Windows Media Center Team Blog

Whats the new due date?  As you know, nothing is ever completed unless there's a due date. (software, construction, etc).  

Will I be able to run the "digital advisor tool" as a stand alone application in Vista Ultimate or will I need to install Windows 7 first and then run the application. I would only upgrade to Windows 7 at this time if my computer (Dell XPS 630) passes certification.

Seems like a lack of interest on Microsofts part.  Media Center is to MIcrosoft as the spce program is to the Obama administration.

This doesn't provide any new info.  I don't see the point in even posting this.  "The very near future"?  I am still going to be checking the ATI website and TGB multiple times a day to see if this thing has released yet.  If the things not going to be coming out until Christmas, tell me that so that I can relax and be patient.  I can't be patient with "the very near future".

I’m Sad to here this news but Happy you are letting us know and hopefully you will continue to inform us of events like this in the future because in the past it was not just lacking it was none existent.

Thanks again

What is behind the delay? It would be much easier to understand with detail instead of continued and vague references to it... This is just unacceptable...

This is pretty lame and disappointing.  I have a tuning resolver waiting for this.  Why not at least get the firmware out there for us existing OCUR users?

This is very bush league....  you guys sound like start-up and not the largest SW company in the world.  To have  you guys state from early September that is going to happen on the 22nd and to string all of us along for months waiting for this like were kids waiting for Christmas morning and then put up a post that tells us nothing after the target was missed leaving us all hanging  is just unacceptable.

Sorry for the rant...   Just very frustrated.

I believe the reason that the firmware is not, and will not be available by its self, either thru AMD or Microsoft, is as Microsoft has sad in the past, there is a windows software component that must be installed at the same time as the firmware.

So, having one (either the firmware or the windows update) without the other, will not work.  This is why Microsoft is releasing the firmware via a windows update - to insure that the required software update is installed at the same time as the firmware update.

I'm thinking that the cause of the delay is technical (or scheduling) difficulties in setting up the windows update.

JMO,

Matt

I with richardyoo, tdramble and RobRoy9701.  I am still checking the website daily and asking, "where is it?"  Maybe you can also provide some information about the delay/slip.  Is it CABLELABS!!!!!  At this point "near future" doesn't provide any information.  If this is a result of cablelabs, wouldn't it help if the enthusiats knew so we can direct our questions accordingly!  Also if this is a cablelab delay then we might as well talk in 2011 right!  By then, we may have the DISH tuners, DirecTV tuners and streaming, so at least I can sell back my ATI OCUR tuners at cost!  How about providing more useful info!  Even something like before XMAS would help!

Wait a second... I am literally installing my Windows 7 upgrade as I type this.  I use two ATI digital cable tuners with OCUR (legit mobo bios).  Am I not going to be able to use them until this firmware is released?  That's pretty crappy, especially when you have no idea how long it will be.  The fact that no release date is scheduled seems sketchy...

It's very frustrating for those of us that have been waiting on the edge of seat for this to be released.  But in all honesty have you ever tried to go through MS customer support for anything.  They obviously have something that everyone needs so they really don't need to give good customer support.  At this point i'm sure they had thought about putting the patch and firmware out on the second Tuesday of the month like most patches but didn't make the deadline.   So they are probably putting it out on the next patch Tuesday 19 days late.  Like I said they have something everyone needs so why bother to be ontime.

This means nobody legit with OCUR setups, like my dell xps 420 can upgrade to windows 7 right?

Without the tool where do we get a PID?

The PID from vista works

Big big bummer. I've been waiting for this day since MS launched XP MCE.  Notwithstanding the actual news, waiting until day of launch to let everyone know is a little lame.  Even though it reeked of 'too good to be true' I was really hoping this would work out.   I guess I'll just sit on my CableCard tuners and wait.  Sigh.

go here for your PID:

www.engadgethd.com/.../diyers-successfully-build-their-own-cablecard-equipped-htpc

Come on Pete,

Could you throw us a bone. Please? A small one. Just a morsel.

Hoopty lives on the east coast with an angry wife  because she can't burn her shows to dvd, and crying child for the same reason , two dogs that pee in the house and 4 cats that he doesn't care for.

MomentaryDogma - Yes, the thing that the delayed effects is new functionality for SDV,  this functionality requires the the new firmware, and a software update.  The firmware also relaxes copy protection a bit.

Even without the updates, the OCUR tuners in WIN7 will work just the same as Vista.

Also, I don't know what website people are going to look for the firmware update, if it's the AMD site, I don't think you will ever see it there.  The firmware requires a software change at the same time, that's why it's being released via windows update.

That's sad Hoopty...come on Pete, do it for Hoopty, his kids in tears Pete!

I really don't understand people saying they can't install Win7 until these updates are ready.  If you have an existing Vista setup, nothing is different use the same PID and everything will work the same.

If you don't have a Vista setup, just follow the directions in the link from MrTyBalt, and everything will work fine.

I don't get the big deal about this delay.  Everything works the same in WIN7 as it does in Vista.

Yes, it's a bit annoying that SDV is still a problem, and I too would like to be able to play my recordings on my network, but those limitations have been there for a long time.  I don't see the big deal in waiting a little longer.

And as far as the Advisor Tool, I'm using the bios hack and it works fine.  So yes, I would love to be 'legit', but it's really not work complaining about.

JNHO

Mashman, without SDV support, I don't get a lot of channels.  I download Always Sunny In Philadelphia from newsgroups.  I have two DCTs and I STILL download TV from newsgroups.  

The lack of support for these products is laughable.  I have always faulted Apple from not making AppleTV a comparable product to media center.  Seems MS doesn't move a muscle these days unless somebody else does.

And while I'm at it, why not take a stab at Netflix?  How can a company who has such a great position in this market not grow their product?  Netflix streaming outlives it's novelty in about two weeks.  Sony learned a long time ago that the battle isn't in the media or distribution, it's in the content.  Netflix for W7MC, so what?  What the hell am I going to watch with it?  I'll go back to my non-functional DCTs and my downloaded TV shows.

Peter;

This is like an airline delayed flight announcement.  I think foks would like some context.  We know the Cablelabs certification is done.  We know there is no more development or testing.  So is the delay because it could not be scheduled in Windows Update?  If so;  why doesn't Microsoft or ATI just post to the web site?  It is not like there are millions that need the firmware.  It is a pretty small and select group that have done firmware updates before.

Thanks Pete.   There are many such as myself who simply appreciate the update.

Any updates on this? While it's good that there's communication, a better timeframe than "near future" would help a lot even if it's a month away.

let's go, where's the windows update?  don't try and pull this cedia announcement bs and then never have it come to fruition.  these ati tuners are going for $300 on ebay and there will be hell to pay if you don't provide a legitimate way to use them with non-OEM PCs.  where is it?  hurry up!

Pete?

It seems that we have passed "very near future" and will be graduating to "when it's done" as the schedule for release. :)

Well I am just done with this garbage.  I'm going back to downloading my TV.  Screw all this BS and lack of information.  

I upgraded to windows 7 only after the upgrade tool said no problems, good to go... So after the upgrade I find out that I no longer have TV. The two ATI TV Wonders are not recognized. So now I have 3 TV's (2 connected with extnders) that no longer work! This is crazy!

At this point, I think the Ceton tuner will beat this release. All I want is the flippin' firmware!!! COME ON!!!

Looks like I made a good decision to pick up another HD-PVR instead of a cablecard tuner.

jimmyl, you are doing something wrong, the tuners work fine under Windows 7.  Check your firewall settings and uninstall Norton if you have  running.

People should know that you don't have to wait for the firmware if you have the right motherboard and you don't care about SDV or relaxed copy protection.  

OCUR BIOS check utility: www.dougknox.com/.../ocurbioschk.htm

OSFRLoader: thegreenbutton.net/.../73065.aspx

When is CES? What if this crap is delayed so they have something worthwile at CES? They could make a big splash along with Ceton's MOCUR and maybe Toshiba's MCX-having (still?) Net Player.

But I *DO* care about relaxed copy protection. The current implementation is killing my desire to just share content within the home. This is beyond unacceptable...

Yea really....this is clearly some waiting for PC between vendors. Windows Virtual PC and XP mode was released on schedule (22nd) why can't this?

Jack: I wouldn't put it past them to hold it until CES. Hell, we have waited this long, what is a couple more months, right? I continue to be amazed how Microsoft technologies continue to exist, in spite of Microsoft's apparent best efforts to sabotage their own growth.

This is da sha vu all over again when they did this to us with the new extenders...   When it was announced in September  they would be out in November and did not come out to some time to late January, and they also gave us no explanation for that delay.   The only thing we have learned about this latest delay is that  "very near future"  means longer then 8 days.

DanITman said I was doing something wrong, maybe it was working on beta versions? I can't seem to get the ATI TV Wonder to work under any circumstances... If I'm wrong can someone please tell me what to do to get them to work??

Any updates on this?  I have new equiptment on order, and a new copy of Windows 7 waiting for installation.... I don't see the point in installing over my beta install of Win 7 until I can use the cable cards without using the hack again....

someone just needs to leak the firmware, it's been stable for how long now?

And we know it's a stand alone installer, a tester leaked that little tidbit

Please, Please, have the firmware update be part of patch Tuesday (11/10).  Pretty Please.

Strumming my fingers on my desk... COME ON!!! This is getting OLD!

I really need to get this firmware soon. Bright House in Central Florida has put Fox Sports Florida on SDV. The problem is that about half the Orlando Magic games are broadcast on Fox Sports Florida. It's really frustrating that the firmware is done and would fix the problem, but isn't released and no reason is given for the delay.

Officially 2 weeks late.  While I understand that there might be circumstances that are out of Microsofts control which have caused the delay, having declared the release time of these software updates it should be expected that people sound their displeasure directed at Microsoft.  Why announce a release date with what appears to be a complete uncertainty of when the software will be ready?  I have told people of these updates who need them and now I look poorly.  If I promised to complete software on a certain date and 2 weeks later had no answers and no software, customers wouldn't be happy.

Just come out and explain the situation. Be honest. BUT GIVE DETAILS! That is the least you can do now...

I just don't understand how Joe Chauvin can come out and do this great write-up on 10-2 about this update, telling us all the things it's going to do....  And now just leaving all of us hanging for the last two weeks.   And to further frustration...   We all been asking for Pete for the last two weeks to elaborate on this post about the delay and no response.   But I see yesterday a new post him  talking about how he is thinking of using mini note book to stream recorded tv.   (It must be nice to have the ATI firmware upgrade to be able to do so.)  

It not so much the delay that is getting to me...  It's the lack of communication after two months of blogs/posts saying it was coming.

I love how the post refers to us as "enthusiasts" as if we are this select small group of users.  I'm not enthusiastic about anything, I just want my effing TV to effing work properly.  What's worse is that there is no way to contact Microsoft directly about this.  I could call some Indians and fight with them for a few hours but it would be less painful to hammer a nail into a board with my penis.  

Given the amount of time that has passed, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that this thing isn't happening.  There is something amiss here and nobody is saying what it is.  I turned off my MC and put my cable account on a seasonal hold until somebody pulls their head out of their ass.

I'm a bit disappointed with the lack of updates as well, but at least I still have a working cablecard system.  The only thing that bums me out is that I purchased a bunch of new gear, including a win 7 family pack, that is all sitting in shrink warp until I can install without the PID requirement.  I have a valid PID, but I really want to install on my new low power rig.  Maybe I'll send MS an invoice for the extra electricity I'm using running my cablecards on a quad core rig for no good reason.

Everyone,

Please accept my apologies for running silent on this. It was not my choice, and I really can understand the frustration you're feeling.

I'm the messenger in this scenario - I don't have much visibility into its inner workings. FWIW, I do know that some of the factors informing the delay were not entirely in our control, and given that, some folks felt that providing a revised timeline was too risky.  

In the meantime, I've been trying to keep everyone working on this apprised of the evolving sentiment in the community, the eagerness for the updates, and the exasperation the delay is causing. Folks here are keenly aware of this, and there are many people working hard to make these available as soon as possible.

As soon as there's news cleared for me to share, we'll post it on TGB. In the meantime, the best I can do is ask you all to hang in there.

My apologies again.

Pete

@hoopty: tell your wife/kids I'm sorry. @MikeL and Moxie: I didn't mean to rub salt in the wounds by continuing to post to my personal blog on tgb - that post had been in draft status for a while and I wanted to move it off my plate, and didn't realize it might upset folks. @Robroy...I wish I could. @Ylinen...a flight delay is an apt metaphor. Don't worry, we're not handing out hotel vouchers.

Sorry, but the entities responsible for this delay *SHOULD* be called out. They deserve the repercussions felt from causing it. It has been needlessly bundled into a whole "service pack" when it could easily be rolled out in individual components. I mean for Pete's sake (pun intended) it is a flippin' firmware update we are talking about here. The fact that it was "previewed" and made available to the "chosen few" reviewers as a tease was even more painful. It is a good thing I wasn't a reviewer, because if I had been, the ATI firmware would already be on a torrent site. This delay is just absolutely ridiculous compared to the critical functionality it affords. This flaw should have been addressed more than 2 years ago...

appears the update is out now?

nm seems its just the firmware part of it.

what do you mean never mind, the firmware part of it is the best part, yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The update is out now, the firmware and the tool.  

www.missingremote.com/index.php

I admit to being frustrated by the delay and lack of communication. However, the update works well and I'm grateful for MSFT and the cable companies loosening up a little. Most of us have good intentions for the content we record and simply want to watch it on other computers in our own homes or have the ability to keep our recordings when moving to new hardware. Thanks again for the updates, Pete.