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Roadkill on the Convergence Highway
Duke Weber writes "Microsoft sometimes gets it right after three tries. Not so with Windows Media Center 2005. You do get a dancing Scooby Doo. You don't get much Media." From the article: "As a DVR, one tuner was just OK, with a second tuner working, it was still OK, provided you weren't too picky about mouths moving at the same time words came out. Out with the snazzy Realtek integrated sound on the ASUS-A8V motherboard. In with an Audigy 2ZS to lessen the load on the AMD 64 3000+ processor. More gadgets. That cured the synch. The picture still was no where close to a vintage Tivo. But it does keep track of the programs, important with a terabyte of disc."
I spent a lot of time shopping for the 'right' media PC, and came to a different conclusion: the 'media appliance' concept (with DLink still leading the way with their DLINK DSM-320) beats both set-top-boxes from the media providers and the pc-solutions provided by Microsoft, Sony, et. al. The DLink separates content from delivery - it's just there to play and present, and it does it well, wirelessly, without a hassle. It's not a DVR, but perhaps future versions will be. You're right, though - with cable providers bundling DVRs with service for a few dollars, PC vendors should allow that to stay in a different realm, and be content with delivery to TV from PC, and vice-versa. That is: they (Microsoft, Sony, etc) should be willing to step back, understand where their field ends, and then dominate up to that border, without trying to cross it.
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This guy's problem is not Windows Media Center, it is because he built the machine himself. If he did any research, he would have learned that hardware compatibility is key to having a smooth running MCE. Using built in sound chip? PUHLEEZE! Unless you have Intel chipset, you are going to have some major problems (VIA boards SUCK!!!) You could have gotten a $20 Chaintech AV-710 and he would never have had to deal with his sound problems. And poor picture? I am guessing he purchased some cheap 1st generation tuners. If you would have gotten ATI 550 based tuners, the picture quality would surpass that of any Tivo. And did you even try HDTV??? IT ROCKS!!! It is VERY important that you test out hardware compatibility before building an MCE yourself (unless you want to do a LOT of experimentation). Which is WHY MS DOES NOT SELL MCE by itself!!! If you have the right hardware setup, MCE is a pleasure. I have over 500GB recorded TV and another 100GB of music and picture. I also have about 50 DVD's ripped on the hard drive that I can watch without ever getting up from the couch. There is no other device (including APPLE) that will allow you to do that as easily as MCE.
CableCard will fix this problem when it becomes mandatory and ubiquitous.
This is the one good thing about the FCC overstepping its bounds and mandating hardware support (unlike the broadcast flag).
I am becoming gerund, destroyer of verbs.
What? I can only watch 4 lousy ABC shows? What? Only 320 by 200 resolution???
You fail to think of the future, when there could be a lot more TV shows there. Possibly even in better resolution though the current one is more than good enough to convey the subtle nuances TV has to offer (I can tell you've not tried watching any of them). It's definatley a far cry better than VCR or over the air quality.
The basic principle is sound. Why bother with all the UI and technical architecture issues you have with recording when the whole point of a PVR is to get a file into a random access digital file anyway? Aren't you simply better off starting with a whole digital file and working from there? Why does there need to ever be a time component involved other than when content is initially put up for aquisition?
TV viewers are like someone waiting at an airport luggage carosel, waiting until just the right interval of time arrives to get what they want. Why should TV viewing be that unpleasant now when there is no need. Why doesn't your video luggage just arrive and wait right in front of you for you to get it, now that it can.
I can also watch HD football on the Mac BTW - either with an HD tuner or downloading a torrent of same. In the future I should just be able to come home any time and start a football stream from scratch if I like.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
The hidden value proposition of analog cable has, for a long time, been that one did not need the expense of a cablebox for additional TVs (to receive non encrypted service one was already paying for). I doubt that analog will be encryped now as the future is digital (though I find the digital sound WORSE than analog and sometimes more difficult to hear speech). IF ALL digital becomes encrpted as a way for cable companies to MAX out their Revenue (extras like a Cablebox and remote etc etc for every TV) the value proposition of Cable TV service falls...... With other services becoming available it's not a good time for Cable companies to try to MAX OUT their Revenue IMHO. Yup I am aware that some Cable companies already encrypt. That's one of the reasons whu I suggested users do their due diligence up front re type of signal etc.