Boca Raton, FL–Imaging Science Research Labs (ISF RL) is developing specifications for certifying hardware video for Windows XP Media Center Edition PCs.
Since 1994, high-end video consumer products have obtained ISF certification for “High Fidelity Video.” Manufacturers of certified products include Da-Lite, Key Digital, Krell, Monster Cable, Philips, Pioneer Elite, Runco, Sencore, Screen Research and Stewart Filmscreen. Now, ISF RL intends to extend this certification program to Windows XP Media Center hardware that is competitive with the best current consumer electronics products.
Windows XP Media Center Edition is designed to deliver entertainment like TV playback and recording, DVD, digital photos and music through an on-screen menu. Off the shelf PC components are not optimized to deliver such experiences and are usually designed for business productivity or gaming applications. Buyers of Windows XP Media Center Editions PCs are already demanding systems optimized for high quality video and will want to know how to identify the best systems.
Guy Kuo, lauded for his AVIA, AVIA Pro and Home Theater Tune Up DVDs, will be ISF RL’s lab director. Both Guy Kuo and Joel Silver have spoken on video quality at Microsoft’s WinHEC hardware developers conferences.
ISF RL’s research of DVD playback performance will also launch a certification program for DVD players in consumer electronics. The players that represent the reference quality to be applied to Windows XP Media Center hardware will be offered ISF RL certification.
“With Windows XP Media Center Edition, Microsoft is working to deliver the best possible experience for consumers who want entertainment and productivity from a single device,” said Joe Belfiore, general manager for Windows Media Center at Microsoft. “We are pleased to have ISF RL setting the benchmark for great video so customers can easily identify the best values in Media Center Edition PCs.”
