Windows 10 Media Center dead or alive?

[Ralph Williams3]

xbox music and video apps are trash compared to Media Center. Best DVR on the market by far.

 

[Giffdev]

Hey all, we definitely hear your feedback about media center, and of course you can still suggest it on uservoice, but as of now we really can't talk about our media (music/video/etc) plans AT THIS TIME, but we're definitely aware of it and more info will be shared down the line.

 

[dgr_874]

Hey all, we definitely hear your feedback about media center, and of course you can still suggest it on uservoice, but as of now we really can't talk about our media (music/video/etc) plans AT THIS TIME, but we're definitely aware of it and more info will be shared down the line.

Lets hope so.

 

[DavidinCT]

Kevin this may sound crazy to some folks but I will gladly pay 5 times what they are charging now if they update and support it.

No question... as long as it's updated, and not just a minor tweak (I assume your talking about the charge now, or before, as the MCE pack is $99.99 now, it was $9.99). At this point, $500 ? I would be temped, very tempted...

Microsoft could have owned the living room 10 years ago if they would have followed through on developing this system.

Yea, their biggest problem with Windows Media Center is how they promoted it. They had a few commercials on TV for WMC back in the Vista days. I don't remember any for Windows 7.

It was promoted as a media player, and not what it was or what it could be. MS's biggest mistake on it.

Hi,
I have been thinking about adding OTA (over the air) TV to my Windows Media Center (WMC) I have it set up as a whole house entertainment system /network with music, photos, and Comcast HD TV DVR (6 Tuner Ceton) including DRM channels ( HBO, Showtime,...).

May I ask which Tuner and antenna you use for OTA? Also, how do you schedule future recordings? Does the WMC Guide Service include OTA channels when a OTA tuner is added?

And, I haven't been able to find a tuner for FM radio?

Best Wishes

Get the networkable HDhomerun, Dual QAM/OTA tuner, works great and easy to share (used mine for tv on my tablet).

As for FM radio, off the top of my head I only had some older ones (PVR-150) that had FM radio on it.

And I am on thegreenbutton.tv as well, as the same user name... I was on the OLD TGB before MS killed it...

Hey all, we definitely hear your feedback about media center, and of course you can still suggest it on uservoice, but as of now we really can't talk about our media (music/video/etc) plans AT THIS TIME, but we're definitely aware of it and more info will be shared down the line.

Awesome, finally a response on this, no answer but, it's something. Please update WMC and give it to us in WIndows 10, as said above, I would gladly pay more for a update with a new interface, 4K support, Native blu-ray support, Updated internet features (Xbox features in WMC), and you would get a gold star if there could be something done with Cablecard v2 to get ondemand and PPV via WMC.... admitting I am dreaming but, it would be freaking epic...

 

[glugglug]

Hey all, we definitely hear your feedback about media center, and of course you can still suggest it on uservoice, but as of now we really can't talk about our media (music/video/etc) plans AT THIS TIME, but we're definitely aware of it and more info will be shared down the line.

Please be aware, music/video streaming is NOT where WMC shines -- there are plenty of alternatives there. What WMC really excels at is being a whole-home DVR. If whatever Windows 10 ends up with for media does not include good TV tuner integration it is absolutely NOT a replacement for media center.

 

[Steven Penner]

Yep, WMC in Win 10 needs to focus on DVR functionality if it ends up existing. It is a great solution for providing live and recorded TV, but the other features have not been updated in a very long time and there are quite a few great alternatives out there for streaming media. If WMC is killed but replaced with a new standalone DVR solution that works with cable card tuners and extenders (or even better, apps for the various platforms like XBO, XB360, Roku, etc.) that would also be an acceptable solution, in my opinion.

 

[redstar92]

XBOX One needs to get DVR functionality in it and that would basically give us what we are looking for. I will say that I still love a couple of other things with my WMC setup outside of the obvious DVR functionality, Picture slideshow with my onedrive is awesome SSD upgrade makes that thing fly and the UI for the guide, etc... is still awesome.

 

[jwckauman]

Yeah, just give me a Microsoft ecosystem supported DVR solution for cable/OTA and i'm good. I don't necessarily care where it lives in my ecosystem as long as I can get to it from everywhere else (XBOX 360, XBOX One, Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows Phone, etc.)

 

[glugglug]

DVR functionality built into a game console would totally not be the same thing, and would NOT be a replacement for WMC. With WMC on a desktop PC with a pooled collection of drives, I have 8TB for recorded TV. Obviously not going to happen on a console. Also, the console would need to be left on for streaming to others throughout the house, unless you are losing the centralized recording you get with the WMC extender model. A console would also never have the ability to add more tuners as you can on a PC. Even a console 15 years from now is going to be inferior to today's desktop for this purpose.

 

[DavidinCT]

DVR functionality built into a game console would totally not be the same thing, and would NOT be a replacement for WMC. With WMC on a desktop PC with a pooled collection of drives, I have 8TB for recorded TV. Obviously not going to happen on a console. Also, the console would need to be left on for streaming to others throughout the house, unless you are losing the centralized recording you get with the WMC extender model.

Never mind that the Xbox is more of a locked system. You wont have the small 3rd party options for programs for Media Center like your used to. There was a lot of streaming sources, or user configurable to store YOUR streaming sorces, never mind little games and customization options (a themer for WMC).

Because applications would be certified by Microsoft to go on the xbox, a lot of these small devs would not make the apps, as that costs money to do and this aspect would be gone. This is what you want to PROMOTE on a HTPC application to get the custom apps to make it work BETTER.

As there should be an option for a DVR feature on the Xbox one (at least pause and rewind type things), it should never replace a Home theater PC/Windows based software. Windows Media Center could be as simple as someone wanted it, (one drive with OS/recorded shows on it), or as complex and powerful as you need (12 tuners, 20tb for music, movies recorded tv on a NAS, Extenders all over the house). It was so scalable on this aspect.

Such a great product, and we need it to come back.

PS and Yes, at one time, I did have 12 tuners on my WIndows Media Center machine.... Unlimited recording, it was pretty sick actually (it does support up to 32, if done right and with the proper software installed).

 

[Steven Penner]

I think the biggest possible advancement would be if you could tie the DRM keys to your MS account and store videos in OneDrive. Imagine being able to access your videos anywhere on any machine so long as you could provide your credentials. If the XBO were to be the hardware front end for capture and processing, and then just one of many clients that could play/stream the protected content, that would be killer and be easy enough for anyone with almost any level of technical competence to manage, all the while supporting the MS living room platform.

 

[DavidinCT]

I think the biggest possible advancement would be if you could tie the DRM keys to your MS account and store videos in OneDrive. Imagine being able to access your videos anywhere on any machine so long as you could provide your credentials. If the XBO were to be the hardware front end for capture and processing, and then just one of many clients that could play/stream the protected content, that would be killer and be easy enough for anyone with almost any level of technical competence to manage, all the while supporting the MS living room platform.

As I love the idea but, you can play content (I believe even DRM protected content) via Remote Potato, ANYWHERE, right now with WMC. They have apps for all phones (including Windows Phone), I use it, and it works REALLY well. I can watch live tv, recorded tv, listen to music, play back any video, pretty much any content in WMC with it.... and it's free (donation ware).

I think a Softsled idea would be nice. An "dream" application that can be installed on any Windows Machine and would act as a Media Center extender application. When WMC was alive with the eHome team going, this was a very high requested item. It never came to be.

After all, Media Center extenders are based on Remote Desktop (the sub tech on it is based on the protocol for it), so it could be done, just MS never wanted to make it...(DRM issues, for the providers)

 

[Steven Penner]

Remote Potato doesn't support copy-once, I thought? That was the DRM I meant, not simple encryption. Yeah, if you exclude copy-once content there are a host of good alternatives to WMC, but that is an insurmountable hurdle at this time if you want anything besides local broadcasts on most cable providers.

 

[dmcq]

Why is the poll for MCE on W10 closed - I have only just joined the forum.
For info I have no TV's in the house, instead I have 6 PC's running W7 in MCE mode all day every day.
Any or all recording at any time.
All recordings available to any machine.
I'm not having W10 in order to loose that.
dmcq

 

[dgr_874]

Why is the poll for MCE on W10 closed - I have only just joined the forum.
For info I have no TV's in the house, instead I have 6 PC's running W7 in MCE mode all day every day.
Any or all recording at any time.
All recordings available to any machine.
I'm not having W10 in order to loose that.
dmcq

How do you share their recording schedule? Last time I checked one computer could not act as an extended nor could it share flagged shows. Please share your setup as I know lots of people who want to do what you said you have for years with no luck.

 

[T Moore]

Windows 10 Media Center?
What about Xbox One as an extender?

I have to keep Win7 and my 360 to do the job.

 

[DavidinCT]

I posted this over at the Microsoft forums but, wanted to post it here as well, Why I feel WMC SHOLD come back and also Tweeted it to everyone over at MS.... Maybe they will read it...

This was in reply from someone suggesting I try a 3rd party PVR software.

Does DVB Viewer support Cablcard's DRM channels(I am in the US) ? Does any other software based PC product on the market support this ? You can check cablelabs, No, no other PC software besides Playready on Windows Media Center supports it. No 3rd party can access it, or has the approval of Cablelabs to use it.

As a IT professional and Home theater Expert, I have tried everything you can think of. For years I did custom home theater installation (well over $100K), Custom building and installing Windows Media Center setups(large server based with exender setups). I was a MC MVP for Microsoft for 2010 and 2011, also Certified in Windows Media Center from Microsoft as a certified installer. Trust me, I have been around this stuff for a LONG time now. Still to this day, very passionate about it and where MC could take us.

Over the years, I have tried a LOT of 3rd party programs, even the Linux versions (mythTV) and even XBMC, Although each of them had their perks and some nice features, nothing could replace Windows Media Center for it's TV, guide, tuner support, Extender support, not even close. Once MC is up and running, simple stuff like editing sources for TV and even to managing tuners is so much better in WMC than other products.

With all these devices besides the features that we enjoy (as geeks), the largest is the WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor), If the WAF fails, then it's only as good as a Geek tool. Out of the packages I have tried over the years, WMC has been the ONLY package that my wife enjoyed and can use fully with out any issues and very little training from me. WMC was designed around the geek but, simple enough for anyone to use and it's the best thing about it, still to this day.

The Truth is, the marketplace has changed from the days when WMC came out. The Market is moving to portable media devices, where you can view your pictures, movies, buy content. Like the Amazon TV, Apple TV, and all the android flavors of devices on your TV.

When WMC came out, there was not anything to really major compete with it, so it was a nitch type of thing, mass market could not see a need for a PC connected to the TV. I don't think it was marketed very well, in fact there was not much more than a few TV ads for WMC and this was on the Vista days, that was not very well accepted.

Today it has changed, the market has changed, more and more people Smartphones, tablets, and other portable devices for Content and media. A lot of people get a Media Box (like the Apple TV or android devices) so they can view this content on their HD or 4K tv. More and more people are accepting this fact, to use this content where everyone can see it, they need a device like this.

The streaming market has grown too, a lot of people are looking to stream their media, and movies, this is also the reason why people are looking at these "ad-on" devices for their media and streaming media. Right now, there is No options besides a cable DVR (that does not do everything), that can handle all content, including premium cable TV options.

So, When Windows Media Center came out in it's hay day, it was ahead of it's time, it was a new concept for a lot of people.

Today, I think Windows Media Center would do a LOT better than it did back then. If the eHome team started like a year or 2 ago and released a NEW product in the Windows 8 days, and promoted RIGHT as a FLAGSHIP device to these smaller streaming devices, I think it would almost take the market by storm.

A central place for your TV, control by a remote, expandable by 3rd party applications (not locked down like the Xbox one is), that could do all your content in one place, All TV, all Media, All streaming content. Expandable to your limits of what you can think of, You want Cable TV DVR with 12 tuners and UNLMITED recording storage, it can be done, you want to stream all your modern moves, content, from all providers (Netflix, Amazon, Android service), in full 4K, it can be done. And Fully expandable to up to 10 TVs in your home with ALL content, with a simple Xbox One, Dedicated Extender, or a 360. Any movie, any video, any content on ANY TV in your home.

For all those saying WMC is dead, maybe they are right because the eHome team is no more but, TODAY, I think Microsoft is missing the boat here, There could be a great opportunity to be the LEADER in this type of device and control the "BEST available on this market"

This is WHY I think Windows Media Center NEED a return and needs a MAJOR upgrade or a full Reboot !

Microsoft, I hope you take a second and read this and why it would be worth doing.

The Thread on Microsoft forurms I setup and replied to it
What is going on with Windows Media Center ? Are we going to get - Microsoft Community

If you want to retweet so MS can see it, do it here...
https://twitter.com/TheCoolDave/status/576826265220595712

 

[dmcq]

All W7 PCs are 'Professional' - they run MCE and are in a workgroup
Each records what ever it want's to - you don't share the 'schedule'
Then in MCE (WMP) you share the Recorded TV Library of each machine with every other.
Then all machines see all recordings.
I also have a Windows Server 2008 R2 - again in the same work group.
It has 16TB of Recorded TV material that I have moved onto it.
Again any MCE machine can see/play/delete it.
Plus wtv can be edited - remove the ads - whatever, with a certain VG 3rd party app - very cheaply - inc H264 5.1.
There is nothing else like it.
The guy in MS who produced the spurious figures that allegedly showed low MCE take up has now gone.
Time to bring MCE back!
I wouldn't move from W7 Pro to W10 without MCE - even if they paid me!

 

[Steven Penner]

You must be very lucky to have so much content be copy-freely, or do you get all your recordings OTA?

 

[dmcq]

UK has loads of VG HD OTA stuff every day.
That's the problem - MS simply judges by what they see in Seattle - from which they conclude MCE does not to have use/future.
No so here - we love it.
Hard fact for Redmond - Many of us would pay for MCE, but not for W10 without MCE - time to go figure