Windows 10: R.I.P., Windows Media Center

At least native DVD / BD support seems to on its ways:

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That will be good, Thanks Kari. I suppose compiling the guide for 2 weeks ahead in the countries that use Media Center is something they no longer wish to support.

 

A number of 3rd party media centers support Cable cards. Media Portal, the alternative referenced in the article in #1 in fact supports cable cards, and looks like it does 1000x more than WMC ever did.

MEDIAPORTAL - a HTPC Media Center for free! - MEDIAPORTAL

Don't be ridiculous, the only people "worried" are those who have no idea what's going on.

 

It only supports the unencrypted copy freely content. Premium channels or any channel your cable company feels like encrypting it doesn't support. TIVO is an expensive alternative for the cord cutting computer hobbyist who dislikes adding additional monthly charges.

Media Portal although cool, still lacks in hardware support compared to Media Center (surprisingly).

It's unfortunate, because Media Center is antiquated, but it has certain features that only money could buy.

 

That makes no sense. The purpose of the Cable Card is to decrypt the cable signal. It's impossible to support cable card and not be able to decrypt a signal.

Perhaps what you mean is that it doesn't support DRM restricted content, which isn't the same thing as encrypted content since the basic content is encrypted already.

You're probably not going to find any open source solution that supports anything other than copy freely content. You'll have to buy a device that is CABLELABS certified like a TiVo or Moxi. Or, better yet, just forget about recording premium content since the vast majority of it is available via streaming services you have access to with your cable subscription... So you can just stream the shows you want instead.

There is also this, which will be available relatively soon.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...vr-re-imagined

 

Hi there.

I agree - older stuff can't be supported forever -- same with old cars. However if a really good product has a strong user base there will always be people who will maintain it or even continue to develop it. Just look at the quite large user base of Logitech Squeezebox and similar devices --this still has a very active user group in spite of Logitech no longer making these devices (far cheaper than the only equivalent comparable system CHRONOS) and handles FLAC music as well. There's also a group still maintaining and applying fixes to XP !!!

With faster Internet and unlimited broadband services like NETFLIX, NOW TV, SKY GO, HULA, BBC iPlayer and equivalent streaming services can replace any TV cards and you can use things like MEZZMO, SERVIIO, PLEX or even VLC to serve content to remote TV's / computers / phones /tablets etc..

There are quite a lot of replacements for WMC - I don't myself know anybody who ever used it but judging by this thread they are obviously out there.

I'm not sure also if WMC supports the latest DNLA compliant UPnP protocols either which might be why Ms has dropped it.

Cheers
jimbo

 

Entirely unacceptable. All they needed to do was sharpen it up a bit for FHD screens, improve the graphics, and add extra cataloging features, and it would have been ready for prime-time! Bad, bad decision...

 

I always get a kick out of how people who have no idea of how much it costs to develop and maintain software feel they are experts in the economics of software development.

 

If they must get rid of it, it would of been better if they just packaged it up and had it as downloadable abandonware like they do with some of their other stuff.

 

That would be a good idea, I would like to try it and that would get me looking at it, currently for me its the cost of it that puts me off (£99 for win pro then £9.99 for WMC I believe)

main reason I looked at the free alternatives, but would like the WMC/xbox 360 integration to see how well it works

 

That Media center was worst clunker to come from MS, good riddance !!!

 

I wouldn't be surprised if they did just that. They know WMC has its own fan base, they could use some positive feedback.

 

*Ditto

 

*Ditto x 2. I 110% Agree.

 

Or made a modern app version of it.