Comments on: Is it time to trade in my TiVos for a Vista Media Center? http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/ How good can it be, if it isn't HD? Fri, 02 Jul 2010 16:04:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Ben Drawbaugh http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/comment-page-1/#comment-804 Ben Drawbaugh Tue, 27 May 2008 22:11:41 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/#comment-804 Gladys, Too late, I already sold both of 'em. Gladys,
Too late, I already sold both of ‘em.

]]> By: Gladys http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/comment-page-1/#comment-803 Gladys Tue, 27 May 2008 21:41:13 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/#comment-803 Let me know if you decide to do this... I would love to buy your Tivo HD for a good price. Let me know if you decide to do this… I would love to buy your Tivo HD for a good price.

]]> By: » Vista Media Center gets a chance » Ben Drawbaugh http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/comment-page-1/#comment-528 » Vista Media Center gets a chance » Ben Drawbaugh Mon, 31 Mar 2008 02:19:33 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/#comment-528 [...] the past week I’ve been going back and forth about trying to use Vista Media Center to replace my two TiVos and today I finally decided to take the plunge. After spending some time with my friend [...] [...] the past week I’ve been going back and forth about trying to use Vista Media Center to replace my two TiVos and today I finally decided to take the plunge. After spending some time with my friend [...]

]]> By: Dave Zatz http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/comment-page-1/#comment-515 Dave Zatz Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:59:40 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/#comment-515 "outputting multi-channel audio and stereo at the same time" Slingbox? “outputting multi-channel audio and stereo at the same time”

Slingbox?

]]> By: Dave Zatz http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/comment-page-1/#comment-514 Dave Zatz Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:58:07 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/#comment-514 I'm with Ben on this one and thinking of augmenting my living room setup (or replacing a TiVo) with an HTPC... been a few years since I took down the projector (and associated HTPCs), but WatchNow and Hulu have me rethinking my current config. I may drag the VMC from the den into the living room to see how Netflix scales on the plasma before pulling the trigger. I probably wouldn't mess with the CableCARDs - ESPECIALLY since it requires a separate tuner housing. Like Ben, I want to consolidate. Of course, I'd rather just use my 360 to present Watch Now... I’m with Ben on this one and thinking of augmenting my living room setup (or replacing a TiVo) with an HTPC… been a few years since I took down the projector (and associated HTPCs), but WatchNow and Hulu have me rethinking my current config. I may drag the VMC from the den into the living room to see how Netflix scales on the plasma before pulling the trigger. I probably wouldn’t mess with the CableCARDs – ESPECIALLY since it requires a separate tuner housing. Like Ben, I want to consolidate. Of course, I’d rather just use my 360 to present Watch Now…

]]> By: Charlie Owen http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/comment-page-1/#comment-506 Charlie Owen Mon, 24 Mar 2008 19:18:53 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/#comment-506 Send me an email with a description of your setup (especially the need for both multi-channel + stereo audio simultaneously) and I'll ask around to see if we can give you clarity. Send me an email with a description of your setup (especially the need for both multi-channel + stereo audio simultaneously) and I’ll ask around to see if we can give you clarity.

]]> By: Ben Drawbaugh http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/comment-page-1/#comment-505 Ben Drawbaugh Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:15:59 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/#comment-505 Charlie, Thanks for the suggestion. <br> Don't get me wrong, I recognize that Media Center can do so much more, which is what motivated me look into it in the first place. <br> My question is will it do everything I need it to? One of my concerns is outputting multi-channel audio and stereo at the same time. This is something my TiVo and Blu-ray player can do easily, and believe it or not, in my setup I have to have both outputs working simultaneously. <br> It'd be a much simpler problem if I didn't have multi-channel video and audio using a matrix switcher that will send HD to multiple rooms at the same time. <br> I'd bet that I can get it done, the problem is that it is a $250 bet, as that is what I'll lose if I try to return a XPS 420 to Dell. Thanks again. Ben Charlie,
Thanks for the suggestion.

Don’t get me wrong, I recognize that Media Center can do so much more, which is what motivated me look into it in the first place.

My question is will it do everything I need it to?
One of my concerns is outputting multi-channel audio and stereo at the same time. This is something my TiVo and Blu-ray player can do easily, and believe it or not, in my setup I have to have both outputs working simultaneously.

It’d be a much simpler problem if I didn’t have multi-channel video and audio using a matrix switcher that will send HD to multiple rooms at the same time.

I’d bet that I can get it done, the problem is that it is a $250 bet, as that is what I’ll lose if I try to return a XPS 420 to Dell.

Thanks again.
Ben

]]> By: Charlie Owen http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/comment-page-1/#comment-504 Charlie Owen Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:06:58 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/#comment-504 Chris Lanier: "I’ve been trying to get Microsoft to release some troubleshooting information but have basically been ignored." Chris, sorry if we've been ignoring you -- please send me an email at charlieo@microsoft.com with the details. Ben: I listened to the 077 podcast where you mentioned a Media Center box would be a dedicated appliance in your environment. When you are doing the price comparison do keep in mind there are *many* more things you *can* do with a Media Center PC in comparison to dedicated set top boxes. Not that you would - but you can. If you are discriminating about what you install you can have some very nice customizations not possible with a set top box. Check out http://www.codeplex.com/powerplaylist for an example -- here is a screenshot of what it might look like for you (all the titles and art for each tile are fully customizable by you): http://www.flickr.com/photos/retrosight/2358842182/ Chris Lanier: “I’ve been trying to get Microsoft to release some troubleshooting information but have basically been ignored.”

Chris, sorry if we’ve been ignoring you — please send me an email at charlieo@microsoft.com with the details.

Ben: I listened to the 077 podcast where you mentioned a Media Center box would be a dedicated appliance in your environment. When you are doing the price comparison do keep in mind there are *many* more things you *can* do with a Media Center PC in comparison to dedicated set top boxes. Not that you would – but you can. If you are discriminating about what you install you can have some very nice customizations not possible with a set top box. Check out http://www.codeplex.com/powerplaylist for an example — here is a screenshot of what it might look like for you (all the titles and art for each tile are fully customizable by you): http://www.flickr.com/photos/retrosight/2358842182/

]]> By: Ben Drawbaugh http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/comment-page-1/#comment-471 Ben Drawbaugh Wed, 19 Mar 2008 19:28:18 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/#comment-471 Chris, Thanks for the information and the link, but by the looks of it, CableCARDs are enough trouble without trying to do anything wacky with them, like adding them later or switching video cards. <br> At this point it comes down to price, so I think I'll keep my eye out for when Dell drops the price again. At one time you could get a 420 with a single CC tuner for $1079, but now its ~$1250. Also, HP doesn't seem to sell them anymore, or at least not that I can find. <br> Thanks again. Ben Chris,
Thanks for the information and the link, but by the looks of it, CableCARDs are enough trouble without trying to do anything wacky with them, like adding them later or switching video cards.

At this point it comes down to price, so I think I’ll keep my eye out for when Dell drops the price again. At one time you could get a 420 with a single CC tuner for $1079, but now its ~$1250. Also, HP doesn’t seem to sell them anymore, or at least not that I can find.

Thanks again.
Ben

]]> By: Ben Drawbaugh http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/comment-page-1/#comment-470 Ben Drawbaugh Wed, 19 Mar 2008 19:12:23 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/2008/03/19/is-it-time-to-trade-in-my-tivos-for-a-vista-media-center/#comment-470 Bret, Thanks for the explanation, the problem is that I need my premium HD channels and the whole point of making a change is to consolidate sources not add them. <br> As for the "re-encoding all your content" part. The hauppauge component capture card, captures uncompressed HD, so it has to re-encode it. No matter how good the encoder is, the content can't look better than it went in, and odds are the network's encoder is much better than I can find for $250. <br> So the no CableCARD or DirecTV is a deal breaker for me. Bret,
Thanks for the explanation, the problem is that I need my premium HD channels and the whole point of making a change is to consolidate sources not add them.

As for the “re-encoding all your content” part. The hauppauge component capture card, captures uncompressed HD, so it has to re-encode it. No matter how good the encoder is, the content can’t look better than it went in, and odds are the network’s encoder is much better than I can find for $250.

So the no CableCARD or DirecTV is a deal breaker for me.

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