Windows Media Center is officially dead..

[Sorahl 1]

So with the news that I saw that there will not be a WMC in WIn10... I have to think about the best way to move forward (or stay in the past for now).

My Windows 7 Ultimate machine combined with the Ceton 4 tuner card has worked (and still works) great for me I didn't upgrade it to win8 because of the lost of remote assigning tuners (a feature I never actually used but didn't want to rule it out).

 I really like WMC and it works well for us, the Emby plug in is the icing on the cake - especially for our DVD collection.

However I'm not against changing how we interact if it works well with recording and my family.

 

I wish WMC would continue on forever...

and I know I can keep running win7.. but change is not bad..

[AgileHumor 123]

Or run it on Windows 8.1 Pro with no issues.

[AdrianW 1052]

So, I guess my NUC will be staying on 8.1 forever, because nothing beats emby classic's interface.

[JeremyFr79 228]

I'm in the same boat as you, I stick with 7, because as a MCE only machine no reason to go with 8.1, but even worse for me I use Xbox 360's as extenders (mainly for TV)  As it stands now I could move on to using my Chromecasts for everything TV included, however still like the 10' interface and remote capabilities of MCE/Extenders.  I'll probably stick with 7 for quite some time to come as no reason to upgrade and my home media needs are currently more than met.

[Newalpost 5]

This is a topic that's been on my mind as well.  I currently run Win 7 and the WMC/MBC combination, in my opinion, is the best solution of all the Mediabrowser offerings.  Simple and easy to use.  But that said I would like to get away from Win 7 as I've found that Win 8.1 has much better performance and a better user interface.  But without the WMC offering - except at a disproportionate cost - its not an option.

 

I've considered using Theatre but find that this just doesn't have the same ease of use and presentation that WMC/MBC has.  Plus it frequently locks up on me.  I also use WMC for my music collection because I can't find anything comparable within the Mediabrowser family.

 

So I guess I'm going to stick with Win 7 for now at least but wouldn't it be nice if there was a stand alone version of MBC.

[Coldfire 0]

http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/2/8536141/microsoft-windows-media-center-killed-off it is true. But with this community, just a minor setback

[chef 3745]

I also am running win 7 with WMC on my server, but I switch to Xbox one in my family room. The WMC machine is still hooked up, and I also will not be moving away from win7 on that machine. I have been quite happy with my new set up, using "Play To" from my iPhone connected to the web UI, to my Xbox one.

 

I have a feeling that a lot of people will be staying with win 7/8.1 for WMC. But it won't make a dent in the iver all population of people who will upgrade to win 10.

 

The further they move away from it, the more forgotten it will become... Unfortunately...

[Maleficarum 68]

I may move to Win 10 on the server machine when the time comes but unless a decent desktop client is available by then the box in the tv unit will be staying at 8.1 pro.

[Dj Fritzen 1]

Surely the Emby team will provide us with a flawless solution, right ?

[mellomade 140]

Fortunately it looks like Silicon Dust is finally entering the DVR arena.  When this project is underway (this summer) it will likely be a great alternative to WMC.

 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1275320038/hdhomerun-dvr-the-dvr-re-imagined

[AdrianW 1052]

Fortunately it looks like Silicon Dust is finally entering the DVR arena.  When this project is underway (this summer) it will likely be a great alternative to WMC.

 

 

Except the only reason I use WMC is to use MBC. 

[Deihmos 147]

Fortunately it looks like Silicon Dust is finally entering the DVR arena.  When this project is underway (this summer) it will likely be a great alternative to WMC.

 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1275320038/hdhomerun-dvr-the-dvr-re-imagined

 

There is no alternative for copy once channels. Silicon is working on DVR for Kodi.

[Deihmos 147]

Except the only reason I use WMC is to use MBC. 

 

 only use WMC because of the cable card. There are much better solutions for video playback with full control of subs and other things that are lacking in WMC. I would use MBT over WMC if all I needed was video playback.

[Tranquil 93]

Sad but true.

 

I often tried to switch over to KODI, but the implementation of Emby is worse in comparison to MBC.

In one or two years, I think we had to switch when it comes to UHD content. Dont know if MCE is able to handle this in any way.

[JeremyFr79 228]

Sad but true.

 

I often tried to switch over to KODI, but the implementation of Emby is worse in comparison to MBC.

In one or two years, I think we had to switch when it comes to UHD content. Dont know if MCE is able to handle this in any way.

It's going to be alot longer than 1-2 years for 4k broadcast's.  Hell it took nearly 10 years for cable companies to START carrying HD let alone getting to where they are now nearly 20 years later.  You're talking huge investments in equipment, infrastructure, etc.  Literally billions of dollars spent by everyone from content producers to broadcast, cable and satellite companies IF and when they move to 4K.  in short I wouldn't hold my breath for anything beyond 4K on Netflix/YouTube etc.

[Gaz 20]

Guys can I ask for your advice please.

 

My main PC has 5 external hdd's connected to it that hold all my media and that is streamed around the house by using the 6 xbox 360's I have as extenders.

 

If I want to upgrade my PC to Windows 10 when it comes out is there a way to still stream my media stored on my PC to the xbox's if Microsoft are killing off WMC?

 

I can't house a PC in my lounge and can't upgrade all the 360's to xbox one's, if that makes any difference at all?

 

Is there a low cost solution to this or is it just a case of having to stick with Windows 7/8.1?

 

Is it at all possible that some software could be made by the EMBY team that could be installed on a PC running Windows 10 so we can continue to use our xbox's as extenders with EMBY?

 

Thanks for reading and would love to hear from anyone with their thoughts please - thanks in advance

[JeremyFr79 228]

Guys can I ask for your advice please.

 

My main PC has 5 external hdd's connected to it that hold all my media and that is streamed around the house by using the 6 xbox 360's I have as extenders.

 

If I want to upgrade my PC to Windows 10 when it comes out is there a way to still stream my media stored on my PC to the xbox's if Microsoft are killing off WMC?

 

I can't house a PC in my lounge and can't upgrade all the 360's to xbox one's, if that makes any difference at all?

 

Is there a low cost solution to this or is it just a case of having to stick with Windows 7/8.1?

 

Is it at all possible that some software could be made by the EMBY team that could be installed on a PC running Windows 10 so we can continue to use our xbox's as extenders with EMBY?

 

Thanks for reading and would love to hear from anyone with their thoughts please - thanks in advance

Windows 10/Xbox one do not have WMC/Extender, If you're not using WMC/Extender for live tv but only for movies/music etc then you could just use DLNA to stream from Emby to your Xboxes, easiest way would be to use Emby for Android/IOS and just cast to the Xbox, the phone would be your interface etc the Xbox would merely play your media back.

[Macburp 109]

Guys can I ask for your advice please.

 

My main PC has 5 external hdd's connected to it that hold all my media and that is streamed around the house by using the 6 xbox 360's I have as extenders.

 

If I want to upgrade my PC to Windows 10 when it comes out is there a way to still stream my media stored on my PC to the xbox's if Microsoft are killing off WMC?

 

I can't house a PC in my lounge and can't upgrade all the 360's to xbox one's, if that makes any difference at all?

 

Is there a low cost solution to this or is it just a case of having to stick with Windows 7/8.1?

 

Is it at all possible that some software could be made by the EMBY team that could be installed on a PC running Windows 10 so we can continue to use our xbox's as extenders with EMBY?

 

Thanks for reading and would love to hear from anyone with their thoughts please - thanks in advance

 

Best solution is to stay on W7 / W8, particularly if you're providing live TV. But this is only a short-term solution as Microsoft will no doubt withdraw support for the Xbox 360 in time. Microsoft has moved on from WMC

 

DLNA would work, but I believe there would be no capturing of played state / resume info. I did try to DLNA into my extender once, it broke the extender software and I had to re-install. That did not fill me with confidence.

 

I would consider a replacement for your xboxes, the nexus player is a good piece of kit and there are many other options out there.

 

This of course presumes that it is worthwhile upgrading to W10. I remain to be convinced.

[Gaz 20]

thanks for the replies guys, I hadn't considered replacment options as I have 6 rooms with XBOX's in, all of which are used to stream my media too.

 

My 3 kids have an Xbox in each of their bedrooms and I just wanted a solution to them all being able to view the TV shows that are stored on my PC when they wanted to..

 

I don't need live TV or the ability to record TV via tuner cards - just want to be able to stream the TV shows I have stored on my PC to all the rooms in my house that have a TV connected to an XBOX 360.

 

If anyone has an idea on the cheapest way to do this I'd love to hear from you, the thought of having to go out and buy 6 Google Nexus players for each room seems overkill but maybe that's the cheapest option?

 

Big thanks again to everyone for reading and offering their advice, truly appeciated

Edited May 5, 2015 by Gaz

[JeremyFr79 228]

thanks for the replies guys, I hadn't considered replacment options as I have 6 rooms with XBOX's in, all of which are used to stream my media too.

 

My 3 kids have an Xbox in each of their bedrooms and I just wanted a solution to them all being able to view the TV shows that are stored on my PC when they wanted to..

 

I don't need live TV or the ability to record TV via tuner cards - just want to be able to stream the TV shows I have stored on my PC to all the rooms in my house that have a TV connected to an XBOX 360.

 

If anyone has an idea on the cheapest way to do this I'd love to hear from you, the thought of having to go out and buy 6 Google Nexus players for each room seems overkill but maybe that's the cheapest option?

 

Big thanks again to everyone for reading and offering their advice, truly appeciated

Then you'd be fine using DLNA to play to the Xboxes if you move away from a PC with WMC.

[Teddy 51]

If  Microsoft stops developing Windows Mediacenter for Windows 10, is a shame because I use Windows just to use WMC.

I read that Windows 7 support ends in 2020 (maybe I'm not alive at that date), the problem is that support will end on that date but more importantly TV Guide no longer work then.
I wonder if using the application GuideTool will update guide TV in WMC when Microsoft stops supports Windows 7.

Edited May 6, 2015 by Teddy

[Koleckai Silvestri 1150]

2020 is a long time in computing years. It is quite possible that others will step up and fill the void left by the departure of WMC. With a proliferation of set top boxes, the population of people using HTPCs grows smaller even as the cord cutting population grows.

[Teddy 51]

Yes I know Koleckai Silvestri , 2020 is a world in the  computer world but I'm  and my family are very happy using WMC since years , but the shock of the news that makes me think WMC disappears.

Edited May 6, 2015 by Teddy

[ebr 14904]

If  Microsoft stops developing Windows Mediacenter for Windows 10, is a shame because I use Windows just to use WMC.

I read that Windows 7 support ends in 2020 (maybe I'm not alive at that date), the problem is that support will end on that date but more importantly TV Guide no longer work then.

I wonder if using the application GuideTool will update guide TV in WMC when Microsoft stops supports Windows 7.

 

Microsoft stopped developing WMC six years ago...

 

So, the fact that it is not going to be in Win 10 is not much of a surprise but it also doesn't mean that your current setup will all of a sudden stop working. 

[Teddy 51]

Thanks ebr for answer. My concern is not that Microsoft stop supporting Windows 7 (fixes) as we only use as HTPC dedicated, but when Microsoft stops supporting, the update of TV Guide will disappears.
And my question was whether the Guidetool application, would update TV Guide in WMC.

(Anyway, I think I'm now worried but until 2020 it can change all that much)

Edited May 6, 2015 by Teddy