# Why Windows Vista Will Change the Industry



## Jason Unger

*Why Windows Vista Will Change the Industry*


It's been a long time coming, but Microsoft has finally released Windows Vista, the successor of the wildly popular Windows XP operating system. Some 12 million U.S. households will pick up at least one Vista PC in 2007, according to Forrester Research. By 2011, that number should escalate to 73 million households.


The bulk of these Vista PCs will be "Premium" versions or better, meaning they will ship with the latest version -- the Vista version -- of Media Center Edition (MCE).

 

*What's Different?*


Several new features distinguish the Vista version of MCE from its Windows XP counterpart. For starters, Vista simply marks the first time that MCE will be purchased en masse by consumers -- whether they know it or not -- as they move to the new operating system.


With Vista, MCE is vastly improved versus the Windows XP version, starting with the basics: security, reliability and usability. There are also several new features that make Vista MCE attractive to integrators:


1. CableCard Support. Previously, Media Center could only get high-definition content from over-the-air broadcasts, not from cable or satellite. This lack of HD support was a deal-breaker for many consumers and home systems professionals. With Vista, users can stream premium digital content first via cable, and later via satellite.


Unfortunately, the CableCard that enables streaming (and recording) of HD cable content, is only a one-way solution, meaning traditional video on demand is not supported. In addition, CableCard-enabled boxes cannot stream content to remote Media Centers in the home; they can only stream to Media Center Extenders like the Xbox 360.


2. New Extenders via Pika. The original Media Center ecosystem was limited by the fact that the only lingering Media Center Extender device was Microsoft's own Xbox -- a relatively bulky, expensive, feature-laden product for users that want basic Extender functionality.


With Vista, Microsoft is offering a development platform called Pika that enables third parties to build Extender functionality into a wide range of products. We can expect to see products such as TVs, keypads and DVD players doubling as Media Center Extenders.


For more on Windows Vista, including the full scoop on the system's enhanced audio and video functionality, check out
http://www.cepro.com/magazine/article/17446.html


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