I really hate to be this guy/join this club, but this is the first piece of news/speculation ever to have me worried about the future of Media Center. In the latest Windows 8 build, the change log includes that Windows Media Center has been removed. If this is the case, what viable options are there with stable dvr support? Can't include Sage TV until we see what Google does with it, and XBMC doesn't have official/stable dvr support. So Media Portal is it I suppose? Hopefully they are just moving Media Center to the Windows Live family or something.
Source: http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-8-bu ... gelog-leak
Media Center removed in latest Windows 8 build :/
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staknhalo
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newfiend
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Well as I like to speculate like the rest i'll throw in my 2 cents.
Don't worry YET!
These are all pre-release builds, not even beta. Other pre-release's have had MC in them. This could mean multiple things. It could be that MS was using MC in there as a place holder for an update/upgrade to be added in at a later time. I read that this version of windows will have a large UI change, One of the biggest since Windows 95. We could get something totally new for us MC fans or it could be removed all together. I would tend to think they would at least include what we have in MC 7 in Windows 8.
Just because it's missing in the latest pre-release build doesn't mean its gone all together. Remember Microsoft wants to be on three screens Mobile, PC and TV. For the most "TV" coverage it would have to be in XBOX and PC IMO. I'm not going to start worrying until I know for sure it's gone completely.. And even if it is. we still have Windows 7 MC.. Which isn't bad in my opinion.
newfiend~
Don't worry YET!
These are all pre-release builds, not even beta. Other pre-release's have had MC in them. This could mean multiple things. It could be that MS was using MC in there as a place holder for an update/upgrade to be added in at a later time. I read that this version of windows will have a large UI change, One of the biggest since Windows 95. We could get something totally new for us MC fans or it could be removed all together. I would tend to think they would at least include what we have in MC 7 in Windows 8.
Just because it's missing in the latest pre-release build doesn't mean its gone all together. Remember Microsoft wants to be on three screens Mobile, PC and TV. For the most "TV" coverage it would have to be in XBOX and PC IMO. I'm not going to start worrying until I know for sure it's gone completely.. And even if it is. we still have Windows 7 MC.. Which isn't bad in my opinion.
newfiend~
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StumpyBloke
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I agree for what it's worth! I think it's too early in the game to speculate and/or worry about missing bits and pieces. Flipping' eck I'm all growd up today!! 
Rich
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Fleadh
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the futures iptv as far as the big players are concerned imho. wmc doesnt fit into that.
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StumpyBloke
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I don't necessarily doubt that, but they are going to have to bear in mind that broadband speeds are pretty crap for a lot of people thus making iptv a non-starter for many!
Rich
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milli260876
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I hope they "lose" it and just have live tiles integrated into the new UI... would be pretty cool imho AND then you have more chance of "apps"" working nicely with the remote as they will mostly be big UI touch based launchers,buttons etc...
Lee
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STC
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They would not have put Ceton under their spotlight last year if they were going to ditch cablecard support (read- all tuner support). Worst case if MC does get buried, something else will take it's place for tuner style TV.
My 2c
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holidayboy
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It would be great if a new version of MC was introduced in W8.
Having said that, I'm really happy with my setup as it is right now.
The 7MC UI is the best around for a PC DVR as far as I'm concerned, I can have as many tuners as I can cram into my box and I have zero issues with stability.
More bells and whistles would probably be wasted on me, obviously there are things that I would like to see in future versions if they were to appear:
Better support for DVB-S2 and DVB-T2, native Bluray playback, full Freesat red button support, native MKV support etc...
None of those are deal breakers though, MS have given us an amazing product in 7MC and I'll happily keep using it until either:
1) A new version appears.
2) It no longer supports whatever TV delivery methods may, or may not appear in the future.
Having said that, I'm really happy with my setup as it is right now.
The 7MC UI is the best around for a PC DVR as far as I'm concerned, I can have as many tuners as I can cram into my box and I have zero issues with stability.
More bells and whistles would probably be wasted on me, obviously there are things that I would like to see in future versions if they were to appear:
Better support for DVB-S2 and DVB-T2, native Bluray playback, full Freesat red button support, native MKV support etc...
None of those are deal breakers though, MS have given us an amazing product in 7MC and I'll happily keep using it until either:
1) A new version appears.
2) It no longer supports whatever TV delivery methods may, or may not appear in the future.
Rob.
TGB.tv - the one stop shop for the more discerning Media Center user.
TGB.tv - the one stop shop for the more discerning Media Center user.
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cw-kid
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I wouldn't panic just yet, although it is a little concerning. I'm sure if MC is missing from this particular build its just for development reasons and should not be read into as MC won't be in the RTM.
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makryger
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PANIC!
My Channel Logos XL: Get your Guide looking good! ~~~~ TunerSalad: Increase the 4-tuner limit in 7MC
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richard1980
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Is anyone here a doctor? I think we may need to administer a sedative to makryger.
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richard1980
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I don't know what big players you are referring to, but here in the US there are a number of companies trying to make the internet TV push. The only problem is the true big players we have here (the content owners) aren't wanting to play along. The same people that own the majority of the content also own the internet connections we have, and they have fought the internet TV push since day 1. Internet TV is a threat to their business model, so therefore they do things to prevent the internet push from being successful.Fleadh wrote:the futures iptv as far as the big players are concerned imho. wmc doesnt fit into that.
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makryger
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I'm a doctor! oh...wait...richard1980 wrote:Is anyone here a doctor? I think we may need to administer a sedative to makryger.
My Channel Logos XL: Get your Guide looking good! ~~~~ TunerSalad: Increase the 4-tuner limit in 7MC
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newfiend
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Oh makryger.. Is this your way of fixing things without fixing things...lol
Sent from my WP7 using Board Express
Sent from my WP7 using Board Express
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kingwr
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I don't disagree with aspects of MC (such as the scheduler, recorder, and guide data processor) living on in Windows 8, but you're naive if you think Microsoft wouldn't say one thing last year and go a totally different direction the next, leaving their partners/oems out in the cold. That is quintissential Microsoft!stonethecrows wrote:They would not have put Ceton under their spotlight last year if they were going to ditch cablecard support (read- all tuner support).
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rbmorse
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Let us not forget that we all have a "plan B, " and that's to stay with Win7 and not upgrade to Win8. I don't have the support calendar in front of me, but it's safe to say that Win7 will continue to receive support for several years after Win8 is released, and a lot will happen to the technology before Windows 7 support expires.
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makryger
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I seriously doubt that Media Center will be left out of Windows 8. I just don't see any benefit. Especially since they are actively working on it in Windows 7 embedded, and cable card tuners are becoming so widely available now.
And even if they did, as many have already pointed out, we aren't being forced to upgrade. I am perfectly happy with my setup right now. Assuming the media-delivery environment doesn't change (not something I expect any time soon), I'm not going to upgrade simply because the number 8 is higher than 7.
Now what would I be willing to accept? Paid Media Center software outside of Windows. But if I'm going to be paying them, I'd expect some sort of support and effort at improvement. Although now that google owns sage, I'm sure they will find a way to give out free DVR, and make Microsoft look expensive in comparison.
And even if they did, as many have already pointed out, we aren't being forced to upgrade. I am perfectly happy with my setup right now. Assuming the media-delivery environment doesn't change (not something I expect any time soon), I'm not going to upgrade simply because the number 8 is higher than 7.
Now what would I be willing to accept? Paid Media Center software outside of Windows. But if I'm going to be paying them, I'd expect some sort of support and effort at improvement. Although now that google owns sage, I'm sure they will find a way to give out free DVR, and make Microsoft look expensive in comparison.
My Channel Logos XL: Get your Guide looking good! ~~~~ TunerSalad: Increase the 4-tuner limit in 7MC
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NWW
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My guess is that WMC as we're used to it (as in, a full blown shell dedicated to "media center" stuff) will be removed. But, as others have already pointed out, pieces of WMC will be integrated into Win8. As in, a full live tile constantly playing live TV (just like on the Xbox demo), taken from wherever (be that IPTV, DVB-S/T or cable).
If I had to further guess, there won't even be a "Windows Media Player", or even "Zune"... It would be "Music+Video", just like on Windows Phone... No branding.
But I could be wrong.
If I had to further guess, there won't even be a "Windows Media Player", or even "Zune"... It would be "Music+Video", just like on Windows Phone... No branding.
But I could be wrong.
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asm495
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This is an interesting article and worth a read:
http://www.winsupersite.com/article/win ... um=twitter
For me there are no great surprises in the content of this it is all fairly logical. It is obvious as I've been saying for a year or more that MS is going down the online streaming route for TV in the long term and the Xbox is going to be the client for this. However, with broadband speeds in most locations really not being up to the job of this yet I can't see how they can remove some form of tuner functionality from Windows 8.
If I were Microsoft what I would be doing is a two pronged approach:
- Enable TV tuners in a PC to be "shared" somehow with the Xbox so that the PC handles the recording and the Xbox plays back the content via the Xbox interface
- Allow the Xbox to support USB TV tuners and do the recording itself.
I actually think the later of these is more likely. However, my issue would then be how the sharing of recorded programmes could be done between Xboxes so that you can watch on another what is stored on another which is what I do now with my current set up.
I would not be too disappointed with just using an Xbox for my media experience so long as I could have at least 4 tuners and the recording could be shared.
Will be interesting to see what happens!
http://www.winsupersite.com/article/win ... um=twitter
For me there are no great surprises in the content of this it is all fairly logical. It is obvious as I've been saying for a year or more that MS is going down the online streaming route for TV in the long term and the Xbox is going to be the client for this. However, with broadband speeds in most locations really not being up to the job of this yet I can't see how they can remove some form of tuner functionality from Windows 8.
If I were Microsoft what I would be doing is a two pronged approach:
- Enable TV tuners in a PC to be "shared" somehow with the Xbox so that the PC handles the recording and the Xbox plays back the content via the Xbox interface
- Allow the Xbox to support USB TV tuners and do the recording itself.
I actually think the later of these is more likely. However, my issue would then be how the sharing of recorded programmes could be done between Xboxes so that you can watch on another what is stored on another which is what I do now with my current set up.
I would not be too disappointed with just using an Xbox for my media experience so long as I could have at least 4 tuners and the recording could be shared.
Will be interesting to see what happens!