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#16
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OT - Rant about trying to findi details about versions of Win 8.1 OS
....winston wrote:
Yes wrote: @jerryab, at present, I haven't decided if I want, need or would use Media Player if I had it. Under WinXP, the same security settings were shared by both Windows Media Player and Internet Explorer. I couldn't stand that because I wanted to use different security settings; the IE settings being considerably more restrictive. One size does not fit all. If I changed security settings in one app, I had to go back and reset them when I used the other - a very big hassle. So I chose to use a third party app for media and lock down IE. I will be going with 64-bit OS for the reasons you gave - increase the amount of RAM I can use and to use hard drives larger than 2TB. Media Player is included with Windows 8. Media Center is not included with Windows 8. Media Center plays DVD's, Media Player does not. Media Center is an update and only available for Win8 Pro at a cost of $10. Installing Media Center (on an OEM or Retail Windows 8 Pro) will change the license to a retail Windows 8 Pro with Media Center. It will also change the product key. - if the system is ever returned via a clean install (or recovery media) to Win8 Pro pre Media Center and then desired to be updated to Win8 Pro with Media Center then both product keys may be necessary to facilitate the clean install (Win 8 Pro) and update (Media Center). The exception may be OEM recovery media which may or may not require the original product key. Since Media Center changes the license...if installing on an OEM machine and still in warranty...check with them if it nullifies o/s support during the warranty period. Was not aware about the DVD playback problem - that sucks AFAIC. My needs to play a DVD are very basic - play and watch. It sounds like the Media Center is just an extra hassle and may be just another way for Microsoft to increase its overall revenue. I can probably find alternatives in the open-source community. |
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#17
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OT - Rant about trying to findi details about versions of Win8.1 OS
Yes wrote:
...winston wrote: Yes wrote: @jerryab, at present, I haven't decided if I want, need or would use Media Player if I had it. Under WinXP, the same security settings were shared by both Windows Media Player and Internet Explorer. I couldn't stand that because I wanted to use different security settings; the IE settings being considerably more restrictive. One size does not fit all. If I changed security settings in one app, I had to go back and reset them when I used the other - a very big hassle. So I chose to use a third party app for media and lock down IE. I will be going with 64-bit OS for the reasons you gave - increase the amount of RAM I can use and to use hard drives larger than 2TB. Media Player is included with Windows 8. Media Center is not included with Windows 8. Media Center plays DVD's, Media Player does not. Media Center is an update and only available for Win8 Pro at a cost of $10. Installing Media Center (on an OEM or Retail Windows 8 Pro) will change the license to a retail Windows 8 Pro with Media Center. It will also change the product key. - if the system is ever returned via a clean install (or recovery media) to Win8 Pro pre Media Center and then desired to be updated to Win8 Pro with Media Center then both product keys may be necessary to facilitate the clean install (Win 8 Pro) and update (Media Center). The exception may be OEM recovery media which may or may not require the original product key. Since Media Center changes the license...if installing on an OEM machine and still in warranty...check with them if it nullifies o/s support during the warranty period. Was not aware about the DVD playback problem - that sucks AFAIC. My needs to play a DVD are very basic - play and watch. It sounds like the Media Center is just an extra hassle and may be just another way for Microsoft to increase its overall revenue. I can probably find alternatives in the open-source community. I added the Media Center thing at the time, because it was a free add-on. If you don't have TV tuner cards to work with it, the only visible change in your OS, is the addition of two more CODECs to the pool of CODECs. And those are for DVD playback. That makes it about equivalent to having a copy of WinDVD on the machine. If you have TV tuner cards, then the Media Center is more worthwhile. Paul |
#18
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OT - Rant about trying to findi details about versions of Win8.1 OS
Yes wrote:
Paul wrote: Yes wrote: Wolf K wrote: On 2013-10-18 12:01 PM, philo wrote: Yes wrote: Microsoft is out of their collective f*** minds. ... snipped ... I finally did find a comparison chart - using Google. It popped up at the top of search results, as compared to nothing using the search on Microsoft's pages. Microsoft's comparison chart is in their Enterprise section at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wind...e/default.aspx I will be doing a new install over my existing WinXP Pro OS, going from 32-bit (the WinXP) to 64-bit. Use the MS Upgrade Adviser if you haven't done so already. And be cautious about 640-bit. If your XP machine is older than about 5 years, the CPU may not run a 64-bit OS. CPUs of that age were often "640bit ready", ie, they emulated 64-bit operation. HTH Thanks for the warning. I have already confirmed that my CPU can handle 65-bit. Not everything in computing is a power_of_two. The machine we had in school was 60 bit. They used to fit ten 6 bit characters in the registers. It made some kinda sense. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDC_6600 This company made a 36 bit processor. I never saw one of these or worked on one, but because these existed, I used to get software people at work, pestering me to add some more bits to our 32 bit processor :-) It was a running joke with them. People are spoiled now, with 8/16/32/64 progressions. It used to be a lot more fun when things were weird (like DEC and octal for numbers - octal used to drive me crazy). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbolics I did end up building something with a pretty odd number of bits to it. Maybe up around 110 bits, in a bit slice design. When you wrote firmware for it, you burned sets of ROMs, and it cost the company a small fortune for blanks. (Batches of chips used to cost $3000, and I had to be careful not to waste them. Or my manager would get that look in his eye.) The fun part for me was, adding bits until you had enough to control "everything". Power_of_two is for wussies. 65 bits, no problem. Paul My typo :-) Should read 64-bit :-) I'll now try to find out the licensing difference between the OEM version and the so-called "Full Version" is. It used to be a relatively simple decision. OEM was essentially install the OS on one machine only whereas the license of the retail version stayed with you the person so that you could use it indefinitely and move it to a new pc, removing it of course from the previous pc. I seem to remember reading that with Windows 8 that Microsoft changed licensing terms so that it no longer has a "retail" version as I understood the concept, so then I have to wonder why choose its concept of a retail version to that of the OEM version. Microsoft offers a Personal Use License for those build your own pc people to use in conjunction with the OEM license. Current promotion pricing for the OEM is about $60 cheaper. I think this time, I'll ignore Microsoft's own search function and check what pops up on Google. Win8 came in the following Retail - upgrade media (download was the same bitness as the pc performing the download), option to get disc for additional price - upgrade disc media came with 32 and 64 bit DVD) Personal Use for System Builder Version - came with 32 or 64 bit DVD not both - during install user had option for Personal Use (build own pc) or OEM build (build pc and resale to another) ** Personal Use choice was not transferrable, OEM was transferable with machine) Win 8.1 - all media is full version (retail or Personal Use/OEM) - retail media is transferable - Personal use/OEM choice no longer present (only OEM for reselling o/s and pc to another) - i.e. not for use on building own pc i.e. the licensing changed from 8 to 8.1 Licensing and 'Technically feasible' are two different things. -- ...winston msft mvp consumer apps |
#19
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OT - Rant about trying to findi details about versions of Win8.1 OS
Yes wrote:
...winston wrote: Media Player is included with Windows 8. Media Center is not included with Windows 8. Media Center plays DVD's, Media Player does not. Media Center is an update and only available for Win8 Pro at a cost of $10. Installing Media Center (on an OEM or Retail Windows 8 Pro) will change the license to a retail Windows 8 Pro with Media Center. It will also change the product key. - if the system is ever returned via a clean install (or recovery media) to Win8 Pro pre Media Center and then desired to be updated to Win8 Pro with Media Center then both product keys may be necessary to facilitate the clean install (Win 8 Pro) and update (Media Center). The exception may be OEM recovery media which may or may not require the original product key. Since Media Center changes the license...if installing on an OEM machine and still in warranty...check with them if it nullifies o/s support during the warranty period. Was not aware about the DVD playback problem - that sucks AFAIC. My needs to play a DVD are very basic - play and watch. It sounds like the Media Center is just an extra hassle and may be just another way for Microsoft to increase its overall revenue. I can probably find alternatives in the open-source community. Alternative (and free) application software for Win8/8.1 are available for DVD playback. i.e. unless you like the familiarity of Media Center (feature-wise it's quite the same on Win8 as Win7) from past use/behavior you should be happy with 3rd party applications. -- ...winston msft mvp consumer apps |
#20
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OT - Rant about trying to findi details about versions of Win8.1 OS
On 10/19/2013 2:24 AM, ...winston wrote:
Yes wrote: @jerryab, at present, I haven't decided if I want, need or would use Media Player if I had it. Under WinXP, the same security settings were shared by both Windows Media Player and Internet Explorer. I couldn't stand that because I wanted to use different security settings; the IE settings being considerably more restrictive. One size does not fit all. If I changed security settings in one app, I had to go back and reset them when I used the other - a very big hassle. So I chose to use a third party app for media and lock down IE. I will be going with 64-bit OS for the reasons you gave - increase the amount of RAM I can use and to use hard drives larger than 2TB. Media Player is included with Windows 8. Media Center is not included with Windows 8. Media Center plays DVD's, Media Player does not. *Windows* Media Player won't play DVDs? |
#21
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OT - Rant about trying to findi details about versions of Win8.1 OS
Ron wrote:
On 10/19/2013 2:24 AM, ...winston wrote: Yes wrote: @jerryab, at present, I haven't decided if I want, need or would use Media Player if I had it. Under WinXP, the same security settings were shared by both Windows Media Player and Internet Explorer. I couldn't stand that because I wanted to use different security settings; the IE settings being considerably more restrictive. One size does not fit all. If I changed security settings in one app, I had to go back and reset them when I used the other - a very big hassle. So I chose to use a third party app for media and lock down IE. I will be going with 64-bit OS for the reasons you gave - increase the amount of RAM I can use and to use hard drives larger than 2TB. Media Player is included with Windows 8. Media Center is not included with Windows 8. Media Center plays DVD's, Media Player does not. *Windows* Media Player won't play DVDs? Correct on Win8 or Win8.1 (any version) MP doesn't play DVD's ....and Media Center is a Windows Pro only option (Media Center is not available for Windows 8 Core or Windows 8 Enterprise) http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-playback-help -- ...winston msft mvp consumer apps |
#22
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OT - Rant about trying to findi details about versions of Win8.1 OS
On 10/20/2013 4:45 AM, ...winston wrote:
Ron wrote: Media Player is included with Windows 8. Media Center is not included with Windows 8. Media Center plays DVD's, Media Player does not. *Windows* Media Player won't play DVDs? Correct on Win8 or Win8.1 (any version) MP doesn't play DVD's ...and Media Center is a Windows Pro only option (Media Center is not available for Windows 8 Core or Windows 8 Enterprise) http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-playback-help This computer came with Power DVD so I never even tried to use WMP to play a DVD. The second paragraph is the real reason why WPMP no longer plays DVDs. snip According to Microsoft, DVDs are old-school technology that’s no longer needed. Today’s ultrathin laptops and tablets don’t even have DVD drives. Most people watch movies by streaming them to their computers over the Internet, Microsoft says. Or, they watch their DVDs on TV. Also, Microsoft no longer wanted to pay licensing fees to the companies owning the patents to the MPEG-2 decoder and Dolby Digital audio support required for playing back DVDs. snip |
#23
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OT - Rant about trying to findi details about versions of Win8.1 OS
Ron wrote:
On 10/20/2013 4:45 AM, ...winston wrote: Ron wrote: Media Player is included with Windows 8. Media Center is not included with Windows 8. Media Center plays DVD's, Media Player does not. *Windows* Media Player won't play DVDs? Correct on Win8 or Win8.1 (any version) MP doesn't play DVD's ...and Media Center is a Windows Pro only option (Media Center is not available for Windows 8 Core or Windows 8 Enterprise) http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-playback-help This computer came with Power DVD so I never even tried to use WMP to play a DVD. The second paragraph is the real reason why WPMP no longer plays DVDs. snip According to Microsoft, DVDs are old-school technology that’s no longer needed. Today’s ultrathin laptops and tablets don’t even have DVD drives. Most people watch movies by streaming them to their computers over the Internet, Microsoft says. Or, they watch their DVDs on TV. Also, Microsoft no longer wanted to pay licensing fees to the companies owning the patents to the MPEG-2 decoder and Dolby Digital audio support required for playing back DVDs. snip The second paragraph probably covers the business reason but not entirely inclusive of all reasons....since OEM's are involved for the majority of sold o/s - cost passed on to OEM and OEM also responsbile for support. -- ...winston msft mvp consumer apps |
#24
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OT - Rant about trying to findi details about versions of Win8.1 OS
On 2013-10-19 11:20 AM, Yes wrote:
Was not aware about the DVD playback problem - that sucks AFAIC. My needs to play a DVD are very basic - play and watch. It sounds like the Media Center is just an extra hassle and may be just another way for Microsoft to increase its overall revenue. I can probably find alternatives in the open-source community. Yup it suck that DVD movies and the nice Vista/7 built-in games are gone. Small potatoes but .. If you've ever bought a DVD-R drive, they usually come with softwares such as PowerDVD and Nero etc. PowerDVD plays DVDs quite well. For simple playback on the monitor it's more than sufficient. Check your discs you might have a copy. If not, search online, there are divers solutions for DVD movie playback. WireTalk -- Are you Christian? But stumbling online? The Lord makes all things new: http://www.holinessprompter.com New software for Christians who've decided to get honest. -- And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure. 1 John 3 : 3 -- |
#25
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OT - Rant about trying to findi details about versions of Win8.1 OS
On 2013-10-19 11:20 AM, Yes wrote:
Was not aware about the DVD playback problem - that sucks AFAIC. My needs to play a DVD are very basic - play and watch. It sounds like the Media Center is just an extra hassle and may be just another way for Microsoft to increase its overall revenue. I can probably find alternatives in the open-source community. Yup it suck that DVD movies and the nice Vista/7 built-in games are gone. Small potatoes but .. If you've ever bought a DVD-R drive, they usually come with softwares such as PowerDVD and Nero etc. PowerDVD plays DVDs quite well. For simple playback on the monitor it's more than sufficient. Check your discs you might have a copy. If not, search online, there are divers solutions for DVD movie playback. WireTalk -- Are you Christian? But stumbling online? The Lord makes all things new: http://www.holinessprompter.com New software for Christians who've decided to get honest. -- And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure. 1 John 3 : 3 -- |
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