According to EngadgetHD, Windows Media Center isn’t ready for the DTV transition. Despite months and months of planning by consumers and TV stations, it seems the availability of guide data post-transistion has slipped through Media Center’s cracks.
It appears that guide data is not appearing for stations that made the switch to ATSC-only on or around Feb. 17 as originally planned. Media Center in Vista seems to need the analog channel to get guide data from to replicate it on the digital channel.
The problem only appears to affect OTA users in Windows Vista pre-TV pack. However, several comments on the story mention that the problem might be a larger one in Canada where many broadcasters are ATSC only. I’m currently using Windows 7 so I’m not able to verify the issue.
Over at The Green Button, a member going by chrisboedy who appears to be on the Microsoft team posted “It’s likely caused by a change in the FCC feed, but I’ll be sure we identify the cause and post back once we have a solution.”He later said that he had reproduced the issue and that he was looking into it.
Despite Microsoft wanting Media Center to expand its reach, things like this will continue to keep it from mainstream adoption. A regular user isn’t going to be on The Green Button looking for a solution. Guide data is the key to making a DVR solution work, without it you have a digital VCR that you have to program manually. The only difference is no clock flashing 12:00 a.m.
I’ll keep an eye on the story and update it as events warrant.