According to Mr. Ed Bott, the Xbox 360 is going to be the primary way to send digital media around the house and that “the older, simpler, cheaper extender technology is being phased out.”

Now, I’ve never really cared much about Media Center PCs. I have a nice home theater system with a PS2, and a separate computer system. I never really thought much about joining the two beyond a short-lived PVR experiment. (Conclusion: a dedicated PVR is much better than one in a PC in a different room from the TV.) Well, I thought they wouldn’t meet until recently. Recently I had a need to stream HD video from my PC to my HDTV. As it turns out, it’s easier said than done, but it got me thinking that maybe one day I’ll want a Media Center PC.

If Microsoft has their way, it looks like I’ll be needing an Xbox 360 at my TV to deliver that Media Center content. Not really what I had in mind, as I have no intention of buying a 360.

Having to get an Xbox 360 just to play some videos from my PC seems overkill.

Chris Lanier - My Thoughts on Xbox 360 Media Center Extenders
Ed Bott - Do I have to buy an Xbox 360 if I want an extender?