Are you planning to upgrade to Microsoft Vista?

[Rich A]

Since my home theater PC was built as an appliance with it's sole purpose to BE a BTV server and since it has worked perfectly with it's current OS, (XP) I see no reason to rock the boat by introducing a new untested OS.

Since my HTPC is isolated from the world having only ability to communicate with the SnapStream servers and no where else there is no need for any "improved" security or other OS fixes.

I look at it this way. How often have you had to change the OS in your TIVO, or ReplayTV or your toaster for that matter?

My SnapStream PVR has been running 24/7 for going on three years and hasn't had any kind of problem. No reboots, no BSODs or other software induced maladies. If it weren't for my annual hardware upgrading, the box would have never been opened. It ain't broke .. I'm not going to fix it.

AND when M$ decides it's no longer going to support XP (as they surely will in the future), I still would not change. Right now, WinXP and SnapStream BTV / BM have a stable environment here. I'm going to keep it that way.

[ZetaVu]

It's not m$ I'm worried about not supporting xp, it's when hardware makers stop making xp compatible drivers, and that is probably 5 years down the road. I jumped from win98 to xp when they stopped supporting those drivers, but they kept winME and w2k drivers long after that. I assume you can still get w2k drivers for most things.

[rakeshagrawal]

The results of this survey, at least so far, have surprised me. I hope we can get more people to vote so the sample size is larger.

[Rich A]

Originally Posted by ZetaVu

It's not m$ I'm worried about not supporting xp, it's when hardware makers stop making xp compatible drivers, and that is probably 5 years down the road. I jumped from win98 to xp when they stopped supporting those drivers, but they kept winME and w2k drivers long after that. I assume you can still get w2k drivers for most things.

While that is true, if you don't change anything in the box then you don't have to worry about drivers. The problem is most of us are constantly adding new devices which require new drivers.

If you have a set-top designed box that does everything you need now, there really is no reason to change "anything". Frankly I could run my HTPC "as is" for years, just the way it is.

BUT, should someone come out with (for example) a capture card supporting component level input, well I'd have to re-think my plan ...

[ZetaVu]

I think of replacing componenets as they fry or break down, you can dig up so many years worth of old components.

And Rakesh, I'm not at all surprised by these results, this is consistent with the comments on this and similar boards. Most people who would be interested in SS software are not big fans of m$ products, but use windows. I would not expect a lot of big MCE fans here or realistically in you customer base.

[btvfreak]

I think the only way I'd upgrade to Vista off the bat is if they allowed the DIY crowd to add a CableCARD (and if Snapstream supported it), but MS already said this will not be possible.

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by ZetaVu

I'm not at all surprised by these results, this is consistent with the comments on this and similar boards. Most people who would be interested in SS software are not big fans of m$ products, but use windows. I would not expect a lot of big MCE fans here or realistically in you customer base.

Indeed, I would expect the same results if that poll was on a competitor's site. On HTPCNews or AVS forums you might get closer to a fifty/fifty proportion, depending how many are already MCE users. Then if you go to some gamers site or such, you would probably get the reverse of the results from here...

[Grasshopper]

Of course the results of the poll are predictable on this, and other, forums. Most of us "geeks" will not "upgrade" for all the obvious reasons. SnapStream's problem is that they will have to support all 17 (or whatever) versions of Vista because that's what will come preinstalled on all machines and that is what all new BTV users will have.

It's really a shame because SnapStream's resources will get stretched even further making it harder for them to fix existing problems and introduce new functionality.

[rakeshagrawal]

We are particularly looking forward to adding support for Vista Porn Edition

Seriously though, support for different versions shouldn't be so bad since they are all built around the same core -- Vista MCE and Vista non-MCE are probably the only two different configurations that we'll need to do different things for.

[bshinkle]

Another hearty 'no' here. Of course, BTV users stand to gain pretty much nothing from an OS upgrade, nonwithstanding new features of the OS (are there any?!?) that future versions of BTV may take advantage of..

I am not surprised by the results.. Aside from the vista compatiability thread, my general take on the forums is that nobody is eager for DRM & the like. UI effects are rendered largely meaningless for those who use their HTPC as a dedicated appliance.

[extremefire]

Like several people have said, my BTV network is setup and working, so why fix it, I certainly don't need any of the new crap that M$ is cramming into Vista, when the sole purpose of a particular computer is to play BTV files.

On top of that, all of my Link computers are old Slot A Athlons that do really well running Win2000 and the Link software. Can't imagine how much it would cost just to purchase Vista for each computer, and then the required hardware upgrades just to load Windows. Nope, for BTV purposes, Win2000 is more than enough for me.

[mrgrocery]

Do you know what the retail of the PORN edition is?

Originally Posted by rakeshagrawal

We are particularly looking forward to adding support for Vista Porn Edition

Seriously though, support for different versions shouldn't be so bad since they are all built around the same core -- Vista MCE and Vista non-MCE are probably the only two different configurations that we'll need to do different things for.

[Rich A]

Originally Posted by mrgrocery

Do you know what the retail of the PORN edition is?

See what happens when MS looses it's moral compass? Billy Gates has left the building.

[HomeyFour]

If it aint broke.... you know the rest. The only thing that MAY sway me will be cablecard support. If the only way I can get cablecard support is to buy a preloaded Vista PC, the no way. I'm a die-hard DIY guy. *Maybe* if they release a version to the public that will work, ala MCE 2005 when they finally released it, I might be tempted. If XP ever gets CableCard or QAM support, then I won't bother with Vista.

[ZetaVu]

I think rather than worrying about vista or mce, SS needs to start digging into what it will take to get cablecard to work with them. Will cablecard require vista OS, a prebuilt/installed computer, or will it would on DIY systems as long as the video card is secure and only with secure drivers. I see no reason why a preinstalled computer is not as easy to hack as a diy, and any security measures for one will be as strong/weak for the other.

Either way, SS needs to be able to interface with cablecard if that's the future direction, however all indications are cable companies aren't planning on supporting cablecard devices other than tv's unless they provide them, which will probably screw m$ and SS equally.

QAM is a must it seems, at least for those who can't get a good ota signal. I can, but you never know where I might end up. scrambled channels is a different story, which leaves either a firewire hack (which brings up legal issues) or component/digital input to record hidef cable.

I don't think there will be an easy solution for either m$ (no matter how much money they throw around) or SS. In turn, I see more movement of hidef movies to internet downloads and away from cable, and these of course will be DRM and pay per view, basically back to renting dvd's.

It will be interesting to see how cable and satelite providers respond, will they be smart enough to back off their restrictions and let people make recordings (as they can now) or restrict themselves out of existence?