Windows XP MCE 2005

Microsoft’s new Windows Xp Media Center 2005 Operating System has new features that help a PC compete with comsumer electronic devices such as TV’s, DVR’s, and PC’s. Imagine turning your computer, into your AIO (All-In-One) living room entertainment center. The 2005 version is the sucessor of MCE 2003.MCE 2005 plays DVD’s, CD’s, TV shows, and music. All Pre-built MCE computers have TV-Tuner cards carrying one or two discrete tuners. Having two tuners has its upside: while your watching one show, you can be recording another simultaneously.

Analog TV should look better on new MCE Computers than on the first generation of MCE computers. TV signals at a variable bit rate of up to 9 MBps, surpassing thhe fixed 6MBps of last years Media Center Computers.

With the new release, you can burn DVD’s within Windows, which you could not do last year. Although HDTV is not currently available, it may soon be in the future. You can also get MCE "Extenders" to pull digital audio and standard-definition video over a wireless connection, and play them through a stereo. If you want to hook up XboX to your MCE computer, it will cost $80.

Overall, if you just watch TV and a few movies, this isn’t for you. If you are the kind of person who likes to take multimedia to the next step, MCE is right for you.

News source: PCWorld Magazine (Dec 2004)