14 DAY TRIAL // With Windows Fiji still in the oven, Microsoft is also cooking updates for its current version of Windows Media Center which ships as a default component of the Ultimate and Home Premium SKUs of Windows Vista. The June 2008 Cumulative Update for Media Center for Windows Vista is now available for download straight from Microsoft, and is the latest iteration of a series of updates, replacing previous releases from February 2008, October 2007, June 2007 and April 2007. Users of both 32-bit and 64-bit of the Home Premium and Ultimate editions of Vista, including Vista Service Pack1 can grab the update rollup and integrate it with their operating systems.
According to Microsoft, the Windows Media Center update for Vista RTM and SP1 is set up to provide fixes for a variety of issues. "Windows Media Center configurations that use an analog TV broadcast without a set-top box, this update improves the experience of recording television shows. Previously, shows were blocked with 'protected content' messages. This update addresses a blank screen issue that occurs when you switch between full-screen mode and windowed mode while you play videos. On extender sessions that use Internet TV or Online Spotlight, this update increases a maximum path limit from 260 characters to 2048 characters," Microsoft informed.
Following the implementation of the update, Windows Media Center will display correctly characters in Simplified Chinese when it comes down to channel names, but Chinese users will also benefit from an updated frequency table. Additionally, the June release provides a resolve for memory leaks associated with extender sessions, as well for incorrect Client ID settings connected to the Express setup options. And on top of it all, the June 2008 Windows Media Center update also fixes a problem brought to the table by Vista SP1. As a result, Media Center will no longer display empty removable media devices in galleries.
In addition to the work that it is poring into Windows Vista's Media Center, Microsoft is also working on the next version of the product. Windows Fiji is currently in private beta testing, and it will presumably be made available for download by the end of this year as the Windows Vista Media Center Feature Pack 2008.