Member Avatar for AlphaNumeroUno

Thanks to Microsoft we have a whole line-up of Media Center Edition computers that are basicly Crippled version of the sony GigaPocket if you know what that is. Wow you can record wow this wow that... Microsoft is not being royal to its advanced users instead it goes for the money, the mass public. Just as what I expected. :cry:

LET ME EXPLAIN:
If you do go out and buy a Media Center Edition computer be aware that it's made for very simple basic users. It records TV yes but in a DVR-MS file format which can't be read by anything, so it can't be edited or moved to other computers that can't read this special file type. Also the Media Center puts copy right flags on some of the TV programs you record and makes it impossible for you to do anything with them watch them. Just like I said, it's made for computer challenged people. The navigation is simple, you don't much of an option, can't control birghtness,contrast,type of file to be recorded to,can't control manual recording,etc. Basicly it's made for retards who loves over simplified computing. I am very disapointed at Microsoft, VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY DISAPOINTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe I bought a Media Center computer, I just can't I thought it'd like GIGA POCKET FROM SONY BUT IT AINT.

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Tekmaven commented: Well, caps for 1/3 of your post make me want to deltree you. -7
christina>you commented: .. -4

Dani AI

Generated

Short, practical context and fixes responding to the thread

’s frustration about Media Center’s “locked-down” behaviour is correct in spirit: Microsoft’s TV-recording containers carry metadata and, when the broadcaster or content owner requires it, encryption that restricts how a recording may be copied or moved. That design choice put ease-of-use and content-protection ahead of full file-format openness, which is why some recordings behave like single‑machine DVR files. (learn.microsoft.com)

When recordings are not copy-protected they are accessible and can be edited or remuxed without re-encoding; Microsoft documents editing/authoring access for unencrypted DVR-MS files, and there are also hotfixes/updates that broaden playback on non‑Media‑Center machines. For WTV (the newer container), Windows 7 provides a built‑in converter (wtvconverter.exe in C:\Windows\ehome) that creates DVR‑MS files; after conversion, common tools can remux or transcode to standard MPEG/WMV for editing or DVD authoring. Example workflows shown widely in the community use the built-in converter plus ffmpeg to remux streams losslessly: the wtvconverter step then an ffmpeg command to copy streams into an MPG container. (learn.microsoft.com)

Practical tool notes tied to the posts here: Stephen Toub’s DVR‑MS Editor (sample code from Microsoft/MDN community) and paid editors such as VideoReDo have been used for fast, non‑reencoding trims; MCEBuddy automates batch conversion and commercial removal; ffmpeg (or DVRMSToolbox/other utilities) can be used to remux dvr-ms to mpg without re‑encoding for burning or wider playback. Encrypted/copy‑protected recordings cannot legally be “freed” by these tools; Microsoft’s docs explain those restrictions. (learn.microsoft.com)

Longer term: Windows Media Center has been discontinued as a Microsoft product and is treated as legacy, so those needing full control and format flexibility typically move to dedicated PVR/recording solutions or third‑party media‑center software that prioritizes advanced options over simplified UI. (en.wikipedia.org)

Command examples (for reference only):

cd /d C:\Windows\ehome
WTVConverter "C:\Users\Public\Recorded TV\Show.wtv" "C:\Users\Public\Recorded TV\Show.dvr-ms" /ShowUI
ffmpeg -y -i "Show.dvr-ms" -vcodec copy -acodec copy -f dvd "Show.mpg"

Recommended Answers

All 9 Replies

Member Avatar for caperjack

Basicly it's made for retards!!!!
Nice choice of words ,you say you bought one .

Member Avatar for AlphaNumeroUno

Well I didn't know it'd be like this... At first I thought it was made for basic and advanced users but its not.

Member Avatar for caperjack

Right ,thanks for the heads up !

Member Avatar for alc6379

Yeah, seriously...

I'm just sorry to hear that you took such a financial hit, though. Way to be a martyr! ;)

Would it be possible to install another OS on the box though, like Windows XP, or (gasp!) Linux, even?

Member Avatar for AlphaNumeroUno

Windows Media Center 2004 Edition is built on Windows XP PRO so don't worry about OS but be sure to know that you won't be making full use of your computer if you have Media Center.

Member Avatar for Tekmaven

You guys don't give MS a fair shot. I rather it be easy, then have people call me up every twenty minutes asking how to record a show :-/.

Member Avatar for Tekmaven

And just so you know, there is a Windows update that allows you to play MCE recorded shows on any computer.

Member Avatar for BILL S

When I bought my first OS; Win 98 SE, it was already dated, but I was advised for DVD recording it would have the largest compatibility base...for my digital pic editing and other pic use on my PC, it is far too lowly I feel. Using Win ME and XP is more up my alley. I was looking and wondering about the M.C. versions of Windows while shopping. I felt if you bought a PC built for video and audio, among other PC traditionals, this was an advanced yet simplified way of doing it, but you point out it seems intended to fight Tivo type standalones in the marketplace...which is a waste of money, no doubt. Integration of TV and PC is great, and very likely the future, but dumbing down the computer when making the investment for the latest tech is an insult and slap in the face.

In the age of HDTV/EDTV, people need to learn digital audio and video, seems they adopted easily enough to iPods, cell phones and the like. I don't use those items, but have followed HDTV since it's death was suggested by Video magazine in December 1986!!

BILL

Member Avatar for Josh Holden

Maybe that's why they say - try before you buy!

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