PC that acts like a TV

An anonymous reader writes "CNN is reporting on the newest HP Media Center PC, a PC that "acts like a TV". Seems to me it is a TIVO with some additional features, like storing and displaying pictures and music files. Runs on some sort of Windows XP." The real killer with this whole genre of device is cost and confusion. Users don't know what they do, so its not worth the cost. Anyone who has used a tivo for a week knows what it means. Business just needs to get the costs down. I think including functionality like pictures and music is a good step towards increasing value, as long as it doesn't add to the confusion.

Comments

New XP Interface

[shird]

The 'some sort of Windows XP' he is talking about is problaby the Freestyle interface Microsoft is developing. Put simply, it is basically a shell for XP which has huge icons so that it can be viewed from a distance. Its a bit more than that though.

Also related is 'Mira' which is more for Wi-Fi type devices.

Re:New XP Interface

[DNAGuy]

It is Windows XP Media Center Edition. I expect more partner manufacturers (Dell, etc.) to offer Media Center PC's soon. It's basically Windows XP Professional with an app that provides a TV/Remote friendly interface to audio/video functions. Manufacturers are required to provide TV tuners, remotes, etc. in order to distribute the OS.

its drm crippled and may not be able to run linux

[Billly Gates]

I already got modded down as a troll for mentioning this but just a month ago I saw this link about these crippled boxen.

Yes, they are drm crippled in hardware but I do not know if they use palladium or not. If they do use pallidium then no linux is not an option.

I have not seen one comment here mentioning about this important issue.

I've had one for a year

[ShieldW0lf]

I'm posting this comment from the sofa on it.

Lian-Li PC-12 Black Aluminum Case (2x80mm in, 1x80mm out)
Enermax 350W PSU (1x80mm in, 1x80mm out)
Lapped Duron 600 @ 980 (7.0x140)
Lapped GlobalWIN FOP32 @ Arctic Silver II
Asus A7V133 MB w Promise RAID
2 x 256MB PC133 RAM
40G Western Digital Caviar HD (VIA - Primary Master)
Lite-On 40x12x40 CD-RW (VIA - Secondary Master)
60G Seagate Barracuda ATA IV HD (Promise - Primary Master)
Pioneer DVD-ROM DVD116 (Promise - Primary Slave)
40G IBM Deskstar 60GXP (Promise - Secondary Master)
Lite-On 52x CD-ROM (Promise - Secondary Slave)
Asus V7100 Deluxe Combo Video Card (Lapped P100 HSF @ Arctic Silver II)
62cm Television on RCA output
Hercules GameTheater XP
Boston DT6000 5.1 Speakers on Optical SP-DIF output
3Com 10/100 NIC
Logitech Freedom Optical Keyboard/Mouse
Microsoft Sidewinder Pro Gamepads (2)
Homemade Remote Reciever (Serial Ports obsolete, eh?)

This is mostly old tech now, but it still plays DVDs, plays DivX5/AC3 spanned across up to 3CDs for highest quality, holds 70GB of MP3s, surfs web, checks mail, plays 3d shooters, emulates every console and arcade game EVER, captures, timeshifts, does slideshows off my digicam, supports my universal remote, and is simple enough for my wife to use.

Microsoft and HP can keep their crap.