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Microsoft wants to get its hands on anything that it can put some of its software into, including your TV. Its WebTV experiment failed miserably, although they just released a new version of that too. Over a year ago they announced Windows XP Media Center Edition that goes into special Media Center PCs. These PCs come with a TV tuner, large hard drive, a remote, and a special interface to switch between TV, music, photos, and regular computer-using. Microsoft just released the third generation (if you're counting) of the special Media Center Windows XP operating system. Critics love the interface, but still complain about the less-than-stellar TV picture. This critic says, "Save your money."
Unless you're a college student living in a tiny dorm room, Media Center PCs just plain don't make sense. Do you really want to watch not-great-quality TV on a 17" monitor? Are you going to pull up your easy chair next to your computer desk? Maybe you could invite your friends over, move your couch and love seat around the new Media Center PC, and watch the big game on you relatively puny LCD monitor. Let's say you suddenly remember that the presidential debate is on tonight, you go to turn on your Media Center PC and have to wait 30 seconds to a minute just for your "TV" to boot up. By that time, you'd miss at least five of John Kerry's "plans".
That is the fundamental problem - interaction with a PC is completely different than the interaction with a TV. With a computer, you're close to the screen so you can input and read text, as well as make selections with your mouse. TV viewing doesn't require a lot of interaction (unless you are a professional channel surfer.) All you are doing is watching moving images on the screen. For this, you can lay back and relax from a comfortable distance. Because you are farther away, you need a bigger screen and the bigger screen makes the moving images seem more realistic.
I believe Media Center PCs will be useless to most people until big screen LCD and plasma HDTV screens have become affordable to the masses. These screens have the high resolution needed for decent computer use, and they are more than big enough to comfortably watch TV from a distance in your easy chair.
What do you do for a few years until those screens become affordable to you? Remember, all Media Center PCs are basically computers with a Tivo inside. If you want to record TV, just buy a Tivo. I don't think there has ever been a product more beloved by its owners. It's extremely useful and easy-to-use and you can use it with any TV. Tivos can be found for as little as $50 after rebate. You then pay the $13 per month for the Tivo service or $300 for the lifetime of the Tivo unit. By the time that Tivo unit dies, LCD and plasma screens will probably come down to a reasonable price so that you can have your TV and computer in one box (if you want).
