Windows Media Center in Windows 8 will be paid upgrade

So it might come as little surprise that Microsoft will require users to pay extra for Media Center in Windows 8, according to Liliputing.

The exact cost hasn't been disclosed, but consumers should be aware that if they want the ability to set up DVRs from their computers or stream live TV through Windows, it's going to cost this time.

Source

A Guy

 

[area 66]

The guy who built my computer told me today that my DVD player already has a program installed that will play DVDs, .

Yes many DVD writers come with a software that play DVD, but I usually don't install them in my PCs. I don't like to install thing I don't need. I listen 2 or 3 times a year a DVD in my PC, usually something about my hobbies, I will find it an extra hassle to install something free or not when media player do the job. For sure I don't install anything from C-Net and Download.com and co.

 

[Night Hawk]

The guy who built my computer told me today that my DVD player already has a program installed that will play DVDs, and I don't need Windows Media Center. He suggested that I download the free version to either my XP or 7 OSes, both of which are running fine without it, just to play with it. I might do that while they're still free, but I see me need to.

Back in the XP days where WMP 9 lacked a lot of support for video as well as dvd playback I simply went with CyberLink's player. WMP 10 of course was better equipped and ruled out the need for the 3rd party player while still having tried out Media Player Classic a non MS player with similar name by the way.

The Media Center was introduced more for those with paid subscription services where you pump Direct tv, Satelite, Cable into your pc by way of a tuner card and watch through the Media Center. That was never intended for dvd playback or input from composite devices like vcrs, vhs camcorders patched in through a tuner card but paid services only.

Most digital cameras, camcorders, and digital recorders these days simply become a new drive when plugged into a usb port where you simply double click on a video file to start up a player for viewing. WMP would be the default player for dvd movie and vcd projects here which will be what would be effected while a second tuner card features it's own AVer Media Center separate of what is in Windows.

since that MC does the same thing as far as requiring a paid service I couldn't use for patching other things in for viewing from composite sources despite the composite input jacks. It always made the MC rather useless here when the need for a fully softwared capture/tuner card was needed to begin with. So that wouldn't be a loss for me either while it will hamper others who depend on it being there.

 

[Vince53]

you're both making valid points, but for me it comes down to this:

I thought that Windows Media Player and Media Center were the same thing. I didn't know that my XP and 7 didn't include WMC. And I will use Win 8 with no problem without WMC. In other words, it doesn't affect me.

 

[Night Hawk]

The Media Center is seen in 7 as well as with Vista. You can see the icon right above the Accessories folder in the Start>All Programs in 7 along with others like IE. You have to go through the set up wizard where that will detect the incoming subscribed service however in order to use it.

The Media Center was first seen with the XP edition by the same name or XP MCE for XP Media Center Edition. The Windows Media Player(MWP) however as you read in the Wikipedia reference back in Post #14 has been around in some form since the early Windows and now will have gone from a new still needing to be developed futher to ready for use to now stripped down player. MS is going backward with it at this point.