The future of Windows Media Center

Contrary to rumors that Microsoft would kill Media Center XP, recent news leaks point to a new three part system for Windows Media Center that includes XP on the desktop, the XBOX acting as media hub for your TV, and a new portable video player (like a video iPod everyone wanted to hear about yesterday at MacWorld?). The New York Post is reporting it will be small, sleek, and carry shows and movies downloaded from a computer. How they intend to do this all legally still remains to be seen, but it's an exciting new direction for Windows Media Center. [via paidcontent]

UPDATE: Looks like Bill Gates' speech lived up the rumors, describing Media Center Extender to stream content to up to 5 TVs in a house, an XBOX media center, and the whole thing will use DRM to cut down on piracy.

Comments

[Scott Johnson]

I don't think that it will be very difficult to make this happen legally. They'll probably just toss some DRM into the movie the same way it is being done on all of the music stores now. The only problem will be that movie DRM will be more restrictive since you can't just "burn a cd" quite as easily. But maybe they will have that figured out and make DVD burns an integral component of the system.