[GiulioCampobassi]

BigRedMachine2, on 04 May 2012 - 08:45 AM, said:

Of course you are overreacting. You don't even know the price of either Win 8 or WMC. The justification is why should everyone have to pay for certain codecs for a relatively small user base. Theoretically MS can lower the overall cost of Win 8 for everyone and the people that use it can apply the savings to puchase it. Now reason to throw yourself over a cliff...

The thrust of this "over-reaction" is the fact that you now have to pay for a distinguishing feature in the current O/S when it was previously included in the cost, and initial installation. Vendors splitting out products is not un-common. M$ is in trouble at the moment. Their current business model is now past it's use-by date, and their new initiatives are not getting any traction in the mobile space... But M$ hae deep pockets, and un-scrupulous lawyers... They will eventually prevail, if they get Ballmer into retirement sooner rather than later.

[jrf1]

I agree with you. I use Vista and use Media Center for TV Guide and recording, both TV programs and transferring my old VCR's to DVD's. I was going to upgrade to Win 8. I'm not sure now.

[Rob6sg5]

I will not be buying Windows 8 because of this. I will skip it and go to the next version for my main systems...maybe sit on Win7 for as long as possible for the HTPC if they don't fix this business model. I'm pissed. Doesn't help that they seem to have abandoned the EPG data this past month...tons of problems. Maybe it's for the best...encouraging us to rebuild our HTPC on Linux with MythTV. *sigh*...

[waldojim]

Rob6sg5, on 06 May 2012 - 02:21 PM, said:

I will not be buying Windows 8 because of this. I will skip it and go to the next version for my main systems...maybe sit on Win7 for as long as possible for the HTPC if they don't fix this business model. I'm pissed. Doesn't help that they seem to have abandoned the EPG data this past month...tons of problems. Maybe it's for the best...encouraging us to rebuild our HTPC on Linux with MythTV. *sigh*...

If only Myth worked as well...

[userz0h0]

I'm using Windows 8 consumer preview right now with media center.

[userz0h0]

userz0h0, on 06 May 2012 - 03:59 PM, said:

I'm using Windows 8 consumer preview right now with media center.

http://i215.photobuc...enterinWin8.png

[HeinzSch]

Let's see if there is or will be an aftermarket (free) add-on. Can't really boycott the monopoly holder.

[CLBLACKALLER]

I totally agree. Their monopolistic practices are really wearing thin, and I'm definitely staying with Windows 7. XP served me well for 10 years and I expect Windows 7 to do the same. By that time, maybe Microsoft and "Windows OS" will be history. One can only hope.

[jrussell19]

I was really looking forward to wndows 8. NOT ANYMORE

[john3347]

This WMC issue will not directly affect me as I have already decided that Windows 8 will not be on any of my computers with or without WMC. An OS that pretends or attempts to be optimized for everything will do nothing well. I predict Windows 8 to be a short lived Vista short on the heels of Vista.

[OswaldoBellido]

compnovo, on 04 May 2012 - 09:20 AM, said:

I had the same initial reaction until I sat back and looked at what my actual Win8 usage will be, and right now my only interest is in WinRT on an ARM-based tablet. I won't need DVD playback on a tablet, so no issue there. Furthermore, I have four Win7-based PCs at home (including the one under the television) with four perfectly good Win7 OSs on them, and not a touch screen among the bunch, that I hadn't planned on upgrading, so no issue there either.
Looking farther ahead, if I ever buy a Win8 PC with an optical drive that doesn't have WMC bundled, THEN I'll have heartburn about it. The thing is, I build my desktops, and I think optical drives in portables are going the way of the Dodo bird.

I disagree. The current state of home network connections won't allow for Full HD movie downloads yet. No Hulu or Netflix or Apple TV or Google TV accounts are going to replace the quality of a Blu-ray disc. Even a DVD gives me a better image.

I do agree that charging extra for Media Center in Windows just doesn't make sense.

[MudPup123]

As long as WMC is available as a free add-on, I'm okay with it. If they try to charge for something that has been available for free for so long, then I would take offense and refuse to update. I use WMC every day (Windows 7) to record TV shows and play them back using my xbox 360 as a WMC extender. It works like a charm!

[GeoffCoupe]

I have no problem, in principle, about paying for WMC 8. I understand that it's only used by a minority, and I expect to pay for it (and the codec licenses).

However, what I strongly object to is that, in addition to paying for WMC 8, I would also have to pay a premium for Windows 8 Pro, for additional features that I neither want nor need.

However, the good news is that Microsoft has made my decision easy - I won't upgrade my HTPC. I will continue to use Windows 7 Home Premium with its built-in Windows Media Center.

[GoBoltz]

bjbrochu, on 04 May 2012 - 08:51 AM, said:

This is just another reason why I will not upgrade for as long as I can possibly avoid it. I am staying with Windows 7 and I am not even thinking about upgrading beyond avoiding it.

NOW is the time to try UBUNTU ! specifically http://www.mythbuntu.org/ ...
It can do EVERYTHING that media center does & more.... for free.

You've heard of "Try before you buy"? ... Try this !, Before you EVER buy that !....
It's cool, works & you will learn something & can brag to everyone that you use Linux !

[ViewTronicx]

Wowww !! for us its big deal, and hard to believe. We producing Tv Media Center all in One with Win7.see link. www.viewtronicx.com , this new will make our new product very hard to sales.
hope they will change direction soon.

[Hawes]

I am beginning to feel that Microsoft is going to have to run two operating systems in parallel. I see no reason to upgrade to Windows 8 to a desktop where I can't even figure out how to shut down the computer. This is going to be a dismal failure.

[leinieman]

BigRedMachine2, on 04 May 2012 - 08:45 AM, said:

Of course you are overreacting. You don't even know the price of either Win 8 or WMC. The justification is why should everyone have to pay for certain codecs for a relatively small user base. Theoretically MS can lower the overall cost of Win 8 for everyone and the people that use it can apply the savings to puchase it. Now reason to throw yourself over a cliff...

Theoretically is the key word here. It just won't work out that way.

[007vsMagua]

If you think Windows 8 will be cheaper, I have a great deal on a bridge right now. Considering Mircosofts lack of enthusiastic support for PC gamers (What happened to the Sidewinder line-up?), it seems Microsoft has relagated PC home users to the old basement apartment. I can understand Microsoft seperating WMC from Windows 8...why not make it as streamlined as possible. But considering that WMC has paid for itself many times over, it would be a shame for Microsoft to charge anything for the addon.

[JackDallas]

Similar to action taken on frontpage. No regard to existing users.

[lawsonka]

I was very pissed when I initially read about this change and we're talking about more than just Media Center but rather DVD playback period.

We are all working with a consumer preview at this point and there are bugs and fixes that need to be made but overall Win8 has been one of the most stable environments from MS that I have used. I do NOT like the full screen metro interface and the lego blocks and the extremely poor use of large monitor real estate but I do actually prefer the new method of launching applications even after trying a Start Menu replacement.

I have used Media Center in the past but found it somewhat buggy and little to no support or fixes for an idea that could be great. I can understand decoupling WMC from some versions of the OS but again I do not believe MS is aligning it's products in the best manner i.e. tablets, desktops and Enterprise and WinRT.

What I want to know from MS is what am I going to get if I have to pay for WMC / DVD playback functionality? Just giving them money for a non-supported add-on that isn't undergoing enhancements, development, and support is just plain ole highway robbery.