Microsoft/HP to Market Crippled Entertainment PCs

gustywinds writes "CNet is reporting that Microsoft and HP recently announced the details on their Media Center PCs that will be coming out this Christmas season (this used to be called 'Freestyle'). The big story is that these PCs will have anti-copying mechanisms built-in to them -- ie can't burn recorded TV shows to DVD, or even copy and play them back on other PCs. And they are going to be expensive... $1500 for the starter box. Sounds like this thing is going to be DOA. Lots of other PC-based TV recording products that aren't restrictive when it comes to copying stuff goes... Snapstream, WinDVR... And, of course, Hauppauge, nVidia and ATi have products too but their software is pretty lacking..."

Comments

Re:not just the price, but the market

[Ralph Wiggam]

And your typical college student surely has $1500 to toss around on a new computer.

**from the twisted dreams of MS's marketing dept**
Salesguy: And it's a lot like your current computer, but it does less and costs more.
College kid: And it's new and hip, right?
Salesguy: Absolutely.
College kid: Do you take cash?
*************

If I had ever had $1500 at one time while I was at college, I would have changed it into 20's and rolled around in it naked.

-B

Re:not just the price, but the market

[Observer]

Then it talks about marketing them [DRM-enforcing PCs] to COLLEGE STUDENTS. Think about that... the college students are the ones most opposed to DRM technologies!

<flamebait>
Sounds like a good way to get the underachieving, lazy, waiting for daddy's job, dishonest, thieving, substance-abusing, parasitic growths amongst the generally upright and ethical student population to knuckle down and start studying for a change.
</flamebait>

But then, if pigs could fly, we'd need much stronger umbrellas.

Karma:Chameleon (sometimes very affected indeed)

Tsk tsk tsk, peoples....

[LittleGuy]

They're not "crippled PC's"...

They're "differently abled operating systems"...

Re:Very sad.

[NanoGator]

"Instead, this is an attempt to gain lobby support from MPAA/RIAA ... so that congress can bless the "proven Microsoft Way" and force the Microsoft "technology" onto the rest of us"

Well, look at the bright side: Since it's MS, you can bet it'll be exploitable. :)

It'd sure beat the hell out of anything Sony'd dish out. Anybody remember that Spiderman soundtrack that had PC stuff on it, but the anti-PC protection prevented it from working? Heh.