14 DAY TRIAL // Windows Media Center TV Pack 2008, codenamed Windows Fiji throughout the development process, was, by all accounts, a disappointment for all Windows Vista Home Premium and Ultimate users, who were expecting at least an upgrade for Windows Media Center, if not the next iteration of the product.
However, there were few users that received a heads up as to just what Windows Fiji was bringing to the table, namely the participants in the beta program that got to test drive the bits before they were released to manufacturing. One solution in this context was to attempt to join the Beta program for future versions of Windows Media Center.
Currently, Microsoft allows users to answer the questions of a Windows Media Center Hardware Survey, which could just qualify participants for future Beta programs. “The Media Center team periodically posts a hardware survey to Microsoft Connect in order to update their records of potential beta testers. By completing the survey, you will automatically [be] entered into a pool of potential testers we can select from. If you are chosen as a Media Center beta tester, we will follow-up with an email when a beta will be available,” revealed Charlie Owen, Windows Media Center program manager.
The survey is nothing more than an assessment of the hardware that potential testers could offer Microsoft for running development milestones of the next iteration of Windows Media Center. The survey can be accessed via Microsoft Connect. Owen explained that users would have to enter the following code: WMC-JM7K-RRM6 in the “Were you invited to join Connect?” section.
“Complete Survey. On the question where it asks for your greenbutton.com screen name please enter 'SANDBOX:' plus your user name at discuss.mediacentersandbox.com. You are only allowed to complete this survey once. Please choose just one (1) dedicated PC for testing when responding to this survey,” Owen added.