Considering Windows MCE 2005

[HeroOfPellinor]

Microsoft has stated that they want to make it as easy as possible to upgrade to XP 64-bit and that the upgrade will, most likely, be free. What do you think the odds are that there would be a 64-bit upgrade for Windows MCE 2005 soon after they release the upgrade for standard XP versions?

I already have an MCE compatible hardware decoder card and would definitly find use in the media functions, but the majority of the things I'll be doing are work or gaming related and would benefit immensely from going 64-bit.

 

[MrChad]

Unless you are using your PC for Home Theater functions, I see little reason to install MCE 2005.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

I don't have a Tivo or anything, so it would be nice to have those functions, but not in lieu of 64 bit when it has a final release. Ideally I'd like both, but I'm wondering if anybody has a good guess. Is the 64 bit upgrade something that affect every tiny part of the system or just the core operation.

 

[MrChad]

If you have a TV Tuner card, you don't need MCE 2005 to get TIVO functionality. AFAIK, MCE just provides some nice TV-friendly interfaces.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: MrChad
If you have a TV Tuner card, you don't need MCE 2005 to get TIVO functionality. AFAIK, MCE just provides some nice TV-friendly interfaces.

Well I want to move from 2K to XP and MCE is only $40 more and that's the cost of any halfway decent TV app and MCE is supposed to be at least as good and my card was dirty cheap cause it only works with MCE.

Anyway, my question is more about how likely it is that MCE will get the 64-bit upgrade along with or soon after the other version of XP do.

 

[TerryMathews]

MCE is XP Pro with an application thrown on top, if that helps you any.

MS could be petty and not supply an upgrade for MCE, since it technically is a different product, but if they upgrade XP Pro odds are they'll upgrade MCE as well.

Since a free upgrade for XP Pro isn't for sure, I'd say you're no worse off and to go ahead and buy the MCE 2005 - it's no less capable than XP Pro.