I don't believe Microsoft is licensing the Extender code anymore. I've asked for comments directly several times. I think it is best to consider it dead based on the number of times I received "no comment." Although the last comment I got they still said Toshiba was going to release. I think Ben just closed that case.
(Of course, on the technical side of things yes things like BD players have the ability to run the MCX software with little work)
markzona Chris, Do you think MS will allow upcoming generation of Bluray players, that already do Netlfix and Hulu et al, to act as extenders?
Chris,
Do you think MS will allow upcoming generation of Bluray players, that already do Netlfix and Hulu et al, to act as extenders?
That was part of the point of Toshiba integrating it into it's TVs and DVD players. It doesn't matter that its a DVD or a Bluray player with no specific extender platform model from Microsoft to build too. Unless they come out with a V3 extender platform, we more the likely won't see any new extenders. The xbox360 is it.The V2 extender spec has been pulled, and there isn't even a hint that it even existed on microsofts site.
Got it.
Maybe MS will get TV vendors to stick a future '$50 XBOX on chip' into their TVs.
Since extenders are dead, MS should stop talking rubbish about "extenders" and just say "Xbox 360". Since they would then control the hardware and the software there would be no reasons not to do more integration or improve the MCX feature set. Since the Xbox people said the Windows team controls the MCX software anyways, the MCX experience could be totally tailored to the capabilities of the Xbox. Come off it, MS. It's a safe bet there won't be any so-called DVD with MCX, bluray with MCX or refrigerators with MCX or whatevever you want to claim will have MCX. Not gonna happen. Just give your customers a clear statement so they don't waste believing/investing in dead tech.PS. I'd love to hear the reasons why the few extender vendors nuked their extenders around the same time....
JackLuminousPS. I'd love to hear the reasons why the few extender vendors nuked their extenders around the same time....
Most likely because collectively they had sold <50k of them. How large of a production run do you thin HP and Linksys did? Considering Linksys sold them for as low as $49, I'd say they had just a little bit of extra stock.
I think this has become a case where Microsoft's silence has become defening. A new comer to the MC experience who may want multiroom is still going to be greated by that extender tile within MC making them believe that there is a future or product development in this area. They will not even find out until after much investment or effort that it only partly extends the experience and that there is no clear future to the product development.
I believe that if a company cares about the future of their relationship with the customer it is good to be as open as business/competition allows you, but the apparent disappearance of information from Microsoft only continues to create more confusion and customer alienation. That is my opinion at least.
who needs an extender when you can have this?
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-01-06/netflix-warner-bros-end-dispute-reach-deal-on-dvds-update3-.html
talkshow2 who needs an extender when you can have this? http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-01-06/netflix-warner-bros-end-dispute-reach-deal-on-dvds-update3-.html
I have a Netflix subscription and do not use the MC app. It is not worth it to stream content to me when I can get better video and far superior audio quality from a DVD rental or better yet a Blu-ray rental from Netflix. Adding movies to your queue within MC is not at all ideal and something I never do. The future of television content may not be linear and may be something more akin to streaming, but with MC this solution is still far off.
What about everybody else outside the US where Netflix is not available?
JackLuminous Since extenders are dead, MS should stop talking rubbish about "extenders" and just say "Xbox 360".
Since extenders are dead, MS should stop talking rubbish about "extenders" and just say "Xbox 360".
Looking at Microsoft's Media Center site, the only Extender they make reference to is actually the Xbox 360.
Hopefully the surge of new tuners will bring a spark back to extenders.
it's disappointing.
I keep refreshing this thread every month hoping the silence has been lifted. I would absolutely plan on buying an extender/netflix embedded TV next if I knew it existed.
hope my Linksys doesn't die *crosses fingers, knocks on wood*
sometimes I just think MS is just incompetent when it comes to consumer-oriented "experiences" as they like to spew on about.