« This Hour Has 22 Minutes | Main | HOSTEL »
January 7, 2006
Vista Media Centre - Converged Home Entertainment Hub
So if everything goes as Microsoft plans (and Bell's IPtv service comes to fruition) Q4 2006 will be an internet entertainment nut's dream come true.
Contrary what I had previously mentioned in my article "Windows Vista", I believe that the launch of the newest iteration of Windows will indeed be revolutionary. Maybe not revolutionary in the sense of traditional windows xp computing, it will be the only standard multimedia entertainment platform. This platform will allow digital citizens a truly remarkable home experience. Bill Gate's dream of a semlessly integrated TOTAL home entertainment solution will finally become a reality.
Here's my current setup:
2 Dell Desktop PC's (1 wired, 1 wireless)
2 Dell Ultrasharp LCD monitors (1 with DVI input)
1 PC Camera (with Audio)
2 IBM Thinkpads (Currently - only wired LAN capability)
1 Bell/Audiovox Thera Pocket PC (1X wireless)
1 Bell/Sanyo 8100 Camera Phone
1 XBOX (Currently - only wired LAN capability)
1 Kenwood Surround Sound System
1 Kenwood Dobly Digital 5.1 Receiver
1 Panasonic DVD Player
2 Siemens Gigaset Cordless Phones
1 Bell Vista 350 Corded Phone
1 Bell 9220 HD/PVR
1 Bell Home Networking Modem (Sympatico Ultra Edition)
1 Analog Sanyo 27" TV
Planned Setup in Q42006
1 Windows Vista Media Centre PC with Intel ViiV (dual processors)
1 Xbox Media Centre Extender
1 Xbox Microsoft 31338C Wireless-G Network Adapter
1 Samsung 40" LCD Panel
1 Bell IPtv box (to be confirmed)
1 Bell IPtv service
or
1 Bell 9220 HD/PVR with smart Vista Media Centre Technology enabled
Finally I'll have a distributed digital home entertainment solution.
Benefits: Distributed access throughout my entire home (on the vast number of Digital Output Displays I have available) to ALL of my entertainiment media. I will no longer be restricted in having my entertainment media content to audio/video outputs connected to a single device. Today I can only watch ExpressVu content on my Sanyo TV, I can only use media player on my PCs. I can't view my pictures on my Sanyo TV. I can't easily listen to songs from my PC through my Dolby Digital Surround System.
Watchout!
Posted by Ralph A. Meiers at January 7, 2006 3:13 PM