?Windows Media Center and Vista?

[V]

Anyone know what WMC and Vista are about.

I'm building a PC (first one I will have built completely) and need to pick an OS.

While I've heard Pro is better than Home XP, I've no real knowledge of WMC or Vista.

I talked with Dell (like I'd buy one of those again) they seem to really push WMC and Vista in higher model PCs. (I do Vid Editing.)

They also seem full of it. Told me I had to have Vista capable to run a TV Tuner. These things came out in what 05 and Tuners have been around since dirt. Probably get endorsement from MS to use customers as test dummys to pound out the bugs on error reports.

I can't even find a clear list of what WMC or Vista really do.

I'd just as soon use Pro or Home XP if a RAM taking sidebar with the Temp outside and clear menus are all they really do.

Anyway I just wanted to know if WMC and Vista are good for anything? Or do they just suck away even more RAM than XP?

 

[joefriday]

WMC is good for dummies. It is XP Pro with the "Media Center" interface program that you can run when you want to view or record media. If you already have a capture program that you like to use, WMC won't be offering a whole lot for you. I'm currently using WMC, but my capturecard is a software card, so it is not supported. I knew this when installing WMC, but I thought the WMC multimedia viewing screen would be a nice interface when displaying the picture on my television. I would have been right, if it wasn't for MCE not showing the video when I try to play them. I can hear the audio, but no video. When I view the videos through Media Center via the moniter, it all works well. I can also play the files through regular WM player with the TV out with no problems, it's just that WMC won't allow videos to play through TV out. :?

Also, if you were to use WMC's capture functionality, it will record in a DRM-protected format. It also cannot wake itself up out of hibernate to record; the PC must be in standby 24/7. Thumbs down on this one.

Stick with XP Home/Pro. Use Pro if you want remote desktop access (if you leave the PVR on all the time) to access your media from anywhere. Use Home otherwise.

 

[V]

Thank You. You told me all I need to know.

I thought WMC might help me make a DVR out of a PC, but if it is in some fussy Windows format then MS can keep it.

I'm against piracy, but I don't like to be forced to watch ads. Kind of like when they have the "Would you steal a car?" preview you can't skip past on a DVD movie. The guy who pirates the thing can cut the preview out, leaving legit movie patrons like myself stuck with 5mins of pre movie spam.

There is always plenty of video freeware around like VirtualDub, so I imagine if my card does not come with software I can find something easy enough.

Thanks again.