Microsoft releases Media Center in Australia

The Australian release is the updated version of the Media Center product that was first released in the US in 2001.

The technology comes installed in a laptop or PC which is connected to a monitor or television as well as the Internet. Users control music, recording, photo and live TV functions through one remote control that scrolls through the Media XP operating system.

However, Microsoft spokespeople admitted today that the highly debated Electronic Program Guide (EPG) function is not available on the Australian version.

According to Microsoft it has been "lobbying" the media industry to allow the technology to go forward, but they said the final decision on it was out of their hands.

"It's an initiative that will be put together by the media industry, it's not a Microsoft initiative," a spokesperson said.

A Toshiba spokesperson added that the EPG has been delayed in Australia because various media organisations cannot agree to a standardised platform for the technology.

Media Center was released in 2003 in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, China and Japan with the EPG function installed. Microsoft touted the feature as enabling consumers to "search television listings to select, watch and record favourite TV episodes, movies or sporting events".

However, the Microsoft spokesperson said the EPG is "something that does not exist in Australia so people will not miss it".

Microsoft also announced that the Media Center will support "on-demand" media services called "Online Spotlight", to allow users to get Internet content such as games as music from the companies content provide partners ninemsn and Telstra Bigpond.

Acer, Hewlett-Packard, Optima and Toshiba are among the hardware vendors releasing a Media Center product, with Creative Labs also releasing a Portable Media Center for consumers to tote around TV, music and internet data downloaded from the program.

Prices range up to AU$5,999 for the Toshiba 17 inch laptop with 160GB hardrive.

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1. Good Luck Microsoft! Here is yet another market where you are just one more contender. You can't exactly lock your users in with VB apps, hidden Exchange APIs and unpublished Word DOC file formats, can you now? Hey, system builders, if Anonymous -- 13/10/04

   Good Luck Microsoft!
   
   Here is yet another market where you are just one more contender. You can't exactly lock your users in with VB apps, hidden Exchange APIs and unpublished Word DOC file formats, can you now?
   
   Hey, system builders, if you want all the features of 'Media Center' and more, with _no_ DRM hassles, check out MythTV. Unlike 'Media Center', it's free.
   
   http://www.mythtv.org/

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2. But unlike MythTV MCE is easy to install and use... I was part of the beta test of MCE in australia this year, and just to try a comparison I tried installing MythTV on the machine that was running MCE 2005 and only managed to get it up to a GUI Anonymous -- 13/10/04

   But unlike MythTV MCE is easy to install and use...
   
   I was part of the beta test of MCE in australia this year, and just to try a comparison I tried installing MythTV on the machine that was running MCE 2005 and only managed to get it up to a GUI where it was asking me to specify tuner cards addresses. I will admit I was just too dumb and didn't have enough time to figure it out, just like most of Microsofts target market will be who are more happy to go to harvey normans and buy a box that they can bring home and plug into the TV that just works.
   
   But I don't think anybody doubts that MS has a lot of competition in this market space - but with the addition of portable MCEs, using XBoxs as MCExtenders (front ends for the main MCE) and other things such as Pocket PCs that can all synch to a MCE machine with no additional configuration, I think Microsoft has a strong product to sell.
   
   Although there is a company in melbourne that sells MythTV based boxes already made, and if they would reduce their prices a little they could do well out of this "Media PC" publicity, they also have an EPG based on their own XML feed that they make available as a webservice to all for free.

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3. Another small-minded Australian miss. Here we are behind the rest of the world again because we can't agree on a standard and we don't like Microsoft? Why? It's Microsoft and it's "American" and we don't want that. Who cares if it's Anonymous -- 20/10/04

   Another small-minded Australian miss. Here we are behind the rest of the world again because we can't agree on a standard and we don't like Microsoft?
   
   Why? It's Microsoft and it's "American" and we don't want that. Who cares if it's Swahili. Get over it Australia! Come on guys, we brag about being quick on the uptake, but this has been out since 2001 and we've been asleep.

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