14 DAY TRIAL // Unlike Windows Vista, with just the Home Premium and Ultimate editions featuring Windows Media Center, Windows 7's editions, starting with the Home Premium SKU, and including Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate, will all offer users the component. With the availability of Windows 7 Beta Build 7000 Ultimate between January 10 and February 12, 2009, testers also have the chance to test drive the latest version of Windows Media Center.
And just in case users will want a preview of Windows Media Center in Windows 7 ahead of actually getting their media “dirty,” Microsoft has made available a video of the new features available in the next iteration of Windows. In the video embedded at the bottom of this article you will be able to see Windows Media Center Program Manager Noah Spitzer-Williams presenting Windows 7's Windows Media Center.
Following the launch of Windows Vista, Microsoft made available for download an update to Windows Media Center, namely Windows Media Center TV Pack 2008, formerly codenamed Fiji. Although initial reports indicated that Fiji was a major update for Windows Media Center, Windows Media Center TV Pack 2008 ended up being nothing more than an OEM-exclusive release, designed to work in conjunction with hardware products, while delivering little additional functionality for Windows Media Center. Windows Media Center TV Pack 2008 was leaked to torrent sites ahead of its official availability, but fact is that in order to fully taste evolution in Vista's Windows Media Center end users will have to upgrade to Windows 7.
According to Brandon LeBlanc, Windows Communications Manager on the Windows Client Communications Team, Windows Media Center in Windows 7 brings to the table the following new features:
"•Changes to the way videos are displayed in Video Library to include Thumbnails AND Names for each video. •Support for H.264 Video - no 3rd party codecs are required to play H.264 content. •Video Play-All Option (think of it as a “Video Slide Show”) with ability to navigate between each video. •Developers can take advantage of the new Import API for Windows Portable Devices. The new API enables photos AND videos from portable devices to be imported directly within Windows Media Center. •Ability to create Slide Shows (new Slide Show pivot) with your pictures and can contain pictures or music or both. •New On-screen Keyboard (Touch-enabled). •Improved Rating Controls within Windows Media Center UI. •New Ratings Pivot for quick access to your favorite content. •Play Favorites feature with new Slide Show style. •Auto Slide Show feature acts as a screensaver for Windows Media Center." Windows Media Center Picture and Videos Features in the Windows 7 Beta