Just got the email about Windows Home Server going RC1.
I think the list of features sounds pretty solid. Overall, I think the majority of those who use it will be using their for backup and restore functions, which is the main reason I would use it in the long term, though things like using it as a file server would be pretty cool. Ars Technica has a pretty good run down on the move to RC1 and when gold code should come out.
I’m sure many more of you will get this as well. The details are as follows:
The RC (Release Candidate) release is a feature complete build of Windows Home Server.
Here are the details:
Install options
As we stated in a mail earlier in May, we are only supporting one installation option with this RC release: New Installation. Server Reinstallation is not supported. Server Reinstallation will be supported from RC to RTM.
The New Installation option will wipe out all drives including drives where your backups and shares reside. Please be sure to backup any critical data off of your Windows Home Server installations prior to installing the RC build.
Enable Customer Feedback
We ask that you enable providing customer feedback information to Microsoft when you go through setup (or enable it later in Server Settings). We received VERY valuable data from Beta 2 and CTP via this mechanism and it is extremely important that any crash or failure you encounter get reported to us. For privacy reasons we cannot enable this feature by default now that we are this far along in our release schedule.
Things we want you to test:
Run every app you can think of on your client machines accessing files on the server via SMB.
Copy stuff on, copy stuff off, delete stuff, move stuff.
Run lots of backups.
Do single file/folder restores.
Restore full PCs.
Remote Access configuration
Password policy
Password reset
OOBE from a home PC (the OEM experience)
Full system restore of a home PC (test on a spare box)
Adding and removing hard drives through the Windows Home Server Console
Again, we thank you for all the great testing and feedback you’ve given us so far, and look forward to you helping us insure this RC is really ready for release!
(Note - Let me know what features you plan on or have been using most, as well as how your experience with Windows Home Server beta has been going, and I’ll read them on the show. I can be reached at mediacentershow (at) gmail.com )
I’ve long believe it was only a matter of time before Apple moved to offer rental of movies on iTunes (up until now its only been purchase), and looks like they’re going to soon. In this respect, it gives the Video Marketplace as well as other rental servies available through Media Center’s online partners competition, but I think the market is growing enough that everyone will benefit at this point from Apple’s moves.
I had a few comments on this at my day-job’s blog (more about my day-job to come with first podcast).
Looks like despite all the speculation about an impending price drop on the Xbox 360, it may not be happening soon. I suspect it is still very likely before Christmas (Halo 3 combined with a price drop = Sony-Killer). That being said, Microsoft is keeping things close to the vest.
With the Xbox 360 being the only Pika Media Center Extenders out there, I imagine there’s some pent up demand among those looking to distribute media around the home. However - I’ve had some good discussions with Microsoft folks in the last week or so, and despite the lack of Pika based MCX’s today, they all but assure me they’ll be out by Christmas.
Hey folks, its Mike Wolf, the new host of the Media Center Show here at TPN. I’m just moving in and unpacking my boxes right now, getting some guests lined up (we’ve got some great ones coming!). I’ll start posting here occasionally and increasing the frequency as we get closer to the first show (with me, that is).
And as for my first guest, it’s a good one! I’ll let you in on who it is in about a week. Stay tuned!
Feel free to drop me a line at mediacentershow (at) gmail.com
This week on the show is Doug Berrett author of Webguide the remote scheduler application for media center, well I say remote scheduler but it does a lot more that that. Doug will be joining me to talk about version 4.0
This week on the show I am taking to Rathe Hollingum a Microsoft developer from the European development center in Ireland. We are going to be talking about the center and what they are adding to Media Center to make it a more global product. I have email, a winner of forum post of the week and details of a new competition
00:32 Coming up this week
01:02 Questions regarding Show #94
03:13 Winner of Forum thread of the week
03:48 Next weeks winner gets Pamaela Pro + mcePhone Bundle
04:10 New Forums, The Lounge, Video Cards and Tips and Tricks
05:29 Windows Home Server Beta 2 - register for the beta
06:40 Aufero -BitTorrent client use with Windows Vista Media Center
07:28 Where are the Media Center Sidebar gadgets?
09:00 Links to my blog and TheDigitallifestyle.com
09:40 A message from Onevoice
10:07 Welcome to Rathe Hollingum
10:30 What is Microsoft’s European Development Center
13:00 Tuning changes in Vista
14:40 Telex improvement
15:21 Digital Text is coming to Media Center!
17:40 Subtitles in DVB
18:12 European Standards
20:10 DVB-S cards in Media Center
22:06 Guide data in the DVB-T signal
29:10 Working with Microsoft Redmond
31:00 TV differences around Europe
33:33 New counties joining Europe
35:00 Cable support
36:00 Australian Support
38:58 Future developments
44:50 Extender support
46:22 Don’t forget the new email , forums and blogs
To kick of the tips forum I have posted details on how to use mceBackup 2.0 to transfer Media Center TV series recording from one PC to another. This is the method I used when reinstalling my main Media Center PC with Windows Vista a couple of weeks ago.
As there are going to be lots people using Media Center for the first time when they get Windows Vista I thought it would be a good idea to share our top tips with the new users.
It could be anything, from how to share recorded TV to picture settings. Anything that you find useful others will find it useful too. So get posting and the tip of the week will win some free software
This week on the show I talk Media Center Extenders with Mark Pendergrast from Microsoft, we talk about the progress from the V1 extenders and what is coming in the future. Mark also has some great tips on getting the most out of your Xbox 360 Extender.
Show Times:
00:30 Coming up this week
01:02 Email on Codecs
02:37 New Email address
03:09 When will we see v2 Extenders and noise levels of the Xbox 360
04:36 My new book on the Vista version Windows Media Center (pre-order now!)
06:00 Onevoice Communicator controls Media Center Extender sessions
06:47 Windows Home Server Forums
07:49 Upgrading a laptop from XP to Vista
10:03 The forums
10:25 A Message from Onevoice
11:28 Welcome to Mark
12:56 Mark’s roll at Microsoft
16:50 Features and how they get implemented
19:00 Cablecard
22:20 What was the success of V1 Extenders
26:31 Getting the Extender in to the Xbox 360 project
30:08 Challenges in developing the Extender
35:00 Why can’t we have Divx on Extenders?
38:00 Transcode 360
40:10 What is new in Vista for Extenders?
49:01 V2 Extenders
51:10 Media Center Extender Tips and Tricks
58:46 Thanks to Mark
