(codename '''eHome''') is a version of
Windows XP designed to serve as a home-entertainment hub. The latest version, ''Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005'', was released on
October 12 2004 .
Windows XP Media Center Edition (XP MCE) is distinguished from other versions of Windows XP by an exclusive preinstalled application, Media Center, which provides a large-font ("10-foot"), remotely accessible interface for
TV recording and playback,
DVD playback, video playback, photo viewing, and music playback.
Because of strict hardware requirements, Microsoft has opted not to sell Media Center as an independent retail version. Microsoft only distributes it to
MSDN subscribers and
OEM System Builder s in certain countries. Consumers generally purchase Media Center preinstalled on a new computer, or from a reseller that sells OEM versions of Microsoft software.
Although Media Center is based on Windows XP Professional, Microsoft has disabled its ability to join an
Active Directory domain. This effectively precludes the use of Media Center in a corporate environment. Media Center still retains most other Windows XP Pro-specific features, such as
Remote Desktop and the
Encrypting File System .
As of Update Rollup 2, Media Center 2005 supports up to 4 tuners on a single computer (up to two analog tuners, and up to two
HDTV tuners). It cannot, however, record more than two programs at any one time.
Microsoft has released its own first party
Remote , receiver and
IR blaster with MCE 2005. A new specially designed wireless
Computer Keyboard for MCE 2005 was released September 2005.
With version 2005, Microsoft has added support for Media Center Extenders—dedicated hardware devices that allow users to view the same content that is available on the MCE computer over wired or wireless Ethernet.
Linksys and other companies currently sell Media Center Extenders, and Microsoft sells an add-on kit for the
Xbox game console that allows it to function as an extender. The
Xbox 360 also has Media Center Extender functionality out of the box, including HDTV support (which is notably absent from current extenders). Media Center 2005 currently can support up to 5 Media Center Extenders per household.
Unlike competing commercial PVR products, Media Center does not charge a monthly subscription fee for its TV guide service.
Media Center has higher hardware requirements than other versions of Windows XP. MCE 2005 requires at least a 1.6 GHz (or equivalent) processor,
DirectX 9 hardware-accelerated
GPU (such as a recent ATI
Radeon or nvidia
GeForce ), and 256 MB of
RAM . Some functionality, such as Media Center Extender support, use of multiple tuners, or
HDTV playback/recording carries higher system requirements.
Unlike most other software
PVR solutions, Media Center is restricted in the range of hardware that it supports. Media Center tuners must have a standardized driver interface, and they must have hardware
MPEG-2 encoders,
Closed Caption support, and a number of other features. Media Center remote controls are standardized in terms of button labels and functionality, and, to a degree, general layout.
Currently there have been four different versions of MCE.
- The first release based directly on Windows XP Professional, this release was only available from Tier 1 computer manufactures (HP, Dell, Zitech, et al).
- Included support for FM Radio, among other changes.
- (codenamed Harmony) released in 2003 and was later part of Windows XP Service Pack 2.
- (codenamed Symphony) The first edition of MCE available to non-Tier 1 system builders, includes support for Media Center Extenders, and CD/DVD-Video burning support. This version also removes the ability for a MCE computer to join an Active Directory domain.
- (codenamed Emerald) Released in late 2005, this was a collection of feature updates including support for DVD changers.
There are emerging a number of hacks that change the intended features of Media Center Edition. Among them include allowing the running of the Media Center Edition programs on non-Media Center Edition OSs, including Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003, to get an enhanced feature set otherwise not available with MCE 2005. There are also hacks that allow the
joining of the domain at anytime .
