Windows Media Center ??

[Graham]

Is it possible to run windows Media center under windows xp-
pro ?

The links that I can find seem to want you to up grade to
windows 7 ... there are some old posts to downloads for the
center .. but these seem to be now upgraded to windows 7

I have a hap TV card .. which requires the media center to use
the dual tuner facility ..

not - windows media player .. this is not suitable

tnx - G .

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

WinXP MCE and WinXP Pro are pretty much (but not quite) the same thing.

If your hardware is compatible, you might consider "upgrading" to Win7 Home
Premium, Professional, or Ultimate Edition, all of which include Windows
Media Center; cf. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-media-center/;
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/windows-media-center

 

[Graham]

WinXP MCE and WinXP Pro are pretty much (but not quite) the same thing.

If your hardware is compatible, you might consider "upgrading" to Win7 Home
Premium, Professional, or Ultimate Edition, all of which include Windows
Media Center; cf.http://www.microsoft.com/windows/wi....com/en-US/windows7/products/features/windows...








- Show quoted text -

Thats the problem I don't want to install windows 7 at the
moment .....looks like the older versions of media center
have been removed ??

G .

 

[Fuzzy Logic]

Is it possible to run windows Media center under windows xp-
pro ?

The links that I can find seem to want you to up grade to
windows 7 ... there are some old posts to downloads for the
center .. but these seem to be now upgraded to windows 7

I have a hap TV card .. which requires the media center to use
the dual tuner facility ..

not - windows media player .. this is not suitable

tnx - G .

Windows Media Center versions of the Windows OS are/were available since XP. You cannot add Media
Center to an existing version of Windows. You must install the actual Media Center version of the OS. More info
here:

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

Many TV cards come with software to use them without requiring Windows Media Center.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Full retail versions of WinXP (MCE or otherwise) are no longer being
marketed.

 

[Twayne]

In

Full retail versions of WinXP (MCE or otherwise) are no
longer being marketed.

Nah, it's still around; all you have to do is use Google and you'll get a
LOT Of hits where it's still available, even including pre-installed on PCs.
After all, MCE is simply XP Pro with the MCE programs (widely downloadable)
and relevant service packs. It looks like even the TigerDirects still have
it too.

I was going to post links that still have it available but there are so many
of them I'll leave it to those who want it badly enough to search for it. I
had 6 links right from the first pag of hits.
Also, you don't HAVE to have the official MCE edition; all you need is
the programs it uses, many of which are already on the disk or easily
available. If one can manage to get a look at an XP MCE it's pretty easy to
determine which programs it uses; the computer does NOT need to be
"officially" an MCE machine.

HTH,

Twayne`
H,

Twayne`

 

[Daave]

I'm pretty sure that no Retail versions of XP MCE ever existed. That is,
all of them are OEM versions.

 

[Twayne]

In

@x20g2000yqb.googlegroups.com:


Windows Media Center versions of the Windows OS are/were
available since XP. You cannot add Media
Center to an existing version of Windows. You must install
the actual Media Center version of the OS. More info here:

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

Many TV cards come with software to use them without
requiring Windows Media Center.

Umm, actually, you can add the MCE to windows XP. See the many links on
Google for just that very thing. Even MS sold upgrade to MCE software. The
main difference between diy and pre-installed seems to be pre-installs get a
partition of their own to hold the MCE stuff. No big deal. MCE is nothing
but the automation of a few programs and establishing connections between
them; nothing you can't do yourself.

HTH,

Twayne`

 

[Twayne]

OK, before anyone complains, here are a few links where I followed the
purchase process far enough to get a delivery date and/or stock status:

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=n82e16832116171
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2571833&CatId=672

http://www.google.com/products?q=xp...esult_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CCkQrQQwAg

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Windows-Center-System-Builders/dp/B000JTFVM4

http://download.cnet.com/Windows-XP-Media-Center-Edition/3000-18513_4-53530.html

 

[Bob F]

Also, you don't HAVE to have the official MCE edition; all you need
is the programs it uses, many of which are already on the disk or
easily available. If one can manage to get a look at an XP MCE it's
pretty easy to determine which programs it uses; the computer does
NOT need to be "officially" an MCE machine.

So far, I can't find usable downloads of those programs. Are they avaolable
anywhere you know?

 

[Michael]

So far, I can't find usable downloads of those programs. Are they
avaolable anywhere you know?

You won't. Too Too Twayne enjoys speaking through his a$$. What he's
referring to is pirated versions of OEM MSE.

 

[Bob F]

You won't. Too Too Twayne enjoys speaking through his a$$. What he's
referring to is pirated versions of OEM MSE.

Is Windows Vista as bad as I've heard. I picked up a copy of Vista Home Premium
to try out the media center part, but haven't loaded it because of all the bad
stories I've read?

Should I or shouldn't I?

 

[Michael]

Is Windows Vista as bad as I've heard. I picked up a copy of Vista Home
Premium to try out the media center part, but haven't loaded it because of
all the bad stories I've read?

Should I or shouldn't I?

I have and I'm satisfied with it. It doesn't like to be fiddled with,
though.

 

[Guest]

I have and I'm satisfied with it.  It doesn't like to be fiddled with,
though.

Just bite the bullet and go with Widows 7. I had to buy two new
laptops and each has 64 bit Windows 7 Home Premium.
It has whatever was any good from Vista and is much better than Vista.
I did have some steep parts of the learning curve but they were worth
working through.
Windows XP has become like that pair of old shoes which are so
comfortable but Win 7 is just too much better to stay in the past.
I have been able to make all my legacy devices work well by installing
their Win 7 updated drivers and I believe you can run Win 7 in an XP
mode if you really don't want to take advantage of the latest OS
features. You can install Vista then upgrade to Win 7 assuming your
machine is up to handling Win 7. It must be if you have tried Vista
already.
You will have the media center and more let alone the additional
doanload features offered by Microsoft to give Media Center even more
capabilities.