I’ve waxed pseudo-poetically on the joys of having a media center PC, having gone through several configurations before settling on the combination of Mac Mini and Plex Media Center as the best solution for me. Sadly, digital media aficionados like me may soon have one less option when building the living room system of their dreams.
Engadget reported recently that Windows 8 will apparently lack the mostly overlooked Media Center software included in Windows 7. The latest preview release of Win8 lacks some key components of the software, a bad sign for what seemed like the spiritual inspiration for the Metro interface. While losing (at least partially) an option for media center PCs, hardware solutions are growing with the upcoming revision to Google TV, improvements to the Roku lineup, expansions to standalone DVRs like Tivo, and the long-rumored Apple television.
