Windows 7 or Windows 8 for HTPC?

[GlocksRock]

I'm thinking of replacing one of my HTPCs with something newer/better, and all the new pc's come with Windows 8. I have zero experience with Windows 8, and love Win. 7. Does win. 8 have the same homegroup features that win. 7 has, or is it completely different? For those who have used both operating systems, which one is better suited to a media pc?

[Bryce_H]

My understanding is Windows 8 does not come with Windows Media Center (if that matters to you - I have WMC7 on both my HTPCs).

[BoredSysAdmin]

My understanding is Windows 8 does not come with Windows Media Center (if that matters to you - I have WMC7 on both my HTPCs).

^^^ This is correct. Windows 8 comes with free downgrade rights to Win 7
Free linux/xbmc might (or might not) be better alternative, unless you intend to use ocur tuner - it only works with win7 mce.

[Grador]

I cannot stand windows 8 for anything at all, so I say windows 7.

^^^ This is correct. Windows 8 comes with free downgrade rights to Win 7
Free linux/xbmc might (or might not) be better alternative, unless you intend to use ocur tuner - it only works with win7 mce.

IIRC that's only for windows 8 pro.

[Irvrobinson]

My take is that unless you insist on using a touch screen, Win7 is better than Win8, all day, every day.

[GlocksRock]

I likely won't be using media center, and definitely won't be using a touch screen. Just didn't know about the win 8 interface, and networking features. For playback I'll be using powerdvd 11, VLC, media player classic home cinema x64, windows media player, stuff like that.

[ratso]

i downloaded win 8 when it came out and was so cheap on my laptop. the hard drive on the laptop then fried, and it was covered by warranty so i got "downgraded" back to win 7. having had them both back to back i would sooner be beaten with a bat then go for win 8. i use win 7 -64 on my HTPC and it's the way to go IMO.

[Lulimet]

Get with the times. Win 8 is a modern operating system. Even if you don't like the Metro UI you can just go to the regular desktop with a push of a button. The boot up time in my win 8 laptop is less than 15 seconds and I don't even have a SSD. Everything runs faster in Win 8.

[Irvrobinson]

Get with the times. Win 8 is a modern operating system. Even if you don't like the Metro UI you can just go to the regular desktop with a push of a button.

Not quite. The jackasses left off the Start menu. MSFT is lost.

[Grador]

Get with the times. Win 8 is a modern operating system. Even if you don't like the Metro UI you can just go to the regular desktop with a push of a button. The boot up time in my win 8 laptop is less than 15 seconds and I don't even have a SSD. Everything runs faster in Win 8.

It's extraordinarily cumbersome, and likes to jump back into metro for no apparent reason. None of the fancy features that were advertised work very well. I'm willing to wait 60 seconds for my system boot so that it works properly.