Windows 7 Media Center coming to embedded devices

We love Windows 7 Media Center, but at the end of the day we'd never give one to our mom and expect it to just work the way an embedded DVR like a TiVo or a Moxi would. But dependability isn't the only concern about using a PC as a DVR, there is noise and how it looks in the living room to consider as well. The compromise before us might just be a thing of the past as Microsoft has announced that Windows 7 Embedded has been released to manufactures and includes many of the great features of the regular Windows 7 family, like Windows Media Center. At this point there aren't any announcements from manufactures leveraging these new found features, but in the press release Microsoft is certainly bolstering the broadcast TV and other media features in a set-top box. AOpen is the only manufacturer mention by name that we're familiar with, which also makes good small-form-factor PCs, but that won't stop us from dreaming of the best, easy to use and dependable whole house DVR ever.

Update: Video of Media Center on an embedded device in action after the jump.

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Microsoft Delivers Windows 7 Technologies to Device Manufacturers With Release of Windows Embedded Standard 7

Newly unveiled Windows Media Center feature helps OEMs deliver differentiated connected media, TV and set-top box device experiences with rich user interface capabilities and integrated multimedia.


SAN JOSE, Calif. - April 27, 2010 - Today during an industry address at the Embedded Systems Conference (ESC) Silicon Valley, Microsoft Corp. announced the release to manufacturing of Windows Embedded Standard 7, delivering the power, familiarity and reliability of the Windows 7 operating system in a highly customizable and componentized form. OEMs can leverage Windows Embedded Standard 7 to create differentiated experiences and enhanced connectivity with Windows-based PCs, servers and online services on specialized devices, such as thin clients, digital signage and industrial controls for the enterprise, as well as set-top boxes (STBs), connected media devices (CMDs), and TVs for consumers.

"With the release of Windows Embedded Standard 7, Microsoft has furthered its commitment to the integration of Windows 7 technologies in the specialized consumer and enterprise device markets by providing OEMs with the latest innovative technologies to differentiate through rich, immersive user experiences and streamlined connectivity," said Kevin Dallas, general manager of the Windows Embedded Business Unit at Microsoft. "The addition of the Windows Media Center feature in Windows Embedded Standard 7 is driving the set-top box, connected media device and TV markets by providing OEMs with opportunities to develop uniquely branded experiences and service providers with capabilities to explore additional revenue streams with unique content through a centralized media hub in the home."

Announced in September 2009 during the community technology preview, Windows Embedded Standard 7 helps OEMs build enterprise devices with seamless connectivity, allowing companies to extend their existing investments in management and network infrastructure. The platform also features the latest Windows technology innovations to drive rich, immersive user experiences, including multigesture touch interfaces and context-aware applications with Windows Touch, and the ability to develop "green" solutions with smart power management APIs.

In addition to support for enterprise devices, STBs, CMDs and TVs built on Windows Embedded Standard 7 and leveraging the Windows Media Center feature will enable consumers to merge multimedia content from disparate sources, including Internet and broadcast TV, social media portals, and personal libraries of photos, music and videos, into a centralized home entertainment hub. Information can easily be shared across Windows-based PCs and individual devices.

Industry analyst firm Strategy Analytics estimates the potential market opportunity for connected STBs, digital video recorders, digital media adapters and flat-panel TVs to experience annual growth of more than 50 percent through 2014, expanding from 40 million units to more than 360 million. OEMs can take advantage of this opportunity by coupling Windows Media Center and additional features within Windows Embedded Standard 7, such as Windows Defender and Parental Controls for heightened security, to create differentiated consumer entertainment devices with integrated user experiences. This includes leveraging the customizable, extensible platform in Windows Media Center for content, services and applications, as well as powerful backend support for metadata, TV listings and content providers.

For service providers, including cable, telecommunications and satellite operators, STBs and other consumer entertainment devices with Windows Media Center provide opportunities for over-the-top content, incremental services and applications to be delivered directly to consumers, offering opportunities to build new revenue streams. Service providers also can leverage the flexible x86 architecture of Windows Embedded Standard 7, Windows Presentation Foundation, Internet Explorer 8, Windows Media Player 12 and the latest desktop innovations from Microsoft to develop customized user experiences, while ensuring integrated content from the Internet, broadcast TV and personal media through HomeGroup.

Windows Embedded partners and customers already have plans to begin shipping products and solutions for a variety of specialized devices built on the Windows Embedded Standard 7 platform. Examples include AOpen Inc., C-nario, DT Research Inc., Micro Industries Inc. and YCD Multimedia for digital signage; HP and Wyse Technology for thin clients; and Heber Ltd. for industrial control systems.

Steve Guggenheimer, corporate vice president of the Original Equipment Manufacturer Division at Microsoft, shared more insight around recent OEM and partner activities with Windows Embedded Standard 7, the upcoming availability of Microsoft and Intel Corporation's digital signage platform during Screen Media Expo Europe 2010 in London, and Microsoft's commitment to Windows 7-based technologies for specialized devices, in his blog at http://blogs.technet.com/microsoft_blog/archive/2010/04/26/putting-windows-7-technologies-to-work-in-specialized-devices.aspx.

[flux Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:05PM]

I thought Microsoft's goal with the 360 was to be the "PC in the living room"? Make up your mind MS. Or just give us the functionality they get over in Europe for how many years now?

[Jacob1 Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:14PM]

@flux Some people would like the Media Center capabilities of the Xbox 360 without the video games. Is having the choice a bad thing?

[bcrjokes Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:22PM]

@Jacob1 errumm, 360 extender sans games would be an existing media center extender from dlink, linksys, etc. Would make way more sense for MS to put WMC in Windows Home Server, imho.

[PlatinumSkeet Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:25PM]

@flux

Just because a PR guy says something doesn't make it true. Everyone knows PS3 is the closest thing (console-wise) to having a PC in the living room. From printer functionality to streaming RSS Feeds I can think of a lot of features I'll never use on my PS3 because they have nothing to do with gaming and I have tons of other devices that do the same thing as it and better..

Say what you want but, I think Microsoft is doing things right with the Xbox360. More of it's features and updates are geared towards gaming and that's what I bought it for. My Xbox360 is a video game console first, a content viewer second. I rather have that than a gimped "OS Install" option like I have on my PS3 that lets me install an OS but, doesn't let me use it with none of the graphics power my system can provide...

But that's just my opinion. If I really wanted a "true" PC in the living room I'd just buy a nettop or plug my tv into the HDMI out on my laptop and call it a day...

[Epon Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:27PM]

@flux You realize that this is just a feature of Windows 7 Embedded and not a stand-alone application? It's an addable feature when Devs make their build of W7E

[Joseph Stalin Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:30PM]

@bcrjokes I don't think any extender has a hard drive, and thus they can't store stuff locally. The 360 can, and this looks like it will too.

[flux Posted Apr 27th 2010 5:07PM]

@PlatinumSkeet 360s over in Europe have had DVR functionality since near launch. I just find it interesting that now they're making something else to put in the living room that does the same thing. I understand it does more than just Media Center, but honestly what else are you going to use the thing for in the living room?

I would like to point out that I in no way think the 360 is even good at being a media player since it's limited to xvids or formats you have to remux into stupid media containers to get working.

HTPC all the way. Grab a Radeon 5570, a decent C2D proc, throw it in a small, quiet case and you're good to go. Maybe even get some Boxee or XBMC going on it if you fancy, or just stick with good ole MPC-HC.

[bcrjokes Posted Apr 27th 2010 5:31PM]

@Joseph Stalin the 360 can't store anything locally as an MC extender either. the xbox HD is only for other gaming and media stuff outside of MCX.

Flux's original point, I think, was that this may be a sudden change of course from the hub-and-spoke home media strategy of having your media stored and managed on a home PC and "extended" to TV(s) throughout the house via thin media clients like the 360 and dedicated MCX devices. TVs, bluray players, etc. can and should have MC extender capability built-in cheaper and easier than customizing Win7e.

Obviously having music and videos stored on any number of PCs, while recording TV to a different hard drive inside a Win7e set-top box... is a different approach altogether. I think it is a step backward.

[UnixSystemsEngineer Posted Apr 27th 2010 6:17PM]

@flux
Not sure why the OP is modded down, I gave him a +. I'm using a 360 for streaming video, but it would be nice to have more options.

[WixosTrix Posted Apr 27th 2010 9:02PM]

@UnixSystemsEngineer

If manufactures use this in set-top boxes it would probably have the ability to record/store content on the device itself or to a Home Server if there is one present. Also, even if content is stored on the device itself it can probably be able to share with other extenders and computers on the network.

Wouldn't those be possible because the devices are essentially running Windows 7?

[brad77 Posted Apr 27th 2010 10:35PM]

@bcrjokes: DLink, Linksys and HP are all getting out of the extender game. They have discontinued all of their extenders. Currently, the only way to get a V2 "rich-client" extender is to go the Xbox route.

This is a good idea. I've had many a conversation with people interested in setting this up, but are resistant to getting an Xbox for whatever reason.

Anecdotal, to be sure, but this is a great way to push WMC into a more mainstream market, provided it actually makes it to market.

[dfreeindy Posted Apr 27th 2010 11:11PM]

It seems pretty obvious that almost everyone who has commented here doesn't use Windows Media center, either through a PC or an XBox as an extender. Coupled with add-ons such as My Movies (http://www.mymovies.dk/) Windows Media Center is much more powerful than you are all giving it credit for. And yes, add-ons for WMC can be used through an extender. It does Hulu, Netflix, XM satellite, and just about anything else you might want.

[WixosTrix Posted Apr 28th 2010 3:12AM]

@dfreeindy

I've used Media Center for over three years (since XP) for DVR and movie watching, I will use it for music again once it starts to support Zune play counts. Anyway, it is an extremely underrated product that most people don't even know they have it. With good extenders in the living room, like if Comcast or Time Warner used it and told people, "Hey, if you record a show here you can watch it on your computer." or allowed streaming of live tv from the extender to the PC people would really use it. Especially if it allowed streaming over the internet with your Windows Live ID while you're away from home.

Doubt it would happen, but it could be very cool and really get people using WMC.

[PlatinumSkeet Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:06PM]

Competition is always a great thing...

[Kamalot Posted Apr 27th 2010 5:13PM]

@PlatinumSkeet

That's why there is a Palm Pre on Jimmy Fallon's desk. ;-)

[jhow Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:07PM]

I actually wouldn't mind having a small wall mounted LCD TV with MC Extender capabilities in my kitchen. Currently I have a 17" LCD with a nettop connected to it in my kitchen and I can only watch recordings that do not have copy protection or live ATSC/ClearQAM channels. It would be nice to tie everything together.

[MorfiusX Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:07PM]

My SageTV setup is starting to feel outdated...

[Yoshi Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:15PM]

Rather than seeing s separate DVR box, I'd imagine (and would look forward to) seeing this implemented in the TVs themselves. Now that's embedded!

[dmccall Posted Apr 27th 2010 10:56PM]

@Yoshi No way! My TV won't be outdated for 10 years. The hardware and software for 7MC will be, so I want to be able to change out to the best, newest thing as my TV slowly ages.

[DC MIKE Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:15PM]

I just finished (re)building an HTPC. I'm just waiting for Ceton to release their tuner... come on come on come on come on come on come on

[Xeno Posted Apr 28th 2010 2:09PM]

@DC MIKE I know. Common Ceton I really want to build a new Media center but I don't want to use my stupid ATI tuners anymore.

[Emiliano Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:17PM]

With Windows 7 embeded what would we gain/lose over a standard Windows 7 install?

[dragonfli Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:21PM]

@Emiliano Anything, really. It's up to the OEMs.

Win7-e is a componentized version of Windows Seven, in essence. Picture your traditional computer running Windows 7 but every single feature is its' own component that can be added or removed. It can be shrunken down to about 300 MB and up to... gigabytes. XPe was about 40 MB at its' core.

You could have an image, for example in the case of an embedded Media Centre box, that only contains media components (MC, WMP, drivers, etc) and not components like the actual desktop, Aero, and so on that would fit on a small flash storage device internally.

Although: W7e requires product activation. Hopefully the OEMs handle that. I'm not entering in a 300 character product key with my remote, TYVM.

[Emiliano Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:45PM]

@dragonfli So this could take away the possibilty of adding in hulu, boxee, dvrms toolbox, and show analyzer after the installing the os?

[Spiny Norman Posted Apr 27th 2010 5:46PM]

@Emiliano

I'll give you an example. I flipped my HT over to my Windows 7 HTPC yesterday to check out a movie on WMC. For some reason the WMC application was running in a window, rather than full-screen. Perhaps it was a Windows update that caused the PC to reboot, and the WMC app didn't fully initialize. It doesn't matter, really.

I don't have a dedicated keyboard hooked up, so I had to fart around trying to get the window to resize. I eventually restarted the app, and it started properly.

A show stopper? Not really, but it is a pain. My TiVo just works. I don't have to fart around with any OS related crap. For some people, this could be a hassle.

[dragonfli Posted Apr 27th 2010 6:12PM]

@Emiliano To an extent. As it stands most embedded devices today are a PITA to modify to run your own software.

To put it into an example:
GeneriCo creates an DVR running Windows 7 Media Centre on Windows 7 Embedded Standard. It has a standard Intel Atom chipset along with an NVidia ION for graphics processing. The operating system is booted from flash storage embedded on the device (via SSD, CF, or other sources).

To modify it for my own bidding, I may have to open the unit, find and remove the onboard storage medium, and mount it on another computer. From there I may have to edit startup scripts and load applications in - by hand - and reinstall the memory into the device.

From there, it's trial-and-error. Did it require dependencies that the OEM left out of the image? Do I have valid input devices? Do I have control, period? Will an update brick it?

Another idea - more tricky - is to re-create your own Seven Embedded image or load your own OS and software into it by hand. That gives you the most control, but the most effort.

[Bearxor Posted Apr 27th 2010 9:30PM]

@Spiny Norman Just for future reference... If MC is running in a window, pressing the green start button on the remote will full-screen it. No need to exit and restart it.

[Alan Strangis Posted Apr 27th 2010 10:30PM]

@Bearxor sometimes you might have to hit it twice, if WMC isn't the focus. I haven't run into this problem on my ASRock ION 330, which is all WMC all the time (except for Boxee time), but on my desktop which does double duty, it happens

[Spiny Norman Posted Apr 28th 2010 10:26AM]

@Bearxor

Yes, I know that, but my father might not. That was basically my point. HTPCs are still PCs, and require all the love, care, and knowledge of their full sized siblings. A dedicated device tends to be more straightforward to manage.

Don't get me wrong, I really like my HTPC. I tried a handful of dedicated media boxes, but I was never happy with them. I like the power of having a full-blown PC, but I have to accept the headaches that come with them. There's no free lunch.

[Bearxor Posted May 16th 2010 5:49PM]

@Spiny Norman Just out of curiosity, if you knew that, then why did you 'fart around trying to get the window to resize', eventually having to ' restarted the app'?

If you knew that at the time, then why didn't you just press the freakin' green button?

[DoctarPeppar Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:20PM]

If someone were to add placeshifting into W7MC and make a pretty cool form factor with some decent hardware underneath I would buy it in a heartbeat and throw my slingshit box out the window.

Slingbox could have been everything windows media center is plus placeshifting, there's even a USB host port on it for storage...too bad it's disabled in the firmware.

[One Love Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:39PM]

@DoctarPeppar : yes i wish they would update webguide.
http://www.asciiexpress.com/webguide/

[NinjaTaco Posted Apr 27th 2010 5:17PM]

@One Love If you're wondering about WebGuide's future, my guess is that you're seeing it in Vail (minus the DVR capabilities). I wouldn't expect to ever see that program get updated again.

I have a bad feeling we'll never see WebGuide's DVR placeshifting features again (at least, not without programs like Remote Potato).

[DoctarPeppar Posted Apr 27th 2010 5:26PM]

@One Love
Woah, I've never even heard of that program before...it's abandoned though? Does it compare to slingbox at all or does it suck?

[bigbill25 Posted Apr 27th 2010 5:56PM]

@DoctarPeppar

Place shifting and WebGuide features are now available with Remote Potato: http://ww2.fatattitude.com/software/software-item.aspx?appid=12

--Bill

[One Love Posted Apr 27th 2010 9:55PM]

@DoctarPeppar : Webguide was free and didn't suck at all. I remember sitting in a hotel lobby and watching my recorded TV shows on my windows mobile phone without any issues. Stream quality was awesome and selectable. I could also play ANY tv channel in my media center guide listings (live TV) on my phone or any movies stored on my computer. (forget sprint TV).

[Odin Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:21PM]

Rose Byrne has really let herself go

[Sweet Dude Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:23PM]

@Odin


The real Rose Byrne is pretty darn cute.

[hammydbest Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:23PM]

i can't be bothered to use media center at home anyway... whats wrong with sky+ and the file manager thingy in windows to do what media center does

[nabberuk Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:27PM]

@hammydbest

when you say file manager, do you mean explorer? good luck using that 10 foot from the TV.

[jedi Posted Apr 27th 2010 5:44PM]

@nabberuk

Using a filemanger from the couch is no big deal really. This is essentially what Front Row is. People just don't notice because of the shiny spinny things. A Tivo style remote already has all of the necessary "spatial" controls to handle navigating through a file system tree. Dress it up a little and people don't even notice they should be afraid.

[bluefisch200 Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:24PM]

Give me my Microsoft TV...

[brad77 Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:34PM]

As a WMC app developer, I really hope that the set-top box manufacturers allow third party applications on these boxes. It would also be great to see WMC embedded on inexpensive touch screens (think wall mounted home and media control).

[NinjaTaco Posted Apr 27th 2010 8:09PM]

@brad77 Based on the video that was added to this post, it looks like 3rd Party Apps are supported.

[brad77 Posted Apr 27th 2010 8:58PM]

@NinjaTaco:

Thanks! That vid wasn't there earlier. That puts a smile on my face.

[One Love Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:37PM]

I disagree with the statement "..there is noise and how it looks in the living room to consider as well".

There are plenty of HTPC cases that take both into consideration, for example I have the Origenae S16V and it looks just like a "normal" living room component:

http://www.origenae.com/en/htpc_s16v.htm

I even added a recording light (just like a DVR) using a red led and a program called ledsdriver.

http://slicksolutions.eu/ledsdriver.shtml

[Benjulious Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:46PM]

Why doesn't MS just put WMC on the Xbox 360?

Please?

[ArhcAngel Posted Apr 27th 2010 4:57PM]

@Benjulious

The better question is what happened to MediaRoom for the 360?

http://www.microsoft.com/Mediaroom/default.aspx

[flux Posted Apr 27th 2010 5:07PM]

@Benjulious It's on there if you have a computer with windows 7 on the same network.

[Benjulious Posted Apr 27th 2010 5:16PM]

@ArhcAngel

What is it exactly? I watched the videos and it looked like Windows Media Center.

I used to have WMC, but my parents got annoyed with it, so its gone now. :( We might still use it if the software was integrated into our Xbox instead of a PC in the garage.