Who Needs A DVD When You Have A Microsoft Media Center?
from the but,-what-about-my-DVD-collection? dept
Well, I’m sure some folks will make a bigger deal out of this than necessary, but Bill Gates is now claiming that the DVD has no future. He believes in 10 years it will be completely obsolete. As he says, it makes no sense for people to be carrying around portable media that can get scratched, lost or broken. While the Inquirer then knocks Gates by pointing out he once predicted the internet had no future either, this prediction really isn’t that ridiculous. As overall storage and broadband connections grow, it may become pointless to ever carry around a DVD. Some might say the process has already started (though, with questionable legality in some circles). Of course, what isn’t mentioned is that Gates hopes that what used to be your DVD collection will, instead, reside on a Microsoft powered “Media Center” that you can access from anywhere.
Comments on “Who Needs A DVD When You Have A Microsoft Media Center?”
No Subject Given
Consider the source. Mr Softie hasn’t been right very often.
Fact. People like to own tangible property.
Fact. Corporations would rather license things than let you own them; more profit.
Fact. In order to insure fact one, illegal methods will be developed to overcome fact two.
Re: No Subject Given
Fact: Microsoft has a terrible track record of continuing to support hardware and software that is no longer a huge source of revenue to them.
Do you really trust Microsoft to continue to make your movies, music, family photos, etc. available to you for 5 years without paying for an upgrade? 10 Years? 20 Years?
I don’t.
2 words - channel surf
I can see that there might be a better solution then DVDs but my problem with BillG’s predication is the part where he talks about coming home and all your favorite shows are playing. Most people I know don’t want to give up that much control. They want to Tivo their favorites but also grab a DVD or old VHS, channel surf, watch a new show that someone at work told them about, etc. It’s like his predictions about internet and tv convergence, people don’t want that.
Re: Convergence TV & PC
I love TV & PC convergence !
I have a TV tuner card in my 21 inch monitor & relish being able to surf, work & multitask while my favorite DVD or TV show is playing in a small window.
I couldn’t imagine owning a TV without a TV tuner card and have them in all three of my PC’s @ home.
Cheapo cards can be had for as little as $ 50.00
Check out: http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/prods.html
Re: Re: Convergence TV & PC
Do you have a wife / girlfriend Bob ? And does she condone having you have your head buried in the computer / TV ?
While I don’t believe in such a thing as ‘watching TV together’, my wife certainly does and as such doing TV on screen while doing my computer thing would be met with a very very cold shoulder.
If probably is a great way to bury yourself in the media realm but you pretty much have to blow off the rest of the flesh and blood around you.
And I’m pretty fond of the flesh.
Re: Re: Re: Convergence TV & PC
Nope, I have a boyfriend ’cause I’m gay ( and GLAD to see the Ammendment to the Constituion just SHOT DOWN ! Woo Hoo ! )
I wholeheartedly agree with you though.
Computer/TV time is on my own time. I would never think of putting computer/TV time before my loved ones.
It’s just nice to be able to watch media of my choosing while also working or surfing.
Review on the fancy Media Center Edition vs. the n
I wrote a review comparring Microsoft’s Media Center Edition software mentioned and Tivo’s new HDTV (read Linux) box that just came to market on my blog at: http://thomashawk.com/2004/07/my-little-hughes-hr10-250-tivo-hdtv-vs.html