Jason Flaks - Demo of Windows Media Connect

Definetly way too cool!!!

I am sure that the Media Center Edition will have this feature... Or this will be an addon or part of Longhorn.  Definetly something I was looking for... Hope to hear more about it...

WOW, I love playing around with this kind of stuff. Is there anywhere I can find a list of manufacturers supporting the technology besides the RF & gateway peices presented?

Is the "sorting" going to be easy to define? For instance I have only few albums, mostly singles and ep's etc and I sort them by the record label as its often more defining that genre sorting. Also suppose you have a SQL server with the data, can the devices get the "views" from there too?

That looks pretty cool...

Does Windows Media Connect also contain a media controller to "remote contol" media renderers?

Will there be a beta program for windows media connect at beta.microsoft.com ?

I hope this WMC isn't just UPnP AV renamed or "proprietarized".

i don't get it. why do i need some extra box? my computer already does all this. i can use videos,music, and look at pictues. if i want it on my tv i could set that up too

This feature will be available in early Fall this year for ALL windows XP SKUs including MCE. 

Jason FLaks
Program Manager

We will be posting a web page listing compatible devices when we release the software.  Look for it off the Windows Media website

Jason Flaks
Program Manager

The first version will not contain any remote control capabilities.  This is something we will consider for future versions

Are there also plans for a windows media player extension to play media files directly from a wmc server?

Jason,

Was the Gateway connected DVD player you used a stock version (I have one now), or was there a firmware upgraded needed in order to support WMC?

Regards,
Javadog

Looks good - the software supplied with my Netgear MP101 is fairly awful - nice to have it built in to Windows.

Hi Jason,

Great demo, thanks!  I am consulting with a Media Connect development partner.

On July 13 you wrote that when the Media Connect software is released that supported devices would be listed on the Windows Media web site.  There have been a lot of devices announced in press releases, but still no listing yet on the Windows Media site.  There is only media content there.   Do you have a link to a device listing elsewhere?   If not, about what date do you anticipate that the device listing will be on the Windows Media site?   Will Media Connect have its own Web page and if so, about when?   Right now when I search on Microsoft's web site for Media Connect, all I get are the initial Jan. 4 announcement and the April 12 Design Considerations document.

thanks in advance,

Clay

Very interesting.  Thanks for the video.

Any chance that streaming video will support anything other than WMV?

The upcoming MSNtv apparently only supports WMV:

http://www.gizmodo.com/archives/microsoft-msntv-preview-020962.php

I am hopeful us users of the gateway Connected DVD can get a firmware  upgrade as the release of Media Connect is a dramatic improvement from the D5 software.

the question is where can we get the firmware Jason demonstrated on the gateway box?  Gateway support is useless.

Please post if you find where we can get this.

Mark

What are the plans on getting RF-based remotes (say via WiFi or Bluetooth transports) into MCE or XP? I'm sick of infrared.

-rp

Works well so far but... my media files are distributed across a number of PC's in my house (music, video and photos are all different systems) therefore a real need for me is the ability to share across the network. When will this become a reality?

Flaksman wrote:

We will be posting a web page listing compatible devices when we release the software.  Look for it off the Windows Media website

Jason Flaks
Program Manager

Jason,

I looked at the supported players and did not see mention of the Gateway Connected DVD player that I have and you demoed with. Does that mean there is no hope of getting a firmware upgrade for this? (I would be willing to "beta" test what you have and forego any official release)

Excellent demo...  It modivated me to purchase the Netgear MP101 device pictured.  Too bad it doesn't actually work with the "Windows Media Connect" technology.

It only plays one song.  Searched the Internet and sounds like many others are having the same issue, with no known solution (other than ditching "Windows Media Connect").

Regards,
Ultrajones

Hi,

i though i'd take the opportunity that this thread popped back up to the top to re-ask about Windows 2003 support

i ordered a Ruko M1000 and am anxiosuldy awaiting it's arrival, but unfortunately all my MP3 are on a 2003 server, not my main XP box. Since WMC supports /neither/ network shares nor running under 2003, i'm dreading having to go with some other server technology (say, Winamp or iTunes)...

What are the chances (and time frames) of getting an update for WMC that will work under 2003 /or/ at least allow to share files from network drives...?

any comments?

Create a Virtual Machine running XP on your Server 2003 and transfer your mp3's to that and install Media Connect on there.

The system is currently on and works well, but I want to try Intel's ViiV to determine if ViiV is as functional as Windows Media Connect.  I love the system but I need to know how to turn it off and on.  I do not want to turn off file sharing from my computer, only the use of WMC.  Please advise.