Media Center PC - (Windows Media Center, Windows XP PC, Windows Media Edition, WMC, WME, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows Media Center Edition, Media Center PC, MCE PCs, Living Room PC, MCPC, HP MCPC. Associated with Windows XP Media Center based-PC, TV-centric PCs.) - The Microsoft® Windows XP Media Center Edition, and many versions of its upgrades have software that's used to turn a PC into a media center. Windows Media Center is included in Windows 7 Home Premium, Ultimate, Professional, and Enterprise; and in Windows Vista Home Premium and Ultimate.

This media center can integrate digital entertainment experiences — including live television, DVR, digital music, digital video, DVDs and photos. This can be done with the use of a remote control device. The Media Center PC is a PC that's designed to be viewed from across the room, like your TV is. Note Microsoft does not manufacture Media Center PCs, they only provide the software for it. To utilize the media center PC, one can use a desktop computer or a PC that's especially built to be viewed from across the room like a TV.

It's been said that Viiv is an upgraded Windows Media Center computer and easier to use. One of the features touted for Vista was its media center abilities for connecting to TVs and allowing users to better manage video, photo, and music files.

A Media Center PC is not the same as a Home Server (Home Media Server) but might have many of the same functions.
The Green Button - "The official community based portal to blogs, articles, and forums about Microsoft media based software."


"There are already more than 10 million Media Center PCs in homes today, and the number is expected to grow tremendously as the release of Windows Vista brings new ways for consumers to enjoy their digital entertainment," said Joe Belfiore, corporate vice president of the Entertainment and Devices eHome Division at Microsoft Corp. (April, 2006).


Windows XP Media Center Edition