DTV Transition Mostly Smooth, Windows Media Center Problems 223
dritan writes "While most of the transition to digital seems to have gone smoothly, those who use Windows Media Center saw their screens go dark. Users are complaining that Media Center did not pick up changes to channel assignments that took place on Friday. Someone forgot to update the static channel lists distributed with the program guide. Users either have to wait for Microsoft to fix the problem, or manually edit the configuration files."
Reports indicate that the FCC received upwards of 300,000 calls on Friday from consumers seeking late help with the transition, but they were prepared, with over 4,000 operators available to handle problems. The FCC's DTV website also had over 3 million hits on Friday. Both phone and Internet traffic have now tapered off, and supplies of converter boxes appear to have held out just fine.
Wow manually edit configuration files. (Score:5, Funny)
Almost as bad as updating alsa to 1.0.20. (stupid jaunty jackassalope shipped with 1.0.18)
At least windows is starting to be a real OS with the typing and such.
Progress (Score:5, Funny)
Now everyone will experience beautiful, high resolution broadcast video of quality programming.
Ha, ha! Just kidding, I made that second part up.
Re:I was pleasantly surprised... (Score:5, Funny)
I got eight new channels on Friday -- the MHz and ION networks went digital in my area, so now I can watch Bollywood movies, English-language Russian TV, NHK Today, and some Chinese thing, among others.
These actually can be quite interesting to browse -- the Russian take on the Iranian election was kind of interesting.
Caveat: These reports origin from foreign dubious sources and haven't been processed by the US News un-bias-o-matic.
Re:It Worked (Score:3, Funny)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq [wikipedia.org]
Re:Progress (Score:2, Funny)
Re:I was pleasantly surprised... (Score:2, Funny)
US News un-bias-o-matic
Its more of a US News uber-bias-o-matic
Re:Seriously, why should we care? (Score:3, Funny)
What's this, now? An angsty teenager who thinks he knows everything?!?!
I'm SHOCKED! Shocked I say!
Never heard of it (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Why can't windows media player scan of channels (Score:3, Funny)
Who's responsible for the guide data? Microsoft?
I dunno. Presumably.
Are Tivo or Sage users having similar problems?
I dunno, I use Media Center.
This goes triple for a product that you're paying for.
Except Media Center is a free add-on to Windows, so you're not really paying for it. No more than you are for, say, Windows Movie Maker or Paint.