Operating System Choosing Windows version and edition (1 Viewer)

[hulkhaugen]

I'm currently using Windows Vista Home Premium SP2 x86 on my HTPC, but i'm now considering my options due to my next format. After following this guide i got a whole bunch of licenses, both for Windows 7 Pro and Vista Enterprise.

- Is Enterprise useless since it doesn't have Windows Media Center, or isn't that a requirement? It does have Aero (EVR w/DXVA).
- x86 or x64? Is there any known issues with the x64 editions?
- Is there any known issues with Windows 7?

In my setup, i plan on using DVB-S2 (satellite with HD) in MyTV, Moving Pictures, MyTV-Series, SAF w/PDVD9 codecs, and hopefully a BluRay integration of some sort...

EDIT: Or what about Vista Business, is it useless?

 

[hoborg]

"Upgrade" to WinXP and you will be fine ;-)

 

[hulkhaugen]

First of all, i don't like XP looks like teletubbie, i dont get EVR (which is rumored to be improved in Win7). And i don't have a legal copy of XP, and i'm to old to play around with illegal copies. WGA shit and stuff, just problems....

- Do i need Windows Media Center in Vista/Win7 for taking advantage of MediaPortal?
- Is there any known issues with x64 OS?
- Is there any known issues with Win7 x86?

 

[Spragleknas]

You don't need any mediacenter edition for MP.
There is no stable release w/win 7 support, but 1.1B seems to work well with W7 - regardless of 32/64 bit. The later also goes for Vista, IIRC - but not XP (only 32-bit supported).

 

[hoborg]

Well one of main goal for HTPC is not to look like windows. If i boot my HTPC, there is no sign of windows, unexperienced user will not found any track of them, no window, no logo, no taskbar, nothing...

I cant imagine how to modify Vista/Win7 to look like this ...

And BTW "EVR is beter" is just big rumor.

 

[hulkhaugen]

Ok, the media center is probably someting i picked up when i used vLite to modify Vista one time, there's a reason not to remove mediacenter because it can/will affect MP...

But the "only" requirement is Aero then?

Maybe i'll just wait until 2010, and install Win7Pro x64 and MP1.1Final then...

hoborg
I agree with you partly, but in my current setup, i use my htpc for more than just MP. But my next HTPC will be mATX/ITX with a small SSD and a separate file-server i a technical room (in my new house next year). For now, i use it for a bit of gaming, firefox and football(This is where Media Portal enters the picture ) Another thing which really keeps me from using MP fulltime, is the empty hole which Spotify or AspiroWimp should fill...

But i must say, Win7RTM looks and feels good, especially after being disappointed with Beta and RC of it.

 

[tourettes]

And BTW "EVR is beter" is just big rumor.

Please don't tell lies Even when EVR and VMR9 have only minila difference in picture quality (something that is almost negletable) EVR scheduling algorithm is many times better than the VMR9 one. Less juddering is always better to have when it comes to MP.

And, no even with EVR MP is currently not judder free. Unless someone has had incredible luck and managed to get a pair of crystals that are 100% running at the same time (GPU and audio chip). This might change in future with some future MP release (I have few tricks in my sleeve ).

Also one big difference between XP and Widows 7 (or Vista) is that XP has infernal audio stack. It's kernel mixer is reducing the sound quality a lot (es pecially if you are using volume control). This is something that even Microsoft developers admit. ( Audio Processing in Vista Explained - AVS Forum )

In short if you want to have best possible video & audio quality pick some Vista / Windows 7 version that support AERO. Nothing else matters.

 

[hulkhaugen]

thanks for good answer. But i heard something about Haali MediaSplitter and Win7 x64 (maybe also Vista x64?). But in theres not any known issues, what so ever, that is targeted for fix within 1.1 final for Win7 x64?

EDIT: hoborg

This is Win7 and MP http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfGL-Z6sMpo, and the 1/4th second of taskbar can be hidden by disabling explorer.exe in startup...

 

[hoborg]

This is Win7 and MP YouTube - Mediportal on Windows 7 RC1 with an OCZ SSD, and the 1/4th second of taskbar can be hidden by disabling explorer.exe in startup...

disabling explorer.exe is something i really do not want to mess with...

 

[drealit]

Yes a lot of programs are still dependent on explorer.exe... for example I'm about 90% sure ATI's CCC functions (advanced deinterlacing etc.) require explorer.exe in order for it to function correctly. So if you have an ATI based IGP or GPU, I reckon you better have that running haha.