Windows RT 8.1

How are we doing? Anyone on the preview of Windows RT 8.1?

I'm curious to what your findings are! Still in doubt to upgrade my Asus Vivotab RT

I just installed it on my EXO, and it seems to be pretty steady so far.

The better mail app (links opening in snap view is awesome), lock screen features (answer Skype from the lock screen!), up to eight apps open in snap view at once, and start screen customization options make it an appreciated update; especially since it will be free when it's officially released as an update.
I'm testing it out on my prototype slate because I only want to update my daily use EXO once the finished 8.1 is released later this year. So, being that not everything in the prototype is as fast as the final model and it still runs great, I'd say that's a great indication of it running quite well on your EXO's.

As far as updating your Vivo, I've read that going from this pre-release version to the final version will only give the option to start from scratch with a clean install, so bear that in mind.

i installed the preview on my WeTab (same as ExoPC). Except from some minor issues, everything works good.
The only thing which does not work is support for the Broadcom Crystal HD Video Card.
Anyone got this working?

Frank

Ok, finally figured it out...I think.
1.Reset you RT device under ‘PC Settings’
2.Re-build, selecting either French or German as language.
3.Join to the Wi-Fi, bearing in mind that French or German keyboard layouts will be different, so you may need to change keyboard input back to QWERTY so it’s familiar to you.
4. Specifically for the Asus Vivotab RT: look for updates in Windows update. It should state a firmware update from (if I remember correctly 14-05-2013). This firmware update only appeared on my device with the German language; not while using the registry update that has been done here and there. The latter resulted in a 0xc1900106 message.
5.Go to the 8.1 preview website and download, run and install the patch.
6.Restart, and a banner will pop up prompting you to go to the Store to download 8.1
7.Go to the Store, download 8.1. Install. 
8.Change language settings back to English (US) and then ta da!
On my computer Office 2013 started to complain throwing the message:
"Microsoft Office 2013 does not support upgrading from a preview version of Microsoft Office 2013. You must first uninstall these preview versions of Microsoft Office 2013 and associated technologies:
 Microsoft Office Home and Student Plus Preinstall 2013".
So I have completely refreshed the machine again. And again everything appeared in German. After that I immediately changed the language back to English US without using the machine. Now it is fine. Only while restarting or when logging in some German words appear, but that's it! Perhaps that can still be changed by changing some registry keys. On the other hand I will be fine using this until the final version comes out!
It is GREAT!

Still had 3 small "issues":
[*]Login screen states "Anmeldeoptionen" and "Kennwort"
[*]After logging in the screen mentions "Wilkommen"
[*]My 3G connection is called "Mobiles Breitband"
 
If you do the following:
Go into the registry editor (run regedit.exe) and navigate to:
HKey_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Nls\Language
Go to the "InstallLanguage" string at the very bottom of the right pane and change it to the value 0409 (which is EN-US)
 
Now only the 3G connection is still called "Mobiles Breitband"

I'm still very happy with it! I really don't get why people hate Windows 8 and more specifically Windows RT.

With Windows 8.1 it is even better!

Plantje wrote:I'm still very happy with it! I really don't get why people hate Windows 8 and more specifically Windows RT.

With Windows 8.1 it is even better!

@Plantje, you use Windows 8.1 on your WeTab/ExoPC?
Does your CrystalHD Card work under 8.1? Mine does not...

Frank

No, this is on my Asus Vivotab RT. The Crystal HD card does work under Windows 8, but not with all kinds of formats. For example .wtv (Windows Media center recordings) don't use the card. And that is very important to me. What type of data are you using?

Plantje wrote:No, this is on my Asus Vivotab RT. The Crystal HD card does work under Windows 8, but not with all kinds of formats. For example .wtv (Windows Media center recordings) don't use the card. And that is very important to me. What type of data are you using?

 yes, under Windows 8 the Broadcom Crystal HD works fine, for example with youtube and windows media center. But under win8.1 preview it does not work any more. So i thought you installed the preview on your Wetab, too...

No, my brother has borrowed my WeTab... I think he is still on Windows 7
My EXOPC currently is on Windows 8, but I only use it to play some music on the Bluetooth speakers that I have in my bathroom and watch some recorded tv while in the bath.

However, watching recorded tv was not really working out as I didn't see any activity of the Broadcom Crystal HD when playing .wtv files. How do you see it being used?

If I have some time left I will install the 8.1 preview on my EXOPC as well.

just reduce MediaCenter to windowed mode, so you can watch the Broadcom-Icon (three points and a line, grey or red) in the tray.
There is a thread in the Wetab-Community about usage with MediaCenter. I think, it is not used in Live-TV-Mode, but recorded TV is supported, as fa as i remember...

I definitely have to check that again!

And of course it would be nice if we ever get the G-sensor to work. But, I don't think that is going to happen!

Plantje wrote:I definitely have to check that again!

And of course it would be nice if we ever get the G-sensor to work. But, I don't think that is going to happen!

 @Plantje, i think i know your name from the wetab-community ;-)
you did not read there for a while, as the problem with the g-Sensor is solved for a while :-)
Someone posted a new Driver for the g-Sensor which work fine with Windows 8, so the Wetab/ExoPC rotates now.
(works with Win8.1 Preview, too)

Haha! Cool! Yes, that's where you saw my name. I will definitely figure it out! Thanks!

by the way, you bought WeTab-battery from me there ;-)
hope, it still is working :-)

Yes, the battery is still working 100% fine! Actually it is a life saver for this tablet.

I think I will give the EXOPC or the WeTab to my (currently 2 year old) daughter when she's ready for it. A working battery is then the difference between useful and useless!

Hmmm... you're right: when playing .wtv files the Broadcom Crystal HD does help out in Windows 8. Unfortunately I have used my Media Center key on my main media center machine so I can only play the sound of .wtv files.
Even VLC doesn't actually play the .wtv files. I know that on a machine running Windows Media Center both Windows Media Player and VLC are able to play .wtv files as well, so I should be able to find some codecs. Please let me know if you have them. Perhaps later on I can install Windows 8.1 on the EXOPC.

how about Shark007-Codecs, the "swiss army knife" among the codec packages?
 
Usage with Windows 8 Media Center is discussed here: http://www.wetab-community.com/index.php?/topic/19747-win8-hd-beschleunigung-in-mediacenter-geht/

 Microsoft itself provides a activation key for Windows8.1Preview WITH Media Center legally here (scroll down): http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1_pr-windows_install/where-to-find-windows-81-preview-with-media-center/24d2a269-5a04-4ecb-9c74-83fe6a79ece8?msgId=2d94077a-9c1c-4a74-bcc7-87c3279889c6

I tried the Shark007 codecs but no cigar  For some reason only a machine that has Windows Mediacenter installed can play .wtv files. And if you have that installed you can play the files in both Windows Mediacenter as in Windows Mediaplayer.

That really is too stupid! For me there is no pressing reason to have Windows Mediacenter installed on the tablet, but being able to play this file type would be nice!