Windows Vista and Xbox 360 – A Match Made In Heaven

My experiences with my Xbox 360 over the last couple of days have really opened my eyes to how important the Xbox360 is to Microsoft’s desire to be the main provider of entertainment to the home.

Until, this week I’d been eying up several potential PVR solutions for several months unable to make a decision as to what the best solution was for me – standalone PVR or to build a Windows Media Center PC.

Getting the Xbox360 with its built-in extender has made me place my lot in the Windows Media Center camp. I’ve decided that it would be crazy to not make use of the ‘free’ extender, so I’m literally installing Windows XP Media Center Edition on my main PC as I’m typing this post, and I’ve just ordered a Hauppauge TV card so that I can plug my set-top box into my PC. Hopefully, when I have set everything up I will have achieved my nirvana of having my music, films and pictures available anywhere within my flat.

I really feel that more and more users are going to go through the same decision-making process as me, even more so when Microsoft release Windows Vista with its built-in Media Center capabilities. Microsoft will then have access to nearly every device that consumers use to purchase and consume content. This will give Microsoft endless opportunities to flog anything and everything to users who are locked into using their software.

I don’t think any other company’s goals are as far reaching and developed as Microsoft’s e.g. Sony obviously are hoping for similar success with the Playstation 3 but without the PC/Media Center backup the Playstation 3 will never be able to extend its reach beyond the TV it is connected, or to dominate the home like Windows Vista.

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