★ ERIC Atkins ★

I want a home theater PC (HTPC) that will:

• record high-def cable channels
• record high-def satellite channels
  
• allow me to add extra hard drive space at will (even network shares)
  
• allow me to watch Video on Demand through my content provider
  
• allow me to watch VoD through online providers (like Netflix, Amazon, etc.)
  
• allow me to take my recordings with me on my Windows Mobile device, Zune, iPod, and other portable media player
• allow me to stream those files across the internet (much like Slingbox works)
  
• allow me to share all of that content with other extenders and content viewers in my house
• detect all of the devices connected to my home theater system (surround sound, gaming consoles, etc.).
• allow me to have 4 or more tuners at the same time
• give each tuner a buffer and allow me to set that buffer
• allow me to rip my DVD’s to my storage space
• allow me to rip my CD’s to my storage space
  

This is the year 2007.  We’ve got HD programming in our homes.  We’ve got mobile devices.  We’ve got broadband wireless networks.  We’ve got VoD programming. 

But no one has put it all together yet.  Government regulations here.  Industry regulations there.  The regulations are slowing us down and beating us back into the 1980’s.

Example:  You can’t record HD digital programs in Windows Media Center unless your machine has a digital cable card reader installed.  The worst part:  you can’t install a digital cable card reader in your machine and get it to work.  They only work when you get them in a new computer system from an OEM like HP or DELL.  So, to be able to record HD digital programs in WMC, I’ve got to buy a brand new computer. 

Windows Media Center is so close to being the killer app for my living room.  But I’m tired of waiting. 

And with DirecTV stating that they’ll soon have 150 high-def channels available, why should I invest in a media center that plays best with a cable provider?