3 ms·

Microsoft has all the pieces to do a really great consumer ecosystem. But they've been fumbling for so long, there's just no good reason to believe a product de

by roc 16y ago

Microsoft has all the pieces to do a really great consumer ecosystem. But they've been fumbling for so long, there's just no good reason to believe a product developed within the bureaucracy can pull it together. The XBox succeeded largely because it was outside the bureaucracy during its formative stages. And since then, absolutely nothing from inside the bureaucracy has integrated well with it. . Media integration into the 360 was not good. . Media Center integration wasn't any better. . 360/Zune integration was never really attempted. . Live for Windows/XBox Live integration was not good. . Live Marketplace/Zune Marketplace integration is more awkward than Live/Netflix. etc.

nailer 16y ago
You're right. They can't execute. They get 90% of the way there and fail. I'm a Mac / Linux / Android guy. Not a Windows person at all. But I have a Windows media Centre TV and it's awesome. * I browse upcoming movies on TV by scrolling through a list of movie posters. * I have Sky pay TV, a DVR, Blu Ray, and Youtube in one interface * Channels are identified by logos as well as number. It's a brilliant consumer product. But do you know who sells it in the consumer space? Nobody. If you walk into Best Buy or Currys, you'll find boxes from everyone but MS. There's no hardware partners, no Sony no Panasonic no Hitachi WMC boxes. I had to buy a Dell box, a separate remote, and a separate dual tuner. The result is awesome, but there is no part of MS the company that seems to want to stand behind this awesome product.
- WiseWeasel 16y ago
  The cable/satellite providers control the DVR set-top box market. Resources poured into marketing and distributing the WMC boxes would likely be largely wasted.
  - nailer 16y ago
    WMC includes cable providers already.
- tallanvor 16y ago
  I've been switching away from WMC, not because I don't like it (it's actually a product MS has done a really good job on), but because it doesn't work as seamlessly with the videos I watch (mkv and iso files). When I was living in the UK and had a DVB tuner, I used it as a PVR and, since I had a smaller TV, the videos I downloaded were avi's and worked fine. But Microsoft would have to find a way to sell a box that works with the different types of TV reception - satellite, cable, or freeview in the UK, and that wouldn't be easy. (and it would be just as big of a pain in the US where they would be able to sell the most units), so I can understand why they haven't. Still, it is strange that nobody else has really tried to sell hardware specific to WMC.

by roc 16y ago

nailer 16y ago

You're right. They can't execute. They get 90% of the way there and fail. I'm a Mac / Linux / Android guy. Not a Windows person at all. But I have a Windows media Centre TV and it's awesome. * I browse upcoming movies on TV by scrolling through a list of movie posters. * I have Sky pay TV, a DVR, Blu Ray, and Youtube in one interface * Channels are identified by logos as well as number. It's a brilliant consumer product. But do you know who sells it in the consumer space? Nobody. If you walk into Best Buy or Currys, you'll find boxes from everyone but MS. There's no hardware partners, no Sony no Panasonic no Hitachi WMC boxes. I had to buy a Dell box, a separate remote, and a separate dual tuner. The result is awesome, but there is no part of MS the company that seems to want to stand behind this awesome product.

WiseWeasel 16y ago
The cable/satellite providers control the DVR set-top box market. Resources poured into marketing and distributing the WMC boxes would likely be largely wasted.
- nailer 16y ago
  WMC includes cable providers already.
tallanvor 16y ago
I've been switching away from WMC, not because I don't like it (it's actually a product MS has done a really good job on), but because it doesn't work as seamlessly with the videos I watch (mkv and iso files). When I was living in the UK and had a DVB tuner, I used it as a PVR and, since I had a smaller TV, the videos I downloaded were avi's and worked fine. But Microsoft would have to find a way to sell a box that works with the different types of TV reception - satellite, cable, or freeview in the UK, and that wouldn't be easy. (and it would be just as big of a pain in the US where they would be able to sell the most units), so I can understand why they haven't. Still, it is strange that nobody else has really tried to sell hardware specific to WMC.