Any experience with Window XP Media Center Edition?

[Ishamael]

I'm thinking of setting up something in my tiny apartment and would love to hear experiences of people who've used it.

[Nev]

I'd love to help, but I'm busy setting up effigies of Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates for subsequent burning.

Not sure you'd want my completely unbiased advice on it anyway, given all of that.

[Ishamael]

I'd love to help, but I'm busy setting up effigies of Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates for subsequent burning.

Not sure you'd want my completely unbiased advice on it anyway, given all of that.

LOL! Well with those qualifications, I'm sure your advice would be entertaining to hear at least.

[Nev]

Hahahahaha!

With your permission, sir, I'd love to take a stab at it. However, I may need a few days to think of something creative enough.

Also, be aware that my advice will be highly unlikely to actually help you get your computer set up with anything approaching a version of Windows Media Center.

[SineSwiper]

What the hell is that? You want to put a computer near your TV?

[Nev]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Media_Center

[SineSwiper]

Gee, looks exactly like the one on my Xbox. Just get a Xbox modded and fuck the extra hardware. Not worth the extra money.

[Ishamael]

Gee, looks exactly like the one on my Xbox. Just get a Xbox modded and fuck the extra hardware. Not worth the extra money.

With the way the DMCA is going, I'd say chances are high that you'd be shot if you so much as breathed the wrong way on Xbox 360.

Anyway I don't want to screw with all that modding stuff. I like the amount of freedom MCE installed in say, a shuttle PC provides. Still not sure what configuration I'll go with, but I''m looking over my options.

[SineSwiper]

I'm not talking about a Xbox 360. I'm talking about an Xbox. An Xbox is very cheap now, so you can get one plus the mod for less than the price of a "multimedia PC". If you already have an XBox, even cheaper.

[Oracle]

Right now I work at Best Buy as a tech, and I fucking hate windows media center. It matters what you're getting. Are you going to just get a PC with VIVO cards and windows media center on it, or are you going to get something like an HP DEC (Digital Entertainment Center), which kinda looks like a piece of AV equipment, but it's a computer that uses wireless peripherals.

As far as recording goes, it can sometimes be a pain. DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT buy a VAIO media center. Their VIVO cards ONLY encode in MPEG2, which makes it a pain in the ass to record using ANY other software other than the shit that sony makes.

[Ishamael]

Right now I work at Best Buy as a tech, and I fucking hate windows media center. It matters what you're getting. Are you going to just get a PC with VIVO cards and windows media center on it, or are you going to get something like an HP DEC (Digital Entertainment Center), which kinda looks like a piece of AV equipment, but it's a computer that uses wireless peripherals.

As far as recording goes, it can sometimes be a pain. DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT buy a VAIO media center. Their VIVO cards ONLY encode in MPEG2, which makes it a pain in the ass to record using ANY other software other than the shit that sony makes.

I was actually planning on building my own HTPC.