Help save Windows Media Center

[Hillbilly]

Microsoft can't. There's a lot of licensed software in there which is a huge reason why it got the axe (Microsoft doesn't want to keep paying to renew licenses).

They could sell it. another option on the mediacenterdontdie.com petition. Perhaps someone could start a kickstarter project to buy it.

 

[rtwjunkie]

They could sell it. another option on the mediacenterdontdie.com petition. Perhaps someone could start a kickstarter project to buy it.

They would have to devote resources to keeping it up to date and secure. They are as likely to do that as I am to turn into a frog in the next five seconds. Revenue would not come close to the cost.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

They already do. Windows Media Center on Window 8.1 costs either $10 or $100 depending on version of Windows. Windows 7 was the last to get it free.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/feature-packs

 

[Hillbilly]

They already do. Windows Media Center on Window 8.1 costs either $100 or $200 depending on version of Windows. Windows 7 was the last to get it free.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/feature-packs

This is how I am rolling right now Windows 8.1 Pro with the WMC add on. I got lucky and got it for an early promotional price of $0.

 

[rtwjunkie]

This is how I am rolling right now Windows 8.1 Pro with the WMC add on. I got lucky and got it for an early discounted price of $9.99.

Then don't worry about it. Keep that PC 8.1, and you'll have media center (supported) until 2023 (IIRC). Once they didn't sell alot of them though with 8.1, I think that was the last nail in the cofffin.

 

[Zedicus]

This is how I am rolling right now Windows 8.1 Pro with the WMC add on. I got lucky and got it for an early promotional price of $0.

how is having to pay for something that they removed considered 'got lucky...'
windows people are about to = the new apple people. you paid for the right to buy everything else you want.
i will stick my cheap a$$ to FOSS.

 

[TheMailMan78]

This is how I am rolling right now Windows 8.1 Pro with the WMC add on. I got lucky and got it for an early promotional price of $0.

Exactly. Unless you need DX12 there is zero reason for you to upgrade right now. Hell there isn't a real reason to leave Windows 7 if you don't need a new DX.

 

[Hillbilly]

Then don't worry about it. Keep that PC 8.1, and you'll have media center (supported) until 2023 (IIRC). Once they didn't sell alot of them though with 8.1, I think that was the last nail in the cofffin.

That is the plan.

 

[Hillbilly]

Exactly. Unless you need DX12 there is zero reason for you to upgrade right now. Hell there isn't a real reason to leave Windows 7 if you don't need a new DX.

Exactly, but once DX12 games start coming out the need to upgrade will force me into other options if I want to continue to game with my HTPC. I do game on it with the exception of FPS.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

They'll be out in a few months. XCOM2 was already announced to be available on DX12. That pretty strongly suggests Unreal Engine 4 already has support for DX12 which means several other games that are already out on Unreal Engine 4 (e.g. Daylight) could get DX12 updates.

 

[newtekie1]

A four hour recording will buffer maybe a dozen times. An hour long recording doesn't buffer.

This definitely sounds like a buffering issue. I will admit Kodi has to improve their buffering algorithm quite a bit. It works but it definitely needs improvement.

A large part of it has to do with how you are connecting to the media. The buffering issues seem a lot worse if you are using DLNA, I switched to Windows shares with mapped network drives because of this.

Since when do we have to all be the same and not have choice?

We all don't have to be the same, but when it involves large amounts of work to keep using something instead of simply switching to something just as good(or better) it just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

A large part of it has to do with how you are connecting to the media. The buffering issues seem a lot worse if you are using DLNA, I switched to Windows shares with mapped network drives because of this.

That was it! Kodi's DLNA support is horribad. The buffering happens no matter how I access it nor what player.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

So I tried opening my MPEG2-TS files with Windows 10's Movies & TV application. First time it didn't work because of missing codec. Second time it worked apparently after Movies & TV automatically acquired the necessary codec. Of the players I used (MediaPortal, Kodi, and MPC-HC), this is actually the best.
1) it automatically pauses under certain conditions where it should be paused anyway
2) instead of stopping to buffer, it keeps playing and shows some artifacts (much better, IMO, because it isn't a distraction)
3) the controls are minimalistic and functional (clearly designed for tablets which is okay in my book)

A shame it doesn't support tuning and such with the MediaPortal server like Windows Media Player of old but, to be perfectly honest, I'm fine with that. I'd rather add recordings via editing the MySQL database anyway and I only watch prerecorded stuff on my computer. It should hold me over until open software matures.

 

[P4-630]

Exactly. Unless you need DX12 there is zero reason for you to upgrade right now. Hell there isn't a real reason to leave Windows 7 if you don't need a new DX.

And even if there are DX12 games soon, they most likely have an option to run in DX11 as well

 

[rtwjunkie]

And even if there are DX12 games soon, they most likely have an option to run in DX11 as well

That is something we're going to have to see. We'll know the trend by say, the first five major DirectX 12 games, I think. I'm guessing though, probably not.

 

[Easy Rhino]

I have been using XBMC (now Kodi) on linux for years and years on an underpowered atom. It works amazing streaming 1080p and DTS. Boom. Who needs WMC when there is better free stuff out there

 

[Hillbilly]

I have been using XBMC (now Kodi) on linux for years and years on an underpowered atom. It works amazing streaming 1080p and DTS. Boom. Who needs WMC when there is better free stuff out there

What about live TV and DVR functionality. In my experience KODI is not good for these. That is what I use the most

 

[Easy Rhino]

What about live TV and DVR functionality. In my experience KODI is not good for these. That is what I use the most

I don't use either of those.

 

[Ikaruga]

I use Windows Media Center with Media browser addon on one of my HTPCs (and I call MPC-HC from it at playbacks). It's a pain to set it up and maintain, Kodi is much easier to work with, but I just cba to switch from it on that PC. MCE is really good in supported countries, but - imo - it's not worth the trouble if you don't want to watch TV and other cable content with it.

 

[Hillbilly]

Starting this thread was a good move for me. I now realize that trying to convince Microsoft to bring WMC to Windows 10 is not going to happen. Instead a better course of action would be to get Microsoft to expand the features of the Movies & TV app to include live TV and DVR functionality. Thanks to all for your feedback.

 

[kenkickr]

What about live TV and DVR functionality. In my experience KODI is not good for these. That is what I use the most

With Kodi I use NextPVR and then a subscription to Schedules Direct, http://www.schedulesdirect.org/ for my TV recording. So far it's worked great.

 

[jboydgolfer]

i CAN sympathize with your concern, however I myself have been disabling Most if not ALL of Windows Native Software for a very Long time, including Media center.I hope it works out for You just the same.

 

[Hillbilly]

i CAN sympathize with your concern, however I myself have been disabling Most if not ALL of Windows Native Software for a very Long time, including Media center.I hope it works out for You just the same.

Thank you

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Starting this thread was a good move for me. I now realize that trying to convince Microsoft to bring WMC to Windows 10 is not going to happen. Instead a better course of action would be to get Microsoft to expand the features of the Movies & TV app to include live TV and DVR functionality. Thanks to all for your feedback.

It looks to me like Movies & TV is designed for the future where there is no terrestrial antennas and all movies and TV are streamed to the viewer via the internet. Adding timeshifting and recording to Movies & TV would counter that end goal. Microsoft won't do that.

 

[Hillbilly]

It looks to me like Movies & TV is designed for the future where there is no terrestrial antennas and all movies and TV are streamed to the viewer via the internet. Adding timeshifting and recording to Movies & TV would counter that end goal. Microsoft won't do that.

No terrestrial TV is still a few years out and the current Microsoft caved on the start menu debacle. So why would they not change this? All that is required is noise from the users.