Windows_Media_Center_on_Windows_XP.png' alt='Windows Xp Media Center Edition 2005' title='Windows Xp Media Center Edition 2005' />Learn more about Windows Media Center, including info about what entertainment you can view, how to get it, how to set it up, and troubleshooting steps. This document describes Update Rollup 2 for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, eligibility, how to get it, features, and known issues. Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2. Intro. Editors note On Friday, October 1. Microsoft released an update for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2. Called Rollup 2, the free update is available for MCE 2. Windows Update. While not a major revision of the operating system, Rollup 2 includes some significant changes. They include support for the Media Center functionality built into the Xbox 3. TV tuners, two standard def, two over the air high def support for new but rare 2. DVD changers a new power management mode, called Away Mode, which provides instant onoff functionality tweaks to the DVD burning engine included in MCE new zoom modes for stretching images to fit the aspect ratio of your display and support for various languages and localities around the world. Other improvements long sought after by users, such as Cable. Card support, will likely not appear before the release of Windows Vista. When Microsoft first introduced the Windows XP Media Center Edition MCE two years ago, the biggest complaint we had about the operating system was that it held recorded TV captive and produced poor quality video playback. Last years MCE 2. OS improved on both fronts video, while not perfect, looked watchable, and the OS gave you a sensible method for burning DVDs in a format that played on consumer DVD players. Now in its third iteration, Microsofts remote controllable, multimedia OS, Windows XP Media Center Edition 2. PCs digital media content. With support for new set top Media Center Extender network devices, you can now use MCE 2. PC from displays in the other rooms in your home the TV in your bedroom, for example each MCE 2. PC can support up to five Extenders, over wired or wireless networks. Plus MCE 2. 00. 5 also now supports dual TV tuners, which means you can watch one channel while recording another. MCE 2. 00. 5 is the most polished and tightly integrated desktop DVR weve seen, but well have to test the image quality on more Media Center PCs and Extenders as they are released before we give it the thumbs up for broad use throughout your home. Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2. The printed instructions contained clear illustrations for connecting our test PC to a variety of display types, along with details explaining how to connect the PC to wired or wireless networks and add set top Media Center Extender devices into the mix. PC vendors and networking companies such as Linksys will sell Extenders as standalone products. We connected our test system to a digital LCD and a digital satellite cable box, then connected it to an 8. Extender we received. After we powered on the PC and started up the MCE 2. Within 1. 0 minutes, we received a live TV picture and had downloaded the program guide for our area. The only hitch along the way was getting MCE 2. IR blaster we had connected to the PC and placed in front of our satellite cable box. After repeated attempts, we were finally successful were still not sure what we did differently to get it working properly, and we could control the satellite box with the Media Center remote. The IR blaster is essential for the Extender without it, you cant change the channel when sitting in front of the Extender. This version of MCE adds an audio setup wizard, which simply asks you which type of speaker set youll be using, from a two piece set to 7. SS1. gif width3. The setup wizard walks you step by step through the installation process. It recognized our satellite cable TV connection, and we had a picture within 1. Once we had our MCE 2. PC fully operational, we set up the Extender in another room, connecting it to a 3. Sony TV via an S Video cable. Setup was a snap. We turned it on, and it found the Media Center PC in the Labs next door on our offices 8. We plugged in a WEP key and soon had access to the contents on our MCE 2. TV shows, photos, music, even live TV. Since our test system had only one TV tuner, if we changed the channel on the Extender, the channel changed on the PC, too. Unfortunately, we could neither fast forward nor rewind when playing a recorded video. And on a large 3. TV left something to be desired. Theres more on video quality on our performance page. On the whole, MCE 2. For one, the Media Center shell itself more of an application within Windows XP Home than its own OS looks much improved. Microsoft has made it easier to get to your most commonly used functions next to each item on the main menu are three icons that are shortcuts to oft used tasks. For example, next to the Live TV menu item, you might find icons for live TV, recorded TV, and movies. Its easy to close out of the MCE 2. Windows XP Home you can perform either action with a couple of clicks, using the remote control or the mouse. SS2. gif width3. Within the program guide, MCE 2. TV. MCE 2. 00. 5 is quicker, too. Theres no longer a delay while your selections load, and you can now find cover art for albums and movies. The new Movie Finder a subset of the program guide takes full advantage of the cover art it pulls out all the movies from the program guide, letting you know which movies are currently on and which start within the next hour. Windows XP Media Center Edition 2. OSs conception two years ago. Its basic function is to give you a remote control friendly interface for watching and recording TV along with accessing the videos, photos, and music on your PC. Any MCE 2. 00. 5 system comes equipped with Windows XP SP2 and Windows Media Player 1. PC. Inside the box, Microsoft has eased its hardware requirements, so theres a wider range of prices for Media Center systems. We are just starting to see a few MCE 2. Unfortunately, however, you still cant get MCE the cheapest way by buying just the OS. Microsoft hasnt changed the way it is selling the OS you still must buy it preinstalled on a new system you cant purchase it separately and upgrade your current PC. Owners of previous generation MCE PCs will have to check with the PC vendor about how to upgrade. There are rumors, however, that add in cards such as TV tuners might come bundled in a kit with the OS from graphics card and TV tuner card vendors. Well update you here should anything come of these whispers around the Web. The biggest change, however, is Microsofts added support for dual TV tuners, which give you much more freedom in watching and recording TV. With two tuners, you can record two different shows concurrently or watch one show while recording another. MCE 2. 00. 5 records TV to your hard drive in a proprietary MPEG 2 format called DVR MS. In addition to dual tuners, MCE 2. HDTV tuners, which let you watch and record high definition TV on your Media Center PC. Unfortunately, the set top Media Center Extender devices will not offer HD support, and youll be able to receive only free, over the air HD broadcasts. That is, youll get the major networks in HD but not HD channels from HBO and ESPN, for example. SS3. gif width3. The program guide clearly displays whats on TV and gives a synopsis for each show. You can record your favorite programs with one button ease. Outside the box, two developments take center stage. Aircrack 2 3 Windows Media. First, the aforementioned Media Center Extender, which is a set top device that allows you to access an MCE 2. PCs multimedia files over wired or wireless networks. This development allows you, for example, to connect the MCE 2. TVs in your living room and bedroom.