MCE2005 in Den/MCX in Family Room?

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From: Jeff Young (jeyou_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 11/17/04 

Date: Tue, 16 Nov 2004 20:41:58 -0800

I'm close to purchasing an MCE2005 PC for the family and
had designs on using it as the family PC (internet,
email, MS Money, games, sometimes some hard core stuff
like video editing) and I want to place it in our den
(which is upstairs). I was then thinking of using the
XBox Extender in the family room (downstairs) to watch
television, use the PVR functions, etc. The family room
is the main area of our house. My whole house is wired
with ethernet, so wireless isn't an issue.

Is anyone else here using their MCE PC in such a fashion?

Things I'd like to be able to do with this setup:

1. Watch TV using the XBox extender: setup TV shows to
record, watch previously recorded shows, view pictures,
home videos, listen to music, etc. We'd also still like
to be able to use the XBox to watch DVD movies.

2. Have a TV connected to the PC upstairs so that TV
could also be watched on that set at the same time. Also
being able to channel surf, watch movies, etc. Working
on that computer doing little things is also a "must
have".

3. With both 1 & 2 above, I want to have two tuners in
the PC so that I can do the "picture in picture" thing on
the Xbox (over the extender).

In this setup, will I have to place my digital cable set
top box (STB) upstairs in the den? If so, how do you
change channels using the extender? Does it "just work"?

Thanks for any help. I'd hate to buy one and find out
that it can't do what I want.

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