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<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32749001</id><updated>2007-08-24T00:27:04.260-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Allofmymedia.com Blog</title><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default'/><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://allofmymedia.com/blog/atom/atom.xml'/><author><name>Site Administrator</name></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>14</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32749001.post-115671580768195381</id><published>2006-08-27T14:56:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-27T14:56:47.686-07:00</updated><title type='text'>How Microsoft's Media Center Will Save Television</title><content type='html'>Microsoft released the latest version of its Media Center software in the context of everything it's doing within entertainment media; the company emphasized music and video although nearly all of its products support photos as well. The 2005 edition of the not-ready-for-prime-time Windows XP front-end has a number of enhancements that range from easy photo cropping to limited support for high-definition TV.<br /><br />To demonstrate its digital music prowess, Microsoft played a clip from its hometown success Modest Mouse. Rodents, however, were not the only modest creatures at the launch. The Windows wizards repeatedly noted that offering media flexibility was the result of many companies' efforts, but that smacks of regulatory posturing. Media Center PCs and their immediate supporting "ecosystem" may be expensive, immature, and not even wholly reliable, but Microsoft deserves credit for being the first company to put together a holistic media-distribution system in the home that mostly works on commodity components.<br /><br /><br /><br />Media Center PCs and a couple of Media Center Extenders may seem expensive compared to the new Dell desktop that you paid $53 for after combining all of your Techbargains.com coupon codes, but they can cost tens of thousands less than professionally installed comparable systems that rely on time-tested if less glamorous cabling systems or proprietary protocols. Furthermore, with Microsoft now supporting ?white box? system manufacturers, the price of no-frills Media Center PCs will soon drop below $1,000.<br /><br />Much of the credit for the flexibility of Microsoft?s digital home strategy belongs to the Media Center Extenders, the $300 tails that wag the $2,000 dog. While still overpriced for what they offer, Media Center Extenders allow consumers to experience much of Media Center?s functionality while running the actual operating system on a boring desktop PC tucked away in the basement. Alternatively, you can purchase an HP Digital Entertainment Center - the best implementation of a living room PC to date - and keep all of your media local to your television, potentially reducing or eliminating the serious bandwidth challenges of transmitting video over a wireless network.<br /><br />You can even take the shows on the road via the Portable Media Centers being produced by Microsoft partners Creative, Samsung, and iRiver. Compared to other portable video devices, these products come up short in features, but they certainly round out Microsoft?s digital media strategy.<br /><br />Flexibility and features are why, when compared with other alternatives, it seems like Microsoft has the best chance of providing the balance between TV functionality that meets consumer expectations and the credibility to win support from broadcasters and cable companies (the real ?TV companies?) with digital rights management.<br /><br />TiVo is probably the only other company that comes close, but it remains on a quest to add value to justify its monthly subscription rate as digital video recording becomes a commodity feature. TiVo-based devices get the nod in terms of ease of use, but it is hard to envision TiVo winning the feature war with Microsoft, especially now that Microsoft is encouraging more third-party services. For example, the company?s much-ballyhooed partnership with NetFlix - which encourages those stuck with one monthly subscription to maximize it by getting another ? stands to essentially provide the same functionality that is available on a Media Center PC with CinemaNow, and its broadband programming could be simply another plug-in on Media Center.<br /><br />Then, of course, there are the cable DVRs, which galumphed into the market seven years after TiVo and Replay pioneered the core technology. The Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8000 used by TimeWarner Cable today lacks the ability to search for a program and requires you to sift through multiple program instances as well as irrelevant music channels just to record a show not readily on the grid. At some point, it may gain the ability to send television wirelessly to other units, integrate music and photos from your PC, and offload video to a portable device. However, for many of today?s cable subscribers, these features will yield considerably less benefit because by then they will be dead.<br /><br />Media Center is a take-it-or-leave-it option and most consumers will leave it for the foreseeable future, perhaps long enough for Microsoft to integrate it into Longhorn and once again rationalize Windows configurations. Indeed, Microsoft?s best chances for the TV domination it so craves is to establish embedded versions of its operating systems into set-top boxes that are slaves to the whims of Comcast and others. For those who want to maximize television?s potential usage, though, Media Center seems like TV?s great slight hope.</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/2006/08/how-microsofts-media-center-will-save.html' title='How Microsoft's Media Center Will Save Television'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32749001&postID=115671580768195381' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://allofmymedia.com/blog/atom/atom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115671580768195381'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115671580768195381'/><author><name>Site Administrator</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32749001.post-115671576472383981</id><published>2006-08-27T14:55:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-27T21:42:38.850-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Buy Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 w/SP2B - OEM</title><content type='html'><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?link_code=ur2&tag=allofmymediac-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&location=%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2FB000FNFS3G%2Fref%3Dase_allofmymediac-20%3Fs%3Delectronics%26v%3Dglance%26n%3D172282%26tagAction">Media Center Software</a></content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/2006/08/buy-microsoft-windows-xp-media-center.html' title='Buy Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 w/SP2B - OEM'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32749001&postID=115671576472383981' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://allofmymedia.com/blog/atom/atom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115671576472383981'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115671576472383981'/><author><name>Site Administrator</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32749001.post-115671568732095336</id><published>2006-08-27T14:54:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-27T14:54:47.320-07:00</updated><title type='text'>New Windows Mobile-Based Portable Media Centers Show Off Latest Features, Popular Movies and Sleek New Devices</title><content type='html'></content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/2006/08/new-windows-mobile-based-portable.html' title='New Windows Mobile-Based Portable Media Centers Show Off Latest Features, Popular Movies and Sleek New Devices'/><link rel='related' href='http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/jan06/01-04SleekMobileDevicesPR.mspx' title='New Windows Mobile-Based Portable Media Centers Show Off Latest Features, Popular Movies and Sleek New Devices'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32749001&postID=115671568732095336' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://allofmymedia.com/blog/atom/atom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115671568732095336'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115671568732095336'/><author><name>Site Administrator</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32749001.post-115671564018849664</id><published>2006-08-27T14:53:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-27T14:54:00.190-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Microsoft MCE Keyboard: The Missing Link</title><content type='html'>Microsoft seems to have decided that if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. The Remote Keyboard for Windows Media Center Edition (MCE) was developed specifically for PCs equipped with Media Center. (By the way, I don't know who comes up with the names for Microsoft's products, but he or she ought to change jobs.)</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/2006/08/microsoft-mce-keyboard-missing-link.html' title='Microsoft MCE Keyboard: The Missing Link'/><link rel='related' href='http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/08/15/microsoft_mce_keyboard/' title='Microsoft MCE Keyboard: The Missing Link'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32749001&postID=115671564018849664' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://allofmymedia.com/blog/atom/atom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115671564018849664'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115671564018849664'/><author><name>Site Administrator</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32749001.post-115671559726791808</id><published>2006-08-27T14:52:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-27T14:53:17.266-07:00</updated><title type='text'>PVR Card Guide (2006)</title><content type='html'>Welcome<br />This guide is to give people the background information and pictures to understand what hardware MPEG2 encoding card they own or are thinking about owning. This guide started off with the need to explain to people which card was which. This is especially true for those considering buying from Internet auction sites. There have been many cases of vendors claiming to sell one card but in fact have a different card. This is to arm you the HTPC user with an understanding of what the differences are between the cards. <br /><br />This is a rebuilt and revised edition for 2006 and made especially for the new HTPCnews content system. Enjoy! <br /><br />For posterity sake the old version which covered some older/different models is available here.</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/2006/08/pvr-card-guide-2006.html' title='PVR Card Guide (2006)'/><link rel='related' href='http://www.htpcnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=193&Itemid=29' title='PVR Card Guide (2006)'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32749001&postID=115671559726791808' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://allofmymedia.com/blog/atom/atom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115671559726791808'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115671559726791808'/><author><name>Site Administrator</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32749001.post-115671550496808686</id><published>2006-08-27T14:51:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-27T14:51:44.966-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Build Your Own Media Center</title><content type='html'>Xtras.Net's NEW Media Center hardware kit <br />From Xtras, Inc.</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/2006/08/build-your-own-media-center.html' title='Build Your Own Media Center'/><link rel='related' href='http://www.xtras.net/products/mediacenterhardwarekit/' title='Build Your Own Media Center'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32749001&postID=115671550496808686' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://allofmymedia.com/blog/atom/atom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115671550496808686'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115671550496808686'/><author><name>Site Administrator</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32749001.post-115671527498378202</id><published>2006-08-27T14:47:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-27T14:47:54.983-07:00</updated><title type='text'>PhotoConnect for Microsoft Windows Media Center</title><content type='html'></content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/2006/08/photoconnect-for-microsoft-windows.html' title='PhotoConnect for Microsoft Windows Media Center'/><link rel='related' href='http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/91082.aspx' title='PhotoConnect for Microsoft Windows Media Center'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32749001&postID=115671527498378202' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://allofmymedia.com/blog/atom/atom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115671527498378202'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115671527498378202'/><author><name>Site Administrator</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32749001.post-115671518841261248</id><published>2006-08-27T14:42:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-27T14:46:28.426-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Microsoft Unveils Ultimate Keyboard and Mouse</title><content type='html'>For a long time, Xbox 360 owners have been asking for a first-party keyboard and mouse for the Xbox 360 that matches the consoleâs style. This might not ever occur but if it indeed happens, this could be the perfect mouse keyboard combo.<br /><br />Microsoft has launched a teaser campaign for its next desktop hardware. Touted as the âmarriage of performance and styleâ, the Microsoft Ultimate Desktop is the first wireless, rechargeable, backlit desktop. A teaser page suggests that the keyboard will have the ability to automatically turn on its backlighting when you dim the lights and will turn off again once you have left the room. <br />Two buttons confirm special functions for existing Windows Media Center PCs and upcoming Windows Vista powered computers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/uploaded_images/03-722436.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/uploaded_images/03-721001.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/uploaded_images/02-726079.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/uploaded_images/02-723884.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/uploaded_images/01-729675.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/uploaded_images/01-727803.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/uploaded_images/04-719109.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/uploaded_images/04-716202.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/2006/08/microsoft-unveils-ultimate-keyboard.html' title='Microsoft Unveils Ultimate Keyboard and Mouse'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32749001&postID=115671518841261248' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://allofmymedia.com/blog/atom/atom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115671518841261248'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115671518841261248'/><author><name>Site Administrator</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32749001.post-115661697133933262</id><published>2006-08-26T10:58:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-26T11:31:28.430-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Windows Vista Build 5536 Review</title><content type='html'>nd just like that, we can suddenly see the light at the end of the tunnel. All of our hopes, all of our worries, all of whatever feelings we may have for <a itxtdid="2005330" target="_blank" href="http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_5536.asp#" style="border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen; text-decoration: underline; color: darkgreen; background-color: transparent; padding-bottom: 1px;" class="iAs">Windows Vista</a> are hanging on the edge of a precipice. Will they ship it on time? Will they ever ship it? Does it even matter? <p>Increasingly, the actual ship date for Windows Vista does not matter, but not for the reasons you may suspect. Microsoft will ship Windows Vista exactly when they want to, according to the schedule they previously laid out. They're not delaying it any further, and after releasing the product to manufacturing in late October 2006, businesses can expect to get it via volume <a itxtdid="2187735" target="_blank" href="http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_5536.asp#" style="border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen; text-decoration: underline; color: darkgreen; background-color: transparent; padding-bottom: 1px;" class="iAs">licensing</a> in November, followed by consumers and general availability in late January 2007.</p> <p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr valign="middle"> <td align="center"> <!--- Include Rotating Ad ---> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td width="10"><br /></td> <td valign="top"> <script language="JavaScript1.1" src="http://a.windowsitpro.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_jx.ads/www.windowsitpro.com/supersite@Middle"></script><script language="JavaScript1.1"> <!-- var TFSMFlash_VERSION=6; var TFSMFlash_WMODE="transparent"; var TFSMFlash_OASCLICK="http://a.windowsitpro.com/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/www.windowsitpro.com/supersite/904222451/Middle/Penton/WN_Sherpa_75-53_eBook_BNR_Brandi/WN_Sherpa_75-53_eBook_REC_Brandi.html/34343763613136623434663039313730"; 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--> </script><script src="http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/800/14845/1152127877/oasc04.247realmedia.com/RealMedia/ads/Creatives/Penton/WN_Sherpa_75-53_eBook_BNR_Brandi/TFSMFlashWrapper201.js"></script><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0" id="ad_banner" align="" height="280" width="336"><param name="movie" value="http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/800/14845/1152127877/oasc04.247realmedia.com/RealMedia/ads/Creatives/Penton/WN_Sherpa_75-53_eBook_BNR_Brandi/sherpa_rect.swf?clickTAG=http://a.windowsitpro.com/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/www.windowsitpro.com/supersite/904222451/Middle/Penton/WN_Sherpa_75-53_eBook_BNR_Brandi/WN_Sherpa_75-53_eBook_REC_Brandi.html/34343763613136623434663039313730?http://www.windowsitpro.com/go/ebooks/sherpa/compliance/?code=REC"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/800/14845/1152127877/oasc04.247realmedia.com/RealMedia/ads/Creatives/Penton/WN_Sherpa_75-53_eBook_BNR_Brandi/sherpa_rect.swf?clickTAG=http://a.windowsitpro.com/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/www.windowsitpro.com/supersite/904222451/Middle/Penton/WN_Sherpa_75-53_eBook_BNR_Brandi/WN_Sherpa_75-53_eBook_REC_Brandi.html/34343763613136623434663039313730?http://www.windowsitpro.com/go/ebooks/sherpa/compliance/?code=REC" quality="high" wmode="transparent" swliveconnect="FALSE" name="ad_banner" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" align="" height="280" width="336"></object> <noscript> <a href="http://not-a-real-namespace/http://a.windowsitpro.com/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/www.windowsitpro.com/supersite/904222451/Middle/Penton/WN_Sherpa_75-53_eBook_BNR_Brandi/WN_Sherpa_75-53_eBook_REC_Brandi.html/34343763613136623434663039313730?http://www.windowsitpro.com/go/ebooks/sherpa/compliance/?code=REC" target="_blank"><img src="http://not-a-real-namespace/http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/800/14845/1152127877/oasc04.247realmedia.com/RealMedia/ads/Creatives/Penton/WN_Sherpa_75-53_eBook_BNR_Brandi/none" width="336" height="280alt=" border="0" /></a> </noscript> <script language="JavaScript"> <!-- _version=10; //--> </script> <script language="JavaScript1.1"> <!-- _version=11; // --> </script> <script language="JavaScript"> <!-- if (navigator.appVersion.indexOf('MSIE 3') != -1) { document.write('<iframe width="460" height="120" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" bordercolor="#000000" src="http://a.windowsitpro.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_sx.ads/www.windowsitpro.com/supersite@Middle"></iframe>'); } else if (_version < href="http://a.windowsitpro.com/RealMedia/ads/click_nx.ads/www.windowsitpro.com/supersite@Middle"><img src="http://not-a-real-namespace/http://a.windowsitpro.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_nx.ads/www.windowsitpro.com/supersite@Middle" /></a>'); } // --> </script> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td width="12"><br /></td> </tr> </tbody></table>Before any of that can happen, however, we have a final milestone to cross. It's called Release Candidate 1 (RC1) and I expect to be writing a lengthy review of that build--currently slated as build 5552, though of course these things change regularly on an ongoing basis--sometime in about two weeks. For now, however, we have the next best thing, a pre-RC1 interim build, 5536, that offers a peak at many of the best changes Microsoft has made to Windows Vista since the lackluster Beta 2 build.</p> <p>Windows Vista build 5536, by contrast, is a humdinger.</p> <p>I've been like a bipolar pit bull when it comes to Windows Vista lately. Some builds have been fantastic (at least compared to what came previously). Some have been positively embarrassingly bad. I just spent the past three weeks in France with two Windows Vista-based <a itxtdid="2182714" target="_blank" href="http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_5536.asp#" style="border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen; text-decoration: underline; color: darkgreen; background-color: transparent; padding-bottom: 1px;" class="iAs">notebooks</a> and it was like being imprisoned with vipers in the dark: I never knew when I was going to be bit. Windows Vista build 5472, the previous milestone testers received, was, shall we say, performance challenged. There were weird issues deleting desktop files. There was a Recent Items entry in the Start Menu that, curiously, did not actually contain recently accessed items. It was, in short, a bit disappointing.</p> <p>Windows Vista build 5536, again, is a humdinger.</p> <h2>What's new in build 5536?</h2> <p>So what's new in 5536, you ask? Performance is better, even much better. (Though the three times performance improvement baloney you might have read elsewhere is not only impossible but untrue.) It does a much better job of finding and correctly installing device drivers: On my main desktop, even the sound driver worked automatically after the first Windows Update run, a first.</p> <p>Microsoft's fledgling Windows Live services have been integrated, annoyingly, into the <a itxtdid="2073026" target="_blank" href="http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_5536.asp#" style="border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen; text-decoration: underline; color: darkgreen; background-color: transparent; padding-bottom: 1px;" class="iAs">system</a>. On the good news front, this "integration" isn't as technically silly as what the company did earlier with such components as Internet Explorer and Windows Messenger. But it is equally annoying.</p> <p>Instead of installing various Windows Live components by default--which would have been a bad move, not just for antitrust reasons, but because of their constantly updating nature--Microsoft is including numerous shortcuts to various Windows Live services throughout the system. In Welcome Center, for example, there is a new "Offers from Microsoft" section that includes no fewer than seven icons for Microsoft services, five of which are Windows Live services: "Go online to learn about Windows Live," "Download Windows Live Toolbar," "Sign up for Windows Live OneCare" (which, naturally, doesn't work during the beta anyway), "Go online to Windows Marketplace," "Download Windows Live Mail Desktop," "Download Windows Live Messenger," and "Sign up online for technical support."</p> <p>Additionally, there is an item called "Windows Live Messenger Download" right in the default Start Menu. As expected, clicking this item launches Internet Explorer, which navigates to the Windows Live Messenger download page online. Unexpectedly, once you download and install Windows Live Messenger, the "Windows Live Messenger Download" link remains in your Start Menu. Silly.</p> <p>And speaking of Internet Explorer, the most annoying aspect of the Windows Live integration in Vista occurs in everyone's favorite new Web browser: My default, IE 7 launches with two home pages, one in each tab. The first and topmost home page is MSN.com, just like before. But the secondary page displays the Windows Live Search site. Big deal, right? The problem is that by opening two tabs at startup, Microsoft is ensuring that most users--i.e. "normal people"--will see an annoying "Do you want to close all tabs?" alert dialog every time they close IE. That's just wrong.</p> <p>(This isn't really notable per se, but IE's About dialog still uses the "Internet Explorer 7+" naming that Microsoft says it is dropping.)</p> <p>User Account Control (UAC) has been dramatically improved and let me be among the first to throw out a hearty "thank you" to the UAC team for that. Now, instead of the stunningly annoying "pop" that used to occur every time one of the UAC alert dialogs appeared, the transition is smooth and there is a soft, almost enjoyable, beep sound. This is literally the first time I didn't reach for the "remove UAC" option after installing a recent Vista build. Bravo.</p> <p>Special shell folders like Documents, Pictures, Favorites, and Music (but not, curiously, the still second rate Videos) are not color coded in greenish blue to differentiate them from other folders (which are still yellowish). Saved searches are also differentiated, using a soft blue color.</p> <p>Windows Update now prompts you to install Microsoft Update so that you can get updates for other Microsoft products, like Microsoft Office, directly through Windows Update. If you click on this link, you're brought to a Web page, which you have to click a single OK box, and then you're done. Simple.</p> <p>There's a new shortcut to the Program Compatibility Wizard on the desktop, so you can try and make Vista-unaware applications work properly. Microsoft warns, however, that you should not use this wizard-based application with older <a itxtdid="2220241" target="_blank" href="http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_5536.asp#" style="border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen; text-decoration: underline; color: darkgreen; background-color: transparent; padding-bottom: 1px;" class="iAs">virus</a> detection, backup, or system programs. The problem is, many users won't understand what that means. What, exactly, is a "system" program?</p> <p>Windows Media Center shows, perhaps, the biggest performance improvement of any Vista component. The application almost pops to life and, using the "Express" setup option, can be in use almost immediately. I won't be trying to put Media Center on my family's Media Center PC again until RC1 hits, but it's clear that something wonderful has happened here.</p> <p>In the Personalize section of Control Panel, there are a number of major improvements. First, when you right-click the desktop, you'll see that the Personalize option has a new icon next to it, making it more prominent and obvious. In Windows Color and Appearance, the default color schemes now have simple color names (Default, Graphite, Blue, Teal, Red, Orange, Pink, and, my favorite, Frost). In Desktop Background, all of the background types (Black and White, Light Auras, etc.) are together in a single list; you no longer have to choose between each type. There is a new screensaver, Bubbles, which is quite nice.</p> <p>As I had hoped, Microsoft augmented the Windows Aero mouse pointer with large and extra large variants. Now if they could just ship black versions too, it would be perfect. </p> <p>The "shield" icon you see in the system tray for Windows Security Alerts can now be colored yellow or red, depending on the level of warning it's trying to communicate. For example, the lack of virus protection now rates a yellow warning, and not the more risky red alert.</p> <p>There's probably more, but I don't want to take away too much from my upcoming RC1 review, and to be fair, I've only been working with the build since last night. (Too, I just spent an entire day traveling back from France, so I hope it's understandable that this is necessarily short.)</p></content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/2006/08/windows-vista-build-5536-review.html' title='Windows Vista Build 5536 Review'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32749001&postID=115661697133933262' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://allofmymedia.com/blog/atom/atom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115661697133933262'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115661697133933262'/><author><name>Site Administrator</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32749001.post-115562032390204054</id><published>2006-08-14T22:38:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-14T22:41:35.823-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Roundup of TV Tuner cards</title><content type='html'>If you've ever had the urge to build your own media center PC, but weren't sure where to begin, you're not alone. While there are a number of excellent resources on the net, HTPCnews has updated their already fantastic writeup of a variety of hardware mpeg2-encoding cards. This article should be required reading for anyone looking to set up a new system or upgrade a current home theater setup.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.pvrwire.com/media/2006/08/nv_dualtv_small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 161px;" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.pvrwire.com/media/2006/08/nv_dualtv_small.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>HTPCnews looks at cards by Hauppauge, ATI, and NEC, as well as several reference designs that found their way into PCI cards from a number of different manufacturers.<br /><br />One type of card that I hadn't been too familiar with were those based on the ViXS XCode II video processor. This chip is powerful enough to encode 4 separate MPEG2 streams at the same time. Most cards currently on the market only capture and convert one or two television signals. But with this processor, we could see 3 or 4-tuner cards down the road.<br /><br />Possibly the handiest feature of this article is the chart on the last page that shows which cards are compatible with various PVR software packages. It only shows BeyondTV, SageTV, Windows Media Center 2005, and MythTV 0.19, which probably accounts for the majority of HTPC setups. But it would be nice to have a chart that includes GB-PVR, Media Portal, and other free solutions.<br /><br />The long and short of it is, I would recommend any of these cards over the cheaper software-based MPEG2 encoding cards on the market. You get what you pay for, and all hardware-based cards encode video with relatively low strain on your CPU, allowing you to get high quality video without crashing your computer.</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/2006/08/roundup-of-tv-tuner-cards.html' title='Roundup of TV Tuner cards'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32749001&postID=115562032390204054' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://allofmymedia.com/blog/atom/atom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115562032390204054'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115562032390204054'/><author><name>Site Administrator</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32749001.post-115562025668830704</id><published>2006-08-14T22:37:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-14T22:37:36.690-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Vista Media Center FAQ</title><content type='html'>Would you like to know about the forthcoming Vista Edition of Media Center?<br /><br />Well, Microsoft Media Center team member Matt Goyer has posted an FAQ segment on that very subject, on his personal blog.<br /><br />Of interest might be the snippit on a deal reached between Microsoft and DirecTV, which could be emerging soon.</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/2006/08/vista-media-center-faq.html' title='Vista Media Center FAQ'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32749001&postID=115562025668830704' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://allofmymedia.com/blog/atom/atom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115562025668830704'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115562025668830704'/><author><name>Site Administrator</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32749001.post-115562021893150503</id><published>2006-08-14T22:36:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-14T22:42:04.950-07:00</updated><title type='text'>HDTVs Connected to Media Center PCs Expected to Triple by 2007</title><content type='html'>I've said here on PVR Wire plenty of times before that I genuinely believe the 'media center' PC (or even Mac, for that matter) will slowly become the dominant source for media content in homes around the globe as technology improves.<br /><br />Now, Pacific Media Associates, a company which specialises in large-screen display markets, has released findings from its annual North American Reseller Survey which suggest that the number of HDTVs and front projectors connected to Media Center PCs could triple from over the period 2005 to 2007.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.pvrwire.com/media/2006/08/media_center_tv.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 151px; height: 141px;" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.pvrwire.com/media/2006/08/media_center_tv.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Based on information gathered from dealers in the professional and consumer markets, results also indicate that consumers are happy to spend more money on a 42-inch LCD HDTV than for a 42-inch plasma HDTV.</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/2006/08/hdtvs-connected-to-media-center-pcs.html' title='HDTVs Connected to Media Center PCs Expected to Triple by 2007'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32749001&postID=115562021893150503' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://allofmymedia.com/blog/atom/atom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115562021893150503'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115562021893150503'/><author><name>Site Administrator</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32749001.post-115562015661413605</id><published>2006-08-14T22:33:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-14T22:35:56.616-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Core 2 Duo Based Okoro Media Centers Released</title><content type='html'><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.pvrwire.com/media/2006/08/okoro-oms-gx300.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.pvrwire.com/media/2006/08/okoro-oms-gx300.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /> Okoro Media Systems has just launched three high end digital entertainment systems utilizing Intel's speedy Core 2 Duo chipset. The chips are known to be extremely energy efficient which complimented Okroro's desire to create systems that are blazingly fast, low power consuming, but quite as a mouse with laryngitis.<br /><br />From the spec sheets listed on the site Okoro overachieved. The OMS-TH540 clocks in at 1.83 GHz, while the OMS-TH550 clocks in at 2.13 GHz. The flagship OMS-GX300 unit takes the title as the fastest HTPC on the market clocking in at 2.93 GHz thanks to the Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800. In addition, the OMS-GX300 has a built in LCD touch-screen which I've always found to be a bit excessive on devices like these, but are cool to look at nonetheless.<br /><br />As stated on the Okoro website, all units "have plenty of power to handle the newest video games, Windows Vista, Blu-Ray DVD and HD-DVD formats". Of course, you're on your own when it comes to supplying these additional items.<br /><br />At $2,095, $2,795, and $4,595 respectively, you either have to be fiscally sound or financially irresponsible to add one of these to your home entertainment system. Lucky for me I'm just plain broke which places me soundly out of both categories.</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/2006/08/core-2-duo-based-okoro-media-centers.html' title='Core 2 Duo Based Okoro Media Centers Released'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32749001&postID=115562015661413605' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://allofmymedia.com/blog/atom/atom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115562015661413605'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115562015661413605'/><author><name>Site Administrator</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32749001.post-115561999743031210</id><published>2006-08-14T22:31:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-08-14T22:41:09.110-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Dorm Room Media Center PC</title><content type='html'><p>Greek Mythology tells the story of Pandora who unleashed a slew of pain upon humanity but had the good fortune to leave 'hope' trapped in her evil little box. CompAmerica's newly released Pandora PC is similar to the Greek Myth only instead of keeping 'hope' in their little electronic box they should have trapped 'attractiveness' which sadly escaped.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.pvrwire.com/media/2006/08/tn_frontpandora.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 206px; height: 165px;" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.pvrwire.com/media/2006/08/tn_frontpandora.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p> <p>Despite the lackluster exterior (that admittedly some people might like), the tiny footprint this unit inhabits makes it the perfect device for a college student looking to save some space in cramped quarters.</p> <p>Looking a bit like a mini desktop scanner, the Pandora PC is a svelte 2" X 6.5" X 6.5" and weighs an anorexic 3 pounds but don't let its tiny frame deceive you. Pandora PC offers up to a 2.16-GHz Intel Core Duo Dual Core CPU or 2.13 Pentium M Centrino CPU, Wifi, advanced 8 channel audio and video, all at a starting price of around $699.</p> <p>That power coupled with optional Windows Media Center Edition and a TV Tuner would make this a great PVR for a college student or any entertainment system where space is of a premium.</p> <p>Also of note: Pandora PC is Zune compatible! Yeah, yeah, what current Windows PC isn't going to be Zune compatible? I just thought it was clever of them to put it in their press release.</p></content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.allofmymedia.com/blog/2006/08/dorm-room-media-center-pc.html' title='Dorm Room Media Center PC'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32749001&postID=115561999743031210' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://allofmymedia.com/blog/atom/atom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115561999743031210'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/32749001/posts/default/115561999743031210'/><author><name>Site Administrator</name></author></entry></feed> |
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