Digital Home Thoughts: Windows 7 Media Center Gets EngadgetHD Love

"Once you switch to Windows 7 Media Center there is no going back. It might not seem like that much at first, but when you try to go back to Vista or even another solution like Moxi or TiVo, it is like going back in time. The fact is that Microsoft has been in a league of its own with Vista Media Center and while the competition is still sitting idle suing each other, Microsoft has yet again raised the bar. There is no doubt in our mind that it is the all around best DVR solution available today, but we recognize it isn't for everyone."

My thoughts have to echo EngadgetHD. Having lived with the original Windows Media Center and watching it evolve over the years, I've found it to be very easy to use. I like tinkering with tech as much as the next guy, but when it comes to watching movies and tv, I don't want to roll up my sleeves and fix things. Every few months, I get ambitious and try out another option, like LinuxMCE, or MediaPortal, and they just don't seem to have the same kind of polish. Windows 7 Media Center builds upon Vista Media Center and really puts it ahead of the pack in terms of support and usability. EngadgetHD has a great breakdown of all the changes you can expect when you make the migration, and yes, for those of you using a Windows based Media Center, it most certainly is worth the upgrade.