Hello everyone,
As MP continues to evolve, so do other solutions too. Not for free though, but here what I have come across.
Vista Media Center lacks many features that HTPC users need, but what made it useless for me was the lack of support for DVB subtites (a pain in the ass here in Finland), the lack of support for pay-TV, and the lack of integration of a BD/HD-DVD player.
Well sit down, since things are changing. As you might have read elsewhere, OEM systems with Ultimate and Home Premium versions of Vista will soon receive the new version of MCE, an update called "Fiji" until it was revealed in July 2008. This new release is available in x86 and x64 systems, and some of you will find it lying in the dark corners of the internet already. Vista Media Center TV Pack 2008 is the official name you should look for.
Whether this will be available as a Windows Update upgrade is not sure, but IMHO it should.
The integration of a BD/HDDVD player though requires a 3rd party application, and Arcoft's TotalMedia Theatre seems to do this already. Add a few plugins like Mymovies and Vista MCE starts to become an interesting option fro basic users. The geek factor is way under Mediaportal's though
This is said with all respect to Mediaportal and its developers, I just thought someone could be interested in the news.
Lorenzo
As MP continues to evolve, so do other solutions too. Not for free though, but here what I have come across.
Vista Media Center lacks many features that HTPC users need, but what made it useless for me was the lack of support for DVB subtites (a pain in the ass here in Finland), the lack of support for pay-TV, and the lack of integration of a BD/HD-DVD player.
Well sit down, since things are changing. As you might have read elsewhere, OEM systems with Ultimate and Home Premium versions of Vista will soon receive the new version of MCE, an update called "Fiji" until it was revealed in July 2008. This new release is available in x86 and x64 systems, and some of you will find it lying in the dark corners of the internet already. Vista Media Center TV Pack 2008 is the official name you should look for.
Whether this will be available as a Windows Update upgrade is not sure, but IMHO it should.
The integration of a BD/HDDVD player though requires a 3rd party application, and Arcoft's TotalMedia Theatre seems to do this already. Add a few plugins like Mymovies and Vista MCE starts to become an interesting option fro basic users. The geek factor is way under Mediaportal's though
This is said with all respect to Mediaportal and its developers, I just thought someone could be interested in the news.
Lorenzo