Microsoft Corp. today announced at the DigitalLife conference in New York City the availability of a new software update for Microsoft� Windows� XP Media Center Edition 2005 that will provide new entertainment experiences for Media Center Edition customers around the world. Update Rollup 2 for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 will enable customers to stream digital music, videos, photos, and standard and high-definition television and movies from Media Center PCs to any television in their home via the Xbox 360� gaming system. Windows XP Media Center 2005 customers can obtain Update Rollup 2 free of charge via the Windows Update download site as of today. The software update is also available on new Media Center PCs.

�We introduced Windows XP Media Center Edition three years ago with a vision to simplify the way people experience digital entertainment on their PC using something as familiar as a remote control,� said Will Poole, senior vice president of the Windows Client Business at Microsoft. �Now, Media Center Edition and Xbox 360, together with offerings from hundreds of industry partners, are providing fantastic interactive entertainment experiences that can be experienced throughout the home.�

Using the built-in Media Center Extender technology of Xbox 360, planned for availability Nov. 22 in North America, Update Rollup 2 will connect Xbox 360 to a Media Center Edition PC, offering instant access to thousands of on-demand movies, music and videos available on the Media Center PC, and enabling users for the first time ever to stream high-definition content from Media Center PCs. Update Rollup 2 further builds on the Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 experience by delivering a set of performance improvements and new features that enhance Media Center.