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  • #1

    Windows XP & Media Center

    Heya ... some questions related to Windows XP and Media Center.

    The friend I stayed with at Apolycon® had Windows XP Media Center, and I was actually sort of impressed. Its TV card software worked quite well, and was well integrated (surprise ). The resolution was impressive - it was pretty much just as good as watching it on a regular (well, regular 19") TV.

    Now, I'm a system builder (well, for myself anyway) so I'm not going to buy a computer from a manufacturer just to get Windows XP Media Center edition.

    Is there:
    1) A way to get part or all of XP Media Center without the PC?
    2) A way to get a TV Tuner program similar to XP Media Center's? I have a 'Super TV Pro' card, which is okay, though the software resolution isn't all that great.

    I'd prefer not to pay a whole lot for it (#2, anyway, i'm sure XP MC will cost $$$), and I'm no irate: ... any suggestions?
    <Reverend> IRC is just multiplayer notepad.
    I like your SNOOPY POSTER! - While you Wait quote.
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  • #2
    1) Legally, no
    2) Yes, there are many. I use BeyondTV: http://www.snapstream.com/products/beyondtv/
    "The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
    Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "

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    • #3
      I can get XP Media Center for you.
      Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.
      "Hating America is something best left to Mobius. He is an expert Yank hater.
      He also hates Texans and Australians, he does diversify." ~ Braindead

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      • #4
        Well, I probably could get it also, but I mean 1) legally and 2) would it actually run on my non-MS approved PC? The info on ms.com sounded like it was the first step towards what Vista will have with the cable boxes and whatnot - requiring certain hardware and whatnot, and thus not running on my PC even if I could get it ...

        Thanks for the beyondTV link, i shall browse it
        <Reverend> IRC is just multiplayer notepad.
        I like your SNOOPY POSTER! - While you Wait quote.

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        • #5
          Hmm, looks interesting. DLing free trial now. Sort of expensive, though, but I guess not horrid for good software.

          They offer HDTV cards. Do these have any benefit on a normal computer monitor? I don't have a particularly fancy one, just a 19" or so, max resolution somewhere between 1280x1068 (my normal res) and 1600x1200... but then again that's much better resolution than my TV i'm sure ...

          Also, do you know if the quality of the hardware matters much? I imagine my tv tuner card is on the lower end of such things.
          <Reverend> IRC is just multiplayer notepad.
          I like your SNOOPY POSTER! - While you Wait quote.

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          • #6
            TV tuner quality matters.

            Hauppauge(sp) is usually considered the best, but modern ATI and Nvidia tuners are not terrible.

            max resolution somewhere between 1280x1068 (my normal res) and 1600x1200... but then again that's much better resolution than my TV i'm sure ...

            Regular TV is 640x480 (in North America).
            HDTV is either 1280x720 (720p) or 1920x1080 (1080i/1080p).

            There's a huge difference between regular and HDTV, but you need an HDTV source...
            "The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
            Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "

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            • #7
              My digital cable has HDTV channels, though I think they're only available via the set-top box (ie, i'd have to give the input over to that rather than to the wall directly, and let the box control my channels). Until and unless I can get a digital cable decoder, legally, for my home-built machine

              So what you're saying, though, is that my normal computer monitor *can* support a HDTV input?
              <Reverend> IRC is just multiplayer notepad.
              I like your SNOOPY POSTER! - While you Wait quote.

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              • #8
                A normal computer monitor is HD. TV's are just catching up with monitors.
                We need seperate human-only games for MP/PBEM that dont include the over-simplifications required to have a good AI
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                • #9
                  I'm using an ATI Radeon 9600 All in Wonder for my HTPC. It came with software so I can record stuff.

                  Of course about a year ago Comcast scrambled HBO and made us get digital converter boxes to get it. So I can't record HBO, unless I have the recording device come after the box (in which case I could only record HBO). Or pay an extra monthly fee for their box/DVR combo.
                  Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. - Ben Franklin
                  Iain Banks missed deadline due to Civ | The eyes are the groin of the head. - Dwight Schrute.
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                  • #10
                    Yes, you can get it legally. Many websites sell OEM versions along with hardware, as required by MS. The hardware they choose to sell it with happens to be things like cables, cheap keyboards, mice, etc.

                    Try www.pcalchemy.com
                    THEY!!111 OMG WTF LOL LET DA NOMADS AND TEH S3D3NTARY PEOPLA BOTH MAEK BITER AXP3REINCES
                    AND TEH GRAAT SINS OF THERE [DOCTRINAL] INOVATIONS BQU3ATH3D SMAL
                    AND!!1!11!!! LOL JUST IN CAES A DISPUTANT CALS U 2 DISPUT3 ABOUT THEYRE CLAMES
                    DO NOT THAN DISPUT3 ON THEM 3XCAPT BY WAY OF AN 3XTARNAL DISPUTA!!!!11!! WTF

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                    • #11
                      HugeDomains.com
                      http://www.pcalchemy.com/product_info.php/pName/windows-xp-media-center-edition-2005-1pk-oem?osCsid=525a2c324007d67c9db66502b2712aa7
                      THEY!!111 OMG WTF LOL LET DA NOMADS AND TEH S3D3NTARY PEOPLA BOTH MAEK BITER AXP3REINCES
                      AND TEH GRAAT SINS OF THERE [DOCTRINAL] INOVATIONS BQU3ATH3D SMAL
                      AND!!1!11!!! LOL JUST IN CAES A DISPUTANT CALS U 2 DISPUT3 ABOUT THEYRE CLAMES
                      DO NOT THAN DISPUT3 ON THEM 3XCAPT BY WAY OF AN 3XTARNAL DISPUTA!!!!11!! WTF

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                      • #12
                        Indeed, newegg has it as well. I get the idea though that BeyondTV would be cheaper... if I could figure out how to get the sound to work. I'm not sure if my tuner card is compatible with BeyondTV... as the included software works fine with the AUX sound channel, but BeyondTV just gives static on the AUX sound channel
                        <Reverend> IRC is just multiplayer notepad.
                        I like your SNOOPY POSTER! - While you Wait quote.

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                        • #13
                          xlobby

                          Too bad Meedio is no longer a player.
                          THEY!!111 OMG WTF LOL LET DA NOMADS AND TEH S3D3NTARY PEOPLA BOTH MAEK BITER AXP3REINCES
                          AND TEH GRAAT SINS OF THERE [DOCTRINAL] INOVATIONS BQU3ATH3D SMAL
                          AND!!1!11!!! LOL JUST IN CAES A DISPUTANT CALS U 2 DISPUT3 ABOUT THEYRE CLAMES
                          DO NOT THAN DISPUT3 ON THEM 3XCAPT BY WAY OF AN 3XTARNAL DISPUTA!!!!11!! WTF

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