Vista media center. Anyone running this?

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geekiegeek

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#9064 16-Aug-2006 12:50

Hi all,

About to turn my desktop machine into a media center and thinking of maybe using Vista beta 2. I have had this PC running as a desktop on vista with no issues and plenty of grunt but never tried out the MCE side of things.

Just wondering if anyone is using this in a media center config and if so are there any major gotchas? if its to much hassle I'll just stick with MCE 2005.

Cheers.

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s.joseph

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#44113 16-Aug-2006 13:34

Do not go to Beta 2 if you just want to use mce 06. It has a different engine still under development and my 2ghz core dup 1024mb ram can't even handle it. Wait for rc1 (due this month for everyone) hopefully there will be a major speed step and new gui at the moment mce 06 on beta 2 is useless.

chiefie

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#44118 16-Aug-2006 14:22

one of the thing i have heard (through rumour) is the support for multiple screen. So effective you can have MCE running on a separate screen of different resolution in full screen, while you continue working whatever on primary screen with keyboard and mouse.

No longer a quick "hack" of showing MCE window on second screen (not at full) and still with keyboard and mouse control outside of MCE.

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geekiegeek

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#44120 16-Aug-2006 14:52

Thanks guys. Might fire it up and see how it goes - I can always wipe it and go back to 05 if it doesnt work out.

The main reason for trying it is I hear it has better support for widescreen and some nice video editor tools built in.

I dont spose anyone has a HDTV CRT widescreen using MCE 05/06 - if so is the widescreen ok or is there a lot of overscan? I just got a Radeon x1300 with HDTV out via component so I'm just hoping it will work ok.

Spose I will know for sure after I get it up and running on the weekend.

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chiefie

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#44121 16-Aug-2006 15:07

There is no HDTV CRT screen though. There is HDTV LCD via DVI-I to HDMI, or DB-15 VGA, or Components. I use my MCE with nVidia 6600 with DVI-I to HDMI on our Philips 32" LCD, still need a bit of overscan to get full 1366x768 resolution.

I do know MCE-Vista is WideScreen aware, I just hope the rumour i heard about dual screen will be real, imagine MCE in office with DVI-HDMI cable to tv for other member of the family to enjoy and you working on another screen without interruption on MCE's operation.

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geekiegeek

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#44122 16-Aug-2006 15:17

chiefie: There is no HDTV CRT screen though. .

Sorry but there are - mine supports up to 1080i Sony 32" Wega - the last CRT they made (cant remember model sorry). Most of the new video cards coming out now have a special 9 pin adapter to HDTV component cable and apparently the ATI cards have some really good settings for getting this to work without overscan - wont know for sure till I try though if this is true or not.

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bradstewart

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#44124 16-Aug-2006 15:31

s.joseph: Do not go to Beta 2 if you just want to use mce 06. It has a different engine still under development and my 2ghz core dup 1024mb ram can't even handle it. Wait for rc1 (due this month for everyone) hopefully there will be a major speed step and new gui at the moment mce 06 on beta 2 is useless.

Actually thats rubbish. I used Media Centre when i had beta 2 installed. It worked very well, DVD playback was smooth, video and music was fine.

If your 2Ghz Core Duo cannot handle Media Centre then there is something very wrong with your PC. MC is all i use for my music and DVD playing and its been that way since beta 2. It gets better with every build and i cant wait to see the revised UI for it in action.

For the record with Vista there will no longer be a 'Media Center Edition', Media Center is now just a built in feature of windows. Also the release date for RC1 has not been confirmed to the public yet

s.joseph

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#44127 16-Aug-2006 16:19

I recommend you check this link about beta 2 and media cent"re"???
http://winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_mce_beta2.asp

Paul Thurrot has a 3ghz p4 ht processor with 1gb ram and even used ready boostand still he was not able to watch recorded shows. The public beta is simply outdated. In the newer builds it is a bit faster, Im using 5456 which is a bit better but is still off the beta 2 build.

It was on msdn that rc1 will be released between 15 - 31 aug.

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#44128 16-Aug-2006 16:36

I've read Paul Thurrott's review of beta 2 an I know exactly what he said about Media Center. I read his site every day but have found he is often wrong. He is one guy and his experience is not the experience of the majority..... he is wrong on this issue and i know many people who have had much better experiences with MC than he has. Not everything the guy says should be treated as gospel.

s.joesph:The public beta is simply outdated. In the newer builds it is a bit faster.

Have you actually used the later builds? Had a chance to form your own opinion of them instead of just rpeating Paul.
Its amazing how many people have an opinion about Vista just because they read Paul Thurrott but havent used it themselves.

geekiegeek

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#44129 16-Aug-2006 17:03

personally I cant see why I would have a performace issue - when running Vista on the same PC in the past it has been fully responsive and I have had no issues playing multiple media formats on it - cant see how running the MCE component would have that big an impact that it made it unusable.

P4 3Ghz 2M Cache
1GB DDR 400
ATI x550 256M card (will be a x1300 pro 256 tomorrow).

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bradstewart

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#44130 16-Aug-2006 17:05

I very much doubt you will have any probelms. Your system far exceeds the recommened specs. Good luck with it.

geekiegeek

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#44131 16-Aug-2006 17:08

bradstewart:
I very much doubt you will ahve any probelms. Your system far exceeds the recommened specs. Good luck with it.

Cheers Brad, I'll post how I get on - might evan re-open my blog.

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s.joseph

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#44136 16-Aug-2006 17:53

Yes i have tried the other editions as i stated. I just had a bad experience with it. I hope it goes well for you geekiegeek post a reply and tell me how it went.

chiefie

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#44138 16-Aug-2006 18:03

Paul Thurott loses all his credibility after his "trollness" "whining" "sour" behaviour and comments about both MacOS X and Vista. I don't trust his credibility at all, though it is good to read what he thinks, and a few nice screenshots. I rather draw my opinion from my own first hand experience. Paul T. is just a lame user.

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bradstewart

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#44142 16-Aug-2006 18:24

s.joseph: Yes i have tried the other editions as i stated. I just had a bad experience with it. I hope it goes well for you geekiegeek post a reply and tell me how it went.

Really.... are you a member of the private beta test program?

s.joseph

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#44151 16-Aug-2006 20:08

no i know some one subscribed to msdn and im sure that it can be put on ten computers

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