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Anyone played with the latest Windows Media Center 8?

post #1 of 35
1/10/12 at 4:52pm
Thread Starter 
I'm curious if any significant enhancements were added to Windows Media Center 8. Is it too late for them to add significant changes to it before it's final release?
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post #2 of 35
1/10/12 at 8:07pm
It's not in the currently available Developer Preview build. It'll be in the RTM version.
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post #3 of 35
1/10/12 at 8:30pm
It's been a quiet pre-beta so far as far as Media Center goes. I'm guessing that they haven't included any changes yet... that is if they even plan to make any changes. We may just get a metro UI facelift and some backend enhancements for plugins.

I don't anticipate any major features.
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post #4 of 35
1/10/12 at 8:39pm
My personal hope is to have shortcuts to Media Center sections built into the start screen, and have full remote support in the start screen and Metro apps.

Aka, a Guide 'app' on the Start Screen, Videos app, Recorded TV app, etc. This would allow for more customization that's currently possible, and also would be nice to allow more streaming options to be integrated into this version of Media Center.
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post #5 of 35
1/10/12 at 9:42pm
Very little word about MC yet, besides a confirmation that it will not be eliminated. There are two exciting developments thus far with W8. The first is storage spaces, which appears to be M$'s approach to Unraid type media storage. The other is XBOX live integration. XBOX live has tons of great streaming options like HBOgo, ESPN3, and more. This is a great development as M$ has put more effort into XBOX live in the last 18 months than MC in it's entire existence.
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post #6 of 35
1/11/12 at 4:54am
Thread Starter 
Chris, do you know if it will be called "Xbox Live" or "Zune Market Place"? Currently on Windows 7 phones and PC based Zune software, it's called "Zune Market Place"; which includes Music, Videos, Podcasts, Channels, and Apps. Currently, I've been using Zune software for PC for music; and, it's definitely the nicest music download user interface I've ever used.

Quote:
Originally Posted by chris71478 View Post

Very little word about MC yet, besides a confirmation that it will not be eliminated. There are two exciting developments thus far with W8. The first is storage spaces, which appears to be M$'s approach to Unraid type media storage. The other is XBOX live integration. XBOX live has tons of great streaming options like HBOgo, ESPN3, and more. This is a great development as M$ has put more effort into XBOX live in the last 18 months than MC in it's entire existence.
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post #7 of 35
1/11/12 at 5:17am
I think it's safe to say that we're all very interested to see what MS have done with Media Center in Windows 8. Hopefully, we should get to see it for the first time in the official beta, hopefully out sometime in the next 1-2 months.
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post #8 of 35
1/11/12 at 9:26am
MS will likely be focusing on things like IPTV for the next xbox, WMC will be forgotten. They threw WMC back into W8 as a standalone program, it almost wasnt even going to be included and it is not part of the OS anymore which says something about their commitment to updating it. Unfortunately WMC was way ahead of its time, there were no cablecards which made WMC useless to most people, MS probably saw its low use as a failure, now we finally have cablecards and have a big need for WMC.

With any luck GoogleTV will be ported to Windows but I think its extremely unlikely since Google is focused on selling licenses to hardware makers.

The sudden surge in WMC activations this year thanks to cablecard will hopefully change MS's mind and theyll restart development. It would be a shame for them to give up right before WMC has a chance to really be used.
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post #9 of 35
1/11/12 at 12:15pm
I remember reading somewhere that M$ wasnt going to include WMC in WIN 8. Something along the lines that only 5% of users actually use WMC so it wasnt a priority. It was some ridiculously low number. Hell most people dont even know WMC is in windows.
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post #10 of 35
1/11/12 at 12:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by xfett View Post

I remember reading somewhere that M$ wasnt going to include WMC in WIN 8.

That was actually the opposite of what they said. They said that it wouldn't be in the Windows 8 Developer Preview, and they admitted it wasn't a priority because of how few use it (though like all of their telemetry data they've seemingly based a lot of decisions on, it doesn't seem to be a real representative sample), but that it would definitely be in the final product.

The sampling is entirely flawed, as far as I'm concerned, because they're changing or removing features that if anyone uses, it'd be the advanced users of Windows. Those same advanced users are going to be the same people who are going to opt out of any reporting back to Microsoft in the first place. Beginners who don't use the features aren't even going to know about the existence of the opt out feature, so to me it seems like the data is inherently flawed.
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post #11 of 35
1/11/12 at 1:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by idividebyzero View Post

MS will likely be focusing on things like IPTV for the next xbox, WMC will be forgotten. They threw WMC back into W8 as a standalone program, it almost wasnt even going to be included and it is not part of the OS anymore which says something about their commitment to updating it. Unfortunately WMC was way ahead of its time, there were no cablecards which made WMC useless to most people, MS probably saw its low use as a failure, now we finally have cablecards and have a big need for WMC.

With any luck GoogleTV will be ported to Windows but I think its extremely unlikely since Google is focused on selling licenses to hardware makers.

The sudden surge in WMC activations this year thanks to cablecard will hopefully change MS's mind and theyll restart development. It would be a shame for them to give up right before WMC has a chance to really be used.

I doubt that:

Exclusive: Microsoft Web TV subscription plan on hold

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...80A1KL20120111
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post #12 of 35
1/11/12 at 5:09pm
Thread Starter 
Yeah, it will be a while before we see any company that's able to make an agreement with ALL major content providers. Its especially hard to convince them to do it on the PC platform; unless they purposefully reduce the quality of the content.

Quote:
Originally Posted by almostinsane View Post

I doubt that:

Exclusive: Microsoft Web TV subscription plan on hold

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...80A1KL20120111
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post #13 of 35
1/11/12 at 7:45pm
"Windows Store"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Store
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post #14 of 35
1/12/12 at 6:13am
now i'm just excited that if they could integrate the links for livetv/guide/etc into the metro interface, so that everything (like amazon prime/hulu/netflix) has its own metro button...

jeez, i didn't think i would like metro, but this would make me want to leap from win7 for this in my living room!
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post #15 of 35
1/12/12 at 7:40am
Thread Starter 
The Metro interface is meant for small displays, not large living room displays. It would be much nicer/easier to access VOD services or other home-theater related functions within the Media Center interface; which IS meant for a large display using a remote control; and, possibly supplemented with a keyboard.

Maybe you would be able to get a Win8 tablet to be your remote control for Media Center 8. But, other than that... I don't see how the metro interface can help for a home theater.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Insane HTPC View Post

now i'm just excited that if they could integrate the links for livetv/guide/etc into the metro interface, so that everything (like amazon prime/hulu/netflix) has its own metro button...

jeez, i didn't think i would like metro, but this would make me want to leap from win7 for this in my living room!
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post #16 of 35
1/12/12 at 8:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MKANET View Post

The Metro interface is meant for small displays, not large living room displays. It would be much nicer/easier to access VOD services or other home-theater related functions within the Media Center interface; which IS meant for a large display using a remote control; and, possibly supplemented with a keyboard.

Maybe you would be able to get a Win8 tablet to be your remote control for Media Center 8. But, other than that... I don't see how the metro interface can help for a home theater.

The Metro start screen and Windows Media Center both work just as well on a large screen. I didn't install the Developer Preview on my HTPC, so I can't speak for remote support, but I did use it with HDMI out from my laptop to my 50" 1080p display, and it looked great. You'd want to remove most of the shortcuts from the start screen because they'd have no use for a media-type interface, but after that it'd be fine.
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post #17 of 35
1/12/12 at 8:24am
The Metro GUI works fine with up/down/left/right arrow keys on the keyboard, so it should work with a remote (same basic control ideeas). There is even an XBMC skin that mimics the Metro GUI and it has become my main skin, due to the fact that i can pin addons directly on the home screen for quick access.
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post #18 of 35
1/12/12 at 8:36am
i think the metro is meant to scale nicely, i mean yes they show it on tablets all the time, but xbox 360 has a version of it as well and it works very well on tv's

i'm still looking forward to how they use it
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post #19 of 35
1/14/12 at 3:57pm
Thread Starter 
I know this is kind of getting off topic but...

I just watched the full demo video of the 'Metro 8" UI at CES. It seems like this is better suited for people who are only able to focus on one thing at a time. It's not intended for power users who have email, web pages, internet chat windows, TV in a window, command prompt window all displayed (and usable) at the same time on one large high res display/desktop landscape. I personally multitask a bunch of things at once on my HTPC display; and, can't limit myself to focus on just one full screen app at a time (or small metro squares). I often watch TV in a window while chatting/emailing/web browsing at the same time... something not possible on Metro 8. I'm guessing this is why they still offer traditional windows desktops for power users under Windows 8.
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post #20 of 35
1/14/12 at 7:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MKANET View Post

I know this is kind of getting off topic but...

I just watched the full demo video of the 'Metro 8" UI at CES. It seems like this is better suited for people who are only able to focus on one thing at a time. It's not intended for power users who have email, web pages, internet chat windows, TV in a window, command prompt window all displayed (and usable) at the same time on one large high res display/desktop landscape. I personally multitask a bunch of things at once on my HTPC display; and, can't limit myself to focus on just one full screen app at a time (or small metro squares). I often watch TV in a window while chatting/emailing/web browsing at the same time... something not possible on Metro 8. I'm guessing this is why they still offer traditional windows desktops for power users under Windows 8.

Great point about not being able to work in more than one program at a time in Metro. In that sense, as much of an "advancement" as Metro is claimed to be, in terms of functionality it actually represents a step waaaaay back to Windows 1.0 and the tiling concept.

I downloaded and tried the Win8 Developer Preview; it doesn't even have a proper Start button so there's no convenient way to browse through installed programs. (I don't like cluttering up my desktop with icons; all the different programs I use wouldn't fit there anyway.) There's already a hack to activate the start menu, but it's ridiculous that you have to resort to such DIY methods to recover your basic OS functionality. I'm hoping that a real Start button makes it to the Win8 beta and then the official release.
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post #21 of 35
1/14/12 at 10:11pm
Thread Starter 
The "advancements" in the UI look like they were better suited for non-power users that focus on a single task at a time; or, for small displays that can only fit one fully functional app on the screen at a time. I'm hopeful that people will be able to load enhanced Win7 style desktops using Windows Blinds. At work, we monitor several different systems (and respective apps) displayed simultaneously on dual high res monitors. Small ugly metro-style squares or being forced to run full screen apps wouldn't work for us.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JorgeA View Post

Great point about not being able to work in more than one program at a time in Metro. In that sense, as much of an "advancement" as Metro is claimed to be, in terms of functionality it actually represents a step waaaaay back to Windows 1.0 and the tiling concept.

I downloaded and tried the Win8 Developer Preview; it doesn't even have a proper Start button so there's no convenient way to browse through installed programs. (I don't like cluttering up my desktop with icons; all the different programs I use wouldn't fit there anyway.) There's already a hack to activate the start menu, but it's ridiculous that you have to resort to such DIY methods to recover your basic OS functionality. I'm hoping that a real Start button makes it to the Win8 beta and then the official release.
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post #22 of 35
1/15/12 at 8:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MKANET View Post

I'm hopeful that people will be able to load enhanced Win7 style desktops using Windows Blinds. At work, we monitor several different systems (and respective apps) displayed simultaneously on dual high res monitors. Small ugly metro-style squares or being forced to run full screen apps wouldn't work for us.

If you can get to the Win8 desktop, it may be possible to install and use the Window Blinds. (That's pretty neat stuff, BTW. I hadn't heard about that program -- thanks for mentioning it!) You might want to experiment with it in Win8 and see what happens.

Here's the information for the registry change needed to enable the "classic" start menu in Windows 8. If you don't want the tool, just scroll down to the manual method.

It's not so hard to do it, but then the fix hasn't exactly been featured prominently, and anyway it's sad that we have to start tinkering with the registry in order to get such a basic function back.
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post #23 of 35
1/15/12 at 11:57pm
Windows 8 will work in 2 modes -

1. Metro which is basically a giant Windows Phone 7 desktop UI on your pc. Everything is fullscreen, designed for touch, meant for tablets. No UI controls like pc users are used to (like a toolbar)

2. Classic mode - unchanged from Windows 7

It's really disappointing, every single new API is meant for Metro which is a big step backward.
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post #24 of 35
2/14/12 at 7:12am
The Window 8 consumer preview download seem to be scheduled for Feb. 29. Windows 8 is supposed to work well with a two displays system. In as much as 7MC now seems unable to go from recorded TV to live TV to media browser without giving the video error message and needing to be shut down I am eager to try Windows 8 on my system which has a monitor and a TV attached.
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post #25 of 35
2/14/12 at 7:20am
yes, i'll probably give the consumer preview a try on at least one of my computers. i think it could be a great thing for htpc's if handled properly (giving customization support)

still think it would be great to have a panel to directly go to netflix/livetv/hulu/media browser(or xbmc)...would make the htpc feel a little more intergrated to me at least
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post #26 of 35
2/14/12 at 7:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jhoff80 View Post

Those same advanced users are going to be the same people who are going to opt out of any reporting back to Microsoft in the first place. Beginners who don't use the features aren't even going to know about the existence of the opt out feature, so to me it seems like the data is inherently flawed.

This is why I never opt out. If I like a feature and routinely use it, I want MS to know it is important and should be kept, improved, debugged, etc.

If you opt out, your voice vanishes and Bob the Breakdancer's voice becomes more important than yours.
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post #27 of 35
2/14/12 at 12:11pm
Woops! The preview build of Windows 8 may also not have media center, just as the developer build does not have media center. Reports still say Windows 8 will have media center. We will need to keep checking.
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post #28 of 35
2/14/12 at 1:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Postmoderndesign View Post

Woops! The preview build of Windows 8 may also not have media center, just as the developer build does not have media center. Reports still say Windows 8 will have media center. We will need to keep checking.

Unfortunately, it also looks like nothing has changed in Media Center:



https://twitter.com/#!/BuildWindows8...352896/photo/1
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post #29 of 35
2/15/12 at 2:04am
While nothing appears to have changed in WMC for the Consumer Preview, it's fun to speculate that this might be because MS are working on a new version of WMC for the final release of Windows 8.

A new Metro version that is based on WinRT so that it can run on both x86 and ARM (set-top boxes, anyone?).

After all, the current WMC will only ever run on x86, and that's no longer the name of the game. MS are building versions of some Office programs as Metro/WinRT to target both platforms. It would be nice to think that MS have the confidence to do the same for WMC as well.

Well, we can but dream...
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post #30 of 35
2/15/12 at 6:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Postmoderndesign View Post

The Window 8 consumer preview download seem to be scheduled for Feb. 29. Windows 8 is supposed to work well with a two displays system. In as much as 7MC now seems unable to go from recorded TV to live TV to media browser without giving the video error message and needing to be shut down I am eager to try Windows 8 on my system which has a monitor and a TV attached.

I do not ever get a video error. I set the desktop to stereo and turned off the WMC navigation sounds...the bings and bongs as you move around.
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