Latest Media Center News

Media Center Extenders for Windows Media centers demonstrate mass market appeal

Media Center Extenders (MCExtenders) have been around for a few years, but it was only with the roll-out of the XBOX360 that we saw the effective installation of a consumer base. Early software and hardware had been riddled with niggly bugs and poor functionality, but it seems now the MicroSoft has moved up a gear and released a new version of their software supported by Vista.

New MCextender devices will allow for streaming of media content to TV sets from Windows Vista Home Premium and Ultimate enabled PCs.

“The new Extenders for Windows Media Center make it easy to get a wide range of personal and internet content not only on the main TV but on all the TVs in the house,” said David Alles, general manager of Microsoft's eHome programme.

Presently Media Center Edition users can link their PCs to a TV only via the Xbox 360 games console.

Microsoft claimed that the new devices will improve on the Xbox's Extender capabilities by running quietly and supplying a higher quality picture, as well as supporting DivX and Xvid formats.

Part of the new MicroSoft strategy involves hardware manufacturers and licenses to include the MCExtender platform into DVD players and TV sets.

Other vendors have rolled out similar products with mixed results. Apple launched the AppleTV earlier this year offering wireless connections to PCs running iTunes.

launched the AppleTV earlier this year offering wireless connections to PCs running iTunes.launched the AppleTV earlier this year offering wireless connections to PCs running iTunes.Expect to see MC Extender hardware from Linksys, D-Link and Niveus Media before Christmas 2007.