Imaging Science Research Labs Offers Quality Certification For Microsoft Windows Media Center Edition

Through Close Collaboration With Microsoft, ISF Opens Imaging Science Research Labs To Certify Windows XP Media Center PC Hardware For A/V Quality. ISFís New Lab Is Based At Microsoft Studios

27-Aug-04

Imaging Science Research Labs, Inc. (ISF RL) is developing specifications for certifying hardware video quality for Windows XP Media Center Edition PCs. Since 1994, the industryís leading high-end video consumer products have obtained ISF certification for ìHigh Fidelity Video.î 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 a user friendly 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. ISF RL certification will guide consumers to the very best hardware for their homeís Windows XP Media Center based entertainment systems. These products must be designed for artifact free film and sports viewing, superb color fidelity, quiet operation and other home entertainment based quality parameters. ISF RLís first objective will be to determine the metrics and specifications that define the best video performance available for consumers. Hardware and systems that can meet or exceed these criteria will be eligible for ISF RL certification so consumers can identify them as best of class video products. ISF RL services include detailed measurement of video processing for TV, DVD, and Windows Media HD content to ensure it meets the most demanding consumer expectations. Guy Kuo, already well respected in high end consumer video for his AVIA, AVIA Pro and Home Theater Tune Up DVDs, will be ISF RLís Lab Director. Both Guy Kuo and Joel Silver have spoken on video quality at Microsoftís WinHEC hardware developers conferences. ISF RLís 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."" Every Windows XP Media Center Edition PC now includes a remarkably user friendly ISF designed ""Calibration Wizard"" that breaks new ground in helping consumers get better pictures. ""The present convergence between the PC world and home electronics is actually best described as collision. We believe that there is awesome potential for Media Center operating systems, high quality DVD playback, HDTV recording capability and HD gaming in home theaters. We have found that PC hardware is holding back the software. The huge gap in performance, touch and feel, and build quality between the best consumer electronics products and the best PC products need not continue. We hope, in some small way, to contribute to the future evolution of user friendly high-end multimedia solutions for digital entertainment in our homes."" Says Joel Silver, ISF RL President.  For more information about the ISF, please visit www.imagingscience.com.

Read More:
http://www.imagingscience.com