Matt Goyer 's blog - The completely egotistical storyline of my life

Work on Windows Media Center

Want to work on Windows Media Center? We're hiring across almost all disciplines!.

Program management Software development Test Usability Business development Japan based opportunities.

One of the job perks is you get a Media Center to take home and run the latest and greatest software on.

4/11/2005 - 3:13 pm GMT - [guid]

Can anyone help out Mike?

I'm trying to setup My TV to work on a channel other than 2, 3, or 4.

My cable is Qwest Choice TV (Cable TV provided over the phone line).

What happens is that there is one set top box for the whole house and then each of the TV's are assigned a different channel (in my case 3,

10 and 13).

I can get Live TV working on Channel 3, but there doesn't appear to be a way to select anything else (signal comes in over coax).

4/7/2005 - 6:51 pm GMT - [guid]

Gyration sucks

I hate my Gyration mouse.

Even though the receiver is only six feet away from my couch it still does not work reliably.

I literally have to be one foot away from the recevier for the mouse to work.

4/5/2005 - 12:57 am GMT - [guid]

Ben has some complaints about MCE

Ben has three compliants about MCE:

You can't search from the guide page.

Skipping forward is hard.

Can't switch inputs.

Have you tried using the skip and replay buttons while in the guide? That should increase the rate at which you skip forward/back.

As for your other suggestions...

Yes, possibly easy improvements, but we have to weigh every new incremental improvement not just against all known bugs, other suggestions but also new features.

How would you prioritize hooking up VCRs to Media Center versus implementing new ATSC/HDTV functionality?* While we are 'Microsoft', we are still resource and time constrained and have to make hard tradeoffs and sometimes seemingly easy little things get cut.

Update: * I don't mean to imply we actually chose ATSC/HDTV over input switching.

I was just using ATSC/HDTV as an example of a new feature that might have been prioritized higher than input switching.

4/5/2005 - 12:17 am GMT - [guid]

How to put MCE/DVR-MS content on your PSP

Do you have a Media Center and a new PSP? Barb has the low down on preparing and converting Recorded TV from MCE (convert to mpeg4) content to copy to a memory stick.

4/5/2005 - 12:06 am GMT - [guid]

New Expert Zone article on burning and archiving

Microsoft Expert Zone, Burn, Archive, and Share Digital Videos Using Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005.

Tim Muscott, a group program manager in eHome, describes how he shares personal digital videos with friends and family.

Learn how to burn, archive, and share digital videos using MCE.

3/31/2005 - 2:21 pm GMT - [guid]

Why I don't have Comcast

Thomas wonders why I don't use Comcast Foundation Edition.

I would definitely try it out except that my building has signed an exclusive contrast with Millennium Cable, which is a huge bummer.

As for my setup.

I have a ATI x600 graphics card and an ATI ATSC capture card (I think it's unreleased?).

3/31/2005 - 12:44 am GMT - [guid]

Cool looking small MCE

Engadget links to this cool looking Media Center from Beblu:

[image]

3/30/2005 - 10:32 pm GMT - [guid]

MCE needs a better name

Scott Williams thinks Microsoft has lost it's groove with respect to product naming and points to Media Center, What's in a name?:

I think that Windows Media Center Edition 2005 is an excellent product, but sheesh, you practically have to take a breath while saying it and it sounds lame.

If Apple came out with a media center product they would probably call it iRock or something like that.

The last good Microsoft name I can remember off the top of my head is XBox.

It does a great job at sounding interesting and even manages to detach itself somewhat from the stigma of being a Microsoft product.

Yes, I'd love an XBox type name for Media Center.

Suggestions?

Update: Ming also goes off

">and explores some names:

Whatever name's out there, MS needs to seriously rebrand its OS. Windows followed by 10 descriptors (like XP Pro N for Europe) just doesn't cut it anymore.

3/30/2005 - 10:29 pm GMT - [guid]

I cancelled our cable subscription today

I called and cancelled our $80/month digital cable subscription from Millennium Cable today.

When the customer service rep asked why, I said that all the channels I wanted were available via over the air HD broadcasters.

He at first didn't know what OTA was but I explained it and he followed up asking 'what if there were a special promotion, would you stay?' and I responded that it certainly was hard to compete with free.

And not just free, but free and works with my Media Center.

Of course, HBO isn't available via either OTA or through Millennium so we're out of luck there when Six Feet Under comes back on.

We'll likely turn to an alternative distribution mechanism to get the shows and I'll feel a bit guilty, but not so guilty since it doesn't matter how much I'd be willing to pay I still couldn't get them in HD short of moving into a new building.

Millennium does offer HBO via standard def digital cable, but I'll be honest, I can't watch standard definition TV anymore.

I'm a HD convert and there's no going back.

3/30/2005 - 6:36 pm GMT - [guid]

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Disclaimer: The posts on this weblog are provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confer no rights. The opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions and do not represent my employer's view in any way.

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