Windows media center

[Zorro]

What are your thoughts on the new windows xp media center?

 

[bdjohnson]

I haven't tried it yet but it looks promising.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I tried it on an acquaintance's computer and it seemed to be buggier and slower than my XP Pro. In all fairness, it was an HP, but it did not have any major bloatware installed, and was still VERY slow for a P4 2.8 with 512 MB, which is what it was; it was much slower than my P4 1.6A @ 2.12. It also had a weird shutdown bug that prevented it from shutting down cleanly.

 

[Grouchyoldguy]

I have it. It is XP Pro w/sp1 and Media Center software(tv tuner being the only useful thing) and remote control. Slow boot time is my only bitch. Earlier versions were buggy but I haven't had any problems. I have
a 3.06HT running it that doesn't seem any faster than my 2.4 running XP Home(both have 512mb ram). I don't bother with benchmarks so what is causing that I can't say.
If you have a specific question PM me.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Grouchyoldguy
I have it. It is XP Pro w/sp1 and Media Center software(tv tuner being the only useful thing) and remote control. Slow boot time is my only bitch. Earlier versions were buggy but I haven't had any problems. I have
a 3.06HT running it that doesn't seem any faster than my 2.4 running XP Home(both have 512mb ram). I don't bother with benchmarks so what is causing that I can't say.
If you have a specific question PM me.

EYah, looks like is is 2/3 short of perfect...but still worth it if you want a prebuilt HTPC NOW.


Honestly, I would build my selft a FASt system with an athlon 64, a PVR 350, Beyond TV from snapstream.com, Beyond media(when it comes out), and a card with optical out


<---recieveing beyond tv and a PVR250MCE tommorow

 

[Valhalla1]

I prefer Xbox Media Center


http://www.xboxmediacenter.com/info_screens.htm

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Valhalla1
I prefer Xbox Media Center

NICE....

 

[slag]

I use XBMC to stream media files from my computer (after I've snagged them using BT or downloaded them from my Tivo, but I wish there was support for the xbox dvd remote instead of having to use a controller. Also, I notice extreme pixelization in divx movies like Master and Commander on the XBMC that I did not get on my p4 system. I think the XBMC drops frames or reduces quality of the picture when there is a lot of action on screen.

I guess its a limitation of the ram and processor. I'm pretty impressed that it can do what it does with just 64 mb of ram to be honest.

 

[Valhalla1]

NEWS FLASH

XBMC (and the now-defunct XBMP) DO fully support both the offical dvd remote, and cheap 3rd party remotes

 

[XZeroII]

Originally posted by: slag
I use XBMC to stream media files from my computer (after I've snagged them using BT or downloaded them from my Tivo, but I wish there was support for the xbox dvd remote instead of having to use a controller. Also, I notice extreme pixelization in divx movies like Master and Commander on the XBMC that I did not get on my p4 system. I think the XBMC drops frames or reduces quality of the picture when there is a lot of action on screen.

I guess its a limitation of the ram and processor. I'm pretty impressed that it can do what it does with just 64 mb of ram to be honest.

You can use the Remote. I use my TV remote all the time and it works fine. Although maybe I'm using Xbox Media Player, not Center. I forget. Anyway, it works great for me, even though I haven't used it in like 2 months.