It seems to me that Windows Media Center is a “1.0” solution in an
increasingly “2.0” world.  Meaning, the world of digital and social
media is rapidly evolving, and it looks like Microsoft has been riding
out the stored media trend, and has been quite slow and ineffective in
capitalizing on the surge of online digital media and the increasing
interactivity now possible between and amongst users and vendors.

So, how did we get here?   When I say “we,” I mean those of us who have invested and believe in the Windows Media Center platform for home entertainment, and when I say “here” I mean the state of Windows Media Center in relation to its features, focus and appeal.

In 2002, Microsoft had a really nice head-start with Media Center and launched one of the coolest, full-featured DVRs on the market.  It not only recorded TV, but it managed all of your CDs, MP3s, DVDs (remember the DVD changers?) as well.  And, as an added bonus, it even had an Online Spotlight menu item, enabling users to seamlessly pivot between traditional content sources and new media sources.

Seven years ago, Microsoft had an appropriate mix of traditional and new media sources, brought together through an elegant, seamless interface.  When Vista was launched five years later, CableCard support emerged, making Media Center a top-tier, relevant DVR once again, and Online Spotlight transformed into Online Media — seemingly primed to take the idea even further, as new content partners emerged, and most of the original ones stayed on.  Upon launch, Vista Media Center seemed ready to take the home media world on by storm on all fronts.

However, while we saw some progress, cracks in the online pavement began to emerge.   All of the old Online Spotlight providers kept their old, clunky, hosted HTML interfaces intact.  None moved to the new, fresh, integrated MCML look and feel.  Some of the new providers had slick interfaces, though, which led to a larger yet sloppier overall Online Media experience.   On top of that, far too often, entering and exiting apps just was not a pleasant experience: slow load times and harsh exits led to a feeling of “bolt-on.”  Last, but certainly not least, there was not an easy process for new content providers to jump into the Online Media ecosystem.  Or, if there was, it certainly wasn’t obvious to me.

Since Vista’s launch, there have been a few advances as well as setbacks.  There is Internet TV (perpetual beta) and the more recent MSNBC news app.   These certainly feel like new media apps, but they are actually just repackaging of gated corporate content within the MSN and MSNBC content repositories.  It’s fine, but it’s gated and therefore limited in its potential.  With regards to setbacks, we’ve been steadily losing Online Media content providers to the point where the section looks downright depressing.  Personally, the recent loss of NPR in the Online Media area was a serious blow for me.  But systemically, it does not bode well for Media Center in general — NPR clearly wasn’t getting the hits from us to support maintaining a single custom page of streaming content for us.  Wow.

Over the past few years, however, the independent development community stepped up and starting building apps that integrated with new media sources:  Netflix, Last.FM, Youtube, and similar sources had dedicated apps designed to expand the Online Media experience for users. Great news, right?  Actually, it’s kind of a mixed blessing.  Most of these apps are fantastic, but because Microsoft doesn’t enable usability standards in its SDK, each app has its own way of navigating and presenting content.  This is cool and creative, but it actually works against the entire concept of Media Center — a unified experience that your mom could use.

Worse, due to a lack of an “app store” for Media Center, very few developers even think of making any kind of living off of building fantastic apps.  The result is a cottage industry of erstwhile developers trying their mightiest to develop new features, but rarely having the resources for a design firm or to commission a usability study.  So, even if a Media Center user even could find a new app (and most never will), they’d have to also deal with the variations of user experience across the Media Center experience.  And don’t even get me started on the installation process required for us 10-footers.

But the most tragic thing happened to me a few months ago: I lost the ability to stream Last.FM music via the MCEfm app for Media Center.  Last.FM finally changed their APIs, and the awesome developer of MCEfm has apparently lost interest and/or ability to keep his app up-to-date.  For the past year, MCEfm (by elegantly integrating the great library of music in Last.FM) became more desirable to me than my own ripped library of music.   Through MCEfm and Last.FM, I learned about new artists, and was able to easily stream playlists of similarly-styled music for any occasion.   MCEfm was by far the most-used app on my Media Center, and I miss it very, very much.

This background and personal experience leaves me feeling that there is a gaping hole in the Media Center strategy.  How can it be that, in 2009, Media Center is still an island, and still primarily geared toward stored media, when the world is so rapidly moving to online distribution of content?   How can it be that the only cable-card-ready DVR that is based on the vast resources and flexibility of a personal computer cannot inter-operate with the likes of Hulu, Last.FM, Pandora, Youtube, and the plethora of branded and unbranded online content providers?  How could it be that such an amazing home media application could be so far behind my Windows Mobile phone?  With the fantastic mobile application called Kinoma Play, my phone can stream Last.FM, YouTube, NPR and a host of other content on-demand.  They even get the model right: they provide a “guide” full of great content that just works, but also allow the user to add his/her own content feeds.  Yes, in the context of streaming media, my phone can do more than my home media PC can do right now.

So, where does that leave us?  Well, I’m not entirely sure, and here’s why:  I don’t run Win7 Media Center yet, so I don’t know what the Online Media and the Internet TV channel integration looks and feels like.   Also, I obviously don’t know what Microsoft has planned for us vis-à-vis online media in the future (heaven forbid Microsoft give us a road map — I mean, Media
Center and national security kind of go hand-in-hand, right?).  

What I do know is that Media Center still has the underpinnings of a break-through home media entertainment system.   And it still has the huge competitive advantage of being digital-cable compatible (most people watch digital cable, not online content).  The question that remains is: what is Microsoft’s digital dream for Media Center?   Do they dream of it being a next-generation portal for all online content, no matter the source?   Do they see themselves building services that would enable end-users to simply connect online media sources to the Online Media area?  Are they embarrassed that they still don’t have built-in RSS feed support for podcasts and video podcasts?  

And, are Microsoft employees shaking their heads in frustration — or do they get excited? — when they see an idea like giving customers a “Send this to my Media Center” tool from within Internet Explorer (on any PC they use), enabling a queue and archive of content waiting for them in Media Center as a result of what they’ve found throughout their surfing sessions?   It would not be difficult to implement (heck – it already exists!  Amazon.com does something very similar with their own digital content), and I’d argue incredibly useful, fun and viral.

I dream in digital, so I have no shortage of ideas for Media Center.  I wonder who’s dreaming in digital at Microsoft?  I see a bunch of architects and developers from Microsoft in the community, but I’d love to meet some of the dreamers as well.  And, national security notwithstanding, I’d love to see some of the Microsoft dreamers blogging about how they envision the future of this tremendously capable and compelling home entertainment platform.

However, I’m not going to hold my breath, so I’ll ask the community to contribute some of your dreams.  How would you like to see Media Center evolve and implant itself into the “2.0 world” of media and entertainment?  Feel free to include the ZuneHD and Xbox360 in your dreams if you are so inclined.  I promise not to get upset if you see a threesome in your dreams.

 

0 thoughts on “Media Center: 1.0 in a 2.0 world?”
  1. Great post Jon. I’m still hoping that MS will pull one out of the bag with Media Center soon but you make some fantastic comments.

  2. Jon, great post!
    I follow media center blogs regularly, but lack the time and enthusiasm to post unless I come across something that gets me going. I run an A/V integration company that up until recently has been all MCE all the time. We first came across media center in MCE 2005. We thought it had great potential and made a decision to align with the platform and run with it. We have always felt like this is the direction our industry will end up in the future. Whenever we demo content at the general publish, we demo media center. We love having the ability to add third party applications, such as home automation add-ins like Lifeware. We have done a number of very large media center installations, and even worked directly with Microsoft on a project sponsored by them. With all this being said, we are watching Windows 7 to see if it will finally provide the missing pieces we have been waiting so long to see. We are skeptically optimistic about what the near future holds. In fact, this year we are forgoing our annual trip to CEDIA (custom installation trade show, where if they were to announce the mythical integration with satellite TV, it would probably happen here). Every year we go to CEDIA, we track down the main players looking for the big announcements, and every year they disappoint. (last year, we even got a hold of the DirecTV flier with the discontinued MCE tuner). We keep expecting great things, but get nothing but disappointment.
    MICROSOFT AND TV on the PC
    Really? I don’t know a single person that would enjoy sitting in front of their computer screen for hours at a time watching TV shows, or Netflix by themselves on a crummy computer chair listening to tiny little speakers. I don’t buy it.
    I can see why Microsoft would market TV on the PC. I have demoed media center to the general public on many occasions. Most people think that its software we created. Maybe 1 in 20 will walk up and point out that its Media Center. If you’re Microsoft, how do you inform the general public? Maybe create an awareness that your TV can be handled by Microsoft (on your PC), and let them ask more questions.
    Extenders
    This is where media center has most potential. The idea is that you buy or build a moderately priced/ powered computer and then use it to distribute your digital content throughout your home by low cost reliable extenders, (emphasis on both). We do high-end video distribution to achieve this same effect (upwards of $6k to $12k). If extenders lived up to the hype, we could achieve this same distribution for pennies on the dollar in comparison. Playback of all media types is a must. I can’t tell you how many times my customers have asked if they can play their digital home videos over their extenders. I am sick of telling them yes, but…. My average customer has trouble turning on all of their components with a universal remote, how can we expect them to change the format of their home videos to playback on an extender, and why should they? Extenders would sell, if they actually supported every function, codec, and add-in my computer supports. What’s the point of Netflix on my PC? Can’t I just log onto my Netflix account and watch it from there? What’s the point of media center on my PC? It’s a 10’ interface. If I want to listen to music, or view photos, etc., etc. etc. it’s all right there. I don’t know exactly why Microsoft would move to the TV on the PC campaign, but I don’t believe that the extender will go away. I don’t know why transcoding would be built into Windows 7 if they weren’t interested in continuing extenders. V2 extenders have been out long enough that they are sure to have been passed up by hardware advances (better hardware, lower cost), and maybe even some advances with Windows 7 (DLNA?). From a business stand point, why wouldn’t you get rid of all your old hardware (extenders on blow out) before announcing and releasing the new ones. If they announced V3 extenders with more functionally and lower prices, would you go out and buy a V2 extender, or wait for the new ones?
    TV Content
    It’s all about the TV content. Media Center is great if you are: happy with OTA , have digital cable available to your home, want digital cable, have a fat wallet, and are willing to deal with the problems that plague cable card. The majority of our customers don’t have the option of cable due to their location (remote cabins, etc). If it were compatible with media center, HD satellite would rule. It doesn’t matter if its DirecTV or Dish. Will we finally see integration with Windows 7? Who knows? I have to say we are tired of waiting. We thought a lot of things would happen with Vista, but they never materialized. A media player is invalid if it can’t add low cost HD satellite integration. (the HDPVR may force progress) With all this being said, my bets are still on Microsoft. I know that Microsoft has been jumping through some major hoops to make satellite happen, but the time frame they are on is killing my company. They claim Windows 7 is completely prepped for satellite integration, and that it’s the providers that are causing the problems, but either way “No satellite, no deal”. I’ve stopped offering Media Center to my customers, and until they can put everything together I won’t sale it to another person. I have serious doubts with Windows 7. I think Microsoft is on the 10 year plan. Guess we’ll all know next month.

  3. Hey MCE Integrator,

    Thanks for the great post. Very interesting perspective from an integrator. Agreed on most/all fronts in terms of the missing pieces, and MSFT just not keeping up the pace. That said, they can kind of afford to because they really don’t have any direct competitors other than TiVoHD, right?

    So, if you’ve stopped offering WMC, what do you offer instead?

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