Welcome To Australia's No.1 Media Center Community!
You Are Currently Viewing As A Guest - you'll need to register in order to participate in our community and make this annoying message disappear!
By registering you'll be able to post & reply to questions, set up your own image gallery & blog, communicate privately with other members, create & respond to polls, access downloads and other "members only" features.
Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so why not join our community today - you'll be glad you did!
For any problems with the registration process or your account, please contact support.
OK, not strictly Windows 7, but I came across a couple of ZDNet blog posts by Ed Bott & Mary Jo Foley discussing the rumour of a completely new, from scratch Microsoft OS codenamed "Midori" (rumoured to tie-in with their "Singularity" research project).
The most interested comment came from Ed:
Quote:
"Windows Media Center is mature and extremely well supported. It wouldn’t be that difficult to port the Media Center code to a next-generation operating system that could then form the basis for cool, quiet PCs that could form the hub of a household digital media system. In fact, a device like HP’s MediaSmart Server, which currently runs Windows Home Server, could combine Media Center and backup functions into a single box and would probably run better without the unnecessary overhead of Windows components it doesn’t use."
Now that's something I could really get behind. The PC in my home theatre doesn't need things like Calculator, Calendar, Contacts, Sidebar, Wordpad etc... (I know you can go someway to paring back a standard Vista install to remove a lot of things; but having a light-weight modular OS that only includes the features you want and nothing else sounds like HTPC nirvana to me).
OK, not strictly Windows 7, but I came across a couple of ZDNet blog posts by Ed Bott & Mary Jo Foley discussing the rumour of a completely new, from scratch Microsoft OS codenamed "Midori" (rumoured to tie-in with their "Singularity" research project).
The most interested comment came from Ed:
Now that's something I could really get behind. The PC in my home theatre doesn't need things like Calculator, Calendar, Contacts, Sidebar, Wordpad etc... (I know you can go someway to paring back a standard Vista install to remove a lot of things; but having a light-weight modular OS that only includes the features you want and nothing else sounds like HTPC nirvana to me).
If only they'd release MC modules into the Windows Embedded product stream.
__________________
That which is common to the greatest number has the least care bestowed upon it.
Aristotle
If only they'd release MC modules into the Windows Embedded product stream.
If only! That wouldd be a WYSE decision...only thing is the graphics and sound on most of the embedded systems is not up to scratch...HP do have an option of an add-on PCI-X card for their t5720 but not sure exactly what card it would take and only has stereo sound output. I guess this would be niche at this stage, so MS not currently but maybe in future down this track...if the blog is anything to go by.
Out of interest I am looking into ITX standards at the moment and a customised Vista deployment to maximise usabilty and hardware resorces for Media Centre....this has been a lengthy process full of interuption and delays....but I will soon and when I do if people are interested I will post up here while I run through it.
If only! That wouldd be a WYSE decision...only thing is the graphics and sound on most of the embedded systems is not up to scratch...HP do have an option of an add-on PCI-X card for their t5720 but not sure exactly what card it would take and only has stereo sound output. I guess this would be niche at this stage, so MS not currently but maybe in future down this track...if the blog is anything to go by.
Out of interest I am looking into ITX standards at the moment and a customised Vista deployment to maximise usabilty and hardware resorces for Media Centre....this has been a lengthy process full of interuption and delays....but I will soon and when I do if people are interested I will post up here while I run through it.
warren13.
we're not talking about the same thing, I mean XP Embedded the software toolset that lets you custom build an XP install onto any hardware you choose comprised of whatever XP modules you choose, you don't have to build it on crappy hardware if you don't want to.
Years ago I actually did just that and then grafted MCE onto a Windows XP Embedded OS, the thing was lightning fast did NOT have an underlying desktop or any extra software other than MCE, it was 700MB in size and ran from a CF card plugged into a CF to IDE adaptor, it used a real hard disk for recording and configuration settings, it never needed updates and NEVER needed reinstalling because nothing could effect it, it stayed exactly the same all the time, best of all it booted in less than 12 seconds into the MCE interface...........at the end of the day big frekin' deal .... nothing worth watching and nothing worth recording.
__________________
That which is common to the greatest number has the least care bestowed upon it.
Aristotle
I think that's the only way that Media Center could become genuinely mainstream - there's too much for the end user to stuff up at the moment.
Justin
A Microsoft Media Center STB, now we're talking! The slight problem of course is that the XP Embedded (XPe) platform is strictly a System Builder / Manufacturer OEM platform that would be above 90% of the users here to build.
__________________
That which is common to the greatest number has the least care bestowed upon it.
Aristotle
A Microsoft Media Center STB, now we're talking! The slight problem of course is that the XP Embedded (XPe) platform is strictly a System Builder / Manufacturer OEM platform that would be above 90% of the users here to build.
That's actually the point.
Tinkerers use the full blown version & come here for a group hug when they stuff it up.
OEMs build & sell a bulletproof embedded system for the people who don't care that it's a PC. No exotic codecs. No add on software (apart from EPG - that's still a potential issue, but then you could blame IceTV when it dies). No desktop. No internet browsing. No Windows updates. No driver updates. No keyboard. No mouse. Just a multi tuner PVR that plays DVDs & music.
We're all members here because we're interested in this stuff - most people aren't & they can't be bothered finding out about things or working out things. They want to press the go button & they're off.
I could sell a stack of these things....... if only they existed.
Justin
__________________
VMC32: Asus M3N78-EMH HDMI, 4850e, TMG A2 CPU Cooler, 2x1GB Kingston HyperX 800, 2 x HVR-2200 (4 tuners), 500GB Samsung, NSK2480B. Connected to a Metz 32 inch LCD.
Office/Server: Abit A-N78HD, BE-2350, 2x1GB Kingston HyperX 800, 2 x AverTV Duo (4 tuners), CoolerMaster Centurion 5 Tower.
Re: Now there's a thought...
