Microsoft set for Media Center upgrade

Advertisement (Why?)

Microsoft is expected to show off later this month a new version of its Windows XP Media Center entertainment PC software.

The company has scheduled announcements on Sept. 30 to take place simultaneously in four cities: New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Redmond, Wash. At the September events, Microsoft will display the upgrade to the Media Center operating system, code-named Harmony, according to sources. The specialized version of the Windows XP operating system provides an extra interface to make it easy for people to view photos, listen to music and watch videos on a television hooked up to the PC.

Microsoft launched Windows XP Media Center last October, with Hewlett-Packard offering the first systems with the software. Gateway and games PC specialist Alienware--among others--followed suit with their own Media Center desktops, while Toshiba has begun selling laptops running the operating system. Executives at Microsoft have promised that the Redmond, Wash.-based company will expand Windows XP Media Center to more countries, in Europe and Asia, before the end of the year. So far, Media Center systems are available only in North America and Korea.

News source: C|Net News.com

Save drafts locally - save entries that you're working on to your local hard drive

One button posting - send any of your drafts to the server with one button click

Multiple categories per post - select more than one category for each draft published to the server

Standard tag support - add bold, italics, underline, and URL tags via tool bar, menu, or keyboard

Download existing posts - download the title and entry of existing blog enties from your server and store it on your hard drive for linking and editing

Sync-able links list - advanced download techniques will always minimize data request for new published posts

Sync-able categories list - pull an updated category list from your server at anytime

Sync-able text filters list - apply existing server based text filters for drafts

MT specific creation - use MT's extended fields, such as publishing status, categories, and excerpts

Integrated Preview - built in Previewing allows you to view your drafts based on an HTML template

Upload Images - upload any of your local images to anywhere within your blog

MP3 Player integration - add "now playing" information into Drafts with WMP9's blogging plug-in

Favorites integration - list of Favorites from IE available as insertable links

Customizable tag support - change the tags generated for bold, underline and italics

Customizable toolbar images - change the look of SharpMT by changing two images

Modern Looking UI - using the docking and floating window suppose of .NET for a modern interface

(1 reply) #1 Jason on 05 Sep 2003 - 16:17

Its not that great (yet), it RTM'd with many bugs mainly due to the DVB-t card.

I predict it will be version 2 that it really becomes good.

Although I will still be sad to see MCE and the PC go back to Microsoft

#1.1 radixvir on 05 Sep 2003 - 21:31

hey mind posting a link with info about the beta? i want to know what new features its going to have

(6 replies) #2 Prelude76 on 05 Sep 2003 - 16:47

blah blah
i already have this so-called new functionality. i bought an nVidia 5600 card, and it came with a remote control and special software (all thats special about it are the BIG FONTS) to play music, look at photos and watch videos on a TV. woopdeedoo.

another example of MS hypeing up software that already exists elsewhere, but by releasing a special multi-city press release, you're tricked into thinking this is NEWS.

#2.1 Jason on 05 Sep 2003 - 16:56

Obviously someone who has never used it

How does a 5600 play, record, pause and rewind live TV ? thats not a digital tv adapter. MCE PC's have this functionality thanks to the DVB-t card installed.

Last edited by 9969 on 05 Sep 2003 - 17:01

#2.2 ksalter on 05 Sep 2003 - 17:02

I use MCE - your card did not come with MCE software. The beta that was unofficially released works quite well.

The only thing that I wish MCE came with is a editor for the recorded TV.

#2.3 Prelude76 on 05 Sep 2003 - 20:13

i dont how they compare, but the stuff that came with my 5600 CAN record TV thru the video-in jack. are you saying the MS one will have Tivo-like features? i just skimmed thru the article and they concentrated on viewing pictures, playing music, and tv features, i dont know how they compare side-by-side.

here's is info on MSI's Media Centre Deluxe II kit.

#2.4 Jason on 05 Sep 2003 - 20:47

MCE has tivo features, I am using it now and it works great, but it has a few bugs to iron out still.

I can not do with out MCE now, but looks like MS want their PC back now

I see MSI have tried to copy the MCE GUI.

#2.5 Prelude76 on 05 Sep 2003 - 20:55

yeah, tools like this are a good idea. hopefully i can throw out my stupid VCR and record shows on my computer insttead.

for what its worth, MSI's media centre is as buggy as hell too. ah well, it came free with the card.

#2.6 Jason on 05 Sep 2003 - 21:02

Free is good

#3 squirrelist on 05 Sep 2003 - 19:01

I have been looking around, but I haven't seen anyone discussing the new features of this release. I find it kind of odd because stuff like this usually leaks. Does anyone know where I can find out about it?

#4 JnCoKiLLa on 05 Sep 2003 - 19:34

I would love to get hold of 1.5 ...I like the first one

#5 mcguirexn on 06 Sep 2003 - 05:30

www.thegreenbutton.com has some very interesting posts about media center.

Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!

Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.

Neowin.net