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17 Oct 2005 08:16 | Dusty | Xbox 360 | Technology Xbox360News.com | Link to this article 
Microsoft has announced at the DigitalLife conference in New York City the availability of a new software update for Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 that will provide new entertainment experiences for Media Center Edition customers around the world. Update Rollup 2 for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 will enable customers to stream digital music, videos, photos, and standard and high-definition television and movies from Media Center PCs to any television in their home via the Xbox 360 gaming system. Windows XP Media Center 2005 customers can obtain Update Rollup 2 free of charge via the Windows Update download site as of today. The software update is also available on new Media Center PCs."We introduced Windows XP Media Center Edition three years ago with a vision to simplify the way people experience digital entertainment on their PC using something as familiar as a remote control," said Will Poole, senior vice president of the Windows Client Business at Microsoft. "Now, Media Center Edition and Xbox 360, together with offerings from hundreds of industry partners, are providing fantastic interactive entertainment experiences that can be experienced throughout the home." Using the built-in Media Center Extender technology of Xbox 360, planned for availability Nov. 22 in North America, Update Rollup 2 will connect Xbox 360 to a Media Center Edition PC, offering instant access to thousands of on-demand movies, music and videos available on the Media Center PC, and enabling users for the first time ever to stream high-definition content from Media Center PCs. Update Rollup 2 further builds on the Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 experience by delivering a set of performance improvements and new features that enhance Media Center, including the following: Unprecedented Industry Support Microsoft today announced it has sold more than 4 million Media Center PC licenses and that more than 130 PC manufacturers are now offering Media Center PCs around the world in a variety of sleek designs and prices. According to Current Analysis Inc., for the month of September Media Center PCs accounted for 46 percent of the U.S. retail desktop PC market. A number of new Media Center services from industry partners are also now available. MTV Overdrive today joins the more than 75 content providers currently delivering customized entertainment options through Media Center's Online Spotlight feature. Online Spotlight provides customers with convenient access to thousands of high-quality songs, games, news stories and movies on demand — all from the comfort of their sofa. MTV Networks also revealed plans to launch similar MCE-optimized services from mtvU, VH1 and the soon-to- launch Comedy Central broadband service, while AOL announced plans to expand its Online Spotlight service to include AOL Pictures and AOL Radio Featuring XM. New Online Spotlight services that are now live or coming soon include these: mtvU. Through nonstop streaming service that can be watched continuously, or by using unique on-demand capabilities empowering visitors to customize their experience, mtvU's broadband platform showcases a powerful lineup of original programming serving as a gateway to the latest new music, as well as a source for one-of-a-kind student produced content that will drive and direct the network. "Our audience wants to connect with our content on every platform it interacts with — television, online, on-demand, radio and now through Microsoft Media Center," said Van Toffler, president of the Music, Films & Logo Group at MTV. "Today's announcement about our industry partnership helps further fulfill our multiplatform promise to our audience, taking its entire entertainment experience to new interactive levels." New Site for Media Center Opened on Windows Marketplace In conjunction with today's announcement, Microsoft launched the new Windows XP Media Center Edition site on Windows Marketplace. Media Center on Windows Marketplace allows customers to shop for Media Center PCs, find the components they need to upgrade their current Media Center PC, get cool peripherals and remote controls, or find software programs created specifically for Media Center Edition. The site can be found at http://www.windowsmarketplace.com/mediacenter. Availability of Update Rollup 2 for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Media Center PCs preloaded with Update Rollup 2 are now available from dozens of computer manufacturers through various retailers and direct sellers. Later this year, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, will join outlets such as Amazon.com, Best Buy, Circuit City, CompUSA, Costco, Dell.com, Fry's Electronics, hpshopping.com, Sam's Club and Sony Style Stores in offering Media Center PCs. More information about buying a Media Center PC can be found online at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/howtobuy/default.mspx. Current Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 customers can obtain Update Rollup 2 by visiting http://www.windowsupdate.com. In addition, this holiday season Media Center is more than doubling its global reach, expanding into 20 new countries and 11 new languages. By year's end, Windows XP Media Center Edition-based PCs will be available in the following additional locations: Windows XP Media Center Edition-based PCs are currently offered in Australia, Austria, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Source: Microsoft Press Release Add Comment  1 -
Unregistered - tatical 10.17.2005 08:37 Maybe I should head on over to DigitalLife in the city ... 2 -
Support for streaming VOB??Unregistered - mrl72 10.17.2005 09:25 Does this mean the 360 will be able to stream VOB from movies stored on another media center PC? 3 -
JsonHenry 10.17.2005 10:08 Umm... That is just too much d@mn stuff to read. Who will actually use all this stuff? I thought the point of a Media Center PC was to do everything that 360 is going to do? Who needs a 360 to do this stuff anyway if you already sunk $1500 into a MCPC anyway? 4 -
Unregistered - face 10.17.2005 10:16 because you can have mcpc in one room an xbox in another 5 -
faceMonty187 10.17.2005 10:18 wer u in the A-team? 6 -
PAUL CERULA 10.17.2005 10:20 Well sounds really good to have this xbox 360 option. I know that I probably won't use it but it's good for those who will. 7 -
Unregistered - SickNic 10.17.2005 10:21 Damnit, I have media center 2004. They better not rip me off with this because I am really looking forwards to streaming content to my HDTV. 8 -
Media Center 2004Unregistered - WildAttorney 10.17.2005 10:32 You may be out of luck if you have Media Center 2004. There is no indication in anything Microsoft has published that the Xbox 360 will support Media Center 2004. My advice, wait a few months until Microsoft Vista comes out (the replacement for XP and XP Media Center). It will have even more support for the Xbox 360 than the update for Media Center 2005. WildAttorney (creator of www.spinning360.com - the definitive Xbox 360 Resource) 9 -
will itUnregistered - laptop gun owner 10.17.2005 12:31 does anyone know if it will stream files over a gig...or do you have to have a computer with a 1000mb e-net..any answers please post... 10 -
Streaming files over a gigUnregistered - WildAttorney 10.17.2005 12:48 My hunch is it would have to, given Microsoft's representation that you can stream high definition movies to the Xbox 360. A high definition movie usually takes up 10-15 gigs. -- WildAttorney (www.spinning360.com) 11 -
Unregistered - akumas rebirth 10.17.2005 13:19 i dont have media center on my comp how would i get it? 12 -
How to get Media Center 2005Unregistered - WildAttorney 10.17.2005 13:31 You would need to buy it. Generally, Microsoft dictates that Media Center can only be sold with a new PC that is Media Center compatible (which most PCs are anyways). Accordingly, you won't find it at BestBuy or Circuit City. There are a few online vendors, however, that will sell XP Media Center 2005 to you with a nominal piece of hardware (like a wire) which they don't charge you for. One of these is egghead.com, I think. Do a search online. Buying Media Center 2005 isn't cheap though--it generally runs about $120 (it includes a full version of Microsoft Windows XP). -- WildAttorney (www.spinning360.com) 13 -
you need 2005Unregistered - Knicker 10.17.2005 13:35 I have 2004 and I am mad! 14 -
Don't bother..Unregistered - mrl72 10.17.2005 13:35 Word on the street is that the first release of the 360 will only stream WMV, Mpeg and Mpeg2. It will not stream VOB because of copyright infringement. Therefore, if you have been ripping your DVD to hard disk for playback from an existing Media Center PC you will have to demux everything into a single mpeg2 file for streaming - this means no nice cover art for your movies like My Movies uses and I am not sure if it will stream DD/DTS either. Basically, if you are going to buy this machine buy it for the games NOT the media center capabilities... 15 -
thanks broUnregistered - akumas rebirth 10.17.2005 17:29 thanks for helping me out out on that media center thing, by the way do you need any writers for your site? 16 -
Formats?Unregistered - Derek 10.17.2005 18:33 I hope it offers more format support. I have thousands of videos in .avi encoded with Divx and some that a are H.264 but those will never work since its apple. 17 -
media centerUnregistered - maccdaddy 10.17.2005 20:56 I just got done downloading the rollup 2 for the Windows media center 2005 18 -
Unregistered - IndicaSativa 10.17.2005 21:54 if it can stream other files such as divx hddivx is nice has anyone ever heard of it 19 -
Unregistered - ewrqrqQ 10.18.2005 00:11 Gdamit. I have media center 2004. This is fukin bullshit. 20 -
Get it on ebayUnregistered - mrl72 10.18.2005 09:33 get it from ebay for less than $100. Add Comment |
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