A new computing world started from zero and they still go the old, bad way

[commodore]

Recently there's sooo much talk about PVR's. It's a whole new genre of computing. Everything's new. Noone has an advantage (well they shouldn't have). But why did they put Windows on those thingies? The box needs to play multimedia. Windows is designed for desktops. You can put anything you want on it because it does a quite simple task. There are a lot of cheaper ways and TiVo used one of them. If MythTV, Freevo and others work as good as Windows Media Center why should they use Windows? They had the ability to do it without Microsoft and they went back to the old thing!? Is it again because Microsoft makes it cheaper for the manuafacters or something? What's the point of making it cheaper if noone buys Media Center separately?

[Rikostan]

Well Windows is still the most popular OS.. they want the average user to pick these things up and make them as ubiquitous as regular desktop PCs are, so it makes sense to go with something(even if it's just a name) most people are familiar with. Plus the added bonus of being simple to network with the average users desktop PC.

There will always be niche devices for people like us though and as the main devices get more widespread, there will be more OS choices.

Also as Linux continues to capture market share, I think we will see more and more devices coming out of the gate with more OS choices available.

[Stormy Eyes]

It's easier for people to deal with the devil they know than with a devil they don't know. Microsoft is the devil they know.

[drizek]

because MS made media center and they kinda created the PVR market. Also, dell/hp/etc all have windows-only licenses, and since a PVR is a technically a puter, it has to run winduz.

[it.henrik]

... and sorry for putting some light on this .. but MythTv isnt nearly as stable as Win Media Center :)

[BoyOfDestiny]

Recently there's sooo much talk about PVR's. It's a whole new genre of computing. Everything's new. Noone has an advantage (well they shouldn't have). But why did they put Windows on those thingies? The box needs to play multimedia. Windows is designed for desktops. You can put anything you want on it because it does a quite simple task. There are a lot of cheaper ways and TiVo used one of them. If MythTV, Freevo and others work as good as Windows Media Center why should they use Windows? They had the ability to do it without Microsoft and they went back to the old thing!? Is it again because Microsoft makes it cheaper for the manuafacters or something? What's the point of making it cheaper if noone buys Media Center separately?

Tivo uses Linux... Which predates the MS entertainment center by years (correct me if I'm wrong)

Anyway, here is a list of Linux based entertainment devices.

http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT5690634012.html

Also I have no idea why people would buy a windows multimedia center thingy. I've managed to discourage purchases of it... HAHA :)

[commodore]

Because Windows is similar to them? Windows Media Center isn't even similar to Windows XP! If all the similarity is gone anyways there's no reason to use Windows on PVR-s.

[helpme]

Just a thought, but maybe it has something to do with MS throwing its whole marketing, financial, technical power behind it, as they see it as an important future market?

[prizrak]

Because Windows is similar to them? Windows Media Center isn't even similar to Windows XP! If all the similarity is gone anyways there's no reason to use Windows on PVR-s.
Umm, Windows MCE is nothing but XP with an ability to start a remote driven interface.

Windows MCE is NOT a PVR, PVR is just one of the features of the software. A Media Center PC is supposed to be an all in one entertainment system. It can do everything that a computer can do, everything that a DVD player can do, everything that a PVR can do, etc... TiVo didn't get alot of it's non-PVR capabilities until MS came out with MCE.

Reason for the MS product to be there is because they were the first ones to make a PC based solution. MythTV is fairly new while MCE is currently in version 3. You also need to recognize a difference between an appliance such as TiVo or any other PVR product on the market and a PC. The appliances don't run Windows they usually got their own OS's. What MS sells is something that can be used as a regular PC as well as a media center. This in turn gives OEM's alot of freedom, as they can supply all their computers with XP MCE as opposed to just regular XP and charge more.