Windows Media Center Expert Zone Chat (May 15, 2008)
Chat Topic: Windows Media Center Expert Zone Chat
Date: Thursday, May 15, 2008
Please note: Portions of this transcript have been edited for clarity.
Introductions:
mikefos_msft (Moderator):
Welcome to today’s Windows Media Center Expert Zone Chat!
We are pleased to welcome our Experts for today’s chat. I will have them introduce themselves now.
mikefos_msft (Moderator):
Hi! My name is Mike Fosmire. I’m with the MVP Award Program. And I’ll be helping moderate the chat today.
Nick [MSFT] (Moderator):
Hi, all, I'm Nick, a development lead on the Media Center Extender team.
Tim [MS] (Expert):
Hi everyone. I'm Tim Schreck - the Media Center SE PM
Jack [MSFT] (Expert):
Hi, I'm Jack Unverferth a program manager on the Media Center Extender team.
Start of chat:
Tim [MS] (Expert):
Q: Any info or roadmap for XP SP3 and Media Center integration? I am unable to slipstream XP SP3 into MCE 2005!
A: slipstream for Media Center and XP SP3 is not supported
Jack [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: is there a way to change the short cut keys for media center?
A: Hi Chicken Little - We don't know of any way to change the keyboard short cuts in Media Center. The existing mappings (if you need them) can be found at: http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/e69eb36f-de61-4e80-8fe3-f3835b8e3e261033.mspx.
Tim [MS] (Expert):
Q: Always when I go from channel 12 to 13 the channel stay tha same. When I want to go from 13 to 14 so I got an error message "Tuner problem: Tuner is currently in use. Do you really want take control? [Yes] [[No]]". Is this an known bug?
A: Hi Stefan. This might be difficult to troubleshoot in this chat session as there are a lot of factors to consider. For instance - your configuration. Is it over the air, set top box or cable using OCUR?
Jack [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Is the Windows Ultimate extras still a valid program? Any chance on getting a Media extender player for other rooms on it?
A: Hi Dan. While the Vista Ultimate Extras is still an active program, there is no plan to include a Media Center Extender player as part of the program.
Nick [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: Microsoft has said CableLabs requires them to copy-protect analog and unencrypted channels when CableCARD is present. TiVo however does not do this.Clear QAM and Analog channels are recorded without DRM (when a CableCARD is in the TiVo). Why the disparity?
A: We work closely with CableLabs and our other partners to ensure that our solution maintains the right balance between compliance with their standards, the needs of the content providers, and providing a good experience for our users. Unfortunately, I can't speak for or comment on the policies or decision of other solutions.
Jack [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: thanks, will you be updating media center so that you can change the shortcuts soon?
A: We can't comment on upcoming versions of Media Center but I will certainly pass this feature request on to the appropriate team.
Tim [MS] (Expert):
Q: I spent over 70 minutes configuring a client's laptop XP MCE to remove unsubscribed channels from DirectTV, and the next EPG wiped out my work. Is this a known bug?
A: Dan - I'm not sure this is a bug. I have DirecTV and they do change their channel guide listings from time to time, so new channels (that I don't subscribe to) will show up. When you do configure the channel listing, Media Center stores that info in a channels.xml file. I keep a copy of this in case the original gets corrupted, but I personally have never had that happen.
Jack [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Re Q 7, can I make the suggestion to both the MCE team and the Ultimate Extra's team? Due to the size and complexity, I realize this may require a service pack or feature pack to make this happen. Otherwise my clients are wasting money on Ultimate.
A: Dan - I will certainly bring your request back to the team. Are there specific features you want to see that aren't available through using multiple versions of Vista Premium and sharing the content across the machines (live TV is one feature that won't work this way)?
Tim [MS] (Expert):
Q: Why is slipstreaming with Service Pack 3 not an option for Windows XP Media Center Edition Users? Will there be a workaround for us, or a separate update rollup pack in the future?
A: XP SP3 will install on all versions of XP Media Center running XP SP2. Since the XP MCE were separate SKUs, there was never a publicly available upgrade path from earlier versions to the most current (XP MCE 2005 Update Rollup 2). Creating a slipstream would require adding dependencies for the particular version of XP MCE. Slipstreaming would require understanding which version of XP MCE is used.
Nick [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: Greetings, is it possible to use an XP Pro machine as a media center extender, and when will Microsoft IPTV be available everwhere?
A: Media Center Extender technologies are currently only built into Xbox 360 and various partner televisions and set-top boxes. Unfortunately, there's no software that allows for an XP (or Vista) PC to function as an Extender.
Tim [MS] (Expert):
Q: RE [8]: Mh, I am using cable. My tuner card is a Hauppauge PVR 150MCE. I would like to troublshot this problem. As you say that this is difficult to slove my problem in this session, is it possible to stay in contact?
A: Are you using a set top box or does cable go directly to TV tuner?
Jack [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Any update on Tru2Way Cablecards or DirecTV tuners??
A: ATSDave - Sorry no updates on either Tru2Way cablecards or DirecTV tuners.
Jack [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Re Q12/Q7 Live TV is the killer app, I want my MCE box in a network closet and the ability to watch my TV on my home network anywhere via 802.11n. Ideal world would be to put MCE service in WHS and allow watching via any LAN Windows Media player.
A: Thanks Dan. The scenario, especially with WHS, is compelling. With the exception of Live TV (and improved WHS integration), we are approaching that scenario. Today you can get there with Extenders, although they aren't as portable as laptops within the home. I'll be sure to bring your request to the team.
Tim [MS] (Expert):
Q: Experts, are you the same team that assists with Microsoft OEM Partners? Still waiting on question to be answered from last month.
A: Hi Dan - we are all on the Media Center Team. While we have some interaction with OEM partners, I think you're referring to the OEM TAMs. In any case, I'm not sure what your question from last month was.
mikefos_msft (Moderator):
Q: Do I need to resend my question and check off the box of ask the experts, or did they get the question?
A: If you could re-submit using the "ask the experts" box, that would queue it up properly for our experts.
Tim [MS] (Expert):
Q: As for Q14, will Microsoft assist partners privately with slipstreaming? I repair spyware infected MCE boxes, and using original MCE 2005 media takes way to long to patch and rebuild :(
A: I know documentation is being worked on, but don't have an ETA.
Jack [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Any news on MS IPTV?
A: Hi Matt - The Mediaroom product is handled by a different team at Microsoft - but I don't know of any recent announcements from that team.
Tim [MS] (Expert):
Q: Are there any invites on Connect.microsoft.com for future Vista MCE beta's? I would love to retire 2-3 of my Sci Atlanta (Cisco) 8300 DVR's!
A: none currently
Tim [MS] (Expert):
Q: make the changes.
2. I don’t understand why Media Center displays videos differently than Windows Media Player. If I play a video using Media Player, such as a high definition video, it fills the screens corner to corner. If I play that same video from
A: This could be due to zoom settings or differences in how Media Center handles cropping for the particular resolution.
Jack [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: What's up with "Online Media" in Vista MC? The list of providers is stagnant/shrinking. Is MS doing anything to motivate content from other providers like NetFlix?
A: Dave - We do work with content providers who choose to build MCE extension applications. I understand that the list in the US (providers vary by country) has been changing slowly but we don't have any announcements around new applications in Online Media. There are a number of places from which to add your own extensibility applications - and there is at least one NetFlix application in that group) - they just aren't loaded for you like the Online Media space.
Tim [MS] (Expert):
Q: I have a Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000 Set. Is there a way to modify the Media Center button, that WMC doesn't start maximized? I'd prefer it, if Media Center stare "normally" (alos not maximized). Is there a way to change the behavior of WED8000?
A: Not through Media Center. If possible, this would be through the SW installed with the 8000.
Jack [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Are there any technical reasons why Mediaroom couldn't be integrated into Media Center. Some have argued CPU constraints would be too high.
A: Chris - None of the folks on this chat are on the Mediaroom team so we can't speak directly to the technical requirements. The answer around Mediaroom clients most likely lies in the requirements of the business providers who deploy the solution to end customers.
Tim [MS] (Expert):
Q: . I need to know where Media Center puts all the data files associated with the program so that I can back them up. I really don’t want to backup all of Windows or the whole computer. I just want to keep backing up the daily Media Center data files as I
A: Media Center interfaces with WMP for the metadata information - Media Center itself doesn't store this information. If you want to back this data up, you just need to back up the files.
Tim [MS] (Expert):
Q: Why do you don't create an "official" Media Center Browser? Based on IE. There are some plugins for MC as browser, but they are quite bad. I think this would be a really cool feature for WMC.
A: Stefan - I'll forward this suggestion along for consideration.
Jack [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Is Silverlight integration with the MCE shell being looked at? Also what tools can I use with Visual Studio 2008 to create MCE apps? I seem to remember a SDK in beta 18 months ago.
A: Dan - We do have an SDK available for MCE extension applications. You can find a description of the SDK and a pointer to the download here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb895967.aspx. As far as Silverlight goes, we don't have anything to announce at this time.
Nick [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: To be clear, I'm not asking about other solutions. I'm asking why CableCARD on Media Center encrypts unencrypted content. The FCC has said cable operators can't do that.
A: We continue to evaluate our requirements with CableLabs and other partners and as those requirements evolve, you'll see us make appropriate updates to match those changes.
Nick [MSFT] (Moderator):
Q: Is there any power tools available for MCE? I would love a virtual remote when I forget mine at home and have to use the mouse to navigate the MCE interface.
A: There isn't a power toy with that functionality at the moment, but that's an interesting idea that we can pass along. In the meantime, you may find it useful to use the keyboard shortcuts instead of the mouse - most of the remote functionality can be reproduced with the right keyboard shortcut.
mikefos_msft (Moderator):
Thank you for joining us today for our Windows Media Center Expert Zone Chat. We hope that this was a good use of your time. If we weren’t able to answer your question of if you have others, please don’t hesitate to check out our public newsgroups:
<http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.mspx>
A special thank you to the Microsoft experts who came out to help! We’ll see you again for another chat next month, please check
<http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/chats/default.mspx> for the list of upcoming chats.
Nick [MSFT] (Moderator):
Thanks for coming, everyone, see you next month!
Tim [MS] (Expert):
thanks all!
