“I had the opportunity to pick one of these up during a visit to Seattle, but I didn’t take it because it would have been incompatible with my UK X-Box, a shame really as it is one thing I have always wanted my X-Box to do. However, I rest assured that I know it is coming…”
So you have a Microsoft Windows Media Center Edition 2005 (MCE) PC and it’s been working wonderfully but you want more. You want to be able to play back those recorded TV shows, audio files, and photographs from other locations in your home. Perhaps your PC is located away from your home theater system where you would ideally like to view your content. Well to meet these needs, Microsoft unveiled the Media Center Extender (MCX) concept in the beginning of 2004. We’re just now seeing the first examples of these MCX systems.
A in-depth review by flung over at WhiningDog can be found rather coincidentally at WhiningDog.
What a cool remote!
Jed Rose also let me know that a support webcast occured last night:
You can now enjoy media content in new ways in your home with Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, Media Center Extender, and Windows Media Center Extender for Microsoft Xbox. Whether it is live TV, recorded TV, or digital music, you can broadcast digital entertainment throughout your home. Media Center Extender devices connect a Media Center PC with TVs and monitors in the home so that you can enjoy TV, photos, music, and movies on any TV in your house. Expert Zone columnist Barb Bowman explains how to set up and use these new technologies at home and how to obtain help from the online community when you need it.
You can download the presentation video or even view the powerpoint presentation from the relevent page:
target=_blank>Expert Zone Support Webcast: Using Media Center Extender networks in Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005