Q: Is Media Center more related to the Pro or Home version. Home also has work well with dual core processors? I was under the impression that only Pro works with multiple processors.
Re:So I take it MCE is just win xp with a flashing windows media player? can i still do regular computer stuff with it or can i only watch videos ?
Re:Originally posted by: STaSh
You might want to check out the MCE FAQ at the newly revamped Microsoft MCE site:[/L]STaSH,
Thank you for that link, I too was trying to decide on MCE vs Home for a new laptop.
Here are some of the top features:
Multi-tuner support (record two shows at the same time and watch another previously recorded show)
Support for digital and high-definition local TV
Built-in CD and DVD burning
Windows Movie Maker 2.1 with DVD burning
Internet radio
Enhanced setup wizard for easier installation
Since there's no cost difference, a no brainer. 
Hermit
Re:You might want to check out the MCE FAQ at the newly revamped Microsoft MCE site:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/evaluation/faq.mspx
Re:Originally posted by: guy
In addition to domain, you also don't have cached credentials (unless your a MCE 2004 upgrade).
Bill, do you know what else is in XP Pro that is not in MCE? [WARNING n00b question>>] What are "cached credentials"? Is that an authentication thing?
Domain support and cached credential sare the two documented differences I recall. Cache credentials is the ability to enter a login/password for a server and have the option for Windows to 'remember' them automatically so your not prompted after every reboot.
Bill
Re:In addition to domain, you also don't have cached credentials (unless your a MCE 2004 upgrade).
Bill, do you know what else is in XP Pro that is not in MCE? [WARNING n00b question>>] What are "cached credentials"? Is that an authentication thing?
Re:VLA= Volume Licensing Agreement.
The code I have from MS is bundled in Pro. But, it is only a couple of DLLs and EXEs that make Home and Pro different. I would suspect that with a little tweaking, MS could have all flavors install from the same source DVD (2 CD set) just using a different product ID. Remember that price does not determine what it is. MS wants to sell MCE and will do it at a bargin help them become the 'standard' in HTPC. I would suspect that MCE 2005 supports the same processor options as Pro (X86). I have not paid enough attention to it to see if there is even a 64bit option. Considering some of the components, I would doubt it.
Re:Well I have been through a bunch of the MS site and canno find anything indicating how MCE reacts to multiple processors compared to multiple cores. I do believe the multi-core is supported by all versions as a number of vendors sell XP/Home on X2 systems.
Re:when configuring my dell laptop, i have the option of XP MCE for $40, or XP PRO for $150. I don't see how MCE could be pro if they are selling it for $100 less. Maybe this is more of a licencing/price issue, i dunno
Re:Originally posted by: guy
So, do you know if these same restrictions are applied to the cached credentials if MCE is installed on Windows 2003 Server?
That makes as much sense as asking if Home can be installed on 2003 server. MCE is a flavor of XP, not just an option pack. It's not licesned for install on 2003 server (the installer prevents it). I'm sure it could be hacked, but thats not a topic we'll discuss here.
Re:So, do you know if these same restrictions are applied to the cached credentials if MCE is installed on Windows 2003 Server?
Re:Originally posted by: guy
Well, I dunno about the discs you guys are using. The two MCE 2005 discs I have are labeled as Windows XP Professional SP2 and Windows MCE 2005 Edition. The only thing I've seen that leans to it not being based on Pro is the lack of domain support. Other than that it's installed with a copy of Windows Professional under it.
Doesn't matter what the disk says, the Home and Pro bits (for example) are identical (Pro disk includes a few more things which are installed, but the primary stuff doesnt change). What does change is the license (which isn't some legal click thru, for MCE some of the restrictions are enforced by code which checks the version speifically to see if it's MCE or not)
In addition to domain, you also don't have cached credentials (unless your a MCE 2004 upgrade).
Bill
Re:Well, I dunno about the discs you guys are using. The two MCE 2005 discs I have are labeled as Windows XP Professional SP2 and Windows MCE 2005 Edition. The only thing I've seen that leans to it not being based on Pro is the lack of domain support. Other than that it's installed with a copy of Windows Professional under it.
Re:Originally posted by: guy
I don't believe this is true. First, Windows doesn't know whether you have multiple processors or multiple cores: multiple cores look just like multiple processors to the system. Second, Microsoft states in a number of places that XP Pro supports multiple processors while XP Home does not. I haven't been able to find specific information about MCE, but I am guessing it does not, as it is built on XP Home.
Your post (I'm afraid) is wrong on both points. The system most certainly makes a distinction between muti-cores and multi-procs. They do not 'just look like' the same thing to the OS. Home supports multi-core and HT, not multi-proc. Pro supports multi-proc in addition (so each of the physical procs can have multiple cores and/or HT support).
MCE follows XP Pro's CPU licensing. MCE, however is built on the XP core, there is no concept as to it's built on Home or it's built on Pro (as other people in this thread have pointed out, and I've had to mention about weekly lately 
)
Bill
Re:MCE 2005 is based on home edition.
*sigh*
Re:MCE 2005 is based on home edition.
Re:Both Home, Pro, and by extension MCE support dual core processors. Two complete physically separate CPUs is only supported by Pro (and perhaps MCE, but I'm not sure on that).
Re:Not sure what VLA code is. And there is no non-OEM version of MCE.
Re:Originally posted by: STaSh
Sorry, I was referring to MCE 2005. I should have been aware that people are still using 2004…
I never said anything about 2004. MCE 2005 is an XP SKU. It is not 'based' on anything, except XP. Not Pro or Home.
It is based off of Pro from what I have seen in all the VLA code. It starts with Pro with the Non-OEM version.
Re:Sorry, I was referring to MCE 2005. I should have been aware that people are still using 2004…
I never said anything about 2004. MCE 2005 is an XP SKU. It is not 'based' on anything, except XP. Not Pro or Home.
Re:Originally posted by: STaSh
Was the first disc not XP Pro SP2? Hmm…?
I have two MCE machines at home, but whether I've used it or not is irrelevant. The first disc is not XP Pro.
Sorry, I was referring to MCE 2005. I should have been aware that people are still using 2004…
Re:HP's PD and X2 systems ship with MCE, so I would say it support dual cores.
Re:Was the first disc not XP Pro SP2? Hmm…?
I have two MCE machines at home, but whether I've used it or not is irrelevant. The first disc is not XP Pro.
Re:Well I've not noticed any differences between XP Pro SP2 and XP Pro SP2 with MCE. My desktop and my HTPC are running each respectively. If there are differences they're so minor that most people wont even notice them, I haven't. Now my wife's notebook running Home is definitely different, especially in the networking portion.
Re:It is much harder than all of that. Yes, MCE 2005 is using the XP Core, as does Tablet 2005. If you are creating an OS install, you need the Mediactr and tablet containers in "cmpnents". Otherwise, there is only one other change, the product key. Same setup, same everything but the product key. You use the same setup commands, but you just point to a different unattend.txt file with the product key for Tablet, MCE, or XP Pro.
And for reference, this all unified with SP2.
Re:So you've installed and used it then? Was it not two discs? Was the first disc not XP Pro SP2? Hmm…?
Re:MCE is not simply an app on XP Pro. It is a separate SKU.
Re:MCE is installed over XP Pro. It's 2 discs. The first disc is XP Pro. If you use a non-MCE key it'll install Pro normally. If you use an MCE key to install it'll prompt you for the second disc.
Re:I don't believe this is true. First, Windows doesn't know whether you have multiple processors or multiple cores: multiple cores look just like multiple processors to the system. Second, Microsoft states in a number of places that XP Pro supports multiple processors while XP Home does not. I haven't been able to find specific information about MCE, but I am guessing it does not, as it is built on XP Home.
Re:I'm not sure about MCE, but you are right that only XP Pro supports multiple physical processors. All variations of XP (including Home) support multi-core processors.
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