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Media Center Edition Update Beta [UK]

Tom Warren   on 06 May 2003 - 08:44 · 16 comments & 194 views

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Dear Prospective Microsoft Beta Tester,
You have been nominated as a prospective candidate for an upcoming beta program. The program will introduce you to a set of technologies providing new digital media experiences on Windows consumer PCs. If you have previously completed the nomination survey, we ask that you complete the new updated survey to verify your interest in participating.

Please respond to this invitation using the registration instructions below. Eligible beta testers will be selected based on data collected from those who fill out the questionnaire at Microsoft BetaPlace.

The beta testing process is very important because it helps ensure that we release the best possible product. If you are selected to participate in the beta program of this exciting new product, you will be asked to install the product and report your testing experiences to Microsoft. Reporting will include installation surveys, bug reports, and other means as required by Microsoft.

To RSVP and become a candidate for this beta program, go to http://www.betaplace.com and sign in using a Passport account and the Guest ID below. You must complete the questionnaire by May 10, 2003 to be considered.

If you are new to BetaPlace, you will be asked for a beta ID or Guest ID after logging in with Passport. Please log in using the Guest ID below.

If you are a current Microsoft beta tester, you will be taken to your personalized Microsoft beta web site after logging in with Passport. On your personalized site, click on the link “Sign in as a Guest” in the upper right side of the page.

When you are prompted for a Guest ID enter the following:
Guest ID - *********
Please note, if you are currently an active tester on other Microsoft beta programs but have received this mail, you still need to go to the site and fill out the entire survey to be considered for this new beta program.

This invitation is not transferable.
We look forward to hearing from you soon!

News source: betaplace.com


    Changelog:

    New
  • Sector Viewer
    • Ability to look at every individual sector and see the content (normal or raw)
    • Ability to save as *.rtf or *.txt file
    • Ability to print every sector content
  • Support for Pinnacle Image files (*.PDI)
  • Map Erroneous sectors during scanning for lost UDF files and folders.
  • Indicate if files contain errors or not after scanning.
    • By means of a list
    • By means of an extra icon next to every file
    • Extra options to request that list
  • Auto-scan function to find extensions for orphaned (nameless) files after UDF scan
  • CD/DVD Surface scan routine to find physical errors.
  • Check if all files are physically readable without having to extract them somewhere.
  • The CD/DVD icon now also nicely mentions if the media is : DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW or DVD-RAM
  • CD/DVD Properties Window shows amount of layers.

    Improvements
  • UDF file improvement for Pioneer CE player created VR discs.
  • Take in account badly mastered UDF with dead loop directory references (e.g. DirA contains DirB contains DirA again)
  • Improve robustness and implement workarounds for corrupt UDF systems containing bogus data in certain critical fields.
  • More logging features default enabled to do analysis.
  • Small changes for future devices (cfr. more recent MMC specifications)
  • Small GUI improvements.
  • Sanitising data after scanning for lost UDF files or folders speeded up in case the directory data contains many errors.
  • Improvement to not conflict with certain card reader drivers under Windows 2K and XP

    Bugfixes
  • Switching between SPTI and ASPI could cause problems under WinXP and Win2K.

Post a comment · Send to friend Comments · There are 16 additional comments
(1 reply) #1 Darkness2k on 06 May 2003 - 08:51
I got one of these emails... I think it probably has THE longest survey I've ever filled out for a Microsoft beta!
#1.1 creamhackered on 06 May 2003 - 08:53
Yup it is v.long and indepth.
#2 tsutton on 06 May 2003 - 09:06
Sir, I would recommend blanking out the Guest ID because it's not [B]transferable[/B]!!
(1 reply) #3 hobsgrg on 06 May 2003 - 09:51
I got one of these emails, all my microsoft beta test invitations keep getting automatically put into my junk mail folder by hotmail!
#3.1 creamhackered on 06 May 2003 - 09:53
Same here! Talk about ANNOYING.
#4 whistlerxp on 06 May 2003 - 09:55
MCE UK, Sounds Good.
(1 reply) #5 Razor_D on 06 May 2003 - 09:58
I got this exact same invitation a few months ago, but im guessing, for whatever reason, it was postponed til now, i know it was in places like canada. Odd. --Raz
#5.1 tsutton on 06 May 2003 - 10:34
[neoquote=#5.0 by Razor_D]I got this exact same invitation a few months ago, but im guessing, for whatever reason, it was postponed til now[/neoquote] It wasn't postponed... if you re-read the email, it did say "If you have previously completed the nomination survey, we ask that you complete the new updated survey [B]to verify your interest in participating[/B]." In other words, if you did register your interest before, then they are double checking to see if you are still interested and when you submit your data, they will be able to compare your new data from your first one and see what has changed. This way, they will be able to pick out which people are suitable for this Beta testing.
#6 Jason on 06 May 2003 - 10:21
Woo Hoo, hope I get in this time. Will have to think carefully on my options for the survey.
#7 Darkness2k on 06 May 2003 - 10:41
Nevermind... I read the email again
(2 replies) #8 Sleeper on 06 May 2003 - 10:51
wonder what you will get in the beta kit if your accepted
#8.1 Jason on 06 May 2003 - 11:21
You get a MCE PC to test, and I believe the opportunity to buy it slightly cheaper at the end of the testing.
#8.2 creamhackered on 06 May 2003 - 11:38
[neoquote=#8.1 by Jason]You get a MCE PC to test, and I believe the opportunity to buy it slightly cheaper at the end of the testing. [/neoquote] The first bunch of testers did indeed recieve an MCE PC, atm the decision is being made whether to just send the CD to the 2nd part of the beta testers.
#9 Illusionist on 06 May 2003 - 15:36
HI, MCE UK Update beta has been testing for a few months by the looks of the info on the web, this seems to be a second round of applications, cool!
#10 zero-one on 06 May 2003 - 16:26
/me got the same mail
#11 MrCalifornia on 06 May 2003 - 21:46
You can just build your own MCE. Check out http://www.thegreenbutton.com/

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