Xp Pro versus Xp Media Center Edition - Club CDFreaks

jockgeorge · 17-01-2006

Puting together a new pc, but just wondering your thoughts on which one to go for???

**harley2ride** · 17-01-2006

That really depends on what your needs are. If you need a lot of control over all the hardware and software aspects of your pc, you may want to look at xp pro. If you plan on doing a lot of media related activities, then look at media center..

LordOberon · 18-01-2006

Honestly...

Media Center is an extention of XP Pro with some additional functionality..

Most notably the biggest difference is the inability to join domains (which can be fixed by some registry modifications if you search the net). But if you do that you loose the ability to use media center extenders.

If you want the best of both worlds. Buy media center edition

Fallingwater · 18-01-2006

I was under the impression that mediacenter was a dumbed-down version of the standard xp. I've only ever seen it work in commercial centers and never operated it personally, though, so I may be wrong.

LordOberon · 18-01-2006

look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows...Center_Edition

Although microsoft doesn't have it listed on its site it IS pro based. It is assuredly not based on XP home.

jockgeorge · 18-01-2006

Thanks all, I have now decided on go with 'XP Pro'. Your comments were most welcome.

*Gurm* · 18-01-2006

Media Center is... well, yes it's a dumbed-down version of Pro, but not in very many ways. However, it's ALSO an extended version of Pro with lots of happy slappy media stuff on it.

My personal take on media centers is that they are useless.

No, seriously! Think about it. Most people have digital cable. So the media center can't even change the channel without some kind of external IR thingy to control the cable box. So what good are they? For an extra $10 a month Comcast offers a DVR box. Many other cable providers offer Tivo units. A media center is... pretty pointless from my point of view, unless you have a TON of AVI's and WMV's that you want to watch on your TV.

*Chriso* · 18-01-2006

Is it possible to dual boot the two together, for the purposes of when I get my Xbox 360?

*Gurm* · 19-01-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chriso

Is it possible to dual boot the two together, for the purposes of when I get my Xbox 360?

Sure.

*Chriso* · 19-01-2006

Sweet, might just add a little HDD for it and store the files on my main. Or add another big HDD!

*debro* · 21-01-2006

Another big HD is always good

Install your second OS on it, in case one goes belly up .. you have a plug and play spare

with just a simple bios change ... aka "First boot device" from IDE0 to IDE1/2/3 or SATA

Fallingwater · 21-01-2006

I've googled and wikipediaed ("to wikipedia" should be made a verb), and I see that it's possible with a hack or two to install the media center software on a standard version of XP Pro. So it seems the dedicated version is as useful as a submarine in space.

*debro* · 21-01-2006

Well, as a useful as a bicycle to a fish certainly.

The media centre edition REQUIRES certain hardware to be installed in the machine, and apparently doesn't support as many devices. The interface is possibly more limited also.

Different target audience, right?

*Chriso* · 21-01-2006

Taget audience of people willing to have dictated to them what hardware to use, no thanks, not for me. It was just a little idea with the 360, but not that big a deal.

sku4525 · 21-01-2006

I can assure you all that MCE 2005 is just XP Pro with some .net programs, some bits are only disabled so they do not affect the .net program.

If you install MCE then dont put in disk 2, you get a fully working XP Pro.

Disk one of MCE is only a XP Pro disk, then (based on the serial key entered) it installes the optional MCE components

17-01-2006	#1 (permalink)
jockgeorge New on Forum Join Date: Jul 2000 Posts: 6	Xp Pro versus Xp Media Center Edition <a href='http://adstats.cdfreaks.com/www/delivery/ck.php?n=a13febf7&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE' target='_blank'><img src='http://adstats.cdfreaks.com/www/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=30&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE&n=a13febf7' border='0' alt='' /></a> Puting together a new pc, but just wondering your thoughts on which one to go for???

17-01-2006	#2 (permalink)
harley2ride Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,314	Re: Xp Pro versus Xp Media Center Edition That really depends on what your needs are. If you need a lot of control over all the hardware and software aspects of your pc, you may want to look at xp pro. If you plan on doing a lot of media related activities, then look at media center.. __________________ Rob C2D E6550,3gb DDR2-800mhz,150gb 10000rpm raptor,320gb sata,geforce 8800 gt, Vista Premium, 22" Samsung LCD,Samsung bluray DVD reader\dvd\rw16x, Samsung S203N, ADS Pyro A/V Link,Klipsch Pro-Media 5.1 SS Dell P4 3.4GHZ 2GB PC533 DDR XP PRO SP2 w/ADS Pyro Firewire card,160GB Sata, 250GB ATA133, ATI 2600XT HD/ DELL 20" LCD/ ALS 251 5.1 Speakers / Audigy 2 ZS Platinum / Plextor PX716A / MD (NEC3500) 2FD firmware

18-01-2006	#3 (permalink)
LordOberon CD Freaks Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 172	Re: Xp Pro versus Xp Media Center Edition Honestly... Media Center is an extention of XP Pro with some additional functionality.. Most notably the biggest difference is the inability to join domains (which can be fixed by some registry modifications if you search the net). But if you do that you loose the ability to use media center extenders. If you want the best of both worlds. Buy media center edition

18-01-2006	#4 (permalink)
Fallingwater CD Freaks Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 429	Re: Xp Pro versus Xp Media Center Edition I was under the impression that mediacenter was a dumbed-down version of the standard xp. I've only ever seen it work in commercial centers and never operated it personally, though, so I may be wrong.

18-01-2006	#5 (permalink)
LordOberon CD Freaks Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 172	Re: Xp Pro versus Xp Media Center Edition look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows...Center_Edition Although microsoft doesn't have it listed on its site it IS pro based. It is assuredly not based on XP home.

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18-01-2006	#6 (permalink)
jockgeorge New on Forum Join Date: Jul 2000 Posts: 6	Re: Xp Pro versus Xp Media Center Edition Thanks all, I have now decided on go with 'XP Pro'. Your comments were most welcome.

18-01-2006	#7 (permalink)
Gurm CDFreaks Resident Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 1,940	Re: Xp Pro versus Xp Media Center Edition Media Center is... well, yes it's a dumbed-down version of Pro, but not in very many ways. However, it's ALSO an extended version of Pro with lots of happy slappy media stuff on it. My personal take on media centers is that they are useless. No, seriously! Think about it. Most people have digital cable. So the media center can't even change the channel without some kind of external IR thingy to control the cable box. So what good are they? For an extra $10 a month Comcast offers a DVR box. Many other cable providers offer Tivo units. A media center is... pretty pointless from my point of view, unless you have a TON of AVI's and WMV's that you want to watch on your TV.

18-01-2006	#8 (permalink)
Chriso CDFreaks Resident Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Liverpool, England Posts: 2,062	Re: Xp Pro versus Xp Media Center Edition Is it possible to dual boot the two together, for the purposes of when I get my Xbox 360? __________________ Videos of me playing piano, would be nice to have feedback from you all! [23:49] <Chriso> !seen Boobies [23:49] <JuPiLeR> I found 430 matches to your query; please refine it to see any output. OS: openSUSE 10.3 and Windows XP SP2 PSU: Enermax Liberty 400w - Modular Mobo: Jetway V266B CPU: AMD AthlonXP 2000+ RAM: 256MB Crucial PC2100 + 512MB Corsair Value Select PC2100 HDD: 120GB Maxtor ATA133 8MB Cache + 320GB Western Digital "RAID Edition" ATA100 8MB Cache Gfx Card: NVIDIA GeForce 6200 passive cooled Sound Card: SB Live 1024 DVD-ROM Drive: Asus E-616 CD-RW: LiteON 52246S DVD-RW: NEC ND2510A in external Firewire enclosure (Prolific chipset) USB2 Card: ALI chipset (got an NEC chipset one waiting to go in) Firewire Card: Not sure of chipset...but it seems to work D-Link Network Card My old Voodoo 3 2000 PCI has now retired, still in perfect working order though! Get Firefox! Join CDFreaks

19-01-2006	#10 (permalink)
Chriso CDFreaks Resident Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Liverpool, England Posts: 2,062	Re: Xp Pro versus Xp Media Center Edition Sweet, might just add a little HDD for it and store the files on my main. Or add another big HDD! __________________ Videos of me playing piano, would be nice to have feedback from you all! [23:49] <Chriso> !seen Boobies [23:49] <JuPiLeR> I found 430 matches to your query; please refine it to see any output. OS: openSUSE 10.3 and Windows XP SP2 PSU: Enermax Liberty 400w - Modular Mobo: Jetway V266B CPU: AMD AthlonXP 2000+ RAM: 256MB Crucial PC2100 + 512MB Corsair Value Select PC2100 HDD: 120GB Maxtor ATA133 8MB Cache + 320GB Western Digital "RAID Edition" ATA100 8MB Cache Gfx Card: NVIDIA GeForce 6200 passive cooled Sound Card: SB Live 1024 DVD-ROM Drive: Asus E-616 CD-RW: LiteON 52246S DVD-RW: NEC ND2510A in external Firewire enclosure (Prolific chipset) USB2 Card: ALI chipset (got an NEC chipset one waiting to go in) Firewire Card: Not sure of chipset...but it seems to work D-Link Network Card My old Voodoo 3 2000 PCI has now retired, still in perfect working order though! Get Firefox! Join CDFreaks

21-01-2006	#11 (permalink)
debro Blown to smitherines Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: The c@ke mixer Posts: 9,704	Re: Xp Pro versus Xp Media Center Edition Another big HD is always good Install your second OS on it, in case one goes belly up .. you have a plug and play spare with just a simple bios change ... aka "First boot device" from IDE0 to IDE1/2/3 or SATA __________________ CDFreaks - Overwhelmed by Ignorance since 2005! We lost the battle, but we haven't lost the war! Click Here to sign up to the resistance movement! Viva La Resistance! Admitting that you've illegally downloaded movies/songs and need help to process/burn is comparable to robbing a bank, and walking into the bank the next day holding the bags of money to deposit them into your account. Don't be surprised if people laugh at you when you make the headlines.

21-01-2006	#12 (permalink)
Fallingwater CD Freaks Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 429	Re: Xp Pro versus Xp Media Center Edition I've googled and wikipediaed ("to wikipedia" should be made a verb), and I see that it's possible with a hack or two to install the media center software on a standard version of XP Pro. So it seems the dedicated version is as useful as a submarine in space.

21-01-2006	#13 (permalink)
debro Blown to smitherines Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: The c@ke mixer Posts: 9,704	Re: Xp Pro versus Xp Media Center Edition Well, as a useful as a bicycle to a fish certainly. The media centre edition REQUIRES certain hardware to be installed in the machine, and apparently doesn't support as many devices. The interface is possibly more limited also. Different target audience, right? __________________ CDFreaks - Overwhelmed by Ignorance since 2005! We lost the battle, but we haven't lost the war! Click Here to sign up to the resistance movement! Viva La Resistance! Admitting that you've illegally downloaded movies/songs and need help to process/burn is comparable to robbing a bank, and walking into the bank the next day holding the bags of money to deposit them into your account. Don't be surprised if people laugh at you when you make the headlines.

21-01-2006	#14 (permalink)
Chriso CDFreaks Resident Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Liverpool, England Posts: 2,062	Re: Xp Pro versus Xp Media Center Edition Taget audience of people willing to have dictated to them what hardware to use, no thanks, not for me. It was just a little idea with the 360, but not that big a deal. __________________ Videos of me playing piano, would be nice to have feedback from you all! [23:49] <Chriso> !seen Boobies [23:49] <JuPiLeR> I found 430 matches to your query; please refine it to see any output. OS: openSUSE 10.3 and Windows XP SP2 PSU: Enermax Liberty 400w - Modular Mobo: Jetway V266B CPU: AMD AthlonXP 2000+ RAM: 256MB Crucial PC2100 + 512MB Corsair Value Select PC2100 HDD: 120GB Maxtor ATA133 8MB Cache + 320GB Western Digital "RAID Edition" ATA100 8MB Cache Gfx Card: NVIDIA GeForce 6200 passive cooled Sound Card: SB Live 1024 DVD-ROM Drive: Asus E-616 CD-RW: LiteON 52246S DVD-RW: NEC ND2510A in external Firewire enclosure (Prolific chipset) USB2 Card: ALI chipset (got an NEC chipset one waiting to go in) Firewire Card: Not sure of chipset...but it seems to work D-Link Network Card My old Voodoo 3 2000 PCI has now retired, still in perfect working order though! Get Firefox! Join CDFreaks

21-01-2006	#15 (permalink)
sku4525 New on Forum Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 10	Re: Xp Pro versus Xp Media Center Edition I can assure you all that MCE 2005 is just XP Pro with some .net programs, some bits are only disabled so they do not affect the .net program. If you install MCE then dont put in disk 2, you get a fully working XP Pro. Disk one of MCE is only a XP Pro disk, then (based on the serial key entered) it installes the optional MCE components

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