Windows XP Media Center 2004 Edition

[Thor's Castle]

Hi

I have WIn XP Pro; but I like the look of this new Windows XP Media Center
2004 Edition! The only thing is do you have to buy one of these computers
with everything built in which is very expensive at the moment costing
aprrox £1300 ($2300) here in the UK.

Is it not possible to buy the bolts on and use windows XP Home or PRO and
achieve the same results?

If it is possible what are the components needed to achieve the same results
as Windows XP Media Center 2004 Edition?

The only difference I see is the interface in Windows XP Media Center 2004
Edition to interact with the TV!

Do you have to have the systems hard wired or can it all be done over a
wireless network.

Any assistance greatly received.

Cheers Dale Holden

 

[Lorne Smith]

Windows Media Centre Edition is not available seperately, and MS have made
no statements to indicate if it ever will be available. The only way you
can get it other than with a new MCE PC, is if you subscribe to MSDN, which
will cost you almost as much as an MCE PC to start with, and even then only
give you a license for development purposes...

Lorne

 

[Matthew Shaw]

Yup. Media Center PC's are specialty systems (I too love the idea of them).
You can get third party programs that do a similar thing however. Do a
search on google.

 

[kenny-knight]

there are other programs that interact in a similar way...

for example this one:

http://www.showshifter.com/index.htm

its really more economical to do this. Downoad the trial and give it a try.
You can also buy the tv tuner and remote from links on the site.

Kenny

 

[kenny-knight]

I have bought the winfast-TV 2000 deluxe from leadtek and I can see tv,
record it and listen to radio from afar by using the remote control.
see here:

http://www.leadtek.com/multimedia/winfast_tv2000xp_deluxe_1.html


Kenny