Re: MCE 2005 - a P.O.S.??

From: Todd Bowra [MSFT] (toddbow_at_online.microsoft.com)
Date: 02/15/05 

Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2005 15:13:34 -0800

Also, please let us know which Ethernet NIC you have and which driver
version you're running (both can be checked in Device Manager). 

-- 
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
"EZRyder" <EZRyder@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1A7ACE7C-3F07-4063-95B7-D741749A57F1@microsoft.com...
> Thank you, Todd, for your response.  I figured you guys were volunteer,
but
> wasn't sure.  I appreciate all of your input here.  As I'm sure others do.
I
> didn't mean to be pissy about it, but I'm at a crossroads I didn't expect
or
> want to be at.  I really don't want to scrap all my efforts here because
my
> wife hates the rewind limitation.  All else I can get over, but this one
is
> something she's drawing a line in the sand over, so I hope it gets fixed
> soon.  (well, the busy network thing might be a problem, too, but it's
random
> - I think it's due to MS Auto-Updates or Outlook - both of which I've just
> shut off, for now)
>
> As for my driver... I'm pretty sure I have the latest version, and updated
> very recently, but I'll double check when I get home in a few days.
>
> "Todd Bowra [MSFT]" wrote:
>
> > Item 2 is among the top customer requests for Media Center, and 3 and 4
also
> > make a showing on the list. Microsoft is definitely aware of these
requests
> > and takes them into consideration when making product decisions. If
you'd
> > like to add your voice, feel free to submit your requests to mswish
(more
> > info at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=114491)
> >
> > Regarding issue 1 - this behavior is indicative of an out of date
Ethernet
> > NIC driver on your PC. We've found that some NICs are not able to
reliably
> > source higher bandwidth video due to driver bugs. What NIC do you have
in
> > your PC? Also, have you updated the driver to the latest available
version?
> >
> > -- 
> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
> >
> >
> > "EZRyder" <EZRyder@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:C770423C-40A2-4D1A-8E1E-0DA5BA451F59@microsoft.com...
> > > Having gone to great expense and hassle, I'm beginning to think I made
a
> > big
> > > mistake switching from RePlay (and TiVo) to MCE 2005.  Why?  Here's a
few
> > > reasons:
> > >
> > > 1)  I have nothing running on my MCE 2005 box except MCE, yet my MCX
will
> > > sometimes report that the network is too busy for a fulfilling TV
> > experience
> > > and locks up.  I then have to reboot the MCX and all is fine.  This is
> > > usually when switching from recorded to Live TV.  There are no other
> > > computers on the network at all, as both others are notebooks, and
both
> > were
> > > offline.  Note that I am also using a WIRED network.  Not wireless.
One
> > TV;
> > > one MCE; one MCX.  The
> > > TV is hooked to the MCX and not the MCE.
> > >
> > > 2)  When watching a program, I decide to hit the record button.  Other
> > > services will offer the option of taping from the beginning of that
> > program,
> > > assuming you've been on the same channel FROM the beginning.  MCE
offers
> > you
> > > one or two minutes of pre-Record button pushing - why not at least up
to
> > the
> > > (lame) 30 minute buffer??!!  Others off this, and obviously there are
> > hooks
> > > in to do it, so why not offer it?  It's sitting in the buffer
anyway...
> > >
> > > 3)  Rewind time is LAME, LAME, LAME!!!  30 minutes SUCKS.  TiVo sucks
> > > because of it, and I was hoping for better from MCE.  RePlay offers
you as
> > > long as you've got hard disk space or as long as the RePlay unit has
been
> > on,
> > > whichever comes first.  If you're reading this, MS, PLEASE make this
> > happen!
> > > I have a wife who's ready to chuck the whole thing out the window and
go
> > back
> > > to RePlay, (which we still have - I've been doing a Proof Of Concept,
and
> > it
> > > aint going overly well).  Consider the USAGE case here.  She, probably
> > like
> > > lots of other women, has the TV on in the background all day; she at
some
> > > point tunes into what's on and decides she wants to watch it from the
> > > beginning, or even go back an hour or more to the previous program and
> > then
> > > playback, skipping commercials.  She DOES NOT want to have plan her
> > > TV-watching day to record every program she wants to watch!  She's a
> > WOMAN.
> > > Women don't PLAN very well, typically.  Neither do I, in fact.  I
don;t
> > want
> > > to have to figure out ahead of time what I feel like watching, when I
> > don't
> > > even know if I will be watching TV or what I'll feel like watching
when I
> > do.
> > >  This is "real world".
> > >
> > > 4)  When switching from a rewound program - not recorded program, just
> > > rewound - to a different channel, MCE  should WARN you that you are
NOT
> > LIVE
> > > and offer you the option of staying where you are or changing the
channel.
> > > The wife has a snit about this, as well.  RePlay and TiVo do this.
> > >
> > > MS:  I'm sure you guys must realize that in order to propogate this
> > > technology to the masses, the GUYS have to convince the GIRLS - who
use
> > this
> > > MUCH more than we do, (at least in my case) - that the functionality
is
> > > worthy of the cost.  This means they can't lose ANY features over
RePlay
> > or
> > > TiVo, and that includes not crashing and not having network
performance
> > > issues that shouldn't exist in the first place.
> > >
> > > I think this is a fabulous product, and I'M willing to live with the
> > issues
> > > until the bugs are worked out, and WHILE the bugs are being worked
out,
> > but
> > > my WIFE - and a lot of wives out there - are NOT.  I don't want to
lose
> > this.
> > >  I just want it to work for my wife.  (who, by the way, is not an
idiot -
> > > highly intelligent).
> > >
> > > Thanks.  And please, anyone, if you know of a way to address these in
> > hacks,
> > > please let me know.  Otherwise, what do I have to do to get MS to work
on
> > > these issues, and how long can we expect it to be before we can get
some
> > > fixes?  I'm running out of time.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
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