Comments on: Five reasons to stay with MCE 2005 http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html Andrew Grant Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:34:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Vista Media Center - So Far, So Not Good :: Shiny Things http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html/comment-page-1#comment-20561 Vista Media Center - So Far, So Not Good :: Shiny Things Thu, 29 Nov 2007 19:00:17 +0000 http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html#comment-20561 [...] put off upgrading my trusty Media Center 2005 box now for quite a while for a variety of reasons. However, since V2 extenders are imminent, and because I snagged some super-cheap copies of Vista [...] [...] put off upgrading my trusty Media Center 2005 box now for quite a while for a variety of reasons. However, since V2 extenders are imminent, and because I snagged some super-cheap copies of Vista [...]

]]> By: Ron http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html/comment-page-1#comment-15817 Ron Sat, 20 Oct 2007 07:53:38 +0000 http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html#comment-15817 I have used and installed both on my system, and I prefer 2005, at least for the MCE side. Mainly because of the "My Videos" portion of MCE. Looking through 400 thumbnails without titles under them (Vista)is a pain. Personally I think the MCE part of Vista is a step backwards. Also the driver issue in Vista was a big pain. For now I'll stick with 2005. I have both, and went back to 2005. I have used and installed both on my system, and I prefer 2005, at least for the MCE side. Mainly because of the “My Videos” portion of MCE. Looking through 400 thumbnails without titles under them (Vista)is a pain. Personally I think the MCE part of Vista is a step backwards. Also the driver issue in Vista was a big pain. For now I’ll stick with 2005. I have both, and went back to 2005.

]]> By: Cliff http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html/comment-page-1#comment-1668 Cliff Sun, 25 Feb 2007 01:57:06 +0000 http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html#comment-1668 Keep in mind you can always subscribe to MS technet for $350 and get a T O N more than just Vista Ultimate. Also, Vista MCE can join a domain - that was a big plus for my environment. Keep in mind you can always subscribe to MS technet for $350 and get a T O N more than just Vista Ultimate.

Also, Vista MCE can join a domain – that was a big plus for my environment.

]]> By: Andrew http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html/comment-page-1#comment-1616 Andrew Sat, 24 Feb 2007 01:26:22 +0000 http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html#comment-1616 Most people's mileage will vary. For people buying new machines or with a single TV/360 then upgrading to Vista may be a no-brainer. In other situations there are several negatives for, let's be honest, few benefits. I'd certainly agree that the VMCE interface is greatly improved, but MCE 2005's interface isn't shabby and is a great deal better than most set-top boxes. When moving from our Comcast box to MCE2005 the WAF was quite high :) And like Shawn, the fact that Microsoft have effectively removed Remote Desktop annoys me enough not to want to upgrade for a while. My deal breaker is extenders. Until I can replace the two I have in other rooms for a reasonable amount of money (sub $200) I'm sticking with MCE2005. Most people’s mileage will vary.

For people buying new machines or with a single TV/360 then upgrading to Vista may be a no-brainer. In other situations there are several negatives for, let’s be honest, few benefits.

I’d certainly agree that the VMCE interface is greatly improved, but MCE 2005’s interface isn’t shabby and is a great deal better than most set-top boxes. When moving from our Comcast box to MCE2005 the WAF was quite high :)

And like Shawn, the fact that Microsoft have effectively removed Remote Desktop annoys me enough not to want to upgrade for a while.

My deal breaker is extenders. Until I can replace the two I have in other rooms for a reasonable amount of money (sub $200) I’m sticking with MCE2005.

]]> By: Shawn Oster http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html/comment-page-1#comment-1606 Shawn Oster Fri, 23 Feb 2007 21:12:55 +0000 http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html#comment-1606 I haven't upgraded yet for issues #1 and #3. I'm running MCE on an old Dell mini-tower with only 512MB and a pretty sub-par processor. I installed Vista when it first came out on my MCE machine and it became unusablely slow. The slowness I could get over but the lack of Remote Desktop is a deal-breaker. I run my MCE headless so there is no way I'm going to shell out Ultimate coin for a machine that just sits in a corner without a monitor doing only one thing. I don't need Ultimate Extras, I don't even need Aero, I just need Media Center + Remote Desktop. Granted I can install other third-party VNC apps but the fact that I didn't have to with MCE annoys me enough that I'm not just going to upgrade. Plus in all of this if I'm going to spend any money or time I'm going to instead buy a *cheap* CableCARD system. I don't need a slick sexy HTPC since I use my 360 to watch everything. I'm waiting for the budget CableCARD systems. I haven’t upgraded yet for issues #1 and #3. I’m running MCE on an old Dell mini-tower with only 512MB and a pretty sub-par processor. I installed Vista when it first came out on my MCE machine and it became unusablely slow.

The slowness I could get over but the lack of Remote Desktop is a deal-breaker. I run my MCE headless so there is no way I’m going to shell out Ultimate coin for a machine that just sits in a corner without a monitor doing only one thing. I don’t need Ultimate Extras, I don’t even need Aero, I just need Media Center + Remote Desktop.

Granted I can install other third-party VNC apps but the fact that I didn’t have to with MCE annoys me enough that I’m not just going to upgrade.

Plus in all of this if I’m going to spend any money or time I’m going to instead buy a *cheap* CableCARD system. I don’t need a slick sexy HTPC since I use my 360 to watch everything. I’m waiting for the budget CableCARD systems.

]]> By: Steve K http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html/comment-page-1#comment-1604 Steve K Fri, 23 Feb 2007 19:38:51 +0000 http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html#comment-1604 I just installed Vista Ultimate last night. For anyone streaming content to a 360 over wireless (802.11a or 802.11n), Vista MCE is a HUGE imprement!!! My home config is as follows: The 360 is plugged into a linksys wireless-n router. The router talks to my vista PC wirelessly (the PC has an wireless-n pci card in it). According to Windows, I get on averate 216Mbps speeds. In MCE2005, lag from the 360 remote was horrible (I think it was how MCE presented album art and movie thumbnails to the 360). In vista, the 360 responsiveness is instantaneous. Furthermore, running the network performance tool in both MCE2005 and MCE Vista, MCE2005 would rarely rank into the HDTV viewing area. Whereas vista consistently was in the HDTV-quality area of the perf graph. Methinks MS put a great deal of effort into the networking code to make the whole experience more wireless friendly. My only gripe is I miss my video titles :( When I'm browing my videos, why can't i just show the title and a thumbnail for every movie?? Did I miss something? The thumbnail-only view is useless if the thumb doesn't give you a clear idea about the movie it represents. (If anyone knows a resolution to this, I'ma ll ears ;-) Still, the above-mentioned performance improvements make the latter gripe acceptable. I just installed Vista Ultimate last night. For anyone streaming content to a 360 over wireless (802.11a or 802.11n), Vista MCE is a HUGE imprement!!!

My home config is as follows: The 360 is plugged into a linksys wireless-n router. The router talks to my vista PC wirelessly (the PC has an wireless-n pci card in it). According to Windows, I get on averate 216Mbps speeds.

In MCE2005, lag from the 360 remote was horrible (I think it was how MCE presented album art and movie thumbnails to the 360). In vista, the 360 responsiveness is instantaneous.

Furthermore, running the network performance tool in both MCE2005 and MCE Vista, MCE2005 would rarely rank into the HDTV viewing area. Whereas vista consistently was in the HDTV-quality area of the perf graph. Methinks MS put a great deal of effort into the networking code to make the whole experience more wireless friendly.

My only gripe is I miss my video titles :( When I’m browing my videos, why can’t i just show the title and a thumbnail for every movie?? Did I miss something? The thumbnail-only view is useless if the thumb doesn’t give you a clear idea about the movie it represents. (If anyone knows a resolution to this, I’ma ll ears ;-)

Still, the above-mentioned performance improvements make the latter gripe acceptable.

]]> By: ton http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html/comment-page-1#comment-1603 ton Fri, 23 Feb 2007 19:38:49 +0000 http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html#comment-1603 what they told me was that it's about 15gb i run mce 2005 of a 8gb cf card via a cf/sata converter what they told me was that it’s about 15gb

i run mce 2005 of a 8gb cf card via a cf/sata converter

]]> By: Wayne http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html/comment-page-1#comment-1593 Wayne Fri, 23 Feb 2007 15:18:58 +0000 http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html#comment-1593 Does anyone really care if Vista takes up more space on a hard drive? I can see memory perhaps being an issue but using an extra 10 GB costs you about $3 with hard drives less than $0.30 per GB. Does anyone really care if Vista takes up more space on a hard drive? I can see memory perhaps being an issue but using an extra 10 GB costs you about $3 with hard drives less than $0.30 per GB.

]]> By: ton http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html/comment-page-1#comment-1590 ton Fri, 23 Feb 2007 15:15:20 +0000 http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html#comment-1590 How about footprint vista is a lot bigger tan mce 2005 both on disk and in ram How about footprint

vista is a lot bigger tan mce 2005 both on disk and in ram

]]> By: Cliff http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html/comment-page-1#comment-1540 Cliff Wed, 21 Feb 2007 23:50:18 +0000 http://www.andrewgrant.org/2007/02/20/five-reasons-to-stay-with-mce-2005.html#comment-1540 I've ugraded to Vista, and have not noticed any increase in stability issues. Furthermore, the UI is WAY better and since most of my MCE time is spent looking at the screen (?!?), the better UI is a HUGE reason to upgrade for me....! (not to mention the WAF gain) I’ve ugraded to Vista, and have not noticed any increase in stability issues. Furthermore, the UI is WAY better and since most of my MCE time is spent looking at the screen (?!?), the better UI is a HUGE reason to upgrade for me….! (not to mention the WAF gain)

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