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Microsoft Windows XP Media Center 2005

Manufacturer:	Microsoft
Title:	Microsoft Windows XP Media Center 2005
Availability:	Immediately
Author:
Date:	11-05-2004
Price:	$148.00

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There are 6 parts to this review, please use the pulldown below to browse sections or simply hit "Next" at the bottom of each section to continue

Introduction

I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of Microsoft's Windows XP Media Center 2005 to review. Media Center is Microsoft's answer to Tivo. It allows you to create your own Digital Video Recorder (DVR). You can do everything that Tivo allows you to do and more. In the following review I will show you some of the advantages of Media Center; along with the disadvantages (there are a few).

Required Hardware

You would have to purchase what Microsoft calls a Media Center computer, what is a media center computer you ask? It is a computer that is set up to run Media Center. Microsoft doesn't mention what the minimum requirements of Media Center are, but from my experience I would recommend at least a mid range CPU, 2400ghz or higher (Intel or AMD), at least 512MB of RAM, and at least a mid range Video Card with TV out, I used a Radeon 9550 video card and had no problems at all. You also require at least one TV tuner card. You need one TV tuner card for each station you want to watch/record at a time. So if you have only one you can only watch or record one channel, if you have two you can watch one channel while recording a different one, etc. Microsoft recommends that if you use more then one tuner card, that they are all the same make/model. How much hard drive space you want depends on how much you want to record. A larger hard drive allows you to record more shows.

I tried both an ATI E-Wonder tuner and a KWorld tuner. I did not notice any real difference between them.

Installation

Windows XP Media Center 2005 comes on 2 CDs. What you receive is a full copy of Windows XP with Service Pack 2 on one CD, and the other has the special Media Center features on it. The installation of Media Center (MC for short) looks and acts just like the installation of the regular version of WinXP. Unfortunately if you have a SATA hard drive, you still require the SATA drivers on a floppy disk. Why Microsoft did not allow you to install the drivers off a CD in this new version I don't know. You do require a mouse and keyboard attached to the computer during installation, however once you have it all set up you no longer need them. Once you have completed installing the OS and all your drivers, you can start up MC.

The setup of MC is pretty quick and painless. The first thing it will ask you is to set up your display and TV connection. When you set up the display, it will ask you what are you using as a monitor, Regular TV, Monitor, Rear projection TV, and Front projection TV. It will also ask you how the display is attached to the computer; you have the choice of S-Video, VGA/DVI, and Composite cables. It asks you these questions in order to properly set what MC will look like.

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Once you have set up the display, you need to set up your TV connection, and the TV guide if you want to use it. For the TV connection, you can even let it detect the connection itself, or set it up manually. You have a choice of Antenna, Cable w/o a set top box, and Cable with a set top box, and satellite. Once you have set that up, it will ask you if you want to use the TV Guide feature (I'll go more into detail on it later). If you choose to use it, you need an Internet connection, and it will ask you what your zip code is. This is to allow it to pull up the service providers in your area. Once it has pulled up a list it will give you a couple choices to choose from. When I set it up I had 10 choices, you might not know exactly which one to choose, if you don't, all you have to do is pick one and see if the channel list is correct. If not, you can change it at any time.

Once this is all set up, you are ready to use MC.