Yes Virginia, Media Center already does HDTV
Ed Bott: Media Center already does HDTV! Ed Bott takes PVRblog to task for suggesting that Media Center can't record HDTV in a write up on new HDTV support that SnapStream has announced for their next major revision.
Yes Virginia, MCE can record HDTV, OTA HDTV only, but this is largely worthless. Let me explain to you why. Some of the best TV being put out today is not being broadcast over the air. My two favorite shows on television at present are Six Feet Under and the Sopranos. These two shows put everything else put out by the crappy networks to shame. The shows are fresh, cutting edge, critically acclaimed and make for some of the hottest TV around. So if you are going to want to watch these two shows (as well as many other things) in HDTV you are either going to go with a DirecTV HDTV box (presently a TiVo box, but this may change soon) or you are going to go with a cable HDTV box.
Now both of these solutions will already today record your network TV for you in HDTV. In fact, not only does my HDTV DirecTV TiVo record all the network stuff in HDTV for me as it is, but I get two feeds (an East Coast and West Coast feed) which allows me even more flexibility for viewing and recording. With a four tuner box which can receive every network show twice a day (once at East Coast broadcast time, once at West Coast broadcast time) as you can imagine, any recording conflicts quickly disappear.
So why in the world would I bother screwing around with upgrading my MCE box to record HDTV that I already get? The TiVo interface is every bit as good as the MCE interface for recorded television (some might even suggest better).
Now I'm not arguing that the new SnapStream HDTV support that PVRBlog writes about is necessarily any big thing. Good to see I guess, but Ed is right, it's OTA HDTV and as far as I'm concerned this is as much a non-event there as it is up in Redmond. As I posted in my comment over at their story this morning, "where's the beef?"
Ed takes issue with PVRBlog's report that Microsoft is holding off on HDTV (which was linked to me) and also posts that "Microsoft and all the other companies aren't "holding off" on anything." Per Ed, "the hardware to decode HDTV over cable needs to exist first, and it needs to be approved by CableLabs." Sorry Ed, I don't buy it. Premium HDTV content should have been in Media Center a long, long, time ago. It hasn't been a priority for Microsoft. It's easy to play the blame game and say it's Hollywood, or it's the hardware, or it's technical limitations, but the truth is that if Microsoft had made premium HDTV content a priority they could have had this done a long time ago.
Microsoft mistakenly views the current HDTV market as not mainstream enough. Instead of making premium HDTV a priority Microsoft would rather roll out half assed concessions like OTA HDTV -- while out of view from the rest of us they negotiate with Hollywood to try to carve out the largest piece of moolah they can from the digital TV pie. Look, DirecTV/TiVo has had premium HDTV for over a year. If Microsoft wanted to there are many different ways that they could pipe HDTV into a Media Center box, they are already recording HDTV with their Foundation software for Comcast today. Even if they just built a Foundation box into a Media Center PC for the sole use of HDTV capabilities this could be done. I'm tired of hearing excuses for Microsoft on this one.
posted by Thomas Hawk at 7:48 AM
10 Comments:
You really, really, really need to read my follow-up post, Thomas. You're being very naive by overlooking the hardware requirements. Are you arguning that Microsoft should reverse-engineer cable company encryption (virtually impossible to do anyway, since cable systems use individually addressable boxes)? Even if they could do that, it would a DMCA violation, subjecting Microsoft to criminal and civil penalties.
If it were as simple as you make it sound, it would already be done.
Thomas,
You really need to come to grips with this one. It is NOT Microsoft's fault.
I suppose you're willing to say that TiVo doesn't care about HD either, right?
Repeat after me: The ONLY reason that TiVo does ANY premium HD is because DirecTV was looking for a TEMPORARY solution to their needs. As such, they licensed TiVo's software for use it THEIR boxes. This will change in the future.
CableLabs is holding it up. I would not be surprised if both companies had been working with them for upwards of two years.
I agree with Thomas on this. Tivo worked with DirecTV (whatever the underlying reasons) and have a solution for recording HD. That is the bottom line. If Microsoft wanted to do something they could. For that matter, they could afford to buy DirecTV, Comcast, or any other provide of HD to 'force' the integration - they just haven't deemed it a priority yet.
Great post, Thomas. This is why I subscribe to your blog, though every week I get so annoyed by all of your pictures that I almost hit delete. I really wish you would seperate your pictures into a seperate blog feed.
The problem with that argument is that Microsoft has also worked with cable providers to provide premium HD content. My Comcast DVR runs a Microsoft OS.
Will DirecTivoHD people be singing the same tune when, in 12-18 months, their 1k investment no longer works.
My point is simply that we're talking apples and oranges. When TiVo (or anyone*) introduces a third-party HD box, then it's time to say that Microsoft has missed the boat.
*Yes, there is a rather anemic Sony box. However, it meets no one's standards in this conversation.
The focus seems to constantly be premium content HDTV via media center. Well how about the fact that I can't watch any premium content via MCE without renting and setting up via IR blaster, a set-top box from the cable or satellite provider.
The need for set-top boxes increases the cost to use an MCE, degrades picture quality, and make channel changing noticably slower. I'd be happy at this point with the ability to record SD premium content without the need for set-top boxes.
All those new sleek HDTV cases are pretty worthless if you have to attached two set-top boxes to it in order to record two channels at once.
Again, that's the same with any third-party box. It's also the same issue: CableLabs is dragging their feet.
Thomas- I respect you but you're incorrect. Ed is right- this is about hardware. I strongly recommend you get a representative from the CableCard consortium to clarify their position on any PC doing HDTV over CableCard- what it would take etc.
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我并没有死广州货架，原来我的心是在右边仓储货架，而是不是左边货架厂。所以在那穿胸一剑之下我并没有死南京货架。
是一阵暴雨把我冲醒了货架公司。听说雨是上天的眼泪深圳货架，也许这天又有人死在那美丽的剑光之下吧服装货架！我张开嘴巴托盘，任雨水打进我的嘴托盘，直冲我的胃塑料托盘。我的伤口又开始流血塑料托盘，但已经不痛了木托盘。试问：仓储笼一个心已经死了的人仓储笼，肉体上的疼痛又算得了什么呢仓储笼？我知道我的刀再练一百年也无法那么美丽仓储笼，那么恨托盘，而且永远别想杀了他托盘。
我退出江湖了手推车，我没有通知江湖上的朋友们静音手推车，并来一个什么金盆洗手静音手推车，因为我的朋友们差不多都被他杀了置物架。我悄悄的走了置物架，隐进了山林之中堆垛架。俨然一个世外高人的样子堆垛架，每天一壶绿茶登高车，放在身边的几上登高车，然后或盯着一朵白云超市手推车，或盯着一片树叶物流手推车，或双目紧闭物流台车。我的刀在玉盆中泡了七七四十九天角钢货架，已经没有血腥味了角钢货架。然后我把它放在我的屋顶轻型货架，任它风吹雨打轻型货架。
十年就这年过去了中型货架。为何今天天忽然想起那柄剑中型货架，那道剑光重型货架？而且内心为什么如此不安重型货架？不应该是这样的仓库货架，对于一个喝了十年绿茶的人来说服装货架，面对死上海货架，也已不再惧怕精品货架，不再不安苏州货架，但今天又为何如此呢托盘货架？
莫非是他青岛货架，和他的剑库房货架，加上他的剑光沈阳货架。我已不问江湖之事天津货架，想他十年前也应该坐上武林盟主的位子了杭州货架，一个武林中人做了武林盟主山东货架，这一生还有什么要求的呢文件柜？
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一定快有什么事情发生了工作桌。
剑还是那美丽的剑Google左侧排名，如果再加上一道剑光吹塑机，就会形成剑的艺术色带，武学的艺术电源插座。
我问反光背心：为何还来找我滚针轴承，我已在十年之前就退出江湖了夜光粉。
他说文化石：因为你没死缎带，因为我没有对手风火轮。
我说激光打标机：十年前已不是你的对手平衡机，何况现在十年未动刀大功率led。
他说磁力泵：放眼天下梯子，只有你一个人是我的对手网眼袋，也只你一个人对我的威胁无尘布。
我不再说话手摇手电筒，因为我不知道说什么手板，我知道我十年前就开始找我毛巾布，发现我没有死就开始找我磁钢。我不死促销台，他心不安模具钢材。
他说时尚配饰：拿出你的刀筛网。
我说齿轮泵：我已无刀天使花房，命托辊，亦可有可无色丁。
他盯着我广告衫，握剑的手越来越紧钢坯，我知道那道美丽的剑光可能随时发出过滤网。在那美丽过后疏水阀，我的生命将画上句号胸章。
阳光照在了刀上发热管，反射到他的脸上手机耳机。他发现了那把刀螺杆，我的刀插销，宝刀蝴蝶，没有鞘的刀工具包。
刀已在我手中点钞机，刀还是那把刀配电箱，人却已不是那个人流苏，因为心不是那颗心沙滩巾。
他为了杀我竟找了我十年氯化镁，而为了和我比武竟帮我从屋顶拿下我的刀来双面胶带，并放在我的手中碳纤维。我忽然发现排线，他也变了汽车座垫，他在后悔十年前将所有高手都杀绝珍珠奶茶。
高手的悲哀太阳伞。
我握紧了刀桥架，我看着他的眼tpr，已经不再像十年前那样明亮了钢丝。
他的剑划出柴油发电机组，划出一道美丽的剑光护栏。我想围栏，这十年他大概在不停地使自己的剑光更美围栏。
我的刀也出了隔离网。简单的动作隔离网，一刀刺进了他的胸网片。那道美丽的光忽然停止网片，停在我的衣服上南京货架。
他说北京货架：这也是艺术北京货架，杀人的艺术北京货架，想不到你十年不动刀还懂这个艺术仓储货架。
我说仓储货架：因为我不想再让你痛苦了广州货架。
他说广州货架：谢谢货架厂。
我走了货架公司。我头也不回的走了塑料托盘。没有取回我的刀塑料托盘，因为我觉得它在我身边已经没用塑料托盘，我后悔我十年前为什么不扔了它塑料托盘？我听到了尸体倒下的声音塑料托盘。我流泪了塑料托盘，我真的不想杀他仓储笼，十年前不想仓储笼，十年后也不想仓储笼，因为我下山时答应过师父仓储笼，一切让着他仓储笼。
我叹了一口气仓储笼。远去仓储笼。
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