Windows XP Media Center without Windows XP MCE

[Guest]

I have recently built a new PC (following the specs for a multimedia PC from
www.dudecomputers.com). Since I have not purchased the PC from a Win XP
Media Center partner, I do not have Win XP MCE. However, I want the
functionality of Win XP MCE, mainly for recording TV, video editing, and
extending wirelessly to TVs in my house.

Can I get the functionality of Win XP MCE 2005 using Win XP Pro plus
additional programs. I see Hauppage offers some equipment and software for
doing TV recording.

Any suggestions?

smith04

 

[Tom Porterfield]

I have recently built a new PC (following the specs for a multimedia PC from
www.dudecomputers.com). Since I have not purchased the PC from a Win XP
Media Center partner, I do not have Win XP MCE. However, I want the
functionality of Win XP MCE, mainly for recording TV, video editing, and
extending wirelessly to TVs in my house.

Can I get the functionality of Win XP MCE 2005 using Win XP Pro plus
additional programs. I see Hauppage offers some equipment and software for
doing TV recording.

Any suggestions?

smith04

You might consider trying MediaPortal from
http://www.team-mediaportal.com/.
--
Tom Porterfield
MS-MVP Windows
http://support.teloep.org

Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup only.

 

[HillBillyBuddhist]

|
| I have recently built a new PC (following the specs for a multimedia PC
from
| www.dudecomputers.com). Since I have not purchased the PC from a Win XP
| Media Center partner, I do not have Win XP MCE. However, I want the
| functionality of Win XP MCE, mainly for recording TV, video editing, and
| extending wirelessly to TVs in my house.
|
| Can I get the functionality of Win XP MCE 2005 using Win XP Pro plus
| additional programs. I see Hauppage offers some equipment and software
for
| doing TV recording.
|
| Any suggestions?
|
| smith04
|
|
| --
| smith04
| ----------------------
| Second Assistant to the Third Assistant

Doesn't answer your question. Offered FYI in case you were unaware.

Windows Media Center (2005) is no longer under the "only with a Media Center
PC" restriction. It can be purchased (OEM) from New Egg, EBay, Zipzoom
etc...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16832102357
for example.

--
Doug

I'm not an MVP a VIP nor do I have ESP.
I was just trying to help.
Please use your own best judgment before implementing any suggestions or
advice herein.
No warranty is expressed or implied.
Your mileage may vary.
See store for details.

Remove shoes to E-mail.
http://spaces.msn.com/members/hillbillybuddhist/

 

[Guest]

HillBillyBuddhist,

I actually bought Win XP MCE 2005 from New Egg. Disk 2 did not work, I
found some discussion groups that led me to believe disk 2 did not work,
including an article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base. That article said
contact Microsoft for a replacement disk and even gave a phone number. I
contacted Microsoft and they said since I had an OEM edition, I had to
contact the seller. I contacted New Egg, they gave me an RMA to return it.
They received it, said they tested it and it worked. They said it must have
been the optical drives. I had tried it on 4 PCs and 7 optical drives,
including two brand new that I had just purchased from them. They refuse to
issue a replacement disk. In the meantime, I installed XP Home and it works
fine, but doesn't take advantage of the dual core and doesn't have the
multimedia capabilities I desire.

The problem with OEM software is that the manufacturerer takes no warranty,
only the seller. And there is no retail version of XP MCE 2005. So
basically, I got a bad product that no one wants to take responsibility for.
I didn't want this to get into a discussion of sellers, I want help on
setting up my PC for multimedia. But since I did get into it, anyone who
want to support my position with New Egg can boycott them until they replace
my XP MCE 2005 with a good disk 2 (or a refund).

smith04

smith04

 

[Mungo Bulge]

| HillBillyBuddhist,
|
| I actually bought Win XP MCE 2005 from New Egg. Disk 2 did not
work, I
| found some discussion groups that led me to believe disk 2 did not
work,
| including an article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base. That article
said
| contact Microsoft for a replacement disk and even gave a phone
number. I
| contacted Microsoft and they said since I had an OEM edition, I had
to
| contact the seller. I contacted New Egg, they gave me an RMA to
return it.
| They received it, said they tested it and it worked. They said it
must have
| been the optical drives. I had tried it on 4 PCs and 7 optical
drives,
| including two brand new that I had just purchased from them. They
refuse to
| issue a replacement disk. In the meantime, I installed XP Home and
it works
| fine, but doesn't take advantage of the dual core and doesn't have
the
| multimedia capabilities I desire.
|
| The problem with OEM software is that the manufacturerer takes no
warranty,
| only the seller. And there is no retail version of XP MCE 2005. So
| basically, I got a bad product that no one wants to take
responsibility for.
| I didn't want this to get into a discussion of sellers, I want help
on
| setting up my PC for multimedia. But since I did get into it,
anyone who
| want to support my position with New Egg can boycott them until they
replace
| my XP MCE 2005 with a good disk 2 (or a refund).
|
| smith04
|
| smith04
| ----------------------
| Second Assistant to the Third Assistant
|

I'm with you, I'll boycott Newegg untill they cave under the pressure.
But seriously, I do feel for your problem. So I'm CC'ing Newegg on
this post.

<<<< SNIP >>>>

 

[Guest]

Mungo Bulge,

Thanks for your support. Well I am not sure that the disk itself is the
problem, wait, no I am sure, but I think that all of the disks have problems
and New Egg nor Microsoft are giving out the solution of what to do. By
researching the problem and discussing on a forum, I have not found anyone
who has been able to install MCE 2005 by following the directions given when
installing. New Egg certainly didn't. But by reading about everyone else's
problems, and trying several different options of installing disks 1 and 2 at
different times (not when asked by installation), I got it loaded.

New Egg and Microsoft should give proper directions. I am going to try to
write directions of what I did (I think I can duplicate it) complete with
screen prints and post it on PC Guides discussion group.

Again, thanks for your support and the many others on other discussion
groups who tried to help.

smith04