Windows Media Center (April 19, 2007)
Chat Topic: Windows Media Center
Date: Thursday, April 19, 2007
Please note: Portions of this transcript have been edited for clarity.
Tyler Welch [MSFT] (Moderator):
Hi everyone, and welcome to the Windows XP Media Center Expert Zone chat!Today we are answering your questions about Windows XP Media Center Edition
Now, I'll have our hosts for the chat today introduce themselves: I'm Tyler Welch, and I'm the MVP Lead for Windows XP Media Center Edition, and the moderator for this chat. Go ahead and begin sending us your questions, and we'll get the chat underway.
Introductions
Nick [MSFT] (Moderator):
Hello, everyone ... I'm Nick, a developer on the Media Center Extender team.
Todd [MSFT] (Moderator):
Hi; my name is Todd. I am program manager working on Media Center Extender technology.
Mark [MSFT] (Expert):
Hello, my name is Mark. I'm a Program Manager in the eHome group, focusing on Media Center Extender scenarios. Looking forward to helping you with our questions.
Jessica Zahn [MSFT] (Expert):
Hi folks, I'm Jessica Zahn, a program manager on the TV team. I'll only be with you until 11:30 this morning, so hit me while you can!
Corey Gouker [MSFT] (Expert):
Hi all, I'm Corey, Media Center MVP and work on the Media Center beta team, for more info and other random (and hopefully helpful) tidbits see http://blogs.coreygouker.com.
Bob Gaines [MSFT] (Expert):
Hey, I'm a Program Manager in the Services group of eHome
Start of Chat
Jessica Zahn [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Recently had a problem with a ATI HDTV Wonder. It has been working in all Vista versions since RC2. Now Windows Updates says that it unsupported! I've been getting the drivers from Windows Update since RC2. Any ideas?
A: Yeah, get a new HD tuner. That tuner isn't supported. You might be able to convince it to work, but not reliably and we definitely do not recommend it. I'm sorry!
Corey Gouker [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Hi Everyone. My question is: Is Media Center a tool to download and track or just to track what is in Music, Photos, ect. Thanks
A: You'd want to use WMP with URGE or Zune or other third party software to download your music. Media Center shares its library with WMP so everything is shared. Media Center is a tool to get easy access to all your digital media from the PC or your TV. For more see http://www.microsoft.com/ehome.
Jessica Zahn [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Many of us have been experiencing the dreaded black screen on TVs when coming out of standby. Sometimes it can take over a minute to get the image back and sometimes you just have to reboot. Is this problem being resolved?
A: Well, that depends. I was seeing this problem on beta versions of Vista; I haven't seen it with the latest drivers at all (for me, on an ATI x1600). You should check Windows Update and your IHV's web site for updates to their driver.
Jessica Zahn [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: RE: [2] "Get a new tuner" I did. But, it was working and Microsoft had been providing drivers. Then all of a sudden it stopped working and the drivers were gone! Why did the remove it when it worked fine (actually better then my Vista Certified Haupaug
A: You should really talk to ATI, not us. ATI declined to support the tuner on Vista; I can only imagine there were bugs they didn't want to fix in Vista and they felt it was better not to support it at all. I really am sorry about this; a lot of us have that tuner too and don't use it any longer.
Mark [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Any updates re: Pika Extenders - specifically who will have products, when they will be released, and why Pika has been delayed so long??
A: We're glad to hear you're excited about the next generation Media Center Extenders (note that Pika is the internal code name, it won't be the final product name). We don't (yet) have any specific product or partner updates, apart from what we talked about at CES earlier this year. Since these products will be shipped by 3rd party manufacturers, we really can't steal their thunder. ;-) They're still targeting Holiday 2007 for shipping these devices. So stay tuned for more info soon!
Nick [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: My question relates to Windows VISTA MEdia Center....I just realized this is XP MCE....Is there a VISTA Expert Chat for Media Center?
A: Please feel free to ask questions about either - we haven't quite got the naming of the rooms right yet, but this is a general Media Center chat, not Windows XP specific. Sorry for the confusion!
Tyler Welch [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: The most recent XP MCE chat transcript on the Expert Zone is dated Dec. 21, 2006. When might we expect this year's transcripts to be posted?
A: We are aware that there has been a delay in posting the transcripts to the Expert Zone site, and are working with group to resolve the issue. You should see these update in the coming weeks.
Bob Gaines [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Will fixes to various Vista Media Center bugs be included in future Media Center update or future Vista Service Pack? Do you recommend hotfixes and service packs be downloaded/installed automatically on machines that are used solely for Media Center?
A: Yes. Updates to Vista Media Center will be included in SP1. Some fixes will be released prior to SP1 via Windows Update. Microsoft specifically sets the default behavior to download and install fixes automatically because it is the best way to keep users up to date with the latest fixes.
Corey Gouker [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Our house has a domain (we run a small business using SBS) - the Media Center box is running Vista Home Premium, and therefore is off-domain. How can I watch shows recorded on the MCE box from one of the domain machines?
A: You could do an in place upgrade to Ultimate to get the domain join capability. Another option is to set up the shares as such that you Allow All to read and write (you'll lose some level of security here). But by doing that you should be able to access the content in a \\MACHINE\Share structure. For more help see TheGreenButton.com or the Media Center Beta Newsgroup.
Jessica Zahn [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Why the change in supported status for the ATI HDTV Wonder? This was one of the early, widely adopted HDTV tuners for XP MCE.
A: You'll have to ask ATI. Obviously we would prefer that the tuner remain supported.
Dana Cline (Expert):
Q: What settings like memory, Page File, Performance settings, in My Computer can help improve overall performance when using MCE 2005? I still get pauses while watching shows under Live HDTV or while watching a show during a recording. I have 1GB memory.
A: I don't know if it's a memory/paging/performance issue so much as it might be a background process issue. For instance, some antivirus programs take a lot more CPU cycles than others. Firewalls shouldn't be too bad, but antispyware can steal cycles too. Take a look at your processes in Task Manager and see if anything jumps out as taking a lot of cycles. If this is a purchased system, chances are the manufacturer put additional software on the box, most of which does nothing but slow it down <g>. And, of course, more memory is always better. 1Gb is generally OK on most Media Center systems, if that's all they're doing. But add in HD and now 2Gb looks better. Make sure also you have the latest drivers for your video board...
Mark [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Is there a User's Manual for Media Center?
A: Apart from what your OEMs ship with Media Center PCs, there are a number of resources available on the web that are dedicated to Media Center. Some options: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/default.mspx (for XP based MCE)
Mark [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Is there a User's Manual for Media Center?
A: I meant to also point you to a Vista website for the Home Premium SKU (which includes MCE functionality). Link is http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/2bf50eaf-443b-4250-ab68-cd700b20d8d41033.mspx.
Brandy [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Why doesn't the TV power-off button cause Vista Media Center to turn off the monitor (a VGA monitor, not a TV) and mute the sound / stop live TV?
A: I'm not sure what you mean by the TV power-off button, is this something on a remote your using?
Jessica Zahn [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Any suggestions for recording to a network share? I would like to have 3 ATSC and one NTSC tuners working, any issues if I have the network/disk bandwidth covered?
A: We don't support more than two tuners of a single type, and we don't support recording to a network share. So your question is better posed in forums such as The Green Button (though not the "Ask Jessica" section!) where you can get advice from other uses who have done such things. But remember, we don't support it and we certainly don't guarantee you'll have a trouble-free experience...However, more than two tuners and recording to a network share are requests we've heard lots of times and I'll be sure to reiterate to the folks who would own those features that we've heard it again. :-)
Dennis [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Will customer who has bought a future Media Center PC be able to transfer (not copy) CableCard/DRM content to their new machine? Is that something that is easily done today with the Vista Easy Transfer kit?
A: There is no difference between transfer and copy from a DRM perspective, so the answer is unfortunately no.
Corey Gouker [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Hi all! Is there somewhere a list of all the currently Vista MC supported tuners (on Windows Marketplace maybe)? Thanks
A: A start would be the Vista Hardware Compatibility list http://winqual.microsoft.com/hcl/ any of the tuners that are Premium would work.
Corey Gouker [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Are the Online Spotlight options downloadable or strictly for use within Media Center
A: The Online Spotlight is limited to Media Center. The third party services however may have other ways of accessing them. For example Napster has their own third party application.
Dennis [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Will Vista take advantage of Dual Core to allow you to record HDTV OTA and use the computer for other things at the same time? Right now, when we are recording HDTV OTA (on a P4 2.0 Ghz) we don't touch it.
A: Windows will take advantage of the dual core to process everything that's happening on the PC. You can look at the CPU load while TV is recording and decide if there is enough CPU left to do other things. Another factor to take into consideration is the amount of memory on the system. I have a single core PC with 2 Gb of memory and don't have issue recording TV while doing other things (email, browsing the web).
Mark [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: How much does the Video Card play into performance when you solely using XBOX 360 to extend Vista MCE to watch HDTV OTA?
A: None at all. That's b/c you're using the graphics capabilities on the Xbox 360 only. Of course, it may have an impact if you switch back to the PC to watch HD TV.
Brandy [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: [13]: I have the Media Center remote. At the top of the remote, there are two power buttons, one labeled PC, the other labeled TV. Since my Media Center knows that I have a monitor and not a TV, I was hoping that the TV button would be recognised by MCE.
A: That's a great idea, seems like it should do that. I will forward it on to the feature team.
Corey Gouker [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: What processes does MCE perform when it starts up? I am experiencing problems with mouse hang-ups. When I check Task Manager it shows me that ecshell.exe and ehshell.exe are buying up to 100% of CPU time. After 3 to 5 minutes these seem to be "done".
A: Interesting. Live Search and Google only return one link containing "ecshell.exe". Is this a typo? Do you have any more information regarding this process (where it's located, etc…)? From what I'm seeing it may be related to a Sony process. Do you own a Sony Media Center PC?
Corey Gouker [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: What processes does MCE perform when it starts up? I am experiencing problems with mouse hang-ups. When I check Task Manager it shows me that ecshell.exe and ehshell.exe are buying up to 100% of CPU time. After 3 to 5 minutes these seem to be "done".
A: Also here is the only link I'm finding that references ecshell.exe http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=622069&page=2
Jessica Zahn [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Are the plans for Vista MCE to support QAM tuners?
A: We support QAM as a TV signal with our digital cable offering. At this point, we have not announced plans to support QAM on Vista in the future.
Todd [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: With the addition of MPEG4 support to the XBOX 360, will we see this as a supported format for Extender playback?
A: This is definitely something we’re looking at for a future release.
Mark [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Can I use Media Center to sync with my Sansa m200 mp3 player?
A: Yes, we should be able to sync to it from MCE as it's a Plays for Sure device. There's a 'sync' option in the Settings bar in Vista Media Center.
Nick [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: If you were to change DRM to allow content to be centralized on a home network would something like that require new agreements with content providers? It seems that there is no easy way for a family to build a home library that is used freely in home.
A: I can't comment on the agreements in place with any authority, but I do think a great way to set up your home library is by putting all of your content onto a Media Center PC, and then using Media Center Extenders to access that content from other locations in your house.
Dana Cline (Expert):
Q: If you were to change DRM to allow content to be centralized on a home network would something like that require new agreements with content providers? It seems that there is no easy way for a family to build a home library that is used freely in home.
A: To answer the second part of your question, you have to build a library with no DRM. I rip purchased CDs to WMA and store on our home server. All of us can listen at any PC, or copy the music to our MP3 players. But the only music we buy any more is the occasional CD
Corey Gouker [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Sorry--I'm at work and the problem is on my home PC. I recall that it was ecshell or ehshell but yes this may be a typo. The hosrt answer is that when I start MC up I am hung for 5 minutes or with only intermittent and momentary mouse control
A: If it is ecshell.exe I'd suggest checking that thread I provided. If it's ehshell.exe I'd suggest providing more information on the Media Center public newsgroups that way we can help narrow down the issue a bit more.
Corey Gouker [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: My problem seemed to start when I deleted dvr-ms files (space hogs!) from my Recorded TV folder through Windows Explorer rather than MC
A: This shouldn't really cause the problems you were describing. You're safe to delete the dvr-ms files however you wish.
Todd [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: I think it's great that Jessica Zahn has been participating on The Green Button's forums. Noah recently joined as well. I suspect other MS employees on the Media Center team follow our conversations there; how might we encourage participation from them?
A: I agree… community forums are a great way to directly interact with people and understand how they are using Media Center in their homes. In addition to Jessica and Noah, there are a number of other people who are actively participating in various community forums (e.g. Corey participates in AVSForum, I’m active in the Media Center public newsgroup, etc.). As you note too, there are a number of other Microsoft employees who pop in and out of various forums periodically to see what’s going on. Are there specific types of interaction that you’d like to see that you don’t see today?
Mark [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: If MS is looking at MPEG4 support when using an Xbox 360 as an extender, might we expect similar functionality from Pika devices?
A: One of the great things about the Media Center Extender platform is that our partner OEMs have the flexibility to include whatever codecs they'd want to differentiate themselves from competition (no additional/specific work from Microsoft is required).
Corey Gouker [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Does CableCard certification require an HDMI video card to be present? If the PC is not connected to a TV, but just serves Xbox360 extenders, the PC should not require a video card at all (except basic VGA for administrative purposes).
A: No, HDMI is not specifically a part of the requirement for CableLabs certification. However you do need a video card that supports HDCP. However at this time CableCard support is only available with the purchase of a new PC from certain OEMs.
Mark [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: I have not purchased Vista yet. My current OS is XP with Media Center ver. 2002 SP2. Would I be able to sync through Medica Center with this OS?
A: I know that MCE 2005 includes these sync capabilities, but I'm not sure about ver. 2002...I believe you'd have to get an upgrade to 2005 for this to work.
Corey Gouker [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: OK forget I mentioned ecshell or ehshell. What does MC do on start up?
A: It's rather complex, and would need more information to begin this discussion. I'd suggest checking out http://www.thegreenbutton.com and starting there.
Corey Gouker [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: How do you change the Recorded TV files to another file location in MCE 2005 without a MCE remote?
A: You can change this in the TV Settings portion of Media Center which you can get to with a mouse or remote.
Dennis [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Is qWAVE QOS used when an MCE box accesses DVR content stored on another MCE box on the network?
A: It does not. When streaming content between MCEs, regular SMB is used, which has no QoS support. Only when streaming TV between MCE and MCX is qWave used.
Todd [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: Do you know of a way a Media Center might provide timely weather alerts when one isn't watching live TV?
A: There are multiple Media Center extensibility applications that allow you to check the weather from within Media Center. Is this sufficient for what you are interested in doing, or do you specifically want active alerts of weather changing conditions?
Corey Gouker [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Is there an SDK for interfacing with the Media Center IR remote?
A: What sort of interfacing are you looking for? There is a pretty extensive Media Center SDK available.
Mark [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: We have an MCE system with an nVidia graphics card, a Hauppauge PVR-150 capture card, and it crashes a lot. We're about to replace the power supply with a beefier one, but what other things are frequent problems that we might investigate?
A: Sorry to hear about the crashing. One other thing you should be looking at (perhaps you already have) is ensuring that you have all the latest drivers for these cards. More than likely, if it's crashing, it's a GPU issue (unlikely to have crashes caused by the TV capture card from my experience). Also verify that you've downloaded all the latest MSFT updates via Windows Update for MCE...So bottom line message: ensure the software is updated.
Nick [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: Regarding opportunities to interact with Media Center team members: Jessica handles questions well at TGB, but her focus is TV. Noah covers music. It'd be nice to see participation from extender folks, at least. Those are three common topics.
A: Overall, though Jessica is TV focused, she'll answer questions in any area and can track down any answers she doesn't know. That said, we are always searching for more ways to get more involved with the community and there are a number of us on the Extender team (including several on this chat) that are exploring the possibility of jumping into that forum - I can't say there are any concrete plans yet, but it's definitely being discussed.
Dennis [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Regarding opportunities to interact with Media Center team members: Jessica handles questions well at TGB, but her focus is TV. Noah covers music. It'd be nice to see participation from extender folks, at least. Those are three common topics.
A: While there is no direct participation in the Green Button, we do have members who participate in the newsgroups and on the Xbox 360 forums. Additionally I have started a blog over at http://blogs.msdn.com/denmor/ that goes over MCX.
Corey Gouker [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: [40] Well, while I wait for someone to write the code at Microsoft, I was hoping I could write a program that detects when someone presses the "TV Power off" button :)
A: Ah, I'm not positive about this to be honest. The SDK for Media Center is located at http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa286546.aspx. I haven't had the chance to go through and check for IR information.
Tyler Welch [MSFT] (Moderator):
We've got about 15 minutes left for the Windows Media Center Expert Zone Chat. Get those questions in!
Todd [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: I've downloaded the latest version of Windows Media Player. Is there a User's Manual for Media Player?
A: There’s a wealth of information regarding using Windows Media Player at the following link:http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/11/using.mspx
Mark [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: [36]: We've kept scrupulously up-to-date on patches from Microsoft and nVidia.
A: Well, you're far ahead of most users by doing this. ;-) What graphics card do you have specifically? And what version of MCE? There might be some known issues/problems with some of them.
Corey Gouker [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Regarding weather alerts: I'm wondering specifically if you know of any applications that might alert users to thunderstorm and tornado watches and warnings affecting their area. I don't know of a PVR that does; it'd be a nice feature for MCE.
A: Would this be from a MCE PC on a TV, or at the PC itself, or via an Extender? In Vista there is the sidebar app with Weather which changes in real-time. There are also a number of third party plugins for Media Center that add various weather information.
Brandy [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Is there a plan to enable Windows Mobile devices to control MC remotely?
A: Although we can't talk about plans that aren’t yet announced, that's definitely an interesting scenario. Enough so, that I believe a couple of 3rd parties have provided some tools for being able to schedule recordings etc from your Windows Mobile device (like the app from Media Center MVP Casey Chestnut -- more info at http://www.techlifeweb.com/mce/2006/09/using-windows-live-to-schedule-media.html. I will pass along your request to the feature team, though!
Dennis [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Dennis, you said there is no difference between transfer and copy from a DRM perspective. Is that why we haven't seen Media Center Extender functionality added to the Media Center product? Or is it more developing priority items first?
A: If you're asking why there's no software-based extender, it goes beyond DRM, although that certainly is part of the puzzle. I think what most people are looking for is not a software extender, but instead better media/library aggregation (eg: I want to be able to watch a show on any of my media centers in my house) and that's something we continue to work on.
Tyler Welch [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: I haven't seen any transcripts for these Expert Chats since December. Will we see 2007 Expert Zone Chat transcripts or are they lost?
A: We are aware that there has been a delay in posting the transcripts to the Expert Zone site, and are working with group to resolve the issue. You should see these update in the coming weeks.
Corey Gouker [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Corey - sorry - I meant HDCP - not HDMI. Why would an HDCP video card be required on the PC if the video card isn't used locally at all? In the extender scenario, wouldn't the extender (360) which renders the video be responsible for HDCP?
A: Technically, yes, you wouldn't need HDCP to be able to record content with the CableCard. For example you could use VGA from the PC to be able to watch the content on the PC. And when watching from the 360 it's up to the 360 to provide that path. For example I watch HD content on the 360 with Component. So it's up to the device to provide the correct protected path if you go down the 100% digital route.
Mark [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: "Yes, we should be able to sync to it from MCE as it's a Plays for Sure device." Will we be able to do that with Zune?
A: Good question...Unfortunately Zune is not a Plays for Sure device. So right now, syncing isn't possible with MCE - at least within the MCE UI. You can always install the Zune software itself on the PC and do the syncing from there.
Corey Gouker [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Regarding weather: I've seen a few MCE add-ons that display weather information. I have yet to see one that will alert me of severe weather while Media Center is full screen. Vista dropped direct support for Caller ID, but I'd welcome a similar alert.
A: I'm not aware of any particular plugin that has this functionality at this time. You might try finding a favorite plugin that has most of what you need then writing the author of the app to add this feature.
Todd [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: Is there any detailed log of MCE activity (beyond recording/deleting history) that a user can access?
A: What types of information are you interested in? There is a wealth of technical data logged to Event Viewer on the PC, for example, that you may find interesting.
Bob Gaines [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Is there an update for my HP MCE 2005 Create CD/DVD function that will keep me from seeing the "Unsupported File Type" error when I try to burn a recorded HDTV non copy protected program?
A: Check out the April 2006 Roll-Up for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914548. It resolves the following (as well as other issues): When you try to burn a DVD video by using the Cyberlink PowerDVD MPEG2 decoder, you may receive a "Unsupported File Type" error message. This problem occurs after you install Update Rollup 2 for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. This update adds an additional AC3 decoder to the list of supported decoders.
Tyler Welch [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: We developed some java applets under MCE XP and heard Vista now doesn't allow even signed java applets to write into arbitrary local folders, just into obscure "sandbox" directory. This is a big problem for a lot of people, what's the workaround for that?
A: Thanks for your question; unfortunately none of the experts here on the chat today can speak to the issue that you're experiencing. I would recommend that you post this question in the Windows Media Center developer’s newsgroup. A list of all of the Microsoft newsgroups can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/newsgroups/default.asp
Brandy [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: I'd like any MC feature or add-on to perform equally on a TV, "the PC itself" (monitor?) or via an MCX. "Extender", to me, implies offering the same functionality as the Media Center, but in another room. Otherwise, please support multiple MCEs on a LAN.
A: We agree with you, and generally use that as a guideline unless it doesn't make sense or there are technical roadblocks. Is there a specific feature that you are expecting on Extender that's not there?
Nick [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: Is there any way to get the visual music effects, that you would see on your PC, to show on your TV with the media extender while music is playing? (Forgot to ask the experts)
A: This isn't currently supported, unfortunately, though we are aware that this is a feature idea that is interesting to a number of our users.
Tyler Welch [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: Wow, you guys had a great turnout for Experts today. Thanks for all your help!
A: Thanks Shawn.
Tyler Welch [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: Thanks Experts!!!! Have a good day. See you next month.
A: You're welcome, have a great one.
Mark [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: [44] NVIDIA GeForce 6150, on Vista Home Premium. Crashes randomly, but if we're watching TV and press the big green button, we get the big blue screen :S
A: From the Nvidia site, I see the 6150 is Vista compatible, so they *should* work. How much RAM do you have? It says it needs at least 512...But I wouldn't go with anything less than 1 Gb.
Dennis [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Dennis, you mentioned that Software Extender was no so much an issue for users? I agree if you are talking about downloaded content. But I think there is demand to stream Live TV to other PCs in the home. Does that coincide with user feedback?
A: The primary requests for a software extender are around being able to get to content (typically TV) from another PC in the house or from a PC on the Internet. What you are describing is more of a network TV tuner that any PC/MCX can use to watch TV. I would consider that separate from a software extender as an extender remotes more than just TV. A network tuner is something we get requests for, but is not something we have plans for currently.
Nick [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: Can you please coordinate with the IPTV and Xbox Live Marketplace folks to offer similar functionality on Vista?
A: Thanks for the feedback. We're always working on finding ways (like this) to bring our products closer together.
Mark [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: [53]: Yes, we never put less than 1GB in systems at home any more. This machine has 1GB.
A: My suggestion would be to take this issue to the MCE newsgroup for a more detailed analysis.
Todd [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: Is there any way to sign up as a potential beta tester of Pika devices? Perhaps MS could maintain a list of candidates and make it available to their MCX partners? ("Holiday" '07 seems so far away...)
A: We are not currently looking for additional beta testers for upcoming Media Center Extender products. I recommend periodically checking the public Media Center newsgroup (Microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter) as that is where we post announcements when we are looking for beta testers.
Tyler Welch [MSFT] (Moderator):
This concludes our Windows Media Center Expert Zone chat for today. Thanks for coming, everyone!
