Using Vista Media Center In Fiji

Forums › Freeview (DVB-T/DVB-S) › Using Vista Media Center In Fiji

1 | ... | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | ... | 24

495 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#142167 2-Jul-2008 11:15

Bahrni: >Is everyone still using version 6.1.1000.18182?

I'm guessing so as there's been no newer versions available that I can find. Since I'm not an official beta tester I found the old version through good old Google-digging and none of the official beat-testers seem willing to drop an updated copy online anywhere. Of course that'd be against the terms of being a beta-tester, but some one did it last time, so hopefully they'll do it again. Or even better... Microsoft could knock off this cloak and dagger business and throw the beta open to the public. But (for whatever mysterious reasons) they don't seem to want to do that.

If the rumor mills are correct - there's been a couple of versions released to testers since then - 6.1.1000.18217, and the current version is supposedly "Windows Vista Media Center Feature Pack 2008 RC0", which was released on the 25/6th June according once again to the rumor mill...

As you have noticed both of these are next to impossible to find. I suspect as a result of the "public" spreading of the initial beta. On the good side it means that RC1 (which is usually the Public Beta) isn't that far away, given the speed of the other release and usual MS timings probably less than 6 weeks, but then again I'm only guessing...

And BTW its not cloak and dagger its just their normal process. The pre public beta's aren't usually stable enough to use (as everyone has found with this one), which is why they don't release them.

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9996

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#142193 2-Jul-2008 12:45

I guess we can only live in hope that H.264 support is included in the final release and that we will be able to view content.

One of the delays with Fiji has been Microsoft's requirements to incorporate DRM to keep content providers happy when it comes to the handling of HD content. There will be plenty of unhappy people if Fiji can't be used for DVB-T in NZ but people should probably prepare themselves for the chance that this may occur.

RustyGonad

495 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#142208 2-Jul-2008 13:29

sbiddle: I guess we can only live in hope that H.264 support is included in the final release and that we will be able to view content.

One of the delays with Fiji has been Microsoft's requirements to incorporate DRM to keep content providers happy when it comes to the handling of HD content. There will be plenty of unhappy people if Fiji can't be used for DVB-T in NZ but people should probably prepare themselves for the chance that this may occur.

I would be very suprised not to see h.264 support in there (given that support is built into the SBE in the first beta), expecially given much of this upgrade has been designed around DirectTV in the US, who are heading down the h.264 path as well.

You may still need to purchase a h.264 codec, MS have typically been "late to market" with that codec support.

What I will be very suprised to see is support for our MHEG standard. Given Freeview have implemented a hardly used standard in MHEG, and then modified it with a NZ profile, I think Freeview have helped us to remain isolated here. I realise the techno boffins can come up with reasons why MHEG was used - but IMO we picked a lemon... EIT anyone???

The other interesting thing to watch is how the DirectTV support translates to the rest of the world ie DirectTV = DVB-S w/NDS. If you have a close look at the beta there are some interesting "channels" implemented in the DVB-S scan, both in NZ and Australia. Realistically you would not include these for any other reason than to test capability - how that translates into this part of the world in the next wee while will be interesting - especially given the strong sentiment towards Sky at the moment.

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9996

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#142210 2-Jul-2008 13:38

I've heard plenty of rumors but I guess until things are confirmed we can only live in hope!

Windows 7 will certainly feature plenty of improvements - lets just hope that we don't have to wait another couple of years to be able to use them..:-(

Satch

1985 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 259

#142497 3-Jul-2008 12:40

I'm impatient and want the upgrade now. The final commercially released one, not the beta. I'm not asking for much...

Has there been any more rumours around whether this upgrade will cost, or will it be a free update?

gehenna

8667 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3883

Moderator

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#142506 3-Jul-2008 13:04

Satch: I'm impatient and want the upgrade now. The final commercially released one, not the beta. I'm not asking for much...

Has there been any more rumours around whether this upgrade will cost, or will it be a free update?

Microsoft traditionally release updates free of charge...they only tend to charge for full releases of software (Windows, Office, etc...) This could easily be packaged as a "Windows Media Center Service Pack 1" or some such. Unless they intend to take the Windows XP Media Center Edition route and create a standalone OS with Media Center integrated - then you can expect a cost to be involved.

This seems to be one area where Microsoft has it over Apple in terms of their software release schedule.

Mighty Ape

Shop now at Mighty Ape (affiliate link).

Satch

1985 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 259

#142509 3-Jul-2008 13:07

So here's hoping it's an update then...

eXDee

4033 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1070

Trusted

#142576 3-Jul-2008 15:40

gehenna: Unless they intend to take the Windows XP Media Center Edition route and create a standalone OS with Media Center integrated - then you can expect a cost to be involved.

Just a rumour, but i've heard that this could be the case.

pyedp1per

25 posts

Geek

#143362 6-Jul-2008 15:09

http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/05/next-vista-media-center-leaked-no-directv-hd-till-2010

nudge

86 posts

Master Geek

#143709 7-Jul-2008 12:45

If they don't include h.264 I think I will cry!! I had a taste of it when visiting fiji in an early beta release. It had h.264 and it WORKED, rather well actaully. Or at least when it worked, it worked well, it just didn't always work ;-)

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9996

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#143714 7-Jul-2008 12:47

nudge: If they don't include h.264 I think I will cry!! I had a taste of it when visiting fiji in an early beta release. It had h.264 and it WORKED, rather well actaully. Or at least when it worked, it worked well, it just didn't always work ;-)

If it isn't there blame the content providers - not Microsoft. I'm sure they would love a DRM free world as it would make life a lot simpler..

Geekzone

Want to support Geekzone and browse the site without the ads? Subscribe to Geekzone now (monthly, annual and lifetime options).

eXDee

4033 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1070

Trusted

#143862 7-Jul-2008 15:26

sbiddle: One of the delays with Fiji has been Microsoft's requirements to incorporate DRM to keep content providers happy when it comes to the handling of HD content. There will be plenty of unhappy people if Fiji can't be used for DVB-T in NZ but people should probably prepare themselves for the chance that this may occur.

Gotta love how they make a pretty awesome product, then cripple it with DRM. Chances are all recordings (or hd recordings) will be encrypted to only watch them on that HTPC, or only watch them a certain amount of times if the content providers want that. Its rather annoying how they choose to bow to the large corporate businesses rather than their end users. Even though i never plan on using it if this is the case, i'll celebrate when the drm (if used) is broken.

Sigh.

smbunn

107 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#144188 7-Jul-2008 22:49

Ever noticed in Vista if you even try to copy or move a file it thnks is media, it spends ages before it will start the operation. Thats DRM. I tried copying some video files created in MCE that were about 6 GB in size. It would take up to a minute to even start the copying command. In the end I used to rename the extension, copy the file onto my main server then rename it again as this was quicker.

DRM is killing Vista. I can't see how Fiji is going to be snappy if Vista needs minutes to inspect every single file it looks at to see if it needs to apply copy protetction. How on earth is chasing playback going to work, or fast forward if the operating system has to stop everything to exhaustively open and check the entire file when the files are 10 GB, 20 GB or larger!

80386-25, 110 MB HDD, 2 x 1.44 MB Floppies, 640k RAM, Win 3.11 for Workgroups

eXDee

4033 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1070

Trusted

#144198 7-Jul-2008 23:32

smbunn: Ever noticed in Vista if you even try to copy or move a file it thnks is media, it spends ages before it will start the operation. Thats DRM. I tried copying some video files created in MCE that were about 6 GB in size. It would take up to a minute to even start the copying command. In the end I used to rename the extension, copy the file onto my main server then rename it again as this was quicker.

No bloody wonder it takes so long copying the files from sony vegas to the HTPC.

RustyGonad

495 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#144700 8-Jul-2008 15:31

eXDee:
smbunn: Ever noticed in Vista if you even try to copy or move a file it thnks is media, it spends ages before it will start the operation. Thats DRM. I tried copying some video files created in MCE that were about 6 GB in size. It would take up to a minute to even start the copying command. In the end I used to rename the extension, copy the file onto my main server then rename it again as this was quicker.

No bloody wonder it takes so long copying the files from sony vegas to the HTPC.

With all due respect - no its not - thats just Vista. Certainly don't have that problem on any of my Vista machines copying video...

There are certainly some well known issues with the speed of the Vista file system, file indexing etc etc etc - especially when copying between networks such as Windows Home Server (ie GB networks performing poorly). These have improved with various patches (biggest gain with SP1). But this isn't unique to any specific content - it happens across the board...

It also has some huge issue dealing with archived ie zipped content.

Don't suppose your using WiFi by any chance???

Don't get me wrong - DRM has hundreds of issues - but this isn't one of them...

1 | ... | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | ... | 24