Windows XP Media Center Edition

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Windows XP Media Center Edition**

A typical Windows XP Media Center Edition desktop
Website:	Windows XP MCE 2005
Company/ developer:	Microsoft
OS family:	Windows XP
Source model:	Shared source
Latest stable release:	Update Rollup 2 / October 12, 2005
Kernel type:	Hybrid kernel
Default user interface:	Graphical User Interface
License:	Microsoft EULA
Working state:	Current

A typical Windows XP MCE 2005 Menu

Windows XP Media Center Edition 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 viewing on the computer as well as recording and playback, DVD playback, video playback, photo viewing, and music playback. Also, Windows XP MCE uses the Royale (Energy Blue) theme by default, instead of Luna.

Although MCE is based on Windows XP Professional, Microsoft has disabled its ability to join an Active Directory domain post install. 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.

Because of strict hardware requirements, Microsoft has opted not to supply Media Center as an independent retail version. Microsoft only distributes it to MSDN subscribers and OEM System Builders in certain countries. Consumers generally purchase Media Center preinstalled on a new computer, or from a reseller that sells OEM versions of Microsoft software.

Microsoft has released its own first party remote, receiver and infrared 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 DVR products, Microsoft does not charge a monthly subscription fee for its Media Center TV guide service.

1 Windows features exclusive to MCE
2 Hardware requirements
3 Versions
4 Hacks
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Windows features exclusive to MCE

Windows Media Center is an application designed to serve as a home-entertainment hub.
Windows Movie Maker is upgraded to version 2.5 with new effects and transitions and support for DVD burning.
Windows Media Player is upgraded to version 10.
The Royale theme is included and enabled by default.
A number of applications from Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition are included.
A special edition of SoundSpectrum's G-Force as one of the music visualizations.

[edit] Hardware requirements

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 9.0 hardware-accelerated GPU (such as a recent ATI Radeon X series or nVidia GeForce 6 series), and 256 MB of System RAM. Some functionality, such as Media Center Extender support, use of multiple tuners, or HDTV playback/recording carries higher system requirements.

Media Center is much more restricted in the range of hardware that it supports than most other software DVR solutions. 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.

[edit] Versions

As of 2006 there have been five different versions of MCE.

Windows XP Media Center Edition (2002) (codenamed 'Freestyle') The first release based directly on Windows XP Professional, this release was only available from Tier 1 computer manufacturers (HP, Dell, Zitech, et al).
Windows XP Media Center Edition (2004) (codenamed 'Harmony') released in 2003 and was later part of Windows XP Service Pack 2.
Windows XP Media Center Edition (2005) (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.
Windows XP Media Center Edition (2005) Update Rollup 2 (codenamed 'Emerald') Released in late 2005, this was a collection of feature updates including support for DVD changers and to connect to the Xbox 360.
Windows Media Center in Windows Vista (2006) (codenamed 'Diamond') RTMed in late 2006 and generally available to the public on January 30, 2007. The first version of Windows Media Center that is a feature of the operating system rather than a separate SKU of the operating system.

Note that later editions did not rigorously replace earlier ones. For example a PC supplied by a major manufacturer in November 2006 had edition 2002 installed. Possibly this earlier XP Pro-derived version retained the ability to join a domain; application of Microsoft patches brought it up to date.

To determine the XP version on which a machine running MCE is based (e.g., XP Pro), the program DXDIAG.EXE (part of DirectX) can be run: MCE 2002 shows as XP Pro 5.1, build 2600. Winver.exe and Control Panel | System does not show this directly.

See also: Microsoft codenames

[edit] Hacks

There are a number of hacks that change the intended features of Media Center Edition.

One of them allows Media Center Edition programs to be run on non-Media Center Edition Windows versions, including Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003, to get an operating system with advanced features not available with Windows MCE, together with Media Center facilities.^{[citation needed]}

There is a method to allow an MCE computer to join a Windows networking domain.

The viewing of Pay-Per-View using Media Center without an IR transmitter allows the recording of the video, which can later be burned onto a DVD.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

v • d • e

History of Windows

MS-DOS/9x–based:	1.0 • 2.0 • 3.0 • 3.1x • 95 • 98 • Me
NT-based:	NT 3.1 • NT 3.5 • NT 3.51 • NT 4.0 • 2000 • XP (IA-64 • AMD64) • Server 2003 • FLP • Vista
CE-based:	CE 2.0 • CE 3.0 • CE 4.0 • CE 5.0 • CE 6.0 • Mobile
Forthcoming:	Server "Longhorn" • "Fiji" • "Vienna"
Other projects:	Neptune • Nashville • Cairo • OS/2