Microsoft Will Offer Cable-ready Media Center PC's

Microsoft's vision is to offer a complete digital home entertainment system. The company wants to achieve this goal through its special OS (Operating System) called Windows XP Media Center Edition. Microsoft worked for over two years with CableLabs (Cable Television Laboratories), a non profit research company, developing technology for adding cable TV support to Windows Media Center OS.

Microsoft struck a deal with a cable television consortium to allow PC retailers to offer digital cable ready Media Center PCs. Company officials stated that they want to deliver digital content and high definition media through digital cable to Media Center PCs.

Digital cable providers will provide users with CableCARDS that will allow them to receive digital content from channels such as HBO and Cinemax, only by plugging the card directly in a supported hardware. This means Media Center PCs will receive one way digital cable content from cable providers without the use of an external TV box.

Microsoft also finished the development of the Windows Media Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology and will integrate it in the media center hardware with CableCARD module.