WHS Vail to include Windows Media Center Integration
Blog iStartedSomething has posted details that on Microsoft’s Careers sub-site a job posting has appeared for a Software Development Engineer. Within the subject matter are some good hints of what is coming up for the next major release of Windows Home Server.
On the heels of a tremendous reception by customers for version 1 of Windows Home Server, the team just released power pack 1 last week, and is beginning the planning of the next big release. To staff up a rock solid team for delivering the top notch UI for the next release, we are looking for a developer with a strong passion for slick UI. You would be responsible for designing and coding the very visible and highly confidential UI capabilities that we are adding to Windows Home Server. Just to give a couple of examples – Time Machine compete UI for backup and restore, Windows Media Center integration UI, Live Mesh integration UI etc.. are three of the top UI deliverables for our next version. Yes, we are positioning ourselves as THE backup and Media Server within the home by this release. We do not take UI lightly and have assembled a team that will bring the concept of ‘servers’ into the home with rave reception by both analysts and consumers.
So that can we learn from this information, going through it stage by stage:
- The team is at the planning stage for the next big release of WHS
- A top notch slick user interface is to be delivered
And most excitably, three of the top user interface’s for the next big release are:
- Time Machine complete UI for backup and restore
- Live Mesh integration UI
- Windows Media Center integration UI
“Time Machine compete UI” can be interpreted as a “Time Machine like” user interface that competes with the Time Machine user interface for backup and restore OR a Time Machine integration UI. Live Mesh integration is great news as Mesh will then be compatible with our Home Server’s and perhaps the best news, is that those that also own a Windows Media Center will have Media Center integration with Windows Home Server.
The job description above also adds that:
Yes, we are positioning ourselves as THE backup and Media Server within the home by this release.
WeGotServed also posted details that another vacancy has been posted online for a Program Manager within the Windows Home Server team. Part of the description reads:
…you will get to work with teams both inside and outside of Windows Home Server, including eHome and Windows Live teams.
This is interesting as the eHome team does the work on Windows Media Center and the Windows Live team works on Live Mesh, thus confirming what we wrote above that Live Mesh and Windows Media Center were being integrated with Windows Home Server.
The next part of the description within the vacancy states:
Windows Home Server Code Name “Vail” will be a great project to have on your future resume.
This confirms that “Vail” is the official codename of the next major release of Home Server as we stated back in February (2008).
Also mentioned is that new connected home capabilities would include multiple SKUs: “premium” and “basic” as we discussed in our previous post Two Versions of Windows Home Server.
Things are defiantly looking good on the WHS horizon!
You can check out these vacancies if you are interested, which are based in WA – Redmond. Software Development Engineer and Program Manager.
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Philip – Vail in the title, not “Veil”.
Originally mentioned by MJF – as referred to by you:
https://www.mswhs.com/2008/02/26/next-major-version-of-whs-is-codenamed-vail/
According to the dictionary:
veil = “A piece of light fabric hung to separate or conceal what is behind it; a curtain.”
Vail = “A river in Colorado”
The second codename is correct (as noted in the article and in other comments). Microsoft likes geographic code names, especially ones that are rivers.
Hi Dan and WHS Fan,
Thanks for spotting my mistake – Another slip on the keyboard!
wow, just wow… that just made my day, if I can add my tuners to whs.. oh wait..
“is that those that also own a Windows Media Center will have Media Center integration with Windows Home Server. ”
what?
eh, like the prism from webguide intergration?
Hi,
What does “Windows Media Center integration UI” means?
That WHS will work in sync with MCE or that WHS will have a MC UI which will enable the MCE features on the WHS?
Tx
This looks like the next version of WHS is gonna be exactly what a lot of enthusiasts has been asking for in a long time.
I am only a little confused on one point: Will MCE get fully integrated into WHS, or just a UI to control it on another comp? Personally (as I have earlier stated), I would prefer that we could put the MCE hardware in a WHS-box, and have MCE on Vista/7 working like a “software remotecontrol”.
But let us wait and see what happens.
Hi guys,
Just beginning to look down the WHS route, building my own using hand me downs.
I currently use a living room PC as a digital PVR, with the MC integration on Vista ultimate. I was looking at the WHS to stream recorded material to the living room and any other room, and the WHS add-on I’ve seen so far is SageTV.
Are we drawing the conclusion that the next version of WHS will compete directly with SageTV, so that I can record material with a tuner card in the WHS box and stream this to MVPclients around the house?
Thanks