Microsoft planning La Veuve de Media Center?

Our friend Chris Lanier's sources report a potential headless Media Center-powered CE appliance is under development. The current implementation on desktops and laptops gives it exposure, but the possibility of a more focused device could help potential users understand just what the package is for. On the other hand, competition from entrenched STB manufacturers and service providers could squeeze prices too low for whatever system is being cooked up in Redmond, which clearly considers our preferred "throw bags of money at the XBMC dev crew" strategy unsound. Barring convict redemption ideas cribbed from obscure French romance flicks released early this decade, what do you think Microsoft should do next?

[Picture courtesy of Thomas Hawk]

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 17th 2008 9:24PM]

Before they do anything, they should fix the multitude of bugs in their latest update http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/291890.aspx and add the features they've been promising for years http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/07/05/no-directv-hd-for-vista-media-center-until-2010/.

[peluso72 Posted Sep 18th 2008 5:24AM]

A media center only STB that's designed for ultra-stability isn't a bad idea. But MS needs to use it's clout to partner with Motorola or Scientific Atlanta, possibly through some sort of equity investment deal. They have partnered in the past with Echostar and that may be a good next step.

[andyg8180 Posted Sep 18th 2008 8:37AM]

what they need to do is have limitless options for any MC extender... You can only push WMV files through it if you want video... Unless you use TVVersity... I shouldnt have to use TVVersity... I Think Divx XVid mpg and avi are all pretty popular enough to stream... So whats the problem?

[erwos Posted Sep 18th 2008 1:26PM]

Not true. You can push MPEG-2 as well as WMV on the 360. But third-party extenders support XviD, H.264, etc.

[BenD Posted Sep 18th 2008 9:17AM]

Am I the only one that has no idea what the title means? Sorry RJ, lets use english next time. ;)

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 18th 2008 12:05PM]

I guess we can't all be cultured, lol. La Veuve de Saint-Pierre is a movie about a convict who turns his life around after being convicted to beheading. La Veuve is slang for guillotine. It's a good flick.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 18th 2008 12:50PM]

DirectTV support!
DirectTV support!
DirectTV support!
DirectTV support!

[erwos Posted Sep 18th 2008 1:21PM]

It makes some amount of sense, especially if they integrate it with WHS. Plug a WHS box into the network, get easy storage. Plug a WMS (Windows Media Server) box into the network, get easy DVR recording, UPnP server, and extender support. I like modular systems like that.

The only new thing they'd need to get working is watching protected CableCard recordings on another computer (versus an extender).