From: "Rich Gauszka" 

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CNet has a review of MCE

http://reviews.cnet.com/Microsoft_Windows_XP_Media_Center_Edition_2005/45=
05-3672_7-31138402-2.html?tag=3Dtab

each MCE 2005 PC can support up to five Extenders, over wired or = wireless
networks. Plus MCE 2005 also now supports dual TV tuners, which = means you
can watch one channel while recording another

In addition to dual-tuners, MCE 2005 supports new HDTV tuners, which let =
you watch and record high-definition TV on your Media Center PC. =
Unfortunately, the set-top Media Center Extender devices will not offer =
HD support, and you'll be able to receive only free, over-the-air HD =
broadcasts. That is, you'll get the major networks in HD but not HD =
channels from HBO and ESPN, for example.

Microsoft put in a lot of work to improve the quality of TV playback = with
Media Center Edition 2005, but we're still not completely sold. We = saw
fewer dropped frames and artifacts than what we saw with MCE 2004, = but it
was still far from ideal on our tests. We connected the MCE 2005 = system
itself to a 17-inch digital LCD, then connected the Media Center = Extender
in an adjacent room via S-Video to a 34-inch Sony TV.

Wireless interference and the large Sony screen conspired to make for =
some rough sledding with watching TV on the Extender. We attempted to =
watch play-off baseball (TV programs that were both live and recorded) = on
the Extender. Sporting events are a tough test, granted, with the = detail
in the crowd and the cameras quickly panning to follow the = action. The
Sony TV was fully calibrated before our tests = (unfortunately, the MCE
2005's display calibration tool can be used only = with the screen attached
to the PC), yet the image we got using the = Extender was overly saturated.
The red in the St. Louis Cardinals' = uniforms and hats bled profusely. And
any foul ball into the crowd = created artifacts that were very apparent.

Microsoft suggests you use an 801.11a connection or, better yet, a wired =
connection for the Extender. We also tested the Extender over a wired =
connection, however, and didn't notice much improvement in image = quality.
For a set-top DVR, your best bet is still TiVo.

  "Geo"  wrote in message
news:41fd7f6b{at}w3.nls.net...
  When you say it helps you manage and play your content, are there =
restrictions on how many devices I can have accessing my content at one = time?

  Geo. (honest question, I understand your point)
    "Rich"  wrote in message news:41fd7699$1{at}w3.nls.net...
       Buying a computer with Windows XP Media Center Edition is like =
buying a home entertainment center.  It helps you manage and play your =
content.  It doesn't supply it.  It's not a service.  No amount of =
speculation on the future or spin changes this.

       Now if you are interesting in a service for delivering content, =
try Windows Media Services, a feature of Windows Server 2003.

    Rich

      "Geo"  wrote in message =
news:41fd417e$1{at}w3.nls.net...
      I recognize that difference but I also think RichG is getting at =
more of a software licensing issue where for example you might license =
REAL server for content delivery within a private network. I believe = he's
thinking Media Server is going to require CALs or device licenses = or
something along those lines for the "service" it provides and
from = that point of view I can understand how what he's saying makes
sense.

      Geo.
        "Rich"  wrote in message news:41fd1755{at}w3.nls.net...
           Yep.  If you want an example of a content delivery service =
try Napster (http://www.napster.com/) or XM Radio Online =
(http://listen.xmradio.com).  There are many of these.

        Rich

          "Geo"  wrote in message =
news:41fcfb5d{at}w3.nls.net...
          I think what he's getting at is that the content delivery =
service is (or will be) an added cost extra. Media Center is more like a =
cable ready TV it doesn't include cable service.

          Geo.
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CNet has a review of MCE
 
http://reviews.cnet.com/Microsoft_Windows_XP_Media_Center_Edition=
_2005/4505-3672_7-31138402-2.html?tag=3Dtab">http://reviews.cnet.com/Micr=
osoft_Windows_XP_Media_Center_Edition_2005/4505-3672_7-31138402-2.html?ta=
g=3Dtab
 
each MCE 2005 PC can support up to five Extenders, over wired or =
wireless=20
networks. Plus MCE 2005 also now supports dual TV tuners, which means = you can=20
watch one channel while recording another
 
In addition to dual-tuners, MCE 2005 supports new HDTV tuners, =
which let=20
you watch and record high-definition TV on your Media Center PC. = Unfortunately,=20
the set-top Media Center Extender devices will not offer HD support, and = you'll=20
be able to receive only free, over-the-air HD broadcasts. That is, = you'll get=20
the major networks in HD but not HD channels from HBO and ESPN, for=20
example.
 
Microsoft put in a lot of work to improve the quality of TV =
playback with=20
Media Center Edition 2005, but we're still not completely sold. We saw = fewer=20
dropped frames and artifacts than what we saw with MCE 2004, but it was = still=20
far from ideal on our tests. We connected the MCE 2005 system itself to = a=20
17-inch digital LCD, then connected the Media Center Extender in an = adjacent=20
room via S-Video to a 34-inch Sony TV.
 

Wireless interference and the large Sony screen conspired to make for =
some=20
rough sledding with watching TV on the Extender. We attempted to watch = play-off=20
baseball (TV programs that were both live and recorded) on the Extender. =

Sporting events are a tough test, granted, with the detail in the crowd = and the=20
cameras quickly panning to follow the action. The Sony TV was fully = calibrated=20
before our tests (unfortunately, the MCE 2005's display calibration tool = can be=20
used only with the screen attached to the PC), yet the image we got = using the=20
Extender was overly saturated. The red in the St. Louis Cardinals' = uniforms and=20
hats bled profusely. And any foul ball into the crowd created artifacts = that=20
were very apparent.
Microsoft suggests you use an 801.11a connection or, better yet, a =
wired=20
connection for the Extender. We also tested the Extender over a wired=20
connection, however, and didn't notice much improvement in image = quality.
For a=20
set-top DVR, your best bet is still TiVo.

  "Geo" <georger{at}nls.net>">mailto:georger{at}nls.net">georger{at}nls.net>
wrote=20
  in message news:41fd7f6b{at}w3.nls.net...
  When you say it helps you manage and =
play your=20
  content, are there restrictions on how many devices I can have =
accessing my=20
  content at one time?
   
  Geo. (honest question, I understand =
your=20
  point)
  

    "Rich" <{at}> wrote in message news:41fd7699$1{at}w3.nls.net...
      
Buying a computer with =
Windows XP=20
    Media Center Edition is like buying a home entertainment =
center.  It=20
    helps you manage and play your content.  It doesn't supply =
it. =20
    It's not a service.  No amount of speculation on the future or =
spin=20
    changes this.
     
       Now
if you are =
interesting in a=20
    service for delivering content, try Windows Media Services, a =
feature of=20
    Windows Server 2003.
     
    Rich
     
    

      "Geo" <georger{at}nls.net>=20">mailto:georger{at}nls.net">georger{at}nls.net>=20
      wrote in message news:41fd417e$1{at}w3.nls.net...
      I recognize that
difference but I =
also think=20
      RichG is getting at more of a software licensing issue where for =
example=20
      you might license REAL server for content delivery within a =
private=20
      network. I believe he's thinking Media Server is going to require =
CALs or=20
      device licenses or something along those lines for the "service" =
it=20
      provides and from that point of view I can understand how what =
he's saying=20
      makes sense.
       
      Geo.
      

        "Rich" <{at}> wrote in message news:41fd1755{at}w3.nls.net...
          
Yep.  If you =
want an=20
        example of a content delivery service try Napster (http://www.napster.com/;)">http://www.napster.com/http://www.napster.com/">http://www.napster.com/;)
or =
XM Radio=20
        Online (http://listen.xmradio.com). " target="new">http://listen.xmradio.com). ">http://listen.xmradio.com">http://listen.xmradio.com). 
=

        There are many of these.
         
        Rich
         
        

          "Geo" <georger{at}nls.net>">mailto:georger{at}nls.net">georger{at}nls.net>
wrote =
in message=20
          news:41fcfb5d{at}w3.nls.net...
          I think what he's getting at =
is that the=20
          content delivery service is (or will be) an added cost =
extra.=20
          Media Center is more like a cable ready TV it doesn't include =
cable=20
          service.
           
          Geo.

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