Will the Echo be compatible with Windows 8?

[ucfknight]

Not being able to flash their hardware to install Android sounds like they are incapable of getting Android running on their hardware to me.

Android itself ran on the hardware; it was the in-home upgrade process that would fail sometimes. The failure rate was too high for them to support. Those two things aren't equal, but the end result is still 'no Android'.

I don't want to post anything else after this on this thread concerning this subject because it is OT. The thread should actually probably be split at this point, with this recent discussion of Android becoming a new thread.

A software installation failure that is so high and difficult to correct that it causes you scrap an entire project means you did not complete the project. Sure they got Android working on some hardware under certain parameters (local install instead of network install apparently). But they did not get Android working in a manner necessary to meet design criteria (low failure rate network install). Therefore they did not get Android running on their hardware in a feature complete, release ready state.

Personally, I think the whole upgrade bug thing was just an excuse to scrap the project so they could stop wasting company resources on it. From what some have said, the Android experience on the Echo was not fleshed out and it had basic control difficulties. It sounds like they would have needed a lot more development work to create an acceptable user experience that could be navigated solely using the remote. I can think of several ways they could have gotten around the "in home" upgrade process limitation. They instead chose to use the problem as an excuse to cancel the project that would have either cost them more money than they were wiling to spend to get to an acceptable state or more money in support costs than they were willing to take on if they didn't spend the development money.

[staknhalo]

It is just so hard to comprehend how it worked on some and not on others? Did they just not let it run long enough and then failure would occur? Sounds too close to just scrap? I know you are on record as saying you did not like the external controls that needed to be used to achieve some type of maneuvering of the android apps? Was there any fixes to the WMC piece? Was that just lies when they said it would be too hard to update until the android project was done but they were still working on fixing the playback?
To me it just does not add up. Just like the random update. Were you the random one?

They explained this. A component in the Echo would sometimes fail when doing the Android in-home upgrade process only. There were fixes for classic WMC in the a later firmwares I know for a fact. I could't tell you specifically for what or how many - as I don't recall the change log. Also there could have been more WMC classic updates in the first Android firmware I received, but there was no log obviously as it was an initial/first build for us. They were not bullshitting when they said they needed to focus on Android. I was not the random update guy. His Echo somehow gained access to the Android update server. Whether it was because someone accidentally mistyped a MAC number to allow access to the server and it just happened to match his MAC, or whether the server just fucked up and pushed it out to him accidentally I couldn't tell you - but it's not that difficult a concept to wrap your head around. No clue why you can't comprehend that; it was discussed ad nauseam in that guy's thread.

Didn't someone also mention the user experience was lacking in the remote control wasn't there? To remote control the 10'UI in the Android experience, you had to use a PC/Smartphone/Tablet "app".

Or a mouse and keyboard plugged into the Echo.

Edit: Also, this was only for third-party apps (Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO Go etc). The WMC parts of Android work with a remote control fine.

Personally, I think the whole upgrade bug thing was just an excuse to scrap the project so they could stop wasting company resources on it.

You dead wrong seeing as I was the first (but not only) to experience the bug; and development continued on the Android firmware while they tried to discover a fix for the update process.

[IownFIVEechos]

Why not create a windows application that would push the firmware down onto our devices? They already have the all mighty and powerful USB cable needed for the task?

[staknhalo]

Why not create a windows application that would push the firmware down onto our devices? They already have the all mighty and powerful USB cable needed for the task?

They couldn't risk anyone but them having access to the firmware file(s) because of WMC DRM reasons. This is probably why, but I can't say for sure. You could argue the Echo could have been rooted eventually and cause that - which is true - but doesn't mean Ceton was then allowed to just not care if users accessed the firmware files/not care if any recourse they took made it easier for someone to do so.

[Dean L. Surkin]

Why not create a windows application that would push the firmware down onto our devices? They already have the all mighty and powerful USB cable needed for the task?

With respect, I think their decision to cancel the project makes this line of inquiry moot. I doubt there's anything we can say that would make them revive the project. I am disappointed, because I thought the Echo offered a one-box solution. I'm thinking of getting a Roku 3 to give me access to HBO on demand, but since I'm already using all available ports on my router & gigabit switch, I'd have to rely on WiFi for the Roku 3 connection. I'm not confident that would give me the kind of quality I expect (but I suppose for $100 I could try it and see).

[Sammy2]

You can pick up another 8 port gig switch on shell shocker for $20 or less just about every other week on newegg.

[Motz]

While this topic is completely not on the original topic anymore it can probably be locked now. As for Windows 8 support, for whatever reason Microsoft decided to change things with Windows 8 that made all non-Microsoft extenders incompatible. One of the features of the Android update was support for Win8. Since the Android update isn't possible that means official Win8 support in Echo isn't possible either unfortunately. For a bit of background, the issue with Windows 8 is that there’s no UI on an extender when it’s connected to a Win8 PC. The extender can be paired with the PC and can playback content, it just can’t be controlled by a remote using on-screen UI. One alternative is to use the My Media Center app as the remote and UI, which does work for TV, DVR and movies. We wouldn't consider that "official" support of Win8 by any means, and the product requirement for Echo will continue to specify a Windows 7 media center PC, however for someone who really wants a way to use Echo with Windows 8 that’s the best option.

If you read through the blog post we explained that a hardware component causes in-home upgrades to fail at a higher rate that is acceptable. To be precise, the issue relates to ALL upgrades, whether done in-home or in our labs (or OTA or via recovery tool). The point we were trying to make in the post is that it wasn't until we expanded the beta out of the lab and into homes that the breadth of the issue became apparent. Sorry if that part was confusing.

For @TheOsburnFamil and others about navigation, I worked on the entire Android User Interface from the home screen to browsing the guide, recorded content, movies, etc and they were all created to be 100% remote control friendly and an excellent 10' experience (IMO as I did work on it). Some third party apps worked fantastic with the remote control, while others did not. To substitute for this mobile applications were made for android, ios, and windows phone to help control these third party applications and provided transport controls similar to MMC, but also provided full mouse/keyboard control as well from your mobile device.


edit: Again per the blog post: The issue doesn't affect using Echo as a Windows Media Center Extender at all, and only occurs during the Android upgrade process. This means that updates in the current framework/firmware are possible.

[richard1980]

official Win8 support in Echo isn't possible

the product requirement for Echo will continue to specify a Windows 7 media center PC

So does that mean Ceton is officially throwing in the towel WRT W8 support?

[kingwr]

official Win8 support in Echo isn't possible

the product requirement for Echo will continue to specify a Windows 7 media center PC

So does that mean Ceton is officially throwing in the towel WRT W8 support?

Motz: "official Win8 support in Echo isn't possible...." I would say that's pretty darn definitive.

[foxwood]

No, they were quite specific about that - it runs just fine on their hardware.

It was their customers hardware that they couldn't reliably get it on to.

That's incorrect as well. They were running it on the same hardware as we were.

Whooosshhh!!!!!

[staknhalo]

No, they were quite specific about that - it runs just fine on their hardware.

It was their customers hardware that they couldn't reliably get it on to.

That's incorrect as well. They were running it on the same hardware as we were.

Whooosshhh!!!!!

Yeah, still not getting it then.

[ucfknight]

official Win8 support in Echo isn't possible

the product requirement for Echo will continue to specify a Windows 7 media center PC

So does that mean Ceton is officially throwing in the towel WRT W8 support?

Motz: "official Win8 support in Echo isn't possible...." I would say that's pretty darn definitive.

It doesn't get any clearer than that.

Time to lock the thread and turn out the lights.

[Motz]

Per @ucfknight consider it locked.