Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005: Feature and Performance Investigation
by Anand Lal Shimpi on October 12, 2004 12:19 PM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Mobile
Windows XP Media Center Edition: The OS
While most users won't have to install MCE 2005, we did. MCE 2005 is the first Windows XP OS version to ship on two CDs, and yes you need both of them during the installation process. During the installation process you'll have to swap the discs out twice; once to pop disc 2 in, and once to put the first disc back in again.
While all previous versions of the OS were based on Windows XP SP1, Media Center Edition 2005 is built on Service Pack 2, but with a few additions. There's obviously the built in Media Center application, but there is also a new XP theme called Energy Blue, as well as a few new programs that are automatically installed: Windows Audio Converter, Windows CD Label Maker, Windows Dancer and Windows Party Mode.
Windows Audio Converter is a program that will let you convert mp3, wav and wma files into mp3, wma, wma (vbr) or wma lossless formats. The most interesting option is the lossess Windows Media Audio format employs a lossless compression ratio to get the bit rate down as low as possible without actually discarding any of the original audio data.
Windows CD Label Maker is pretty straight forward, it is a program that will let you make and print CD Labels, furthering the idea of using your MCE PC as a multipurpose "media center" of your digital life.
Windows Dancer is a program that will cause a little person to dance around on your screen. By default you can set Windows dancer to dance according to the music being played (although MCE 2005 only ships with one dancer, there is an option to automatically choose the dancer based on what type of music is being played). If you really enjoy the dancer you can even turn her loose without any music playing. We didn't like her enough to do that.
The final "Digital Media Enhancement" app that Microsoft ships with MCE 2005 is Windows Party Mode. Windows Party Mode is basically a full screen skin for Windows Media Player 10 that you're supposed to use at parties where everyone can come up and interact with the playlist, choosing what they want to hear next from your WMP10 Library. The skins available are far less polished than what's offered in the actual Media Center UI, but we can see how the feature would be useful in some situations.
MCE2005 is configurable to start with or without the Media Center interface, by default it is configured not to but changing it isn't a problem. Below we have a screenshot of the new XP theme, Energy Blue:
Launching the Media Center application is the same as before, you either use the green button on the remote or click on the green icon that looks like the aforementioned button. Regardless of which method you choose, the end result is that you're dropped into a fairly familiar interface.
The Media Center interface, My TV is the default selection
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jamawass - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 - link
First post, longtime anandtech reader. MCE 2k5 looks good from all the reviews I've read but at around $170 (with essential remote)is just too expensive as the reviewer pointed out. With the type of hardware you need to run it, you're looking at $1000 at least. With networked DVD recorders with tivo capabilities ( which are much more stable) getting better in the $400 range why would I put mce in my living room?glennpratt - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 - link
Best solution for mom is to have TV and Computer connected and running at the same time. And yes, if mum can use windows and operate a TiVo, she can use MCE. Just make sure you get nice and stable components.GodsMadClown - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 - link
You know what? I look at this and see a market for dual-core.tantryl - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 - link
I'm trying to figure out whether this is something that you could, well, give to mum for example. Or mom as you crazy americans call them.Presume a nice setup, 3+GHz or equivalent, Hauppage TV Tuner, 80GB system drive and 200GB storage/video drive, 512MB or 1024MB RAM (not info given by Anand as to what difference this might make?), all MCE approved components, with the necessary remote all set up in a quiet case...
Would Ma be able to use it? Would she be able to handle swapping between the monitor and a regular TV? Would she be better off having a physical switch that changes the signal from into the PC to into the TV?
So Anand - you think this is something mum could use?
glennpratt - Tuesday, October 12, 2004 - link
9 & 10 - I have not seen one copy protected file yet and I use both analog antenna and digital cable for over a year. It is up to the station to set the flag to lock the file, which IMO is fair. Also, you can convert the file after the fact to WMV using DVR2WMV. I like the low CPU usage that hardware MPEG2 brings, and if i decide I like the program I can convert it and archive it.Reflex - Tuesday, October 12, 2004 - link
#10: Part of the 2005 release is that its available to system builders or sites like Newegg for do it yourselfers. I do agree about codecs, but its not a *huge* deal to me.segagenesis - Tuesday, October 12, 2004 - link
#9 - I would prefer BeyondTV solely for the fact I can do whatever I want with recorded shows. And I dont have to buy a new computer just to get the *software*.PrinceGaz - Tuesday, October 12, 2004 - link
Windows MCE will never be any use for people serious about video until it allows you to select what codecs you want to use for encoding from all the DirectShow codecs installed on your system. Having to use the proprietary MS stuff with all their DRM garbage is unsuitable.rbV5 - Tuesday, October 12, 2004 - link
Nice Review Anand. I'll be building one of these shortly using dual eHome Wonder cards and HDTV Wonder (hopefully MS will release the patch soon.) I ordered MCE + the remote from Newegg earlier today, so i should be on it by the end of the week.kurisu - Tuesday, October 12, 2004 - link
I still think the interface is pretty attractive. I see this doing well in the market..