For the last few years Microsoft has been putting on the Media Center Ultimate Install Contest where custom installers can submit installations they have completed for themselves or for customers and show case them for the CEDIA expo, which this year takes place in Atlanta, GA.
The contest is used to show case some innovative and unique ways of utilizing the Windows Media Center platform and integrating it into a whole home entertainment system. The winners of the contest will win a free trip to the CEDIA expo in Atlanta, as well as a free trip to Microsoft campus for a tour as well as $1000 cash prize.
Other prizes include:
Niveus Media Server – Rainier Edition HD complete system with Intel processor and motherboard
160 GB Intel® X25-M Mainstream SATA Solid-State Drive
Autonomic Media Control Server EX with Polytune
A photo shoot of the winning installation
Also the customer of the winning installation, not only already has a pretty sweet setup will receive:
- Xbox 360 Elite video game system with 4 wireless controllers
- Xbox360 Media Center Remote
- 4 Xbox360 Game Titles
- 1 year Xbox Live subscription
- Two (2) Zune digital media players (8 Gb & 120Gb) with a home AV kit
I for one would love to have the money to either be a custom installer myself and submit a project or turn the tables and be a customer of a custom installer and have my personal install be submitted for a contest like this. Either way it is cool to see contests like this to bring Media Center to the for front and give it the exposure it so rightfully deserves. For us enthusiasts it also gives us something to strive for and gives us ideas for our own personal installs at home.
For more cool ideas and to check out what Microsoft has for the Custom Installer group head over to the CE Installer at Microsoft.
via Microsoft
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Five+ year veteran media center user. Over the years I have built over 20 media center pc's whether it has been to upgrade an existing system in my setup, or to build a media center pc (HTPC) for friends or family. My other passion besides HTPC's and Media Center is Home Theater. After purchasing my first home with a blank slate in the basement, I completely finished it off, building a home theater with a 120" front projection setup and 7.1 surround sound system. So between Media Center and Home theater that is what you'll find me talking about here. Like Adam Thursby, between the two of us are probably the only Zune users you'll find. I started out with an iPod nano but eventually found my way to the Zune and the Zune software and never looked back. Also like Josh Pollard I too am a mobile phone/smart phone gadget nerd. In my "day job" one of my job responsibilities is to test out new phones, specifically windows mobile phones, and test them out with our exchange server and trouble shoot end user issues. I am also a Blackberry convert as I recently got a Blackberry Storm for personal use and absolutely love it! I am a huge forum troll, you can find me on AVSforums, TGB, Missingremote, Hardforums, and even the AU media center forums. I like to help out where I can when it comes to HTPC's and media center in general, so if there are questions to be had, I try to answer them the best I can.
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For the last few years Microsoft has been putting on the Media Center Ultimate Install Contest where custom installers can submit installations they have completed for themselves or for customers and show case them for the CEDIA expo, which this year takes place in Atlanta, GA.
