Review: Vista Meets Media Center
Microsoft recently released Release Candidate 1 (RC1) of Vista, and the CRN Test Center was able to put the Media Center functionality of the operating system through its paces. Vista will be available in several versions and SKUs. For this test, we focused on the Ultimate Edition, which will be released as the top-tier version of the product, but all versions of Vista will include Media Center functionality.
Test Center engineers found Vista to be a major improvement over MCE 2005 in every sense. Several hardware configurations were tested. Right off the bat, installers will notice the faster and simplified installation process. When the Test Center played with previous releases of Vista, one of the biggest complaints was the inordinate amount of time installation took. Luckily, RC1 has addressed that issue.
Integrators will notice, however, that Vista has an increased appetite for hardware. The advanced features require fast processors and advanced video cards. While this may pose an issue for upgraders, today's new Media Center PCs should offer adequate hardware performance to leverage Vista.
For primary testing, a white-box Media Center system was constructed using an Advanced Micro Devices AM2 Athlon processor with 1 Gbyte of RAM, an EVGA video card and a TV tuner card from ADS Tech. Test Center engineers were impressed that the installation took less than a half-hour, and Vista correctly identified all connected hardware on the first pass. After the requisite reboot, the system was basically ready to use, although the Media Center functions required a separate, albeit simple, configuration process. The final configuration of the Media Center interface of Vista requires integrators to do little more than input a ZIP code (for channel listings) and tune the display and speakers for the best Media Center experience.
One major improvement Vista RC1 offers over the beta builds comes in the form of speed. Improved performance is the name of the game with Vista. Although overall performance may not be as fast as users experienced with Windows XP, they will find that when the correct hardware is used, Vista will be snappy and more visually appealing than previous versions of Windows.
Those familiar with MCE 2005 will quickly adapt to Vista's improved Media Center interface. All the basics are well-covered and easy to find; Vista's improved menus make short work of finding and accessing Media Center content. Internet-connected users will appreciate the additional content capabilities, such as IP video feeds, online television and access to major music services, which are all tightly integrated into the menu system. Integrators have the option of adding new selections to the menu to meet customer needs. Native support for MCE remote controls and keyboards also keeps things simple for both upgraders and those investing in new installations.
When it comes to media-centric control, Vista seems to have all the bases covered and will prove to be a good platform for home integrators. An improved interface simplifies training, while better security and maintenance tools should keep the system up and running with fewer headaches. Advanced features should help integrators sell add-on products, ranging from media libraries to home control systems and HDTV-compatible displays.
End users will appreciate the stability and ease of use, which is prevalent throughout the operating system, perhaps elevating the Media Center PC to the primary entertainment device in the home.
Integrators will want to keep an eye on Vista and start ramping up their hardware offerings to leverage all the OS has to offer.
The only downside to Vista at the moment is that it won't be available in time for the holiday season when it could have made the biggest impact in the home entertainment and integration market.