The latest update to Windows XP Media Center Edition offers incremental feature improvements, including support for streaming content from a Media Center PC to an Xbox 360 console. However, the update does not include support for CableCARD, an emerging standard for connecting PCs and other digital video hardware to digital cable taps. In addition, Microsoft launched new online resources about Media Center for partners and developers.

What's in the Update?

Windows XP Media Center Edition is a remote-controllable superset of Windows XP for home entertainment functions, such as recording and playing back TV shows, ripping and playing audio CDs, and watching and burning DVDs. In Oct. 2005, Microsoft released Update Rollup 2 for Media Center 2005, the most recent version of the OS, which was released one year prior. Microsoft reportedly considered releasing this update, code-named Emerald, as an optional upgrade to Windows XP Home and Professional, but instead chose to restrict it to existing Media Center 2005 customers.

Those customers are increasing in number quickly after a slow start following Media Center's 2002 launch, and now number more than 4 million, with half of those sales coming since May 2005. Research firm Current Analysis says that Media Centers accounted for 46% of U.S. retail desktop sales in September.

The Update Rollup includes the following features:

• Support for using the forthcoming Xbox 360 game console as a Media Center Extender, which allows users to access Media Center functions from the game console (connected to the TV) rather than forcing them to sit in front of the PC, where their digital media is stored; this includes support for watching high-definition video stored on the PC, a feature unavailable with the current Xbox Media Center Extender
• Support for new CD/DVD changers that can hold up to 200 discs; Sony will offer one such changer in a bundle called the Vaio XL1 Digital Living System that also includes a Sony Media Center PC
• The ability to burn high-definition TV shows to DVDs in one step
• Support for one additional digital TV tuner, which can receive digital (including high-definition) TV broadcasts over the air, for a total of two digital and two analog tuners
• An optimization feature that will automatically restart the Media Center shell once per day at a prescheduled time in order to improve performance (the feature does not interrupt other Media Center features, such as TV recording)
• In the United States, a new games category in the Online Spotlight (a portion of the interface that lets users access online content with the Media Center remote control) will let users buy and play PC games provided by partners DISCover and Game xStream
• On some new Media Center PCs, the Update Rollup will support a new low-power mode called Away Mode, which allows the PC to perform certain Media Center functions, such as recording TV programs, while appearing to be off.

One function that some Media Center users had hoped for is not included: support for CableCARD, an emerging standard that allows users to receive digital cable signals by plugging a hardware card into an existing device, rather than requiring a whole new set-top box. Although no vendors are yet creating PC-based TV tuner cards that support the CableCARD specification, Microsoft could have rolled support into the OS now in anticipation of those cards emerging in 2006. However, cable operators are wary about the PC's potential for piracy, and Microsoft may be trying to assuage those fears by waiting for new copy-protection technology to be completed before building CableCARD support into the OS. For instance, in Sept. 2005, Microsoft announced plans to bridge its Windows Media Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology, which is used to protect digital media content on the PC and related devices, with Nagravision's conditional access (CA) technology, which is used by cable operators in Europe to ensure that subscribers receive only the content they've paid for; Microsoft is also building video copy-protection technology into Windows Vista (the next major Windows client upgrade, expected by the end of 2006). Or, Microsoft may simply be saving CableCARD support as a selling point for Windows Vista, which is expected to include Media Center functionality in some editions.

Microsoft also announced the following news related to Media Center:

• New content in the Online Spotlight from partners such as AOL, Comedy Central, and MTV
• New online resources for partners, including a directory to post services and products available for other Media Center partners
• Availability in 21 additional countries
• Plans to provide localized electronic program guides in 11 additional European countries and Mexico by the end of 2005.

Resources

Background on new video copy-protection support in Vista is available in the Oct. 2005 Research Report, "Microsoft's Rights Management Strategy."

Resources for Media Center partners can be found at www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/partners/default.mspx.

Companies can apply to be listed in the Media Center directory by submitting information at https://www.mediacenterpartners.com.

Documentation about the new Update Rollup for developers is at msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/MedctrSDK/htm/importantchangestomediacenteredition.asp.