Response from Microsoft in regard to supporting AC3 audio for HDTV in Oz

[BenP]

Hi all,

Thought I'd drop a support request to Microsoft Australia regarding the EPG and also support for HDTV Audio in Australia.

For those who haven't come across it, some of the Australian comercial TV stations broadcast the audio side of HDTV in AC3 and at the moment MCE2005 does not support AC3 audio, so if you have a HDTV card you won't beable to get audio on a couple of channels.

Here is the question that I sent to Microsoft support and the Answer that they have provided (it looks like we will all be needing to become expert in converting another source for the electronic program guide!)

"Hi There,
I have purchased Microsoft MCE 2005 and was wondering if Microsoft Australia were going to release a patch to enable Media Centre to play AC3 audio on HD TV signals any time soon, and also if MCE 2005 will be able to use the EPG in Australia any time soon?"

Answer: Dear Ben,

There is no support for AC3 at this stage. The EPG feature may be available in the next version, however there is no release date for this as yet.

Please feel free to contact us again should you require further assistance relating to Microsoft Products.

Alternatively, for immediate assistance, you can contact the Microsoft Sales and Information Centre on 13 20 58 from Monday to Friday, between 8am - 8pm.

Thank you for contacting Microsoft.

[Mike]

That's a little sad isn't it?

I was on the phone last night for about 30 mins with a Microsoft MCE partner who operates in the UK. I expressed my concern that those two issues (Digital & EPG) are what might slow down or even halt the up-take of MCE 2005 in Oz.

It's all very well for us early adopters to set it all up and justify the purchase to "the wife"* by promoting all the great photo, music, radio and video features, but at the end of the day - it'll never control the lounge room and be mainstream until "mum" can pick up that remote and record from the EPG and enjoy the complete video and audio*experience that she's heard all about from "dad" before he bought the machine.

If dad can't deliver pretty quickly, the shiny new box could be in danger of becoming a multimedia breadmaker - never coming out of the cupboard after it's been used 5 or 6 times!

I hope not - and a guaranteed fix for that would be for Microsoft to get really serious about three (3) things.

1. No matter what it takes - guarantee to get an EPG up and running within 3 months.
2. Provide a road map for provision of a Digital TV (AC3Audio) solution within 6 months.
3. Make absolutely certain that certified MCE PC builders (MS Partners) NEVER sell pre-built MCE PCs which are under powered (it's already happening).

[Jewfish]

I really dont care too much about the EPG, as it's mostly out of microsoft's hands and the industry needs to get their act together (which will happen slowly).

What I'm mostly interested in is the AC3 sound to go with HD support. If microsoft could supply this as part on an australian fix "rollup" quickly this would be ideal.

Rob.

[BenP]

Hi Rob,

Here is Microsoft Australia's official response to AC3 on HD:

Dear Ben,


There is no support for AC3 at this stage. The EPG feature may be available in the next version, however there is no release date for this as yet.
Please feel free to contact us again should you require further assistance relating to Microsoft Products.

Cheers

Ben

[BenP]

I agree Mike,

However if they waited until the Partners/the world/industry/commercial media providers to catch up would we be happy?

I figure that Microsoft will always be ahead because of sheer R&D money and the market penetration.

My question is would we be happy if we were all waiting till 2006 for the rest of the world to provide solutions before the software was released?

Probably not....

Cheers

Ben

[Mike]

Yup - point well made - I'd rather have it as it and screw around with it than wait forever for the final version