originally Posted by CordlezToaster

Can i have a link to the update so to speak? pm if it cant be displayed here

We are not permitted to post links to illegally obtained (not released) software on this site as it contravines forum rules. I believe it can still be found on TGB's site though.

Last edited by aanda6; 12th August 2008 at 01:44 PM. Reason: clarification

#12 (permalink)

By slimf on 12th August 2008, 05:49 PM

Re: Microsoft Officially announce "fiji" OEM only

Whoops... yep.. sorry a bit of mistaken identity..

I will post over at TGB and see what happens

#13 (permalink)

By aanda6 on 12th August 2008, 05:57 PM

Re: Microsoft Officially Announce "Fiji" Is OEM Only

you will join the other 2000 plus posts saying the same type of thing, except wanting their particular features. I know how you feel, I have posted there and had some response, but the yanks are really pis**d off about this and a lot of bitc**** is going on.

#14 (permalink)

By Moocow on 14th August 2008, 09:51 PM

Re: Microsoft Officially Announce "Fiji" Is OEM Only

seriously is the limit still 2 digital tv tuners?

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